Page 5 of PR Stunt

Her gray suit is understated but exact, every seam as sharp as her mood. Dark waves fall neatly over one shoulder, and against her deep brown skin, her red lipstick stands out in sharp contrast, perfectly applied despite the tight press of her mouth.

I follow her into the kitchen and lean against the counter, arms crossed. “About what? The meeting that starts in…” I glance at the clock. “Twenty-six minutes?”

She turns her phone toward me. “This.”

I glance at the screen.

America’s Sweetheart Still Single: Why Can’t Charlie Grace Keep a Man?

I bark out a laugh. “Great. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Anna raises an eyebrow. “Unfortunately, no. It’s all over the place. Variety picked it up, et ran a segment this morning, and”—she scrolls—“Page Six said, and I quote, ‘At 24, Charlie Grace has it all except love. Is she too focused on her career, or is Hollywood’s darling just hard to date?’”

“Wow. They really called me undateable. That’s new.” I shrug.

For a split second, something drops in my stomach. I fold my arms across my chest, grounding myself.

“That’s complete bullshit,” I say evenly. “How bad is the pickup?”

Anna studies me and then glances back at her phone. “It’s trending. And between that and your last couple interviews, where you dodged every relationship question, people are filling in the blanks. We need to get ahead of it before it overshadows your other projects.”

I exhale. “Anna, I just wrapped. Maybe I should listen to Juno and take a beat. I’m happy to do some smaller campaigns, keep things moving, but I want to spend some time at home. Maybe even”—I wave a hand in the air dramatically—“take a vacation. Bikini time.” When was the last time I took a genuine break? Years?

Anna snorts. “Define ‘vacation.’ Because you can’t even finish a book without asking who owns the film rights.”

I let out a small smile. “Okay, so maybe I’ll answer some emails in a bikini. But I’m serious. I need to reset before diving into another project.”

Anna studies me for a moment and then nods. “Fine. I won’t push anything major. But you still have the What’s in My Bag opportunity, and they want to lock in your schedule by next week. Plus, you have a few brand deals that need content approval.”

I nod. “That I can handle.”

“Good, because your week is already filling up.”

It usually is. I’ve worked hard for this pace, for the reputation. America’s Sweetheart. But sometimes I wonder if the image I’ve built is boxing me in. Last year, I lost a gritty role I wanted more than anything because the director said I didn’t look like someone who could fall apart. Too polished. Not relatable enough.

I’d smiled and nodded, but inside I’d felt gutted.

I can’t stop the word undatable from looping in my head. Seriously?

A man would be called driven. Focused. Committed to his craft.

“Charlie.”

I jolt back to reality. Anna is watching me, one brow raised.

I give her a weak smile.

“As I was saying,” she continues, unimpressed, “I’ll see you Friday at the fundraiser. You’ll get to meet the director of Love in Rewind, so make sure to check in with Hailey about wardrobe, hair, and makeup.” She drops a stack of envelopes on the kitchen island. “Oh, and here’s the fan mail you missed while you were gone.” The usual stack that had made its way through the agency before landing in my hands.

She gives me a quick hug before heading for the door. “Text me if anything shifts.”

“I will,” I say.

I take a sip of coffee before reaching for the stack of fan mail Anna left, tearing the first envelope open. It’s a handwritten letter, the edges slightly crumpled.

Charlie,

I just wanted to say I absolutely loved you in Summer Solstice. That movie means everything to me, and your performance was perfect. Thank you for bringing the character to life.