Mr. Perfect Enters the Scene

“You have got to be kidding, Raoul.” Penny playfully jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow as she read the audition description. “This is a big part. It's for the main female role. I’m a newcomer. Newcomers do not get the big parts.”

“Look who’s being Ms. Pessimistic!” laughed Raoul. “I think you would be ideal for this part. Look, it says, ‘No experience necessary.’ And, you do have some experience; just not here. I think you should look into this one.”

“Well…maybe.” Penny sighed doubtfully but wrote down the information in her notebook.

***

Penny took a deep calming breath to try and slow her heartbeat. She was standing outside the double doors to the old theater where her audition was to be held. The theater was old but held a certain charm that brought a smile to her hopeful, young face. Her thoughts wandered momentarily to sweet Raoul who had convinced her this was a good idea.

Her palms were sweaty as she pulled the handle on the door on her right. Not noticing the sign that plainly said to “Use Other Door,” her hand slipped off the locked door and threw her off balance. Her upper body went flying back and her legs tried their best to keep up with her. She felt like she was going in slow motion as her thoughts resigned to falling - yet again - when suddenly, she felt a pair of arms and a hard body behind her catching her fall. Penny felt the grunt of the person behind her and allowed her legs to reposition themselves under her body.

She straightened up and turned around only to find herself looking directly into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. All thoughts of sweet Raoul went to the back of her mind as she stared at this beautiful blond man. Her rescuer was almost exactly her height and had perfect wavy blond hair. He smiled charmingly as she blushed to her roots. She felt for a second that he could read her thoughts.

“Th..th..thanks. For catching me.” Penny stumbled over her words as much as she had stumbled over her feet a second before.

“You are so very welcome, Gorgeous.” The strikingly good-looking man spoke in a soothing tenor voice as he took in the newcomer stuttering in front of him. When he smiled, perfect teeth were revealed along with a pair of perfect dimples on his perfect cheeks.

Wow, thought Penny. I am finally in the presence of my first movie star!

Attempting to pull herself together on the outside while her insides felt like jell-o, Penny stuck out her right hand once more and introduced herself to this Mr. Perfect, “Penny Mallord. From the great state of Mississippi!” She spoke with a little too much enthusiasm followed by some embarrassment when she realized she still was not speaking in complete sentences.

Mr. Perfect raised one well-shaped eyebrow as he continued to display his perfect teeth and dimples. “Well, gorgeous Ms. Penny Mallord, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Daniel McFaddon. Are you auditioning for my show this evening?”

Daniel chuckled as Penny’s eyes widened. “Y-y-YOUR show? Your THAT Daniel McFaddon?” Oh, great. Penny thought to herself. I just threw myself into the arms of the amazing Daniel McFaddon.

The Yellow Offer

"Do you like yellow?"  Raoul called to Penny from the tiny kitchen.

"Huh?" Penny didn't look up from her laptop as she faithfully flipped through auditions.  She noted the Rockettes audition coming up the following week and sighed.  "Wish I was a dancer..."

"Penny?" Raoul finished mixing their coffee and walked the short distance across the small apartment.  He sat in the floor, in front of Penny and handed her the fresh coffee.  Fresh coffee at  nine o'clock at night was the norm for the new pair of friends.

"Um?"  she graciously accepted the mug and sipped it, closing her eyes for a second.  Raoul watched her.  Penny blushed when her opening eyes met his.  His gaze unnerved her.  Penny had only ever had one other boyfriend and that relationship had always been awkward.  Bert from her small town high school had just, well, been all wrong.  Penny pushed Bert's face out of her mind and concentrated on the adorably cute face of Raoul.  Raoul, with the milk chocolate skin and dark brown hair, smiled at her.

"Yellow," he said again.  "Do you like the color yellow?"

"This is a fun game," Penny laughed.  She cocked her head to the side and thought about the random question.  "Yes," she said decidedly, "I like yellow."  

"Well, my mom painted her kitchen yellow last year, and she still has a lot of paint left over.  I'm sure she'd let you have it.  If you wanted to paint.  Your apartment, I mean."  Raoul gestured to the stained, ugly walls.  "It might brighten the place up.  This place; it doesn't fit you."

"Fit me?"  

Raoul looked down, embarrassed.  Penny thought she caught a light blush darken his dimpled cheeks.  "I mean, you're so sweet and bright.  I think you'd be happier if your house, I mean home, I mean..."  his voice trailed off.  

Penny smiled.  "You're sweet, Raoul," she said.  She touched his cheek.  It was still warm from his unexpected blush.  He caught her hand in his and their gaze locked together.  Two minutes passed like eternity.  A kiss was coming, and Penny wasn't ready for it.  She sat up quickly, pulling her laptop back across her lap.  

Raoul cleared his throat.  "I'll tell Mom yes about the paint, then," he said softly.  

"Yellow," Penny said.  "I think I'm gonna like yellow walls.  Thanks," she said, offering a smile.  Her eyes scanned the Actor's Backstage website.  

"What about that one?"  Raoul read from the floor, his head twisted around to see the screen.  His calloused finger jabbed at the screen.  

Penny leaned closer to read the audition......