AJ still knew every line, and as she watched Glimmette stand up to the space monster in her rocking mod outfit, she began to bawl uncontrollably.
She had driven up to Gladstone the next day. She didn’t own funeral attire, so Libby had brought her a simple black wrap dress to try on. It fell below Libby’s knees but floated just above AJ’s.
“Age,” said Libby, meeting her eyes in the mirror. To AJ’s surprise, her sister seemed nervous.
“What’s up?” said AJ, turning to face her.
Libby smirked. “You brought a thong, right?” she said, all traces of vulnerability gone. “Those briefs are giving you sausage thighs.”
After Libby left, AJ watched half an episode ofJeopardy!with Emily, then holed up in their childhood bedroom, attempting to work.
Rather than hit the convention circuit that summer, she had taken a gig adapting a bestselling novel into a screenplay. AJ was starting tothink about what would come afterSNL,and Molly Magnusson had assured her that this was an excellent step toward selling a screenplay of her own. AJ spent two hours staring blankly at her document in Final Draft, then passed out.
Now, as AJ and Libby entered Grovelawn Manor, AJ nervously smoothed her hands over the wrap dress. The great hall was packed, but they found seats in the second-to-last row.
Up front, a stately portrait of Eudora had been mounted behind a podium—and there beside it stood Noah, unmistakable in a dark suit, his broad back to the room.
AJ squirmed. Why was he so fucking tall? She scanned the front row and tasted bile as she recognized Allison’s tousled bob beside Risa and Ned.
God fucking damn it.The internet knew jack all.
With an officious creak, the doors closed and the proceedings began. First, the head of the town’s council on culture enumerated Eudora’s many contributions to the local art scene. He was followed by the mayor, who thanked the family by presenting Noah a key to the city.
Next, the chair of the Gladstone Theater Company gave an emotional speech, waxing poetic about Eudora’s “thespian star” and referring to her as a beacon four times. She had worked herself into such a state that she left without introducing the next speaker.
Noah stood then. He took the podium in three strides and calmly raised the mic. God, his face—so handsome, so…sad. The crowd solemnized as his dark, expressive eyes swept the room.
AJ felt a tremor of sorrow; Eudora’s eyes had been so similar.
“My aunt would never admit it, but this was her favorite speech,” said Noah with a small smile. One of his enormous hands came to rest over his diaphragm, and he began to recite the lines.
“What light is light if Sylvia be not seen? What joy is joy if Sylvia be not by?”
AJ could still picture Eudora leaping onto her ottoman to show them how it should be done.
She closed her eyes, listening to the deep melody of Noah’s voice, and felt such fierce pride in him, it overwhelmed her. In Noah, AJ could find all Eudora held dear. She bowed her head.
“She is my essence, and I leave to be if I be not by her fair influence fostered, illumined, cherished, kept alive.”
When Noah finished, the room was silent. Then spontaneous applause broke out. As AJ opened her eyes, tears rushed down her cheeks. She gave a start.
Noah was looking directly at her.
Fuck, fuck,fuck.
And now they were all rising to give him an ovation, and the mayor was taking back the mic and dismissing the assembly. As AJ stood to go, Noah dropped out of view. Probably to embrace Allison, which AJ definitely did not need to see.
As the ballroom doors reopened, AJ followed Libby into the slow-moving throng. She was in agony. This crowd could not be more glacial if they tried.
Fuck.
Fine. He’d seen her. So be it. She would not be caught hanging around, as if she were seeking some sort of audience with him.
“I thought Daniel Drew would be there.” Libby pouted as they finally descended the front steps of Grovelawn Manor and began the trek back to her car.
Noah’s dad had given averyteary press conference that morning from the comfort of his home in L.A. AJ was about to respond when she heard hurried footsteps on the path behind them.
“AJ.”
