the craziness and went to her car for her water bottle. On her way back to the sanctuary, she stopped. She’d forgotten to call the California guy. All day she’d been meaning to make the call, but she’d met with Rhonda and they’d become absorbed in blocking out the first number.
Now she checked her watch and saw it was seven o’clock. That meant it was only four in CA, still early enough to call. She stepped inside the church’s front doors, found a quiet corner in the vestibule, and pulled the message from the inside of her
checkbook, where she’d placed it the night before.
Mitch Henry, the message read. Casting director.
She still believed the guy must’ve had something to do with Sarah Jo Stryker.
Who else would have connections with a casting director in Hollywood?
There were five minutes left in the break, so Katy pulled her cell phone from the front pocket of her purse and dialed the number.
A man answered almost immediately. “Mitch Henry.”
“Uh..” His hurried, clipped tone took Katy by surprise. “Hi, this is Katy Hart.”
She hesitated. “You left a message?”
“Katy Hart!” His voice became instantly warm. “I was hoping you’d call.”
“Yes, well—” she looked at her watch again—”I just have a few minutes.”
“Right.” The man cleared his throat. “I’m the casting director 80
80
for an upcoming romantic comedy called Dream On. You may have heard of it.”
Katy hadn’t. “Okay…”
“Anyway, we’d like to fly you out to Los Angeles to read for the female lead in the show.”
Her first instinct was to laugh, and she did, but not loud enough for Mitch Henry to hear her. “I’m sure there’s some sort of mistake, sir. I’m not an actress, not anymore.”
“We, well.., we think you are.” There was the sound of rustling papers. “We can fly you out Sunday afternoon, put you up at the Sheraton Universal, and have a car pick you up and bring you to the studios. The audition is at nine o’clock Monday morning. You could fly home late that afternoon.”
Katy’s head was spinning. The man sounded serious, but how could he be? “Are you sure you have the right Katy Hart?”
“Very sure.” He chuckled. “It would make a big difference to the casting of this film if you’d come, Miss Hart.”
She pinched her temples with her thumb and forefinger. “How’d you find out about me?”
“Well… I don’t have access to that information, honestly. I can only tell you we’re holding up decisions on this film until we have your answer.”
The entire conversation didn’t make sense. If the details weren’t so specific she would’ve sworn it was one of the CKT kids playing a trick. But the man was too serious to be joking. Katy’s mind raced. How had they heard of her, and how had they known where to find her? And who in Hollywood was even aware she existed?
“So what can I tell the producer, Miss Hart? Can we make flight arrangements for you? I assume you’d be flying out of Indianapolis.”
Katy felt light-headed. She gripped the phone more tightly. “Can I… can I call you back in a few hours and let you know? I’m right in the middle of something.’
….
81
KAREN KINGSBURY
“Definitely.” He kept his tone upbeat, warm. “You’ve got my cell number. I’ll wait to hear from you one way or another, okay?”
“Yes. Thank you, Mister—” She thought of something. “Who’s producing the film?”
“DreamFilms.”
DreamFilms? The major motion picture studio, the birthplace of dozens of box-office hits? The moment seemed even more surreal than before. “Okay.” She gulped and looked down. Her knees were trembling. “Very good. I’ll call in a few hours.”
She hung up and tried to move, but the room swayed and she leaned against the wall. Nothing made sense. By the time she found her balance, returned to the sanctuary, and pulled the rehearsal back together, she doubted everything about the phone call.
But just in case it
Now she checked her watch and saw it was seven o’clock. That meant it was only four in CA, still early enough to call. She stepped inside the church’s front doors, found a quiet corner in the vestibule, and pulled the message from the inside of her
checkbook, where she’d placed it the night before.
Mitch Henry, the message read. Casting director.
She still believed the guy must’ve had something to do with Sarah Jo Stryker.
Who else would have connections with a casting director in Hollywood?
There were five minutes left in the break, so Katy pulled her cell phone from the front pocket of her purse and dialed the number.
A man answered almost immediately. “Mitch Henry.”
“Uh..” His hurried, clipped tone took Katy by surprise. “Hi, this is Katy Hart.”
She hesitated. “You left a message?”
“Katy Hart!” His voice became instantly warm. “I was hoping you’d call.”
“Yes, well—” she looked at her watch again—”I just have a few minutes.”
“Right.” The man cleared his throat. “I’m the casting director 80
80
for an upcoming romantic comedy called Dream On. You may have heard of it.”
Katy hadn’t. “Okay…”
“Anyway, we’d like to fly you out to Los Angeles to read for the female lead in the show.”
Her first instinct was to laugh, and she did, but not loud enough for Mitch Henry to hear her. “I’m sure there’s some sort of mistake, sir. I’m not an actress, not anymore.”
“We, well.., we think you are.” There was the sound of rustling papers. “We can fly you out Sunday afternoon, put you up at the Sheraton Universal, and have a car pick you up and bring you to the studios. The audition is at nine o’clock Monday morning. You could fly home late that afternoon.”
Katy’s head was spinning. The man sounded serious, but how could he be? “Are you sure you have the right Katy Hart?”
“Very sure.” He chuckled. “It would make a big difference to the casting of this film if you’d come, Miss Hart.”
She pinched her temples with her thumb and forefinger. “How’d you find out about me?”
“Well… I don’t have access to that information, honestly. I can only tell you we’re holding up decisions on this film until we have your answer.”
The entire conversation didn’t make sense. If the details weren’t so specific she would’ve sworn it was one of the CKT kids playing a trick. But the man was too serious to be joking. Katy’s mind raced. How had they heard of her, and how had they known where to find her? And who in Hollywood was even aware she existed?
“So what can I tell the producer, Miss Hart? Can we make flight arrangements for you? I assume you’d be flying out of Indianapolis.”
Katy felt light-headed. She gripped the phone more tightly. “Can I… can I call you back in a few hours and let you know? I’m right in the middle of something.’
….
81
KAREN KINGSBURY
“Definitely.” He kept his tone upbeat, warm. “You’ve got my cell number. I’ll wait to hear from you one way or another, okay?”
“Yes. Thank you, Mister—” She thought of something. “Who’s producing the film?”
“DreamFilms.”
DreamFilms? The major motion picture studio, the birthplace of dozens of box-office hits? The moment seemed even more surreal than before. “Okay.” She gulped and looked down. Her knees were trembling. “Very good. I’ll call in a few hours.”
She hung up and tried to move, but the room swayed and she leaned against the wall. Nothing made sense. By the time she found her balance, returned to the sanctuary, and pulled the rehearsal back together, she doubted everything about the phone call.
But just in case it