“Congrats, Dana. It’s amazing,” Maisie spoke as she sat down next to her and gave her a quick hug.
“Thanks,” she replied and slid over to let India sit next to her girlfriend.
“Yeah, that’s amazing, Dana,” India added, placing her hand on Maisie’s thigh under the table.
“Thank you,” she replied, instantly feeling like the fifth wheel again.
She’d gotten used to being the third wheel with Lainey and Paige over the years, and Lainey had used to date her best friend, Maisie, before that, whom Dana thought of as a sister, so when they had hung out as a foursome occasionally, that had been fine, but now, Maisie had India, and it had been over a year of Dana fifth-wheeling.
“Have we ordered yet?” Maisie asked.
“Not yet. We were waiting for the special guest of the evening to arrive,” Lainey said, motioning to her. “I promised her some top-shelf alcohol tonight.”
“One drink. I don’t want to get drunk,” Dana said. “I’msupposed to meet with everyone tomorrow to officially come on board, and I have to quit my catering job, or at least ask for a leave of absence until the movie is wrapped.”
“You’d go back to catering after?” Maisie asked.
“Yeah, I’ll need a paycheck. I mean, the movie will give me a little nest egg, but it won’t last long. I still have rent to pay, Maise.”
“I just assumed you’d be moving to LA or something.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you’ve been talking about that since I met you, and you’re about to get your big break.”
“Well, hello, party people,” Candace said, placing beverage napkins on the table. “What can I get for you?”
“We’re celebrating Dana here getting the lead role in Bryce’s movie,” Lainey explained.
“What? Really?” Candace asked.
“Notthelead. One of the leads, I guess,” Dana said.
“She’ll get to do a sex scene with Samara Barber,” Paige added, wiggling her eyebrows at Dana.
“Babe, something you want to tell me?” Lainey asked.
“What? She’s hot. Can’t blame me for looking.”
Dana had forgotten all about that. In all the stress and excitement over getting the part, she’d completely forgotten about the love scenes in the script, of which there were two. One was a little morethoroughbut tastefully written, with no nudity. The other was supposed to be hot and fast and short on screen. Both of them meant getting up close and personal with Samara, though, along with the other kisses they would share. There were two big ones in the script and several more along the way. Some might get cut in the final edit, but she would still be shooting all of them. She’d be kissingSamara. Dana gulped at the thought.
“So, what’s it going to be tonight?” Candace asked. “On the house. Oh, let me make you something. What kind of alcohol do you want?”
“The mixologist at work,” Logan, Candace’s former bartender and member of this ever-growing friend group, teasedas she walked over with her fiancée, Rory, in tow.
“Yes. Dana here is in a movie,” Candace shared.
“A movie?” Rory asked. “Wait.Bryce’smovie?”
“Yeah. I’m technicallyplayingBryce.”
“Really? That’s awesome,” Logan said.
“You don’t work here anymore. What are you doing in my bar?” Candace asked Logan.
“Um… I’m here to have a drink with my fiancée, who is also your best friend,” Logan replied.
“Fine, but don’t take a good table,” Candace said with a wink. “Now, what can I make for you?”
