Page 84 of After Midnight

“Of course,” I answered without hesitation, barely managing to stop myself from jumping up and down while clapping my hands. “You should know, I don’t have much real-world experience in business, though. I mean, my internships…”

He held his hand up to stop me. “Listen, young man, my record is clear. I’m an expert at identifying talent. You may not be a comedian, but you are something special. If this is where you’d like to start your career, I have no doubt you’ve got the potential to recognize talent at least as well as me.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Well, mostly because I’ve watched you while you worked the bar. You recognize when great talent takes the stage and when mediocre talent is performing. You’re very attuned to knowing good material when you hear it because you actively listen. When it’s less so, you basically tune them out. That may be a natural skill you’re not even aware of, but it’s something we can build upon. I know, because I’ve made my career out of honing that same skill.”

I smiled at him, feeling pleased but also a touch embarrassed. “I hadn’t realized you were watching, otherwise I might have been more self-conscious. To be honest, I’ve felt guilty, and I’m surprised I haven’t gotten in trouble for listening to the routines instead of waiting on customers.”

“No harm done. If you’re interested in the job, I’ll expect you to be working on your MBA. You’ll need that as you rise throughthe industry. Trust me, a title is important the closer to the top you get.”

I’d already decided I would go for the degree, so I didn’t argue.

I saw Dillon a few hours later at the club just after he finished his improv class, and pulled him into the back room. “I just got promoted,” I said, hardly able to contain my excitement.

“Really?” Dillon asked, confused. “You’re going to be head bartender?”

I laughed. “They don’t have a head bartender. I’ve been asked to be Mr. Foreman’s apprentice.”

“Whoa, that’s huge!”

“I know, right?”

Dillon pulled me into a bear hug and then kissed me before telling me how proud he was of me.God, I loved this man.

That night, Dillon gathered the family, and we celebrated down in Boystown at our favorite Thai restaurant.

“Our boss, Mr. Foreman is known as one of the pickiest men in the industry. For him to have chosen you to take under his wing he must see something special in you,” Dillon proclaimed in front of the group. “And, of course, I have to agree. You are incredibly special, Dominic, and I’m so proud of you.”

“Look at everything he’s overcome and never lost his footing,” Miss Rita said. The table fell quiet. “He held onto his inner strength, never stopped pushing forward and protecting those he loved. Sometimes he even protected me.”

She looked down at her hands, then reached into her purse, pulling out a tissue. “I’ve never known anyone as brave as you, Dominic. It doesn’t surprise me in the least your boss recognizes that in you. I doubt there’s anything you couldn’t be or do if you wanted it.” She wiped her tears and then lifted her wine glass. “Here’s to the bravest man I know.”

After the most emotionally reserved person in my life poured her soul out in front of me and everyone else, everyone toastedboth me and Miss Rita while I gave her a hug. She really was my mom in every way that mattered, and I thanked God she’d been a constant in my life all those difficult years. Without her, I doubt I’d have been as brave as she said I was. Of course, one doesn’t survive without others.

My resiliency and inner strength hadn’t formed in a vacuum. At various points in my life, I had needed every single person sitting around the table, and I still did. Anyone looking at us from the outside would see a hodgepodge of relationships, some related by blood, by marriage, by court rulings, and others simply by circumstance. The common denominator we all shared, and the single thing that mattered most, was our love for each other. That’s what truly made us family.

Chapter forty-two

Dillon

“Dear God, I’m nervous,” I said as I was getting ready for the audition.

“Babe, you’ll do fine,” Dominic said, giving me a quick kiss. “As Mr. Foreman told you,Saturday Night Liveisn’t the be-all and end-all. You and Feldman have already become famous in your own right, and he says you’d probably be better off doing movie roles off and on anyway.”

Of course, he had no idea I wasn’t nervous overSaturday Night Live. I was only in New York auditioning because I needed to. I’d put too much time into preparing to not see it through, but unless something happened to change my mind, Felman and I had already decided to pursue more work in the film industry. Mr. Foreman had agreed to be our agent after we’d received glowing reviews for our first film appearance. He’d told us last week there’d been a lot of casting directors sniffing around, making inquiries about our duo act, since the movie had premiered.

No, I was nervous about something happeningafterthe audition.

We’d watchedSleepless in Seattlewhen Ashton and Jeffrey had insisted on it one movie night after the girls had gone to bed.

Since then, I’d been planning to propose to Dominic at the top of the Empire State Building. Our entire family, including my dads, had flown out and were going to meet us there, so they could be present when I asked my incredible boyfriend to be mine forever. But, as far as he knew, he and I would simply be playing tourist around the Big Apple and the Empire State Building was on our must-see list.

The air was as cold here in New York City as it was back home in Chicago, only without the biting wind.

Because it was a closed audition with no guests allowed, Dominic decided to go shopping while I went to the studio. I can’t say I killed my audition, since my heart wasn’t really in it anyway, but I think I did myself and Third County proud. It had been a good learning process, too, and I’d made a few good contacts among the show crew and other comedians.

With the audition behind me, I phoned my dad and warned him he needed to get everyone up to the observation deck asap. I texted Dominic that I was done and asked him to meet me outside the studio.

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