Page 9 of Cast to be Mine

“Can you call? Like send a follow-up message?”

I laughed. “That’s not how it works. They call my agent. I can’t call anyone. I don’t even know who they are.”

My phone rang. I pulled it out of my gym bag, and my heart jumped when I saw Loretta’s name on the screen.

“Oh no,” I murmured.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Loretta. She’s either telling me I didn’t get a callback or she is calling me with another audition for some STD commercial.”

She laughed. “Answer and find out.”

I swiped to accept, my hand suddenly shaking. “Hello?”

“Grace!” Loretta’s voice exploded through the speaker, so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “Oh my God, Grace, I can’t—I just got the call and I⁠—”

“Loretta, slow down. I can’t understand you.”

“You got it!” she shrieked. “You got the part! They want you for Breathless! They’re sending over the contract tonight and the studio is overnighting the full script so you can start memorizing!”

The world tilted slightly. I stared at Becky, who watched me with wide eyes, and tried to process what I’d just heard. The buzzing in my head made it difficult to think.

I couldn’t have heard her correctly. Then I remembered the commercial audition I had gone on two weeks ago. That had to be what she was talking about.

“The dish soap commercial?” I asked, my heart pounding like crazy.

“What? Dish soap? No!” She laughed. “The director called personally. Said you were exactly what he was looking for. They want you signed by tomorrow morning. Grace, this is it. This is your big break!”

“I got it,” I said, the words not quite feeling real. “I actually got it.”

“You got it! I’m so proud of you! We need to meet tomorrow to go over the contract details, but, Grace, this is huge. Your name on the poster next to Jack Montana! Do you know what that means? I hope you’re ready to work your ass off for at least the next five years!”

Becky was practically vibrating next to me, clearly dying to know what was happening.

“Loretta, I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

“Go celebrate!” she said. “We’ll talk tomorrow. I’m sending over all the details tonight. Check your email!”

“Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“You did this, kid. All you. Now go enjoy it!”

The call ended and I sat there, phone in hand, trying to make my brain catch up with reality.

“Well?” Becky demanded.

I turned to look at her, and I could feel the grin spreading across my face. “I got it. I got the part.”

Becky screamed loud enough that several people across the gym turned to look at us. Then she threw her arms around me, nearly knocking me off the bench.

“I knew it! I knew you’d get it! Congratulations!”

I hugged her back, and suddenly it all felt real. I was going to be in a movie. A real movie. With Jack Montana. My name would be on a poster. Hair and makeup. Wardrobe. An actual set in one of the massive soundstages.

I’d done it. Without my father’s name. Without any connections. Just me and my talent.

“Okay,” I said, pulling back and wiping at my eyes. “Okay, I really need to do some cardio now. I need to be in the best shape of my life for this. I’m a co-star!”