“Wonderful!” Alexis says. “Tell me.”
Georgina sighs. “You lucky bitch.”
I blink at her. Alexis jumps in: “Forgive her jealousy.”
“Television is brutal,” Georgina continues. “I have, like, three weeks off a year.”
Alexis leans over to pat her head. “We know, lovey.” Then back to me: “Paige, you were saying?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I mean, there’s a lot of stuff.” My heart beats fast. I don’t want to sound ungrateful. “I’m in a really lucky position. But the one thing I want—”
“They don’t think you should do,” Georgina says.
“Yes!” I say, sitting up.
“It’s pretty normal,” Georgina says. “They’ll want you to follow a really specific trajectory now. What does Rainer say?”
Alexis waves a dismissive hand. “Rainer only listens to his reps.” She looks at me. “Right?”
I nod. “Yeah. And he wants me to, too.” Rainer and I have had many conversations about how I should follow Sandy and my agent’s lead. “It’s their job,” Rainer always tells me. “Let them do it.”
“Well, it’s worked for him,” Alexis says. “But if you ask me, he should have hit this level a long time ago.”
“Yeah, but his dad didn’t produceThe Hunger Games.” Georgina glances at me. “Sorry,” she says. “He’s talented. Everyone knows that.”
“I guess I’m just trying to figure out what’s worth fighting for,” I say.
Alexis puts her arm around me. “That’s why you have us. It’s important to have people in this business you can run stuff by and trust.”
Trust. I’m not sure I do.
“Cassandra and Jake seemed nice,” Alexis says to me.
I sit up a little straighter. There is something in her tone I don’t like. “They’re my best friends.”
Alexis looks sideways at Georgina. Georgina bites her lip. “Things change when you become famous,” Georgina says.
I don’t respond, but I feel protective. I tuck my arms to my chest.
“We’re just saying to be careful,” Alexis says. “You’d be surprised who the press can get to. People who don’t understand what it’s like sometimes will see an opportunity—”
“The only thing Jake wants is for me to donate more money to charities,” I say, cutting her off. “Maybe your friends didn’t get it, but you don’t know mine.”
Georgina shrugs. “Airport in an hour,” she says. “I need to shower. You guys are welcome to stay.”
Alexis gives her a sympathetic look. “Two more years,” she says.
Georgina exhales. “I know. I can’t wait. I told Blake if he even looks over those extended contracts, we’re breaking up. I can’t play a teenage alien anymore. Even two more years is ridiculous. I’m starting to get wrinkles.”
I look at her perfectly tanned, perfectly made-up face. Wasn’t she in the pool? How does she still look impeccable? “I don’t see any wrinkles,” I say. “Anyway, I should head back.” I have a bad taste in my mouth from this conversation, and I’m eager to see Rainer.
“No chance,” Alexis says. “We’re hitting up Robertson.”
“I don’t—”
“Know how to take a proper photograph? I know, and I’m going to teach you.” Alexis and Georgina look at me. I feel their eyes travel from my chipped toenails up to my hair—held up with a ponytail holder. I pull it over my shoulder protectively.
“They’re going to come after you any way you cut it,” Georgina says. “You might as well stack the deck in your favor.”
