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“Oh, come on, Spencer. You’re telling me she didn’t offer you anything for that second shot the other day?” Jerry asked with a smirk. “Afterwards, you were so insistent it had to be her.”
“Because none of the others had Miss McCrae’s potential,” Spencer replied, his face set in determination. “Not that it matters. I don’t need to explain myself to you, because you’re no longer working on this project.”
“I don’t understand,” Jerry said.
Spencer raised an eyebrow. “You’re fired,” he said succinctly.
“You can’t fire–”
“I can,” Spencer cut in. “I’m the sole producer and the fact that you just suggested that I took advantage of an actress, or even accused her of making an offer, is enough reason for me to fire your ass.” He looked at me. “And just to be clear, I don’t believe any of the nonsense that Russ Heyworth says.”
“You’re making a big mistake,” Jerry warned as he stood up abruptly from his seat. “I’ll make sure everyone knows how unprofessional you are. Good luck finding success on Broadway after that.”
Darrel chuckled. “You’re out of your freaking mind, Jerry. You don’t have the influence to damage Spencer’s reputation.”
I looked at Spencer, curious, but he’d turned his attention back to the now-fuming Jerry.
“Do I need to call for security?” Spencer asked.
Jerry muttered some obscenities, gathered his things, and left the room.
Spencer turned his attention to me. “I’m sorry about what he said.” His voice was full of genuine concern.
“Thank you,” I replied, still a bit shaken from the entire ordeal.
Darrel, the director, spoke up. “That was a great audition, London. But we have other candidates to see, even without a casting director.”
Spencer nodded in agreement. “Yes, but we’ll be deciding soon. Thank you for your time today, Miss McCrae.”
I understood the need for Spencer to keep our interaction professional, especially with the rumors about me that were now circulating in the theater community. I looked at Timothy and thanked him for his help with the scene. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t shake the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Spencer’s reputation was on the line, and while he may have defended me, that didn’t guarantee that he would take the risk of hiring me.
But I tried not to dwell on it. I was proud of standing up for myself and wouldn’t regret turning down Russ’s inappropriate proposal, even if it meant missing out on this opportunity.
* * *
After a fitful night’s sleep,I was in the middle of making breakfast when the phone rang. I answered, “Hello?”
“London, it’s Spencer York,” his distinctive voice came through the line. “We’ve made our decision, and we want you to play Canty,” he said.
“Really?” I couldn’t contain my excitement.
“Yes, really. If you’re still interested, of course,” he added.
“Of course I am!” I exclaimed, doing a little dance in my bathrobe and slippers.
“Excellent! We’ll have our first full-cast read-through next Tuesday at the Shubert Theatre,” Spencer informed me.
“Perfect,” I replied, still in disbelief at the good news.
“And just to be clear, the casting decision was based solely on your talent and fit for the role. Our personal relationship had no influence on the decision. Timothy, Darrel, and I all agreed that you were the best choice,” Spencer added.
“I understand,” I said, taking a moment to absorb the news that even Timothy believed I was the right candidate for the part.
“We’ll see you next Tuesday, then. And London, congratulations on the role,” Spencer said.
“Thank you, Spencer. I can’t wait to start,” I said before hanging up the phone, still in a state of elation. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to share the good news with my friends.
TWELVE
