“We think he’s living out some childhood memory,” Simon says with an unbothered shrug. “That or dementia. Either way, who’s complaining?”
I glance around the box office. Music is playing from someone’s cell phone. It’s a K-pop song I don’t recognize. I notice a white box on the counter. Inside is a green-and-blue sheet cake, two forks sticking out of it like chopsticks. “That’s a really big cake,” I say.
Alex smiles. “Do you want some? There’s strawberries inside.”
Simon leans back, grabbing a fork. “Pleasespareus the calories,” he says.
“Yeah, I’d love some.”
Alex hands me a plastic spoon. “We’re out of forks. And paper plates.”
Simon waves it off. “Bad for the environment anyway.”
“Where did you guys get it?” I ask.
“Oh… you know, that one bakery around the block,” Simon says vaguely.
I take a closer look at the cake, reading the cursive writing. “Why does it sayCongratulations, cast and crew?”
Simon and Alex exchange looks. A silence passes. Then Simon throws up his hands. “Alright, you caught us. We stole it. You solved the murder. Are you happy, Sherlock?”
“They delivered it here by mistake,” Alex says, taking another bite. “It happens every once in a while.”
Simon narrows his eyes. “You better not tell on us. Or we’llruinyou,” he says in a low voice.
“Of course I won’t.” I laugh. I lean forward, taking a bite to prove myself. The frosting is a rich buttercream. “That’s really good. You sure no one will know it’s missing?”
Simon offers a sly smile. “Sweet, sweet Eric. You have so much to learn around here.” He pulls open a drawer, revealing two bottles of champagne. “These are from opening night. What’s left from it, anyway.”
I pick up one of the bottles. “Veuve Clicquot? We served this at my old job. It’s pretty expensive.” To be honest, I always thought about sneaking home a bottle. But I chickened out at the end of the night. “What other perks does this job have?”
“First of all, Iloveyour energy right now,” Simon says, smiling proudly. “And second, there’s actually something a little moreinteresting.” He glances at Alex. “It’s what we were discussing before you came in.”
Alex leans forward and whispers, “There’s a cast party tonight. At some fancy apartment in River North.”
“You guys got invited?”
Simon laughs. “Of course not! But we’re going anyway.”
“They don’t invite us to those things,” Alex says.
I take another bite of the cake. “How did you guys hear about it?”
“I have my ways of obtaining information,” Simon says, pressing his fingers together like a movie villain.
Alex rolls her eyes. “He’s hooking up with one of the chorus boys.”
Simon shoots another look. “I told you, he’s anunderstudy!”
“You should come with us,” Alex suggests.
“To the party?”
Simon looks at me. “Do you have something better to do?”
I think about this. I was hoping to see Haru again tonight. I was planning on waiting outside after work in case heshowed up. There’s no way I can explain that to them. But I don’t remember the last time I was invited to a party. Maybe I should go. “No, I don’t have other plans.”
“Then you have to go,” Alex insists.
