Page 26 of To the Moon and Back

“We’ll need a new stage manager. How do you feel about giving Tripa shot as PSM?” Trip had been a faithful assistant stage manager for over twoyears now and, in Lauren’s opinion, was the perfect one for the job. Not onlyhad he earned it, but he was already familiar with the show and its specificneeds.

“I’m glad we agree. I have an appointment with him next to make itofficial.” Lauren closed her eyes, knowing how thrilled he was going to be.“I’ll see if we can get Janie to ASM.”

Lauren nodded. “Great. I know she’s off this slot and was worriedabout employment.”

He picked up his phone. “We’re about to make her day.” He glancedat his watch. “Rehearsal in an hour. You better grab a coffee and learn yourlines.”

“Oh. I need to get over there and set up.”

“Not anymore you don’t,” Wilks said sternly. “You’re an actressonly now. Make your call time, and be ready to work. That’s all you have toworry about. Trip will do the rest.”

The concept left her dumbfounded, almost like she’d left homewithout money, keys, or her phone. Just show up and be prepared to delve intoMandy? The concept seemed so foreign to her when she was used to managing somany details.

The smile was small when she left Wilks’s office, but as shewalked the long hallway, passing one historic McAllister moment after another,it steadily blossomed. Her body hummed with a slow-growing excitement thatstarted somewhere in her midsection and radiated out.

An adventure was about to begin, and this time, she wasn’t LaurenPrescott, standing with her clipboard on the sidelines. She was part of it. Asshe reached the end of the hallway, she had to steady herself. The smilereached its full bloom as she allowed the understanding to settle.

A dream was about to come true. She was an actress again.

* * *

When Carly’s alarm went off at seven thirty, she wanted more thananything to hurl it across the room and put out a hit on the clock and all itsdistant relatives. Instead, she remembered the new leaf she’d decided upon.“One foot on the floor,” she mumbled, and slowly made the request a reality.Now, as she lay there, half off the bed with the bottom of one foot touchingthe floor, she had to figure out how to get the other one there, too. “Not justyet,” she said to her ceiling and let her eyes slowly close again. “Just threeminutes. I just need three.”

Once they passed, she blinked. “Two feet on the floor.” She slidthe second leg out, banishing it from the warmth of the covers and placed itflat on the floor next to the other one. Now only her body remained in bed,perpendicular and clinging to slumber like a life raft in a storm at sea.“Gotta sit up,” she whispered in defeat, but damn it, she made it happen. Thiswhole routine was a production, yes, but for two straight mornings in a row,it’d worked. She’d not been late, and the day had been better for it. She’dalso been afforded some extra time with just Lauren, and that made it allworthwhile. Lauren was so much more pleasant when the two lines between hereyes weren’t creased and angry. Carly sighed, naked and wrapped in her snugglycomforter, because those little lines were actually really cute, too.

She could admit it. She was more than smitten with LaurenPrescott, and she’d thought about that sexy stage kiss nonstop since yesterday.Yes, it had been Mandy and Ashley, and she knew the difference, but thephysical chemistry had been all theirs. Carly didn’t know if what they’d shownEthan would give him the motivation to actually talk to Evelyn, or maybe evenlet her see Lauren perform the scenes in person. God, if only uptight Evelyncould see how likable Lauren was as Mandy, how funny and kind. She didn’t knowthe protocol for those kinds of practices in the theatrical world, but shehoped for her own career’s sake that yesterday hadn’t been for nothing.

Two hours later, she stood in the rehearsal hall, iced coffeesecured—without being late, mind you—waiting on Ethan. Lauren and Trip werebehind the stage manager’s table passing a lot of pages back and forth andnodding. Evelyn was still out, apparently, which was great for at least onemore rehearsal with someone else.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Ethan said, breezing into the room with anoticeable extra spring in his step. “Lots to do today, but first a briefannouncement.” All eyes were on him. Heads quirked. Glances were exchanged.“There’s been a change to our cast. Effective today, the role of Mandy inStarry Nightswill beplayed by Lauren Prescott. Trip will be our new production stage manager, andJanie will join him tomorrow as assistant. You’ll meet her then.” The room wassilent for a moment. Carly’s gaze flew immediately to Lauren, who smileddemurely at the table, continuing to work and avoiding all eye contact.Finally, when she did look up, it was straight back at Carly, who sent her thebiggest smile of encouragement. This was better than anything she’d hoped for.Carly couldn’t believe it. Her toes were numb and she wanted to jump up anddown. They’d given Lauren the role? Unable to take it, she raced across theroom to Lauren, as the rest of the company chatted quietly in shock.

“I don’t believe it. This is fucking awesome,” Carly whispered,her arms around Lauren.

“Is it?” Lauren asked.

“Yes! You’re in the show now. You’re starring in the show, Lauren.Do you get that? Why didn’t you call me?”

“I just found out.” Lauren smiled. Her usual confidence didn’tshine through, however. “And I didn’t really see this coming. Yet here I am.”She lifted her arms and let them drop to the side in demonstration. “I think Ihave you to either thank or kill.” A pause. “So…thank you.”

Lauren was afraid, Carly realized. She was a quieter individual,who had dealt with a lot of rejection as an actress. Carly needed to rememberthat. “Well, all I did was put you in front of Ethan—you did the rest. Besides,when do people around here pay any attention to me, anyway?”

“More than you realize.”

Carly shook her head, still on a high from the news. “This was allyou and your talent.”

Lauren exhaled slowly, as if she was about to board a reallyintimidating roller coaster.

“Places for act two,” Trip announced to the room with gusto. Carlypassed him the thumbs-up and slapped his shoulder.

“You’re gonna kill it as the production stage manager-y thing.”

“Thanks, Carly D. Working on it.” He winked and ran a hand throughhis bouncy curls, which, strangely, seemed even bouncier than usual. It wasalmost like they knew he’d been promoted.

Kirby raced over. “Oh my God. This is the best thing ever. Lauren,you’re perfect for this. Do you need anything? How about I help you with lines?Oh, wow. This is huge. I gotta call my boyfriend later. Oh, do you want to getdrinks after rehearsal tonight? Maybe we can all get drinks,” she said,indicating herself, Lauren, and Carly with a circular gesture.

“Kirby?” Carly asked.

“Yeah?”

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