Chapter 32 #2
“Likewise. I’m happy we were able to get together.” He takes a seat across from me and doesn’t touch his menu. “So, I hear you’re an actress. Have you been in anything I may have seen?”
“I’ve been in a few things here and there,” I say with a shrug. “Have you sold any houses I may have driven by?”
He really gets a kick out of that and laughs louder than I expect. “You’re funny.”
The waiter appears and pours us both glasses of water.
“I’m good if you are.” I look to Ben and he nods. Turning to the waiter, I hand him my menu. “I’ll have the chicken parmigiana, please.”
“And I’ll do the steak frites.” Ben passes off his menu. “Oh, and two glasses of your best Pinot Noir.”
“Actually,” I jump in, “can I do a vodka soda with lime, please?”
“Perfect,” our server says, nodding. He turns to Ben. “And how would you like your steak cooked?”
“Well-done,” Ben says. “Thank you.”
“Well-done, huh?” I say as the waiter leaves.
“I know they say medium-rare is the best way to eat it, but I can’t deal with all that blood,” he says, shaking his head. “I like my meat cooked.”
“I just always feel like you can better appreciate the texture and the taste when it’s medium-rare,” I say.
“Oh, no way, it’s too gummy,” he says. “The meat needs to be properly cooked to appreciate it.”
I shrug. “To each their own.”
“Should we have the cook come out here and settle it for us?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Chef,” I say.
“Pardon?”
“You mean have the chef come out here,” I say as politely as I can.
“What’s the difference?” Ben says.
I know I shouldn’t be judging this man by his ignorance in ordering a steak and his inability to know the difference between a cook and a chef.
“A cook is someone who can follow a recipe,” I say. “A chef is someone who creates it.”
He blinks. “But the chef is also cooking…”
It takes almost everything in me to not ask if this man is for real right now.
“Correct.” I smile. He’s lucky I’m too defeated to retaliate. Our server comes back with my drink and pours Ben a sample of red. Ben swirls it and gives an approving nod after tasting.
“So, June,” Ben says. “Where are you from?”
“I’m originally from Toronto, but I used to live in New York.”
“Oh nice, I love New York. I’m from Boston.” He takes a sip of his wine. “What brought you there?”
“I went to Columbia, studied theater,” I say.
“Right on,” he says, and I think I actually hate how he just said that. “My sister’s obsessed with musicals, and it sort of rubbed off on me.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise my eyebrows. “What’s your favorite musical?”
“ Wicked, ” he says. A classic answer for anyone who says they love musicals but doesn’t actually know any musicals. “I know, I know, typical. But it’s really fucking good.”
“I’m not knocking you,” I say with a laugh. “I love Wicked. ”
“What’s yours?” he asks.
“ Les Misérables. ” I force a smile. “It’s what got me into acting.”
He nods. “Nice,” he says. “Well, June, here’s to hoping you get to be in Les Mis one day.” He holds up his wineglass.
I raise my glass and clink his. “Here’s hoping.”
Theo and I have our monthly lunch, and this time we go to Terra in Century City because it’s across the street from the agency.
“How was that date you went on last week?” she asks as we take our seats.
Despite it being November, it’s seventy-three degrees, so we get patio seats on the rooftop. There’s not a cloud in the sky, so naturally Theo keeps her sunglasseson.
“Fine.” I shrug, then glance at the menu, knowing already I’m going to get the little gem salad.
“That doesn’t sound good,” she says, eyes glued to her phone as she furiously types.
“There wasn’t really anything wrong with him,” I say. “Just…I don’t know, didn’t click.”
“Fair,” she says, still focused on her screen, which isn’t unlike Theo.
I’m used to it. After a few moments, she inhales, then places her phone face down on the table.
“ So, ” she says, and takes off her glasses.
“Have you been able to think about what you want to do? We’ve got to give an answer to A24 and let Dan know if you’re passing. ”
“Yeah.” I play with one of the rings on my middle finger. “I want to do Les Mis. ”
“Okay,” Theo says skeptically. “Did you read the script?”
“I did and it was incredible, Theo, it really was. It’s a dream role but…I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I know I said I didn’t want to go back to theater, but I have to do this. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, but I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t.”
“June,” she says, and leans in closer, placing both of her forearms on the table.
“My job is to get you the best opportunities possible for the career that you want. I am your cheerleader, and I will pave the way for you to shine. If you want to do Les Mis, then you’re going to fucking do Les Mis.
” She smiles and then sits back. “The only thing is, the show isn’t covering relocation, so we need to talk about that.
” She takes a sip of her drink. “Any chance you have a place to stay in New York?”