Page 4 of PR Stunt

She goes quiet.

“That’s worse,” I tell her. “That means he actively chose them.”

“Morning, ladies. Two reds and one blue today,” the instructor calls out.

We grab the last two reformers in the back.

Fifty minutes later, my legs are shaking, and I already know I’ll feel it tomorrow.

Standing beside our cars, Juno says, “Do you want to grab some matcha? I heard there’s a new cafe just a couple blocks away.”

I shake my head. “As much as I would love that, I have a meeting with Anna in an hour, and well, you know how she is about schedules.”

“That’s just an excuse. You’re just as wacko about schedules too, you type-a queen.”

I smile, giving her a look that says, Okay fine, you’re right.

She squints at me. “You seriously need a vacation. You practically fell asleep during the cooldown.”

“I was manifesting.”

“You were snoring.”

I laugh. “Maybe a little.”

She leans in with a grin. “So? How was wrap day? After all those months in the Six, did you meet any cute boys? Get anyone’s number?”

I shake my head. “No, unfortunately. Just me and a lot of fake legal jargon.”

“Ugh. Lame. I was hoping you’d come back with something to complicate your perfectly controlled life.”

I fake glare at her. “I’ll see you soon, okay? We still have book clurb this Saturday, yeah?”

We both grin. “In book clurb, we all fam,” we say at the same time, voices overlapping like it’s a sacred vow.

“Debriefing spicy scenes and takeout sushi? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

She spins around, hops into her convertible bug, and honks twice as she drives away.

Chapter 3

Once I get home, I make myself a coffee with my fancy espresso machine. After years on set, caffeine isn’t just a habit, it’s a survival skill. While it brews, I throw together a quick protein smoothie. I’m trying not to have caffeine on an empty stomach anymore, something my naturopath told me. I don’t totally get the science, but hey, gut health is trendy now, and I’m trying. I remind myself to send my assistant, Hailey, a thank-you text for stocking my fridge for the week and adding fresh pink camellias, my favorite, to the kitchen island.

Mug in hand, I head to the room I love most in the house: my office.

This is where I spend the majority of my time when I’m home, a space that feels equal parts peaceful and inspiring. Soft golden light spills across the desk and the plush reading chair in the corner. Arched bookcases line the walls, filled with old scripts, classic novels, and curated coffee table books. One wall features a clean display of framed magazine covers, award nominations, and a few hard-earned awards.

I sink into my reading chair, tucking my legs beneath me as I take a slow sip of coffee. My hand drifts toward a book that’s been sitting on my tbr pile for weeks, a romantasy everyone’s been raving about on BookTok. Thirty minutes isn’t a lot of time, but it’s enough to get a couple of chapters in.

Just as I’m finishing memorizing the world map at the beginning of the book, the doorbell rings, and a notification on my phone lights up at the same time. Sighing, I get up. That was short-lived.

I set my book aside and head for the door.

When I open it, Anna stands on the other side, phone in hand.

“You’re early,” I say, stepping back to let her in. “And…not on Zoom?”

She gives me a small, tight smile as she walks past me toward the kitchen. “I figured this was better in person.”