As she pictured it now—Sophie seated at the piano in Bianca’s blue dress—she was torn between a sort of awe at Sophie getting her moment in the spotlight and the ingrained disappointment that came with the thought of missing a performance.
They were quiet as they walked, quieter than usual. By the time they reached Dragonfly, Jules was starting to wonder if something was amiss. Maybe Sophie’s rehearsal today had stirred up some weird emotions for her. She had taken it really hard when she was first passed over for the role of Bianca. Was she feeling that way again now? Jules’s good mood had withered significantly by the time they entered the bar.
Instead of their usual table for two in the back, tonight Sophie led her to the bar, choosing two empty stools just inside the door. As Jules hung her coat on the hook beneath the bar, she saw that all the tables were occupied. Maybe this was just a coincidence. She shot Sophie a questioning look.
Sophie responded with a warm smile…for Josie, who was making her way toward them.
“Hey, ladies,” Josie said. “How are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“All good,” Sophie told her. “Rehearsals have been keeping us busy.”
“I bet they have,” Josie said excitedly. “I meant to tell you. Eve and I will officially be there on the first night of previews. She bought our tickets last week.”
“Oh wow,” Jules said, feeling a ping in her stomach. A happy ping. A good ping. But also the ping ofoh shit, so many people I know are going to be there.“That’s so great. You guys are the best.”
“Literally could not be more excited,” Josie told her, pink curls bouncing for emphasis.
Jules really was lucky to have her and Eve as friends, however casually she knew them. In fact, she ought to make an effort to get to know them better. She was terrible about having a million casual friends but noclosefriends, and she really liked Josie. “We should go out sometime. Maybe a double date, you and Eve, and Sophie and me.”
Josie’s eyes bugged comically. Sophie’s eyebrows rose. They were both staring at Jules, and her cheeks heated almost painfully as she realized what she’d just said.
“So, is it official, then?” Josie asked carefully, looking between them with a delighted smile. “You two?”
“It is now,” Sophie told her jokingly. “Did you know we were…unofficial?”
Josie tugged at a pink curl, twirling it self-consciously. “Well, let’s just say I had a hunch.”
Bless her for not letting on to Sophie about the night Jules had asked her and Eve for dating advice. Not that there was anything wrong with what she’d done, but right here, right now, it would have been awkward to explain.
“This calls for a round of drinks,” Josie declared. “What’ll you have?”
“I couldn’t possibly not get the drink you named for us,” Jules told her.
“Broadway Bubbles for you,” Josie said. “And Sophie?”
“I’ll have the Whiskey Kiss,” Sophie told her.
“Be right back with those,” Josie said, waving over her shoulder as she walked off.
“A double date, hm?” Sophie said, giving Jules a searching look, reminding her of the awkwardness that had descended between them on their walk here. Had it been awkward, or was Jules projecting her own insecurities onto Sophie?
“I just blurted it out,” Jules told her apologetically. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“No,” Sophie said, her expression softening. “It sounds fun.”
“Good.” Jules felt some of the rigidity go out of her spine. She reached over and gripped Sophie’s hand under the bar. “I was afraid I had overstepped.”
“You didn’t.”
Are we okay, she wanted to ask, but she didn’t because she was afraid she’d make things more awkward when she wasn’t even sure anything had happened.
“I can hear your thoughts over there,” Sophie said.
“I didn’t know you were psychic.”
“Well, they’re pretty loud,” Sophie said. “So why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
Jules exhaled, looking at Sophie. “I just felt like things got weird after we left the theater tonight, and I don’t know why, so I don’t know how to fix it.”
