“I can agree.” She claimed the cherry from her drink and watched the bartender restock the sugar. “This morning was definitely rock bottom for me. I can admit that.”

“Career first. So you have Family Feud coming up this week?”

“No, it’s the pyramid one.”

“Right. So your financial prospects aren’t dead. They’re just not what they once were. No one pays you millions to offer clues to paralegals.”

“Not even close.”

“Well then, let’s figure out your priorities, shall we?”

“Please.”

Fallon took out a pen and grabbed a spare cocktail napkin for diagramming. “We need to figure out what you can and cannot live without. Let’s start with your house.” She wrote it down.

Carly considered the question. “I love where I live, but I could be happy with a much smaller, more modest space. In fact, that’s probably the most practical choice.”

“All right, so the materials can go.” She crossed it off and continued to take notes. “The luxury cars?”

“Just a bonus. I don’t need them. I can drive a Nissan.”

Fallon nodded and adjusted the list. “Carly in a Nissan. This is going unexpectedly well. What about your celebrity? How important is it that people see you as a high-status star in Hollywood?”

“I’ve loved that part of my life, but if you ripped it away, I’d still be standing.”

Fallon nodded some more. “What about acting?”

That one was harder. Things weren’t going so well in that department these days. She loved her job and would sorely miss it if she had to take up another career. “That one would be a big loss. I’d rather not give up acting, but I understand it may not happen at the same pay grade I’m used to.”

“Would you be happy doing a smaller project, like a TV show or another regional play somewhere?”

Carly had never been happier than during the run of Starry Nights, which was maybe why her current existence seemed like such a steep fall. “That’s actually not such a bad idea.”

“Got it. Acting is a keeper, but it could happen in a variety of forms. Now, what about Lauren? If things don’t work out there, will you be okay?”

“I don’t want to think like that.” She couldn’t, in fact. The idea of going back to her life before Lauren felt hollow, cold, and unimaginable. “No.”

Fallon held up a finger. “Okay, see, that’s interesting. I think we’ve made an important discovery here.”

“That I want Lauren? That’s not news.”