Page 46 of One Happy Summer

“And what did you think?” I’m not sure why I’m asking because it’s not like I’ve read it.

“Loved it; I want to play the main character, Cali, in the adaptation.”

“Is that happening?”

“I have no idea,” she says.

“Okay, so what actually brings you here? Not that I mind you coming here. You can come to the bookshop whenever you want.” I’m rambling. Great. I’d come so far with her and I’m reverting back to nervous me. I reach up and mess with my glasses.

She nibbles on her bottom lip. “I need a favor.”

“Of course,” I tell her.

She places a hand on her hip and pops it out. “Briggs Fitzwilliam Dalton, you don’t even know what I’m going to ask. I could be asking for your assistance in burying a body.”

“Fitzwilliam?” I ask her.

“I’m just going to start throwing names out there until I figure it out.”

“Well, you were wrong with that one.”

“Damn,” she says, her lips pushing out in an adorable pout. Yep, and I want to kiss her again. Get yourself together, man. Itwould be one thing if I’d never felt her lips on mine—I could delude myself into thinking she might be a terrible kisser, or that her lips are rough. But I know how they feel. Soft and giving.

Crap. I’m staring now. I’m staring at her lips.

“So, what’s this favor?” I ask, forcing my eyes up toward hers.

She lets out a breath. “I need you to look online and see if they’ve said anything about the movie I’m supposed to be doing. If they’ve . . . replaced me.”

“Oh, okay, sure,” I say, taking my phone out of my pocket and pulling up the internet. “You know, they do have Wi-Fi at the Belacourt Resort.”

She gives me a scowl. “I know that. I’m staying offline right now. Maybe forever.”

The internet must be hard for people like Presley. It can be hard for anyone, really. Someone could post something they thought was benign and wake up the next morning canceled. Everyone has an opinion these days, and they have a way to share it with the world now.

“Okay, so what am I looking up exactly?” I say, fingers at the ready to type in the search bar.

“Just Presley James andCosmic Fury,” she says. “They were supposed to announce casting today.” She nibbles on the side of her thumb, nervous energy oozing from her.

“No problem.” I quickly type in the words, and a headline pops up almost immediately: Cosmic FuryNow in Preproduction, but Will Presley James Still Play the Lead?

“What does it say?” she asks, looking from me to the phone.

“Hold on,” I say, quickly skimming the article.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?”

“It’s not bad,” I say, my eyes quickly catching on to key words. It’s not ideal either. I feel a little whooshing sensation in my stomach.

“Tell me,” she says.

“So, you still have the role.”

She lets out a breath.

“But apparently, there’s still a lot of backlash.”

According to the article, because of the outcry to cancel her after the viral video, the producers have gone quiet about the role, but as far as the author of the piece can tell, she’s still cast as the lead.

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