Whatwasreal was that after, AJ would be left to face another week, another host. They still had several days of close quarters ahead. She needed to keep things pleasant, surface level.
AJ stood. “Come on,” she said. “You must be starving.”
They grabbed their coats, and AJ took Noah out the back way to avoid the Christmas Spectacular crowd at Radio City. They turned up their collars as they passed the giant tree. The night was cold, but not too cold for two kids from New England. AJ bought Noah dinner from her favorite halal cart, and they ate out of plastic containers under the statue of Atlas holding up the sky.
“So this is where you spend your days,” said Noah between enormous bites.
“And nights,” said AJ.
Noah seemed to take something from this. AJ wondered fleetingly if she should mention Brian McKenzie, who was in California thisweek covering basketball. Then Noah continued, “Is it everything you dreamed?”
AJ shrugged. Aspects of it were. But these days, she was increasingly aware thatSNLwasn’t the forever home she’d imagined. The most successful writers made their mark in five or six seasons, then moved on. “It’s not all big celebrity hijinks, but I like it.”
Noah smirked. “EvenSNLhas too many emails, is what I’m hearing.”
“Only if you respond to them,” said AJ dryly.
Noah’s eyes snapped to hers. Neither spoke. Then the distant jingle of the carols rushed in, softening the moment. “Why didn’t you want to be a cast member?” he asked.
AJ laughed. “Smooth subject change,” she said, but she didn’t push. She’d made her point—for the show’s sake, that would have to be enough. “I think my performing days are over.”
“They weren’t in ‘Snow,’ ” he said holding her gaze.
AJ rolled her eyes. “You always gave my acting more credit than it deserved,” she said, blushing.
Noah frowned. “I don’t think that’s true at all.”
“What aboutyouracting?” said AJ. She wanted to tell him she’d loved him inThe Contract,but somehow felt that would be oversharing. Maybe because she had lied to Brian and her family over Thanksgiving about “a work emergency,” then gone to see it alone so she could openly weep. Or maybe she was just afraid she’d slip and tell him she loved him.
“You’re obviously going to be nominated,” she supplied.
Noah shrugged. “I don’t know about that.” AJ suppressed a smile. He was still at his old game, fishing for compliments. He noticed her laughing at him and got adorably defensive. “Honestly. I haven’t even seen it.”
“Oh, right. You don’t watch your performances.”
“It makes me self-conscious,” he said. “How am I supposed to deliver if I’m thinking about how I look? I mean, do you enjoy watching yourself?”
Why did he insist on treating her like a fellow actor? “Not really. But I still watchedInto the Bluewhen it aired.”
“So did I,” he admitted, and AJ smiled. “Well, most of it.”
“Oh?” asked AJ, biting into her pita.
He examined his knuckles. “I couldn’t get through the last one.”
AJ swallowed. “Same.”
They stood listening to the skaters cut across the Rink at Rockefeller Center.
“So, how are you?” AJ asked.
Noah shrugged. “Can’t complain,” he said. “Right now the big drama is figuring out my next project. I’m reading a really strange script about General Custer.”
AJ shook her head. “Nope, no thank you.”
Noah laughed. “Not even if he had secret homosexual yearnings?”
“That’s not a get out of jail free card,” said AJ.
