“I’ve seen it. Well, bits of it. What she’s been willing to show me, anyway. I don’t know, man. She was up before I was this morning. You said she came to the café?”
“She did.”
“Wild.”
“Why so?”
“Come on, Alex. You know she hates going out before dark.”
Alex frowned. While Joanna’s nocturnal habits were no secret, it still felt strange to have them confirmed by her boyfriend, partner, and, presumably, closest confidante. “You’re saying you’ve never seen her go out during the day?”
“I did not say that. I’m saying she hates it, and when she does go out before sundown, she usually dresses like a penitent during Holy Week. This morning? She couldn’t have been merrier.”
Alex could hardly deny the truth of this. Admittedly, Joanna would have made a very fetching nun, though an odd one in terms of behaviour. “Where’s Jago?”
“Your new assistant is with the talent, talking over her latest changes.”
Alex took a moment to breathe. “The hell he is. They said they were going to talk to Maria.”
“That they did, and Maria put them on the spot. Deliver a killer audition for hertonightor fuck off until February. So, here we are. I thought you’d be pleased.”
“Pleased?”
Vicente raised a sarcastic smile with little enthusiasm.
“Oh, come on, Vis. I mean yes, I’m attracted to him, but…” The list of strange coincidences and nightmarish visions returned to Alex’s mind. He could no more recite them to Vicente than he could to Joanna. “Aren’t you?”
“What?”
“Attracted to him?”
“He’s not my type. Good taste in wine, though.”
“I haven’t forgiven you for that.”
“You haven’t forgivenme? You left me waiting like an idiot for more than an hour, and don’t get me started on that call this morning. Why were you even awake?”
Alex covered his face with his hands. “I know, I’m sorry. This isn’t...” He put his arms around Vicente and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry.”
It took only a second’s hesitation for Vicente to return the gesture. “You know, the only reason I haven’t bounced this guy into the street is what he’s bringing out in Joanna. I’ve never seen her like this before. She’s in love.”
Breaking from their hug, Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Not with him. I mean with herself and the dance. It’s been two days, man.” Vicente shrugged, scratching the back of his neck while pushing his other hand deeper into his pocket. “I can’t explain it. He’s doing something right.”
Alex gave a slow nod, weighing how much of the truth Vicente deserved against how much would confuse and terrify him. Hell, how much of it could Alex believe himself? “I think I might know what, but I’ll have to tell you later, and you can’t tell anyone.No one, Vis.”
“Okay, way to freak me out right before rehearsal.” Vicente shook his head. “Sorry, I just… had the weirdest dream last night.”
Alex’s throat tightened. “Go on.”
“Like I was a fish or something, but stuck on dry land. I don’t even know how I got there. I felt my body bleeding like hooks had gone through it. I couldn’t breathe. I don’t even remember it ending, certainly not when I woke up. It just stopped. I guess I kept sleeping. Isn’t that crazy?”
“Did you tell Joanna?”
Vicente shook his head, scratching his forearm. “And harsh her buzz? It’s probably just nicotine withdrawal, anyway.”
“Withdrawal? You’re trying to quit again, mid-rehearsals?”
