“Of course! Oh, my God—of course!” She flicked her eyes to Preston, who was watching the exchange with fascination. “Um, come with me, sir, um, Mr. Durran.”
They followed Kat onto the dark stage, through a labyrinth of ropes, curtains, sets and technical boards, through a door and into a poorly lit back hallway where various people bustled back and forth, most with headsets on, and all looking exhausted. The hallway was made of cement blocks, tight, narrow and dirty with a strong smell of hot lights and mildew, but Preston barely noticed, wound tight with anticipation, scarcely able to believe that he’d be face to face with Elise Klassan in a matter of seconds.
Kat stopped at a nondescript door and knocked. “Elise?”
“Give me a sec, Kat!”
Kat turned to Mr. Durran, giving him a sheepish smile.
She knocked again. “Elise, it’s important. Please let me in right now, huh?”
Preston heard the lock click, and Kat slipped into the room, leaving him and Mr. Durran alone in the hallway.
***
Elise looked up from her dressing table, where she sat in a bra and panties, her face still half-covered with makeup.
“Everything okay?”
Elise had worked with Kat a couple of times now, but they’d never been especially close and post-performance was a busy time for the Assistant Stage Manager, so it was unusual that Kat would come by to see Elise directly after a performance.
Stopping what she was doing and turning her body to Kat, Elise realized that Kat was panting with excitement, her bottom lip between her teeth, and her eyes dancing.
“Kat? What is it?”
“Brace yourself.”
Elise’s heart sped up and she placed the make-up wipe in her hand on the dressing table counter. “Okay.”
Kat licked her lips, speaking in a dramatic whisper. “Donny Durran is here…” Elise felt her eyes widen as her breath caught.“…and he wants a word with you!”
Elise reached out for Kat’s hands, clasping them as she burst into a smile, her whole body tensing with nerves and excitement. “Me?”
Kat nodded, giving Elise’s hands a squeeze before releasing them. “Fix your face and get dressed quick.”
“Oh, my God!” Elise giggled softly and nodded, turning to grab another makeup wipe and scrub her face furiously.
“Where are your clothes? These?” asked Kat, taking the jeans and flowered long-sleeved T-shirt off the chair beside Elise. Kat unfolded the jeans and held them open for Elise, who managed to step into them while taking off the last of her eye makeup. Kat took the dirty wipe and passed Elise the shirt. “Here!”
Elise the shirt over her head and it caught on several pins. “My hair!”
Kat pulled the shirt down and plunged her hands into Elise’s hair, tugging out pins right and left as Elise caught them in her fist.
“What do you think he wants?” asked Kat.
Elise had no answer. The play was terrible. She shook her head, at a loss.
“Stay still!” whispered Kat.
“I don’t know what he wants,” said Elise. “I’m shaking.”
Kat pulled the last of the pins from Elise’s hair and handed them to her, putting her hands on Elise’s shoulders and looking squarely into her eyes. “Stop it.”
“Okay.”
“Take a deep breath.”
“Right. Good.”
“Do you want to put your hair up?”
Elise placed the pins in a neat pile on the table and ran her fingers through the silky waves. “No. It’s fine.”
“Sit.”
Elise sat back down on the stool behind her, straightened her spine and crossed her legs, facing the door.
Kat offered Elise a serene smile, pointing at it. “Smile.”
Elise took a deep breath and smiled up at Kat gratefully.
“Good luck,” she mouthed, as she turned to the door and opened it. “Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Elise Klassan.”
Elise stood, channeling the most confident and gracious character she could imagine as she extended her hand to the most well-regarded, best-recognized Casting Director on Broadway.
“Hello, Ms. Klassan, I’m Donny Durran.”
“Yes, I know! What an honor to meet you, sir!” said Elise, trying to keep her hand from trembling as she clasped his like a lifeline.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noted the tall, young, good-looking man standing just behind Donny, and she flicked her blue eyes to his intense, bright green. “And you are…”
“My new talent scout,” said Donny with a light chuckle.
“That’s not true,” said the handsome man quickly, shaking his head, his eyes fixed on hers like lasers. “I’m not a-a scout. I’m a lawyer.”
“He’s a lawyer! Well, lucky for you, Ms. Klassan, because I’m thinking you might need a good lawyer very soon,” said Donny.
Her smile fell. “Oh. Why? Have I done something wrong?”
Where Elise came from, you only needed a good lawyer for a couple of things—mostly foreclosures and legal defense.
Mr. Durran pulled his hand away with a yank. “Aside from almost breaking my hand? No.”