"Is everything okay with you? You haven't said a word since we left Peter Connolly's office," Olivia said to Rachel in the car as they rode back to Rachel's place. "Is this about the deal we made at that Hudson guy?"
Rachel shrugged her shoulders and tore her gaze from the window, instead turning to Olivia. "I know this whole arrangement is going to help out my career in the long run, but I'm still feeling a little hesitant about it all." She sighed and tried to gather her thoughts quickly. "It's only a temporary thing, right?"
Olivia nodded her head quickly. "Yes, Rachel, of course it's only temporary. I get it. You're young, and aren't looking to be tied down to someone, especially someone you didn't choose. Besides the game will be here before you know it, and you'll be free once again."
Rachel let her words sink in, feeling a tad bit better. "Okay, yeah, that makes me feel better." She cleared her throat before continuing on again. "So, when does this whole relationship between Finn and I really start? I mean, you have to remember that Finn and I still haven't even officially met yet."
"Yes, I am fully aware of that. I was just thinking that we could probably arrange for you and Finn to attend the Floral Ball together this Friday. It'll be a good way to make your first real appearance together to the public, being all dressed up and everything," Olivia explained. "But I was planning on emailing Peter when we get back about maybe arranging something beforehand too so the two of you can become properly acquainted and get to know each other, so you'll be prepared for any spontaneous interviews on the red carpet."
"Okay," Rachel said, "that sounds good." She smiled to Olivia, "I trust whatever you decide to do. I know I'm in good hands."
Rachel and Olivia walled into Rachel's apartment together after they were dropped off in front of the building. Rachel immediately walked into the kitchen and got out some ingredients to make herself some Tetrazzini for lunch.
"What are you doing?" Olivia asked once she saw Rachel's actions.
"Making lunch?" Rachel asked with a questioning tone. "Is there a problem with that?"
"I just emailed Peter about setting up something for you and Finn to meet. What if this involves getting lunch?" Olivia asked.
"Then I'll only eat half and save the rest for later, so I'll be hungry enough for lunch," Rachel answered, continuing to prepare her food. "Does that sound fair?"
Olivia sat down at the island centered in Rachel's kitchen, "Fine, do what you want." She started typing away on her smart phone. "And they told me never to go with a stubborn client."
Rachel purposely ignored Olivia's last comment and continued with her lunch. She set the noodles out to boil and gathered all the other necessary ingredients.
"So, Peter Connolly seemed pretty cool," Rachel said, stirring the noodles slowly as she spoke. "What did you think of him?"
Olivia finished typing out a message before looking up at Rachel, "Yeah, I agree. He's new to the business, but I think he knows what he's doing. At least he gave off the impression that he did."
Rachel nodded her head, "I think Finn will go far with Peter on his team. Good workers really makes a difference in a career. Remember that one girl I went to college with? Mercedes Jones? She set out to be on Broadway too, but signed off with the wrong company. It was only a matter of months before she quit them. She had the talent, but not the right people. Last I heard she moved out to LA to work on a singing career. I think she's doing quite well."
"That's nice," Olivia replied, only half invested in the conversation. She finally turned back to Rachel and looked at the pot on the stove. "Hey, do you have any more of that stuff to cook?"
Rachel looked at the half boiled noodles and nodded her head. "Yeah, why? Do you want some?"
"Yes, and so does Peter and Finn. They're coming over here for lunch," Olivia said, quickly turning back to her phone.
It wasn't too much longer until Rachel heard a series of several knocks on her apartment door. She couldn't believe that Olivia invited them over to her home without her consent. Sure, Rachel was happy that she would be able to actually get to know her so called boyfriend before actually beginning their relationship, but it would have been nice to meet them in a different setting.
Rachel turned down the temperature and rushed over to the door, wanting to open it before Olivia could. She flattened her hair with her hands and collected herself before she pulled the door open, revealing the two men standing in the hall.
"Hello, again, ladies," Peter greeted, smiling towards Olivia and Rachel.
Rachel politely smiled back, slowly letting her eyes drift from Peter to the man standing behind him. She locked eyes with Finn again, feeling a similar spark to the one she did the previous day in the store.
"Hello, Peter," Olivia said, "And Finn, it is nice to finally meet you."
"Hello, Olivia," Finn replied, offering his hand for her to shake. "It is nice to meet you too."
"Well, there's no need for the two of you to just stand out there like doormats, please, come in," Olivia said, hinting to Rachel to open the door wider to allow them entrance.
Rachel did as she was told, and invited Peter and Finn in to her loft. Peter immediately headed over to the living room with Olivia, probably to discuss some key details in the relationship between Finn and Rachel. Finn walked in, but instead of following Peter into the living room he followed closely behind Rachel to the kitchen, where she continued to cook their meals.
"You know, when I helped you out with that apple yesterday, I had no idea it would land us in this mess," Finn said, leaning up against the countertop. "I kind of feel like this is all my fault."
Rachel paused her stirring of the food and looked up at Finn, "I wasn't blaming you, at all. This arrangement is only for a couple weeks anyways, it might end up being kind of fun."
He smiled for he was thankful that Rachel had such a good attitude about their predicament. "So, you're on Broadway?" He wasn't quite sure what else to say, but he figured starting off by getting to know each other was good enough.
Rachel nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes, I am. I finished up Funny Girl not too long ago, and now I'm just waiting for some more auditions to come up."
"Funny Girl?" Finn asked, "My brother is always watching that one. I've seen parts of it, and it's not bad."
"Your brother is interested in Broadway?" Rachel asked.
"Yes," Finn replied. "He just graduated college and majored in fashion, he's looking to become a costume designer for some of the shows here in New York. His boyfriend just graduated from NYADA, and is about to start auditioning for some roles."
"How neat?" Rachel mused. "Maybe someday I'll get to work with your brother backstage someday. Maybe he'll be my next designer."
"He'd be thrilled," Finn said. "When he saw the papers this morning he called me right away. He's actually a pretty big fan of yours, and was pretty upset to find out nothing real was going on."
"He's a fan? I can't wait to meet him!" Rachel exclaimed, feeling even better about this whole relationship thing with Finn.
"Believe me," Finn replied, "He'll be excited to meet you too. Anyway, tell me more about your family. What made you want to get into Broadway and stuff?"
Rachel lightly shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, I guess I've always dreamed of being on Broadway. Ever since I was a little girl I imagined my name being in the spotlight. My dads, however, didn't exactly see things the same way."
"They didn't support your dreams?" Finn asked her.
"It was more than just that," Rachel replied, her eyes focused on the food she was stirring around. "They thought the singing, dancing, and acting obsession I had was just a faze all girls went through, so they signed me up for multiple classes, assuming I'd participate for a few years and then drop out when I was older. Much to their dismay, however, I took a liking to them and continued the classes through high school. My dads are both lawyers in the state of Ohio, and they're pretty well known, actually. It was always they're dream for me to follow their footsteps."
"So what happened? Are they accepting of your Broadway dreams at all?" Finn asked, taking a real and genuine interest in her life story.
"No, they're not," Rachel said sadly, slumping over the stove, stirring slowly. "My junior year of high school they had college visits to all the best law schools in the state of Ohio. We went, and they were all very nice, but none offered a theatre program. So, I applied to college that spring, and when my acceptance letter arrived my dads opened the letter. I can still see the looks on their faces when they read that I had been accepted to NYADA, and never even applied to the schools in Ohio."
"What did they do?" Finn asked her, his heart hurting for her.
"They acted casual until graduation and then gave me an ultimatum," Rachel answered, finally looking at Finn. "Either I stay with them and got to law school, or I go to New York completely on my own. No financial help, no support, nothing. I think they were secretly hoping I'd fail so I'd come running back, and get the 'I told you so' of a lifetime. However, here I am, having recently starred in the revival of Funny Girl."
"Have they contacted you since?" Finn asked her, nervous for the answer.
Rachel shook her head, "No, I haven't talked to them since I left. When I first moved out here, things were hard and really lonely. At least they were until I found Olivia and my manager, Lola. They saw some real potential in me, and got me to where I am today. Honestly, if it wasn't for them, I'd probably be in some courtroom right now, defending a case I couldn't care less about."
Finn gave her a sympathetic look, his family had always been so supportive of him, and it was hard to imagine a world without them around. He looked into her eyes and stepped a bit closer to her, "For what it's worth, I think you're very talented, and that you would have made it regardless of the connections you made."
Rachel smiled at him. Finn was one of the few people who had come into her life and seemed to actually believe in her and her talent. Sure, she had her fans, but it was nice to have someone believe in her, on a more personal level. "Thank you, Finn." She mentally noted their proximity, and almost thought they might be inching towards something real. She almost thought it'd be acceptable to lean up right then and there and kiss him, had Peter and Olivia not been in the next room and had Finn's cell phone not start to ring at that exact moment.
Finn stepped away and pulled his phone out of his pocket, focusing on the screen. He typed a quick response before jamming the phone back into his pocket.
"Anyone important?" Rachel asked, finally getting back to her cooking, pleased that the lunch as finally ready to be served.
"Uh, yeah," Finn replied awkwardly. "That was my girlfriend."
Review :)
I have this whole story planned out from start to finish, so I'm hoping to have it all posted fairly quickly :)