CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A NYA
Good Morning USA did not supply a makeup artist.
Not that I really expected one, of course. That was a quip I made in the heat of the moment, something I said because I knew I was going to pay for my late night the following morning. And pay I did. There was not enough coffee in the city of New Burlington to help me wake up.
I was so tired I could feel it with every step I took. I might as well have been trudging through pool water higher than my waist. Every movement, every step, every reply took effort.
Somehow, I did it. I got up just after five, went home, took a shower, and spent an obscene amount of time deciding what I’d wear for the interview. When Robert and I reunited at The Green Frog a few minutes after seven, I’d settled on a pair of black wide-leg ankle jeans, a cropped lady jacket sweater in army green, and my tan driving loafers. I also had on more makeup than I’d cumulatively worn in the last year, right down to the double layer of foundation and a pair of false eyelashes I bought the day before, all of it applied with meticulous precision.
“You look stunning,” Robert said when I opened the front door of the store.
“I feel like a Kewpie doll. This is not natural at all.” I stepped aside so he could come into the main space. “But at least the theater makeup class I took in college came in handy.”
Robert glanced at his navy sports coat, jeans, and white oxford shirt. He left the top two buttons undone. “Does this work?”
“I love it.” I pecked him on the lips and shut the door.
“What time are they supposed to be here?”
“Any minute. They said they’re sending a satellite truck and an operator, whatever that means.”
Robert surveyed the store showroom. “And you think this will make a good backdrop for the segment?”
I shrugged. “I guess. I mean, it’s what we have to work with.”
He studied it for another beat. “Looks homey and cozy.”
“What if we set up two stools from the back over here?” I crossed to the large display of young adult fiction, which was bolstered by our manga and fantasy areas. The covers were colorful and detailed. “The lighting is probably the best over here, and I think the background will make the store look larger.”
“Agreed.”
The rumble of a truck engine made us both turn to the front door where we saw a white, nondescript van parked in the metered spot closest to The Green Frog entrance. A large man in tan coveralls hopped out and ascended the steps. Robert rushed to the door and invited him inside.
“I’m Frank, the operator for today,” the man said after we shook hands.
“We’re happy to have you,” I said, then felt stupid because I’d forgotten to get donuts like I had planned. “Would you like some coffee?”
“Sure, with cream and sugar.”
“Do you need some help?” Robert asked.
“No. This looks standard, so I think we should do the hit from here.” He motioned toward the space we’d been discussing.
I glanced at Robert, biting back a smile. “We were just talking about that before you drove up.”
“I like to keep things simple. The easier, the better for the folks in New York City.”
“I’ll get you that coffee,” I said.
Even though Frank said he didn’t need help, Robert insisted on doing so, and it didn’t take long for them to string cable up the steps and into the building. When I arrived back in the main showroom with coffees, the place was flooded with light and equipment. It almost looked like a miniature Hollywood set.
“Are you nervous?” Frank asked as he fiddled with the camera, which was smaller and sleeker than I expected.
“A little.” I took a couple of deep breaths and squared my shoulders. “I’m usually behind the scenes, not in front. Or at least I was when I worked in theater.”
“I saw the video of you all. It was quite the show.”
“The remix was quite a show.” I placed the coffee close to him on a nearby table. “Thanks to TikTok.”
“TikTok runs our lives these days,” he mused. “Or at least my daughter’s life. She’s addicted to it, and there’s nothing like that algorithm.”
“We’re all subject to those.” Robert picked up his coffee and took a long sip. “Pretty soon, this whole world will run on AI.”
“Remind me to check out before it does,” Frank said. “You know the cameras in the studio for the show are all robotic now. They got rid of the crew five years ago. Now, someone just runs them from the production room.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Wish I was.” He let out a puff of air. “Guess that’s why I like doing assignments like these. Reminds me there’s life out there, away from tech.”
Robert nodded. “That’s what attracted me to New Burlington too. Just quieter here. Slower.”
“And you like it?” Frank crossed the chairs and made some adjustments to the area where we’d be sitting.
“Um... yeah... I do.”
Something in Robert’s reply, something I heard made it ring false. I wasn’t expecting to hear that, and I turned in his direction, whirling on my foot. “Everything okay?”
Robert met my gaze, his eyes wide. “What? With me?”
“Yep.”
“Everything’s fine.” He broke eye contact and fiddled with a nearby stack of books. “Why would you wonder?”
I stared at him for a beat, my stomach twisting at his words. Whenever I said I was fine, I was far from it. Is it the same for him too? “I don’t know. You tell me.”
“Everything is fine.” He looked up and gave me a tight smile. “I think we’re only a few minutes away from the segment, aren’t we?”
“Sure are.” Frank scooped up two lavalier microphones and crossed to each of us. “If you don’t mind, please put these on and tuck the wires underneath your shirts. There’s a clip on the back you can fasten to your clothes.”
We did as he asked and took our places in the seats as Frank fiddled with the camera. I was scared and a bit nervous about what was going to happen next, but those feelings were also overshadowed by the odd way Robert had responded to Frank’s question. He didn’t sound like the person I’d been getting to know at all, and that made my gut twist.
Still, as Frank gave us the countdown, telling us the interview was only moments away, I pushed those feelings aside. This was a huge opportunity, and I didn’t want to mess it up. Whatever was going on with Robert, I’d deal with it later.