I tilted my head and tried to think back to songs of auditions past. “‘Not a Day Goes By’ fromMerrily We Roll Along.”
“Nope. Too depressing.”
“‘Back to Before’ fromRagtime.”
“Honey, you’re thirty-two, not fifty.”
“‘You Don’t Know this Man’ fromParade.”
“Again, depressing,” he drawled out the word to emphasize his dissatisfaction with my choices.
“‘Woman’ fromPirate Queen.”
“Potential, but not necessarily a great audition piece. Didn’t you sing ‘My Most Beautiful Day’ fromTuck Everlastingat a benefit once?”
“Yeah, but I’m not exactly twelve. I’m not the ingenue anymore, so not sure how appropriate that one is.” We both sat there for a moment as we racked our brains. Finally, an idea popped into my head, “What about ‘Fable’ fromLight in the Piazza?”
“Do you think you can pull it off? I mean, I’m not trying to be rude, but that’s not exactly an easy piece.”
“It was my go-to audition song when I first came to New York. I fell in love withLight in the Piazzawhen I was in high school. It was the first musical I saw in New York. Most of my classmates found the show boring, but the entire show transfixed me. Watching Victoria Clarke sing that song caused me fall in love with musical theater.”
“I like it! And if the creative team asks you why you chose the song, you have a good story to tell.”
With the audition song selected, we went into my bedroom, and Johnny rummaged through my closet until he’d put together the perfect audition ensemble. I had to agree with him. The outfit was chic and had a Christmasy element in the color combination.
“I don’t want it to come right out and say, ‘Deck the Halls,’” Johnny said, “but I think it has the air of Christmas without hitting you over the head with it.”
I nodded in agreement. With the song and wardrobe choices out of the way, we made our way back into the living room. We sat back down on the couch. I tucked my legs under me and leaned back against the throw pillows as Bootsy jumped up and curled up in my lap.
“So, how are things with you and Amani?” I asked.
“We’re still in the blissful state of love.”
“You realize that’s gag-worthy?”
“Pshaw! You wish you had what Amani and I have.“ As quickly as the words were out of his mouth, he blanched. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I can be such an insensitive buffoon.”
“It’s okay,” I reassured him. “There’s no need for self-flagellation. You’re more right than you’re not. I wish I had what you and Amani had. You’re disgustingly cute.”
“I know. I’m disgusted by our cuteness some days.”
Amani Samara was a sous chef at the upscale restaurant called Evergreen Mirror. Amani had graduated from the Culinary Institute of America up in Hyde Park before moving to the city. He’d worked his way through the restaurant industry before landing the job at Evergreen Mirror. There was a three-month waitlist to get reservations. Thankfully, I had gone with Johnny a couple of times since Amani started working there, so I could attest to how excellent the food was.
“Honestly, I’m over being single. After three years of acting like a nun, I need to get myself back in the saddle and start dating again. I’m afraid I’m too rusty at this point.”
“Well, get out the oil Tin Man, and let’s loosen you up.” A smile crept up Johnny’s face. “Wow, that sounds dirtier than I intended it to sound.”
“Please, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I know how your mind works.”
“That’s a dangerous place to peer into. I almost feel like I should apologize.”
“Apology accepted.”
“As for dating, I may know someone who would be a wonderful date for someone needing to use training wheels.”
“Oh really?” I questioned with a tilt of my head. “Do tell.”
“His name is Ralph Seegers, and he’s a publicist. And don’t roll your eyes at me,” Johnny said before I’d rolled them. “He’s a good guy. I don’t know much about him, but I’ve worked with him on a few projects.”
