Page 72 of Book Boyfriend
Brenna seems afraid. I bolt out of my chair and rush into Luna’s office. Fabian is pacing.
“What’s going on?”
“You! I blame you,” he says, pointing at me.
“What happened?”
Luna sighs.
“We loved him. Even though we’ve never done this before, I had the director watch my recording. The chief of casting called and spent an hour with him on Facetime. We found the ideal actress to play Kasey and they look perfect together. Today we offer him the role and he flat out turns us down! Turnsusdown! I thought you said he was a shoe in?”
I glance at Luna and she shrugs. “Fisher turned it down? Why?”
“He said he never wanted it to begin with. Now we have to start over. We had our hearts set on him.”
Fabian turns to face me. “You need to come to the office tomorrow and meet with the director. I’m sending you a bunch of headshots and videos. Go through them and help me find a backup. I haven’t told him yet. I want to have an alternative we can sell before I open my mouth.”
“I’ll go look right now. Fabian, I’m so sorry. This didn’t work out for any of us.”
Somberly, I trudge back into my office. He turned it down? It’s exactly what he wanted. Why would he do that?
As I walk to my desk, I notice a small box sitting in the center. It’s addressed to me. “Brenna? What’s this?”
“Oh sorry, that came for you while you were in your meeting.” She does jazz hands. “Mail day!”
She’s sweet and I know she has the best intentions, but she obviously doesn’t realize that no one can make me smile right now. Even the cast of SNL with guest star Eddie Murphy would have their work cut out for them.
I slide into my seat and stare at the box. It’s small and square. There’s no return address and the label is typed. Slicing the side with my scissors, I toss them back in my drawer and pry the box open.
Before I can look inside, Luna knocks lightly on the open door. “Got a second?”
I place the box on the floor by my feet as she walks in.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to fuck this up. Fabian was really pissed. I’m sure you are too.”
She ambles over to my desk and sits on the corner, staring at me. She’s oddly quiet.
She takes a deep breath after what seems like forever. “Here’s the thing. I know we’ll be able to find another actor. I’m not worried about Fabian. I’m worried about you.”
“Me? Why? I’m fine.”
“Are you?”
As I gaze up into her eyes, I remember how well she knows me and my already weak wall starts to crumble. I stare down at my hands. “I don’t know what I am.”
“We’ve known each other a long time. I was there when you met and married Oliver. I was there to see you happy, sad, and everything in between. The fact is, I never liked Oliver. I thought he was an ass from the start.”
I sigh. “I know. We’ve had this conversation a million times.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I consider myself a fairly good judge of character. I’ve been with a lot of men in my life and I feel as if my bullshit radar is superb.”
I lean back in my chair and run my fingers through my tangled hair. “What are you trying to say?”
“You’re a mess, Greer.”
“Wow. Thanks. See, I’ve known that for a while.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I mean. I know you miss him and it’s eating you up inside.”
