Chapter 5

Nora debates moving her conversation with Charlie off email and ultimately sends him her phone number. She rides the high of a productive call with client Dusty, persuading Dusty to submit early pages. To buoy Libby’s spirits and escape the heat, Nora suggests walking to dinner despite her impractical heels.

They explore the sleepy, underwhelming town center until stumbling upon Poppa Squat, a crowded, kitschy bar and grill. Seated at the bar, they order fries and dubious veggie burgers from a glamorous bartender. Nora downs a martini quickly as she worries about Libby’s mood and the town’s lackluster charm.

Nora’s phone pings: Dusty has delivered the first chapter of her new book, Frigid. Nora reads and realizes the protagonist, Nadine “the Shark” Winters, a film agent with strict rules and icy control, shares unsettling parallels with Nora’s habits, appearance choices, and attitudes. The chapter paints Nadine as ruthless, even considering firing a newly pregnant assistant, which mortifies Nora.

Trying to deny the connection, Nora rereads and must admit the writing is good, which deepens her discomfort. She goes to find Libby, still reading on her phone while tipsy and in heels, and her inattention leads to a hard collision with a man in the dark hallway.

Nora looks up to find she’s crashed into Charlie Lastra, just as she loses her balance and falls. The chapter closes on this abrupt, literal run-in, fusing her mounting professional anxiety with her complicated history with Charlie.