“I just want you to know how amazing I think it is that you’ve done all of this. You’re the full package, Lauren.” A pause. “Could we do dinner before the show next week?”

“Oh, I’m not sure I can.”

Tinsley nodded. “Because you’re seeing Carly.”

Lauren hesitated. She and Carly had not officially said as much to anyone, but they hadn’t exactly hidden it either. “Yes,” she said, finally.

“I can respect that, I suppose. But, Lauren?”

“Yes?”

“She’s going to drop you once all of this is over. She’s Carly Daniel. Her world is huge. We’re different.”

The implication was clear, and Tinsley was voicing a concern Lauren had tucked away in the back of her mind: Carly could get any girl or guy she wanted, and likely would.

“Thanks, Tins. I appreciate the advice, but I can take care of myself.”

“I know.” She shifted her weight to the other foot. “Sometimes, though, it can be hard to see it when you’re in the midst of it all, you know? Trust me on this. Don’t let yourself get hurt, okay?”

“I won’t.”

She let herself in to her dressing room and tried to shrug off the uncomfortable conversation and prediction. That’s not what today was about. She looked around her dressing room instead to find an embarrassment of riches in the form of good show gifts. Custom coffee mugs, ball caps, more flowers, and even a show hoodie. Her company had gone all out. She’d distribute her own gifts, small survival kits with a celestial theme, soon enough. In the corner of her dressing room, something large caught her eye. She tilted her head and studied the strange arrival: a shrink-wrapped pallet of boxes of some kind. Lauren dipped into her stage manager’s kit, always at the ready, grabbed a pocketknife, and tore through the wrap to spring open one of the boxes. What she found made her laugh out loud. Boxes and boxes of multicolored Post-its in all shapes. With her hands on her hips, she marveled at the volume. She’d not live long enough to use them all.

“Has anyone ever expressed their preshow affection via office supplies before?” She turned to see Carly standing behind her, sporting a triumphant grin.

“I can’t say they have. You’re definitely proving yourself to be memorable.”

Carly wiped her brow to dramatically convey her relief. “Thank God. I can’t compete with red roses.” She pointed to the large arrangement. “I’ll just blend.”

Lauren walked to Carly and wrapped her arms around her neck, not even bothering to close the door. “You couldn’t blend if you wanted to.”

Carly looked skyward, pulling Lauren closer. “I feel like that’s a challenge. What did you get me? Tell me. I can’t take it.”