“Gotcha,” Lauren said, numbly. While learning that the ill-advised kiss wasn’t public information provided Lauren a small measure of relief, the photo wasn’t exactly fantastic news. That kind of cozy relationship with her lead actress wasn’t the image she wanted out there. Her cast would see that, not to mention the wider world. “Can I see it?” She had an Instagram account but rarely opened it these days.

It took Trip only a few seconds to produce the image. “It’s not…awful,” he said, clearly doing his best to minimize the perceived fallout. “Actually, it’s a really hot photo of the two of you. People will talk about it for a few days and then move on to something else.”

She looked down at the photo on Trip’s screen. She was crouched over Carly, their faces very close together, their bodies touching back to front. It looked like she was speaking quietly into Carly’s ear. Carly was smiling. Wonderful, Lauren.

“They should fire me now,” she said with a sigh and tossed the phone onto the table in front of her.

Trip abandoned his task and headed over. His hair seemed sympathetic, having lost its festive bounce, and that helped.

In favor of the larger issue, she shoved aside the other things that viewing the photo did to her, the tightening of her stomach muscles, the warmth that started at her hairline and moved rapidly down her body, making her fingers tingle and dance nervously. She’d never really had to deal with dancing fingers before.

She remembered the moment itself clearly, how Carly’s blond hair had tickled Lauren’s collarbone as she’d spoken quietly. She swallowed.

“Lauren, my noble leader, you’re blushing profusely.”

She glanced up. “Am not.”

“And now you’re telling outright lies, and it’s me.” He turned a chair backward and sat next to her as if in down-to-business mode. “Lala, you have a thing for Carly Daniel? You wouldn’t be the first in this life, so it’s not at all a surprising thing. Let me tell ya. She’s a lesbian. You’re a lesbian. Sometimes lesbians get together and do lesbian things.”

“Please, Trip. I was drinking and trying to be…I don’t know, fun?” She sighed. “Look where it got me. Definitely not a mistake I’ll make again. I need to keep my distance. Decided.”

“Stop it right now, or I’ll hurl this chair through a window like Patti Lupone in a rage.”

“Dramatic.”

“When it comes to this? Yes. I loved that you came out with us. It’s been a while since you’ve attended any kind of gathering outside of the ones that come with formal invitations, and you’re not a nun. Yet.”