Page 115 of Small Town Swoo
Not every love story could have a happy ending.
That night, to distract myself as much as to prepare for tomorrow, I spent hours poring over the script I had forAll We’ve Lost. Closing my eyes, I imagined what it would feel like to be Johnny, this character who’d lived nearly a hundred years ago. Despite the century between his experiences and mine, I needed to put myself in his place. What would it have been like to leave everything I knew and loved behind? To be willing to sacrifice my life for a cause greater than myself? To take a bullet and be left in enemy hands? To fall in love with a woman behind enemy lines who nursed me back to health? To allow her to risk her life for me, and then to love her so much I’d return to save her?
The story felt different to me now. I felt like I understood something I hadn’t when I’d read it the first time. Then, I’d pictured myself playing the role as if I was watching the film on a screen—I was on the outside of my performance. Now, I felt the character take root deep within my body. In mymind. My heart. My gut. I made up memories for him. People he’d left behind. Things he’d said. Dreams he’d had.
The following morning, I did my best to shake off the restless night and channel some good energy by taking a long run, lifting some weights, meditating, and even walking around my house naked for a while. But being naked reminded me of Ari, and my energy felt as cloudy as the sky, which was completely overcast.
Relax, I told myself.You already have the role.
But I still wanted to prove I was worthy of it. That I had the emotional depth necessary to make the story come alive. To make people feel.
A few minutes before four, I rang the doorbell of the house at 52 Beverly Park Terrace. It was a huge home in an exclusive neighborhood on a gated street, and as I stood on the doorstep I felt out of place—like I should be there delivering a pizza instead.
I heard Ari’s voice in my head.Never doubt yourself.
The door opened, and a woman who was not Katherine Carroll—she was a lot younger, maybe in her twenties—appeared. “Hello!” She smiled brightly. “You must be Dash.”
“Yes.”
“I recognize you fromMalibu Splash! Although you’re wearing a lot more clothing.” She gestured to my dark jeans and button-up shirt.
I laughed politely. “I thought it might be best to show up in something other than a bathing suit.”
“I hope you brought it,” she said with a wink. Then she held out her hand. “By the way, I’m Olivia, Katherine’s assistant. Thanks so much for coming.”
“Of course.” I shook her hand and stepped into the two-story entry. “I couldn’t believe it when I got the message. This is such a thrill.”
She laughed. “Well, I’m sure you’re used to this kind of thing.”
“Not really.”
“Follow me,” she said, walking down a hallway on the right. “The girls are out in the back, but we don’t want them to see you yet. It’s so cloudy and chilly today, isn’t it? Not the best day for a pool party, but not much we can do about the weather. You can change in here.” She opened up a door to a powder room.
Girls? Pool party? Something wasn’t right.
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m a little confused. What am I changing into?”
“Your costume,” she said, like I should have known.
“What costume? Something forAll We’ve Lost?”
“All We’ve Lost?” She shook her head. “What do you mean?”
The walls of the hallway pressed closer. “I think there might be some, uh, confusion about what I’m doing here today,” I said slowly.
“You’re here because you were hired to play Bulge at aMalibu Splashthemed birthday party.” Her head fell to one side. “Is that not what you were told?”
“Birthday party?” I almost put a hand on the wall to steady myself.
“Yes. For Katherine’s niece, Pinky. She’s turning thirteen today, and she’s a huge fan of yours, so I contacted your agency to see if you were available to ‘play lifeguard’ at the party.” She put air quotes around the word. “It was Pinky’s one big request.”
“Oh my God.” I closed my eyes. Inhaled and exhaled.
“Is everything okay? You can still do it, right?” Her voice was worried. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes. Something is wrong.” I opened my eyes. “I was under the impression that today was a meeting related to being cast as Johnny inAll We’ve Lost.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “Wow, something really got lost in translation there.”
