"That's a silly superstition," I said, and Garrett's mouth quirked. I suddenly wanted to kiss him. Was there kissing in this play?
"Places! Here's a script," Edna said to Garrett. "You’re a smart young man. I'm sure you can have everything memorized in the next few weeks."
"I already have the entire thing memorized," he said, handing the script back to Edna.
We all stopped to stare at him.
"You do?" I asked. "All of it? Everyone's lines?"
"Of course," Garrett replied matter-of-factly. "I have all of Shakespeare's plays memorized as well as his sonnets."
"Did you hear that, Ida?" Edna said. "Garrett's shown up to work, unlike some people."
"But I have to play several characters," Ida complained. "He only has to play the one."
"Places!"
Surprisingly, Garrett was actually a very convincing Macbeth. The play started off with three witches—played by Ida, Bettina, and Dottie—in the woods, telling a prophesy. Macbeth happened upon them in the woods.
As Garrett delivered the first soliloquy, I watched in rapture. Something about the set of his jaw and his shoulders gave him a noble authority. We all applauded when he was done.
"Maybe we should put some kissing or dry humping in this play," Ida whispered to me. "I could change the script."
"You can't just rewrite Shakespeare," I whispered back.
"He wouldn't mind, the randy old bard."
* * *
"How'd I do?"Garrett said, half smiling as we walked to the car. His overcoat was open, a cashmere scarf draped around his neck. I wanted to unwind it then undo him. I furiously rubbed my nose.
"You're a really good actor," I said.
"I'm pretty good at a lot of things you don't know about," he replied.
"Oh yeah? Like what?" I said, resting my hip against the Tesla. He leaned over me, and I pressed back against the car. Part of me hoped this was part of a joke, and part of me hoped it was very real.
"Did I make myself clear about how I wanted to think about you but couldn't?" Garrett asked in that deep voice.
"Yes," I croaked. "Crystal."
"It would break a lot of rules for me to be that way with you," he murmured.
"Good thing there's no kissing inMacbeth, just lots of witches and stabbing and blood. Perfect, gory Halloween play."
It was as if Garrett was a vampire, pinning me with his gaze.
"How do you do it?" he said.
"Do what?" He was mind-bogglingly close.
"Smell like that? You always smell like fall, like nice fall." His breath was warm on my cheek, blowing out in a puff of steam.
Kiss me! This is the part of the movie where you kiss me!I shrieked internally.
Garrett straightened up. I wanted to scream like a banshee.
"I should go home," he said abruptly.
