“To knowing someone. Understanding them at a level you can’t get to in a short story.”
Megs could practically hear Alli swoon.Or maybe that was her?Because that was it. That was what she wanted. Not the flowers sent to her desk or the serenade outside her window. Just someone who knew her. Who saw her for exactly who she was, and wasn’t disappointed.
Oscar sighed and leaned back. “Well, where were you six years ago?” They all laughed, and Megs brushed off her fingers over her plate. “Just for the record, though, I think you can get there in a story. If the character’s desires and motivations are consistent.”
Megs looked up and met Oscar’s eyes as he reached for his glass of champagne.He’s charming, funny, single.Her skin tingled.
“Next question, I think,” Gideon said brusquely. Megs looked up at Emile with the jar and caught Alli refilling Gideon’s glass.Just getting reacquainted, actually.Her heart sank. They’d been together for two years and neither of them had wanted to call it quits. But why hadn’t they looked each other up before now?
“More questions later, I’m feeling improvisation.” Emile clapped his hands together and motioned for them to stand.
Megs was grateful for something to do, and she loved improv under normal circumstances.Normalbeing a class where everyone was used to making fools of themselves.
"First up," Emile announced, pulling a card from his pocket, "we're going to do a little game called 'Freeze!' Two people will start a scene, and at any point, someone from the outside can yell 'freeze,' take the place of one of the actors, and start a new scene based on the last line spoken."
Oscar stood next to her. “You two can go first.” He pointed at Gideonand Alli. Megs worked to keep the smile off her face at the look of consternation on Gideon’s.
“The scene prompt is ‘late for work,’” Emile called out.
Alli backed up a few steps and strode forward. “Oh! Malcolm, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Gideon looked stiff and uncomfortable. He paused long enough that Alli whispered something to help get him started. “Can we talk?”
Alli flipped her hair. “No, Malcolm, I’m late for work.”
“It’s important.” Gideon stood stock still.
“Do you think I should put him out of his misery?” Oscar whispered, and Megs laughed and nodded.
“Freeze!” Oscar called out, then strode over and tapped Gideon’s shoulder. Gideon retreated to stand next to Megs.
“What’s important?” Alli asked, picking up where they’d left off.
Oscar laughed. “You have the audacity to ask that question? You know I’ve been waiting for this day forfive years.”
Gideon picked up his glass off the table. “Do you think I could fake a stomach bug?”
“Based on that display? No.” Megs grinned. “I think you have a bit more to learn from Emile.”
The corner of Gideon’s mouth twitched. They watched Oscar and Alli spar until Emile pointed at Megs. Her heart leaped in her chest, and when Oscar said, “It wasn’t my fault!” she yelled, “Freeze!”
Her cheeks heated as she took Alli’s place. Megs looked up at Oscar, his face still contorted with anger. “Let me get this straight. You’re saying it wasn’tyour faultthat my water glass hasn’t been filled for over twenty minutes? Is there another waiter that’s supposed to be taking care of me?”
Oscar drew a deep breath and placed one arm behind his back. “No, madame, what I meant was, it wasn’t my fault that I failed to notice your emptyglass. I couldn’t stop staring at the lobe of your ear.”
Megs barely kept her face straight. Oscar’s eyes twinkled. “The lobe of my ear?” It was the only thing she could get out without laughing out loud.
“It looks like velvet.”
Megs pursed her lips. “It won’t look like velvet if I become dehydrated.” She reached out and mimed picking up her glass, then lifted her hand with gusto at the exact moment Oscar bowed deeply.
Her fist connected with Oscar’s cheekbone and he yelped.
Megs gasped and grabbed onto him. “Oh my gosh, Oscar. I’m so sorry.”
Alli and Emile howled with laughter, and Oscar’s shoulders were shaking. Was he crying?She’d just punched Oscar Calloway in the face.
Megs loosened her grip on his forearms as he straightened, and she saw his face contorted in laughter, too. “I’m so sorry, Oscar I—”
