“You want me to do television.” She says it like I've suggested she start doing dinner theater in Oklahoma.
“I want you to expand your horizons,” I correct gently. “The landscape has changed, Ava. Some of the best roles for women are on streaming platforms and starring in limited series now. Look at what Meryl did withBig Little Liesor Nicole Kidman withThe Undoing. These aren't your grandmother's TV movies.”
Ava sighs, examining her perfectly manicured nails. “When I started in this business, there was a clear hierarchy. Movies were art. Television was?—”
“A paycheck,” I finish. “I know. But that was then. Now we have show runners like Shonda Rhimes and Mindy Kaling creating stories specifically for streaming, and they're winning Emmys and Golden Globes. We have A-listers lining up to be part of anthology series because they know that's where the meaty roles are.”
I pull out the folder I've been preparing for weeks. “I've identified three projects that would be perfect for you. There's a limited series about political wives in the seventies that shoots for four months and would put you in contention for every award show next year. A recurring role on that new legal drama where you'd play the senior partner who mentors the young hotshot lawyer. And…” I pause for effect. “Beyoncé's team reached out about a cameo in her next music video.”
“Beyoncé?” Ava's eyebrows rise.
“Think about it. One day of shooting, global exposure to an entirely new generation, and you'd be working with one of the most influential artists of our time. It's not selling out, Ava. It's staying relevant.”
She's quiet for a long moment, and I can practically see the wheels turning. Ava's smart. She knows her last three films barely made a ripple at the box office. She knows the offers have been getting smaller, the roles less interesting.
“You know,” she says slowly, “when Blair first assigned you to my account, I thought she was pawning me off on the junior agent because my career was circling the drain.”
My stomach drops a little, but I keep my expression neutral.
“I was wrong,” she continues, and her voice is warm now, almost surprised. “You see possibilities where I only saw problems. You understand this business in a way that…well, frankly, I underestimated you completely.”
“Thank you,” I say, and I mean it. Coming from someone with Ava's experience, that's not just a compliment. It's validation.
“Set up meetings for all three projects,” she says, standing and smoothing down her designer dress. “And Stella? Next time I doubt your judgment, remind me of this conversation.”
As Ava stands to leave, her voice takes on a gentle, sympathetic tone. “I wasn't going to say anything, but I spoke with Helena Voss before coming here.”
I look up at her, confused about where she's going with this.
“She mentioned you and Brandon aren't together anymore?”
My pen freezes halfway through signing a contract. The words seem to echo in the suddenly too-quiet office. Brandon told Helena we aren’t together?
“Well,” I manage, my voice perfectly steady even as my stomach plummets, “we're working through some things.”
Ava shakes her head with a small frown. “I have to say, I'm surprised after seeing you two together. I think there was something really genuine there. I hope you can work things out. Sometimes, the best relationships go through rough patches.”
“I appreciate that,” I say, somehow maintaining my composure as she heads out of the office.
The moment the door closes behind her, I set down my pen and stare at the wall as her words replay in my head. Why wouldBrandon tell Helena that we weren't together anymore? And did he tell her that before he fucked me or after?
Is that why he was quick to skip over a talk about anything last night? Does he not want to be together?
I sit there, staring at the closed door, with Ava's words echoing in my head like a broken record. Brandon told Helena we weren't together. After everything that happened between us.
My hands are shaking as I try to process what this means. Did I completely misread the situation? The thought makes my stomach churn.
I'm so lost in my spiral that I don't hear my office door open again.
“Knock, knock,” Natalie's voice cuts through the fog. “Hope you don't mind me barging in, but I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd see if you might have any extra passes for that indie premiere this weekend. The one with—” She stops mid-sentence. “Hello? Earth to Stella?”
I blink, finally focusing on her concerned face. “What?”
“I've been talking for like thirty seconds, and you haven't heard a thing I've said.” She settles into the chair across from my desk. “What's going on?”
“Nothing. Everything. I don't know.” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “Maybe I'm an idiot. Maybe I completely misunderstood everything. Maybe he just wanted to sleep with me, and now that he has, he's done.”
Natalie's eyebrows shoot up. “Okay, slow down. Who are we talking about here?”
