“Great.”
They made plans to meet at a bistro not far from the theater district. She gave some instructions to her staff, then hopped in a taxi. Stella was waiting outside the restaurant.
“It’s cold out here,” Carolina said as she slid her arm through Stella’s and they headed inside.
“I’m still hot from rehearsals. The fresh air felt good.”
It was a little after the regular lunch hour rush, so the place wasn’t crowded. They were seated right away and Carolina ordered an iced tea and a chicken salad.
“I want all the details on how rehearsals are going.”
Stella took a deep breath and shrugged out of her coat. “Great, but the choreographer is a bastard. He works us all until every muscle in our bodies is screaming. I both love and hate him. I’m learning so much, but oh, my God, I’m so sore at night that all I want to do is go home, ease my body into a hot bath, then fall facedown on my bed and pass out.”
“But it’s good, right?” Carolina asked as the waiter brought their drinks. “It’s going to be a good show?”
“It’s going to be a great show, and really amazing exposure for me. I’m so lucky to be with the company. You know how much I literally squealed like a damn girl when I got a spot.”
Carolina laughed. “I know. You’ve been working so hard to get in with a good troupe.”
“Yes. So no matter how much I complain about how hard they’re working me, it’s just the best job. And we have to rehearse hard because the show opens right after Christmas.”
“I’ll be there.”
Stella grasped her wrist. “I know you will. And I love you for that, considering how insane with work you are right now.”
Carolina laughed. “Well, my insanity is coming up, but I always have time for you.”
The waiter brought their food and they sat and ate. Stella dove into her salad just as eagerly as Carolina did.
“Are you eating well?”
Stella nodded. “Yes. I have to. I’m burning calories like crazy. I’d die if I didn’t replenish. How about you?”
“Trying to. Edward and Tierra ride me worse than my parents about eating. One or the other of them is always fetching me food. It’s unlikely I’m going to starve to death.”
“I’ll be sure to thank them both next time I see them.” Stella stopped to take a sip of tea, then looked at her. “And how about hot guy Drew? Seen him lately?”
She popped a crouton into her mouth and shook her head. “Not since that night in the bar. How about hot guy Trick? How did that go?”
Stella grinned. “That went very well. And he is very hot. But like you, I don’t have a lot of time for hot men in my life, and he’s had several road games. But we have done some long-distance sexting.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It has been. And it relieves some of that excess tension. He’s a great guy.”
Carolina studied her. “You like him.”
Stella shrugged. “As much as I can like any guy. He’s good in the sack, and I might want to do him again.”
“You try so hard to make it seem like he doesn’t matter.”
“Please. We only had one night. And you’re avoiding the subject of you and Drew. How did that go after we left?”
“I went to his place.”
Stella laid her fork down. “And?”
“And I . . . left the next morning.”
Stella’s eyes widened. “Ohhh, so you slept with him. Yay. You needed to get laid.”
“I really did.”
“Anything since then?”
“Nothing at all. I actually left before he woke up. And I’ve been so busy I haven’t had any time to talk to him. Plus, he hasn’t called me.”
“So, you walked out on him without a word. Good for you.”
She loved Stella’s smug smile. “You know I didn’t plan to dump him. I had this . . . well, this is going to sound bizarre, but when I got up that morning, he looked so beautiful sprawled out on the bed, I was inspired to draw him just like that. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my drawing pad with me, so I dashed out of his place, raced home and sketched that image I had of him before I could lose the visual.”
Stella just stared at her.
“I know. I told you it was bizarre.”
“No, I’m just thinking. So you weren’t out to get revenge on him for dumping you in college.”
“No. Of course not.”
“Not consciously, anyway. But maybe subconsciously?”
Carolina took another bite of salad, studying Stella. Finally, she waved her fork at her friend. “I think you have a vindictive streak in you.”
Stella laughed. “You think?”
“I still think some guy broke your heart and you never got revenge.”
“And you think I’m projecting my need for revenge onto you.”
“Yes.”
Stella laughed. “Trust me. If I wanted revenge, I’d go get it for myself. I just think Drew did you wrong, and I figured you took your opportunity to get him back.”
“I wasn’t out to get him back. What happened between us just . . . happened.”