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“Joe,” she says as she answers. She’s one of the few people to call me that. I think she likes to keep me grounded. Hannah was the only other person who would regularly call me Joe, or Joey when she was in a playful mood or wanted a rise out of me. She called me Joey the day she confronted me about Delilah.

“Pippa, how are things?” I ask.

“Things are good. I know you wanted a bit of downtime, but I had an opportunity cross me, and I want to know what you think,” she explains.

“Tell me more.” I smile to myself at her enthusiasm. She’s an excellent manager, and she’s been with me since the start of my career. I’d go so far as to call her a friend, but she says it’s better to keep things professional. I’m sure it’s so she can keep me in line when she wants to get her own way.

“Casting director called. They really want you, Joe. Desperate. I could practically hear them salivating as she spoke to me.”

“For what?” I laugh. Movies are a passion, but the last few months have made me feel jaded. It isn’t anything particular that’s happened. I haven’t had any bad experiences filming. I’m just tired. Tired of travelling to set, of working long hours, of not feeling like I have a grounding.

“A franchise. Based on a book adaptation. Four films, and that’s only if they keep to one per book. You know that’s not always the case, so you could be looking at five total. They had an actor set to star until he fucked up his life, and now they want a new lead.”

I know a five-film franchise would come with a large paycheque. The type of paycheque I’ve never seen before. A step from an indie actor in smaller budget movies to something huge. Something that has the potential to make me an internationally recognised actor.

It should be something I’m screaming to accept. Something I should be doing everything in my power to secure. I know that, and I know opportunities like this don’t come through often. Some actors go their whole lives dreaming about an opportunity like this and would do everything necessary to make it onto the posters as the headline actor.

But I’m exhausted. I knew I was before production started for this last movie, which is why I told Pippa I wanted a break. That exhaustion hasn’t suddenly just disappeared.

“When do they need an answer?” I ask.

“Soon. Tell me you’ll think about it.”

“I will.” But I know I won’t. I need to rest and recuperate. It’s just easier to tell her I’ll think about it than it is to give an outright no. She’s persistent when she thinks she’s right. Especially on a topic where she’s due a percentage.

“Did you read the reviews?” she asks, clearly switching tactics because she thinks she has the answer she wants.

“Nope. Why don’t you give me the highlights?”

“They bloody loved it and, more importantly, you.”

I can picture the way she’ll look right now, like a peacock with her feathers out on display. She’d advocated strongly for me to take the last film role. She’s bossy and determined, but she’s also always right.

“Good to know.”

“What’s on your mind, Joe?” she asks.

Check that: bossy, determined, and shrewd.

I can’t tell her about Delilah. I think I’d rather track down Felix and talk to him about Delilah instead. Felix would just throw punches. Pippa might actually bury my body and deny my existence.

“Nothing, I’m just tired. I had a really late night. I need some sleep.”

“Book yourself a holiday,” she suggests. “Go somewhere quiet and secluded, get that rest you said you needed, and then come back for the biggest career opportunity of your life.”

“Can’t jet off on a holiday if you’ve scheduled interviews,” I point out.

“I can arrange them all to be by call. It’ll be fine.”

“I’ll let you know,” I reply as I try to stifle a yawn.

“Go get some rest, Joe. I’ll give you a call in the week.”

I say my goodbyes, and she hangs up. I toss my mobile onto the kitchen side and yawn again. Pippa’s right. I should go to sleep. I just can’t bring myself to go to bed.

Instead, I move to the sofa, the one I sat on with Delilah last night. It feels like a lifetime ago. I stretch out on the sofa, and it doesn’t take me long to fall asleep, images of Delilah in my head.

***