Page 56 of Never Been Matched
Daphne follows him outside.
I stop next to Audrey. “What was that about?”
She faces me, her lips pressed closed, cheeks bright with color. “What was what about?”
Before I can pry for more, she spins on her heel and stalks back to the bathroom.
What the hell?
The door to the theater swings open and Daphne comes in, a box in her hands. “Where’s Princess Fiona?”
“Um. She went back to cleaning.”
Maybe Carter didn’t fall all over her, and she couldn’t handle it? Who knows?
We spend the next thirty minutes setting up the DIY photo booth in the corner, away from the concession stand to avoid interfering with a possible line.
Carter really came through. He brought in two old Polaroid cameras from the school, a stack of film, and a couple of corkboards we prop up against the wall so people can pin their pictures up. We set out some light stands that look like they have been used in at least a thousand school plays and a bunch of props: feather boas, oversized sunglasses, fake mustaches, plastic tiaras. In honor of Graham’s work, we also added cardboard printout stick props of masquerade masks, including skulls, zombies, and devils.
The only thing left is the backdrop, which Daphne and I pieced together earlier using a large white sheet, gold and silver tinsel, ribbons, and a bunch of fabric flowers in every color we could find.
Once it’s finally secured to the wall, we step back to take it in.
“Not bad.” Carter crosses his arms.
“Are you kidding me?” Daphne says. “It’s charming. It’s whimsical. It’s also the best we could do with what we had on hand.”
Jack backs toward the hallway, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll grab Audrey. She’ll want to see it.”
Daphne rolls her eyes. “You’re really going to be that obvious?”
“What?” Jack shrugs. “She’s hot.”
Daphne plants a hand on her hip. “You have zero game.”
Jack grins. “And yet it hasn’t failed me yet.”
“Debatable,” she shoots back.
“Good looks and money don’t make someone a good person,” Carter says. “It’s usually the opposite.”
I frown, turning to him. “What does that mean?”
Granted, I have my own problems with Audrey, and lord knows he’s not far off, but she’s still my sister. I am allowed to talk shit about her, but that doesn’t mean anyone else can.
“Sorry. Nothing.” He blows out a breath and rubs his head. “I have to get back to the school. It’s been a chaotic day, and we’re understaffed.” He turns to Daphne. “Are you looking for a full-time office job?”
“How’s the pay?”
He pushes up his glasses. “Well . . .”
She waves at him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve done work for the school system in the past, and I stopped because it pays absolute dog shit and those crotch goblins are feral.”
He lifts his hands. “I get it. Thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Let me know if you change your mind and can promise to stop calling them crotch goblins. You all need anything else from me before I take off?”
Daphne claps him on the shoulder. “We’re good. Thanks for saving us.”
He nods once, quick and distracted, and heads for the door.
