I bow out of going to the barn to watch Mandy and Stewart look over Theo's collection. It would be too nerve-wracking, and my head's spinning a little from the champagne. I need to focus on not making a disaster out of lunch.

I'm thinking of Howl's Moving Castle. Was this what brilliant but plain doctoral student Howell Jenkins felt like when he discovered a portal to a new world? One minute, he was in Wales with a nagging older sister; the next moment, he was in a land where magic was real and had an affinity for it. How long, I wonder, did it take for him to transform into the glamorous and supremely handsome Wizard Howl?

In my case, there's only storytelling magic going on, but still. The idea that Rune thinks my Horse Girl stories, no make that Horse Girl Heroes stories, would make engaging short video content, and a director of Mandy's caliber wants to see the project pitch? Color me dazzled.

Deep breaths, Theo instructs, stay grounded.

I'm trying! I think, as I add the salad into the bowl with my sister's signature olive oil, lemon, garlic, and shallot dressing, I start briskly tossing it so the salad greens are evenly coated with deliciousness. I'm happy I have something to keep me busy and not floating off into fantasyland.

Also, it's probably valuable for Rune to have alone time with these colleagues who've been so important to him. Good grief, they're intimidating. I understand now why he was in such a panic less than two hours ago. But why do they need to think we're a couple?

It makes him appear more stable and responsible to be in a relationship with someone he's known for a long time, Theo says.

I guess that makes sense, I admit, as I put the pasta into the boiling water and turn the olive oil and garlic on low.

While waiting for the pasta to cook, I start loading the trays so we can easily take everything outside. My phone beeps. I shouldn't check it, but I can't help it. It's a notification from Venmo that I've just received a payment. Most of my clients pay me via bank transfer. All the vintage clothing shipments I've sent out have already been paid for.

I click the app open and almost drop my phone. Stewart has just paid me for the rest of Theo's collection. The entire collection, not just the 70s and 80s. Oh my God.

Theo, do you see this? I say out loud in an excited whisper.

Everything's coming up, roses, doll-baby, he says encouragingly.

**

We're about halfway through dinner before anyone brings up any Hollywood business, at least in front of me. I've been lauded for being a genius in the kitchen. Rune and I have been regaling Mandy and Stewart with Theo's colorful life, and they've shared highlights from their vacation thus far.

They've been glamping and staying in scenic cabins across the Pacific Northwest, depending on how the mood strikes as they adventure in their aqua-blue vintage V.W. camper van.

The vacation honors finishing the third section of The Troubadour Tales. This new segment debuts this September. It focuses on Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles, who originally came together as her backup band at the famous music club.

"With Linda wrapped, we decided to take a scenic break before we jump into pre-production mode on the early 80s," Mandy tells us, "we love going on long drives to listen to music to ideate."

"Can you share with us who they are?" Rune asks with a smile, "As long as it doesn't leave this patio?"

"As long as it doesn't leave this patio," Mandy winks at him, "Rickie Lee Jones and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but we aren't sure of the third band yet."

"Theo's collection will certainly help," Stewart says, serving himself more salad. He's already told me who will be in touch to handle the clothes pick-up. No packing and shipping for me this time; I'm happy to leave it to the pros.

"That would make him so happy," I say, wondering why Theo's now on radio silence.

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"Did your dad cover shows at The Troubadour in the 80s?" Rune asks me.

"Your dad's a music journalist?" Mandy asks, "What an interesting family you are." Both of their energy has shifted towards me. They're still intense people, but I feel far less judgment.

"He's retired from it now, mostly ghostwriting," I tell her, "But he wrote about music for the L.A. Weekly and a few other publications in the 80s. I'm sure he must have seen bands at The Troubadour."

Stewart asks for my dad's contact information. He'd be thrilled to talk to them.

"Shelby's mom starred in Franklin Haus's first music video," Rune tells them, "I met him at a Christmas party at their house when I was thirteen." I school my face not to wince at this. Rune's expression is pleasant, but his leg is leaning against mine like a touchstone.

"Really?" Mandy's eyebrows rise, and she gives me another of her considering looks, "I thought he scouted you off T.V. like he does with all his other protegees," she looks at me for a beat, and then she turns to Rune and asks almost too casually, "So, Ash are the rumors true?"

"What rumors?" Rune asks, paying careful attention to his pasta. Crap.

"Are you returning to acting to star in Franklin's T.V. version of your music video fairytale with Julia?"

"That's news to me," Rune says carefully. His jaw flexing as he glances between them and then at me before focusing on his pasta.

"Oh? We read about it online in a reputable source," Stewart tells him.

"We're having lunch with Julia Thursday," Rune tells them, "But I don't know why they wouldn't go with an all-Japanese cast since it was inspired by a Japanese fairytale."

"Broader audience appeal was the reason given," Mandy says, "people want to see you and Julia together on screen again."

Rune scowls, "I was her love interest for one season on a young adult T.V. show; our fan base isn't that large."

"No one's audience is anymore, not on T.V.," Stewart laughs, except big-budget movies with worldwide appeal, which is probably why Franklin wants a multi-ethnic cast."

"Point taken," Rune agrees, "but I'm not interested. I'm focused on writing and producing now. Shelby and I have a short documentary to make for ReWild, a non-profit she does work for here, and I'm working on getting the rights to a book Shelby and I loved as young teens."

I feel a thrill run through me; he can't mean Howl's, can he?

"Getting your old work ethic back?" Mandy asks, her demeanor softer but keener, "Can you share about the I.P.?"

"As long as it doesn't leave this patio," Rune says with a genuine smile, but he's serious, "Howl's Moving Castle," he tells them.

My stomach flips. It's all I can do to keep the surprise off my face. Is he serious? Or is this just to make him look like he's busy?

"You want to make something from a famous and beloved Studio Ghibli animated movie?" Stewart asks, sounding skeptical, a little of his earlier hauteur returning.

"No," Rune takes a sip of water and shakes his head.

"No darling," Mandy leans in, "I bet he wants to do something from the original Diana Wynne Jones book, am I right?"

"It was a book first?" Stewart asks, taking out his phone and typing, "I had no idea."

"Exactly," Rune toasts Mandy with his glass and then me, "Shelby inspired it. She recently did a coloring page recreating the book's cover as a live-action piece starring yours truly."

Mandy almost chokes on her water with laughter, "Oh, I bet you loved that!" she says, looking at me, and winking.

"He did," I admit, joining in the laughter. If I were being discussed like this, I'd be under the table with embarrassment.

"I like playing dress up," he admits, a little sheepishly, a little pink in the cheeks.

"We have to see this coloring page," Stewart says when he stops laughing. I nod, bringing it up on my Instagram and handing him my phone. I watch eagerly as he zooms in on it and then gives me a thumbs-up before handing it to his wife.

"That's him all right; you caught him perfectly, Shelby, and you make a marvelous Howl, Ash," Mandy's laughing again and sending my image to herself. Wow.

"What is it about this story? What do you think you can do with it?" Stewart asks, taking more pasta, but he and his wife are hyper-focused on Rune now. Oh boy.

"Two things," Rune tells them, squeezing my knee, eager to share, "I'd like to do a full audio play of the books first and then drum up the financing for a live-action short-run T.V. series. You've inspired me with what can be done on television now."

"I'm glad to hear it," Mandy says happily, "I've never met a young actor with Rune's level of work ethic and curiosity about our approach," she tells me, "he was the least known of everyone we looked at to play Gregg Allman, but after going through our long casting process it was clear he was the one who would disappear the most and bring forward the soul of the musician."

I'm squeezing Rune's leg under the table this time and toasting him with my water glass.

"But didn't you want to avoid playing another pretty, seductive man?" Stewart asks, "Not that you don't play them well."

Mandy makes a face at her husband but looks to Rune to answer.

"I might or might not act in it. What I love about the story is that the young woman Sophie is the main protagonist. She saves Howls just as much as he saves everyone else," He tells them, his eyes shining with enthusiasm for the story, "She discovers she has her own magic that's almost as strong as does the wizard."

"Isn't she cursed to be an old woman for most of the story?" Stewart asks, not looking up from his phone, "At least she was in the movie version."

"Yes, and I think that's what's so important," Rune says even more excitedly, "Wizard Howl knows she's under a curse; he's seen her briefly as her real self early on in the book. But he falls in love with her spirit and personality as a feisty old woman."