“Okay,” Iris said. “But if we do this, I’ll need a few things from you.”
“Wait . . .” Stevie said. “You actually want to fake date me?”
“I want to fake date someone. And I want to do this play, so I think we’re at an impasse where Much Ado is concerned.”
“I can just tell them the truth,” Stevie said. “I’ll go out there right now and—”
“No way in hell you can do that,” Iris said. “Not if I’m playing Beatrice.” If Stevie admitted to her friends—and her ex, who also happened to be the director—that she puked all over Iris and then lied that they were banging, that would make for some very awkward onstage dynamics. Not to mention the utter humiliation, and Stevie seemed like she’d already had enough of that. It was all a bit too much drama for any one person to take, even in this theatrical setting.
Stevie’s shoulders visibly relaxed, but then her brows crinkled together. “Wait, did you say you wanted to fake date someone?”
Iris grinned. “Well, see, that’s where you can help me—with research.” But before she could explain any further, the door flew open to reveal Simon.
“Hey, there you are,” he said. “That wondrously gorgeous woman out there told me they offered you Beatrice. Iris, that’s amazing! Tell me you’re going to accept. I refuse to let you pass—”
He froze, his gaze darting to Stevie.
“Oh. Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “I was just . . . hang on.” His pushed up his glasses, then pointed his finger at Stevie. “Aren’t you the throw-up girl?”
“Simon, Jesus,” Iris said.
“Sorry, just . . . well, aren’t you?” Simon asked, his face an amalgam of confusion and amusement.
“Um, yeah . . . I guess that’s me,” Stevie said, swallowing over and over again like she just might do an encore of the vomit incident itself.
“She’s also playing Benedick,” Iris said, then grabbed Stevie’s hand and laced their fingers together, “as well as my fake girlfriend.”
A charged silence spilled in between them. Simon blinked at her, his mouth open, and Iris fought the urge to laugh.
“Isn’t telling people we’re fake dating sort of defeating the purpose?” Stevie asked quietly.
“With your crew, yes,” Iris said. “My group? They’d never buy it.”
“Why not?” Stevie asked.
“Because Iris doesn’t do girlfriends,” Simon said slowly, his expression still a model of What the fuck?
“Or partners of any kind,” Iris said. “But it’s fine. I don’t need you to convince my friends that you love me. I just need you to hang out with me a little, act like my girlfriend, maybe go on a few romantic dates so I can get a feel for what it’s like again.”
“For what what’s like?” Stevie asked.
“Love,” Iris said, waving a hand. “Romance. You know, soul mates and stars and moons and all that shit.”
Stevie blinked, but Simon face-palmed himself.
“Oh my god, this is for your book,” he said.
“What book?” Stevie asked. “What the hell is happening?”
Iris released Stevie’s sweaty palm and turned to face her. “I write romance novels and I’m a bit stuck. I just need a little inspiration, that’s all. I’m hoping some good old-fashioned courting will get me back in the mood.”
“And I can help you do that?” Stevie asked.
Iris nodded. “Totally. I’ll be your fake girlfriend around your friends and when we’re at the theater. You be my romance guinea pig.”
Simon looked horrified.
“Okay, that didn’t sound great,” Iris said. “The guinea pig part, but it’s not a big deal. I date you, you date me.”
“Fakely,” Stevie said.
“Hey, this was your idea,” Iris said, folding her arms. “We can just tell Adri and her Aphrodite girlfriend that you lied and—”
“No,” Stevie said, shaking her head. “I’m in. I can do it.”
“I don’t understand a fucking thing that’s happening right now,” Simon said, sending both hands through his hair. “They should make pills for this.”
“I’m sure they do,” Iris said, patting his cheek.
“Stevie?”
Footsteps sounded on the concrete, and Adri and Vanessa appeared in the hallway.
“Oh,” Iris said quietly, “showtime. Simon, be cool.”
“Be cool how?”
“Just shut up,” Iris said to him and then yanked Stevie closer, arm curled around her waist. Stevie was a fucking brick wall next to her—that was going to need some work.
“Hey, there you are,” Adri said, spotting them through the doorway. Her eyes flitted down to Iris’s arm around Stevie, before lifting again. “Did you two want to do a reading? I’m happy to run that so you can get a feel for interacting with Stevie on the stage.”
“No need,” Iris said quickly. “I’ll do the play.”
Vanessa clapped her hands once, her mouth spreading into a lovely smile. “Wonderful! Amazing.”
“That’s great,” Adri said. “We’re excited.”
Iris smiled. “Me too.”
Adri glanced at Stevie, then cleared her throat. “Okay, so, some details. We usually hold the full company rehearsal in the evenings to accommodate our actors with day jobs, though I also conduct regular workshops for our principal actors if they can swing it.”
“That works, I think,” Iris said.
“Everything starts up next Friday with our principals’ retreat at Vanessa’s parents’ house in Malibu. We have team building exercises, pair off to run lines, do some role reversal. I know it’s last minute, but I’m afraid it’s nonnegotiable.”
“Malibu?” Simon said. “That’s a bit far, isn’t it?”
“Not for me,” Iris said quickly, because Malibu. “I’ve never been and I’ve always wanted to go.” And, Jesus, the idea of getting out of Bright Falls for a bit sounded nice.
Vanessa smiled. “My folks pay for everything, including airfare, so there are no worries there. They’re big supporters of the arts, and this is part of their annual contribution to the Empress. They make themselves scarce while we’re there, which is also appreciated.” She laughed. “Things can get a little wild.”
“I love wild,” Iris said.
“She really does,” Simon said, and Iris elbowed him in the ribs.
“So you’re in?” Adri said, tucking her teal hair behind her heavily pierced ears.
Iris eyeballed Stevie, who was still staring straight ahead like she was facing down the barrel of a gun. Iris shook her a little, pressed their shoulders together and grinned at Stevie like the smitten kitten she was.
Well, pretending she was.
“I’m very much in,” she crooned. God, she was already so good at this.
“Jesus Christ,” Simon muttered under his breath, but Iris ignored him, nuzzling Stevie’s neck a bit for good measure.
Iris wasn’t positive, it happened so fast, but she could swear Adri’s smile dimmed just a little.