We stare ahead, stunned. I can feel my face going red, my stomach twisting into knots. I’m five years older than Carter and have been doing this job in one form or another since I was nineteen. Judging from what I’ve seen, Carter is probably a great agent, but he’s only lived in LA for two years and is new to features. Like, today new. In what universe is our compensation comparable? Because he’s a man? Who knew a penis was worth so much?

“Brad—” Carter begins, expression grim. I clench my fists at my sides and force myself to take a deep breath.

“It’s not definite that one of you will be shifted over,” Brad says, “but I’ll be honest: it’s likely. We’re all going to have to do the work and see what fits best for the new, combined Features team.”

“I don’t understand,” I say. “P&D is one of the most successful agencies in the country. How can it not keep us both?” I glance to Carter and back again. “Brad, look at my numbers, I outperform—”

“Minus your little speed bump with Field Day,” he says with a superior nod, and I straighten in my chair. Fuck him for bringing that up right now. “Listen, kiddo, the simple fact is that the movie business is down. Expenses are up. Cuts are made in this type of situation, and that’s just the way it is. You two aren’t the only ones this is affecting.”

I glance at Carter. He’s staring directly at Brad. “When you said, ‘Not here in LA,’ ” Carter begins carefully, “are you saying that if one of our contracts isn’t renewed, there’s a chance that individual would be offered a position in New York?”

Brad nods. “For sure there is a position in LA, and a spot in New York is always a possibility. Ideally there would be two positions here, but it’s too early to speculate on that. On any of it, really.”

We both sit there, silent. I stare at a glossy whorl of walnut that stands out in the section of wood grain just in front of me. It’s the size of my fist but takes up only the smallest fraction of the surface of Brad’s enormous executive desk. I wish I could press my finger to it, swirl, and flush this entire exchange down the toilet.

“What I want both of you to do for the short term,” Brad says, pulling my eyes back to his face, “is to put this situation out of your heads. You each have a contract that P&D will see through, and then we’ll examine it again. Evie, you’ve got five months left on your current contract. Carter, you’re due to re-sign in six. At the time of renewal it’s possible there will only be room for one. But you’re not competing. Not exactly.”

The words not exactly fall like bricks dropped from twenty feet up.

“Meet with some of the agents, the support staff—on both sides,” Brad continues with practiced obliviousness. “Talk to the team we have here visiting from New York. Get a sense for how your lists are going to react and how you can retain them—we’ll be talking about that a little later in the week.” He turns to me. “Evie, I don’t think retentions will be as big an issue for you, since your clients were already P&D—so what I would love is for you to show Carter around, show him how we do things. Maybe introduce him to some of your colleagues and contacts.”

I feel sick. Just like with John Fineman, Brad is having me pass along some of my hard-earned connections to a coworker. But not just any coworker: to Carter, my new almost-boyfriend, with whom I’m not exactly competing for a job.

“Of course,” I say, because what else can I do?

“Carter,” Brad says, turning, “you have enough charisma to take over this entire town, and I think you’ll do it. Listen to Evie, learn the ropes; she knows what she’s talking about.” He looks between us. “At least for the time being,” he says, leaning back in his chair again, “I think you will make an amazing team. Try to see it that way.”

He smiles, leans forward with his hands steepled beneath his chin, and gives us the patented icy blue stare.

Brad Kingman has excused us.

• • •

Out in the hallway Carter and I each study the floor, the wall, the table desks in the distance. The number of things we could say about the situation seems infinite. But oddly, as much as I’ve enjoyed his company and his kisses and his penis, Carter is the last person I want to talk to about this right now.

I can tell he’s tense. I can tell we’re both tense, but I need to process a little bit in my own head before I help him process it, too.

He lets out a quiet whistle. “This is unreal.”

“I agree.” I have to pull my eyes away from the tension in his jaw.

“When I heard we’d merged, my biggest fear was just that it would be hard to work with my new girlfriend.”

My heart swoops low in my chest when he says this.

“But now, it’s like . . .” He shakes his head, running a hand through his thick hair. “I need this job. I moved here for this job.”

“My entire life is here,” I remind him. “I’ve worked for P&D for five years. I realize the situation really sucks for you, but I’ve built connections here. I’ve built a career here.”

You have enough charisma to take over this entire town, and I think you’ll do it.

Brad’s words to Carter bounce around the inside of my skull, and I squeeze my hands into fists at my sides. Brad wants Carter to take over the entire town; where exactly does that leave me?

Carter glances over to me, and for a flash I can see annoyance in his green eyes. But he quickly tucks it away.

“This is probably not the time to talk about it.” He closes his eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths. “Look. This is the worst thing that could have happened between us, and I realize that.” He puts a warm hand on my forearm. “But we’re going to figure it out, don’t worry.”

For some reason his reassurance bothers me even more. It’s true this isn’t a great situation for either of us, but I don’t need him to patronize me and tell me that everything will be okay when he knows exactly as much as I do. And I especially don’t need him to try to reassure me after he’s just told me how much he needs to be the one to keep his job.

We drift apart without more conversation, moving in opposite directions away from Brad’s office: I head to get a drink of water from the break room while Carter walks toward the restrooms.