Page 114 of Quiver

“The director, she’s still here. Do you think we did enough to impress her?”

It took a second to process the question and another two or three to realize she didn’t care.

She didn’t even have a chance to begin making meaning before Fletcher nodded to something over her shoulder.

She turned to see Sophia and Talia threading against the grain of the departing spectators as they tried to reach her. “No.”

“What?” Fletcher asked.

“I don’t … they don’t.” She shook her head harder this time, trying to break free of her haze. “They don’t matter. Their opinion doesn’t matter, Fletch. Only yours does.”

Fletcher’s expression grew somber again. “I’m not strong enough to go over all this again.”

“Then let’s do something different this time.”

“We are. Can’t you see?” Fletcher pleaded. “We’re letting each other go. We’re letting each other shine. You just did it for me, and if the two women walking toward us now are who I think they are, they’re about to give you your shot to do the same.”

Kylie looked back to see them getting close, and the panic nearly overtook her completely. “I don’t want to know how this ends. I don’t want it to end. I’m not even sure it can end, not between the two of us.”

“Kye …” Fletcher must’ve seen the terror in her eyes, or maybe Kylie had sparked the same in her. “Don’t do anything rash.”

She smiled at the low warning and leaned forward enough to touch her forehead to Fletcher’s. “When have I ever?”

“Wait,” Fletcher whimpered.

She laughed, still unable to heed any direction given so weakly. Then turning, she held up her hand to Sophia and Talia when they were still a few feet away. “Stop.”

They froze and glanced at each other curiously, then back at her.

“I don’t want to know. Just go.”

Talia seemed amused by the declaration, and Sophia mildly offended, reminding her if she alienated this woman, she’d effectively set fire to any bridge back into the business she’d sacrificed so much for. So be it. If someone handed her a box of matches right now, she’d gladly strike every one of them. “I don’t want to hear if I got the part.”

“Oh fuck,” Fletcher groaned behind her. “She doesn’t mean that.”

“I do.” She whirled back to her forcefully. “I don’t want to let anyone else push me into the dilemma you outlined earlier. If I get the part, you’ll make me go, and if I don’t, you’ll feel like a consolation prize and refuse to let me stay. Either way, someone else plays my hand. I refuse to live that way. I want to make a free choice for myself right here and now.”

Fletcher grabbed her with both hands and gave her a good shake. “Stop it. You’re going to regret this for the rest of your life.”

“No. I understand regret. I’ve lived with it for years. We both spent more than a decade grappling with decisions made in an instant and the impulsiveness of youth, but we aren’t kids anymore. I know things now I couldn’t have back then, and while I’m done beating myself up over things neither of us could’ve changed, we get to make better choices now, and I’m choosing you, Fletcher. I’m choosing us fully and completely, regardless of whatever other options are or aren’t on the table.”

“But everything you’ve ever worked to earn is standing right there.” She motioned to Sophia and Talia. “You have to at least listen.”

“I don’t have to do anything if it means losing you, and you’ve said time and time again there’s no place for you in my world. If that’s true, I don’t want to live there anymore, no matter how life-changing the script is.” She shot an apologetic look at Talia. “And it is a life-altering script, but what I have here, it’s life-altering, too, and it’s real.”

Talia gave her an approving nod. “Don’t let me stop you.”

“I actually have to stop you,” Sophia cut in firmly.

“I’m sorry—” Kylie started, but Sophia held up a hand.

“Don’t be. I’m genuinely enjoying the drama of this moment, but my wife tells me it’s not nice to torture the talent. I’m morally obligated to inform you I haven’t made up my mind about the lead actress casting yet, one way or the other.”

“Oh.” The news was a little deflating, but Kylie shrugged it off. “Okay, fine, that’s great. I need to withdraw my name.”

“Don’t,” Fletcher said quickly.

“I have to agree with your friend here.” Sophia extended her hand. “Fletcher Bouchard, right?”