He looked from her to the fork and back again. “He sent me an email about it, along with a photo. She’s huge. I guess he didn’t think to say something sooner. Should I not have told you?”
“No, no,” she said, waving him off but not quite meeting his gaze. “I’m happy for your father. And his girlfriend.” She paused. “How huge are we talking?”
“Oh, colossal. Seemed like she might pop.”
She laughed. “Good for her, and for Dad. He gets another shot at raising a family, assuming he doesn’t walk out on her too.” She clamped her mouth shut and then tried again. “That’s wonderful news. Are you excited? You won’t be an only child anymore.”
Pete shrugged. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet. For all I know, I might never meet the kid. Dad hasn’t visited in years, and I don’t have a burning desire to go to Ohio.”
“I don’t know, kiddo. I hear it’s for lovers.”
“That’s Virginia.”
Mom’s brow puckered. “Is it?”
“Yeah. No clue why.” Pete picked up the fork and twirled it between his long fingers. “What about you? Excited for him?”
She mirrored his shrug. “To be perfectly frank, I don’t know what he’s thinking having a child so late in life. We had enough trouble when you were born, and we were spring chickens. It’s all fun and games until you’re changing dirty diapers at three in the morning while an infant squalls in your ear.”
Pete wrinkled his nose. “Was I that bad?”
“No, actually, you were pretty quiet. Some things never change. Though by God, when you got going, you could blow a house down.”
Pete cut into the gravy-covered meat product in front of him. The bite he took was scalding on the edges and lukewarm in the center, but he choked it down without complaint. “You know, you could try dating yourself.”
“I would, but I think the government frowns on that.”
Pete huffed around another mouthful. “You know what I mean. If Dad can start a whole new family, the least you can do is have dinner with a few comely strangers.”
“Your father didn’t start a new family. You’re still his child, and that’s never going to change.”
“Well, what else would you call it? New girlfriend. New house on the other side of the country. Now a new kid. Sounds like starting over to me.”
“He’s just making some additions.”
“However you label it, the message is pretty clear. He doesn’t need us. He’s moved on.” He tried to keep his tone light, but bitterness seeped through.
Mom moved to stand in front of him. “Dad and I tried to make it work. We really did, but sometimes all the effort in the world can’t fix something that’s just not meant to be. I don’t think he was ready to be a father. God only knows I wasn’t prepared for my twentysomething boyfriend to knock me up on my thirtieth birthday. But then, life seldom throws you curveballs when you’re ready for them. I’m just happy the lack of a strong father figure didn’t have any effect on you.”
Pete had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. A porn star with an absent father. Sometimes the jokes wrote themselves. “The least he could do is help us pay the bills around here. This used to be his house too until he up and left it.”
“It doesn’t work like that, unfortunately. The second you hit eighteen, the checks stopped coming. Besides, we get by just fine, don’t we?” She ruffled his hair again, and this time he didn’t protest. “Though I do wish you’d let me help you more with your tuition. If you did, you could quit your job and focus on finishing your degree. School should be your top priority right now.”
Pete offered her a lopsided smile. “We’ve talked about this. I want to pay my own way. If you were covering all of my tuition, you couldn’t save for retirement, and I’m not having that. You already let me live here for free. I can take care of the rest. Besides, LACC isn’t an expensive school.”
She sighed. “All right. But if it starts to be too much, you’ll let me know, right? Honestly, I’m not sure how you’re pulling it off. The college fund your father and I set up only paid for your first year. A part-time position at a coffee place shouldn’t even cover your books.”
“Oh, I manage,” Pete said mildly. “Money always seems to turn up when I need it.”
“You must have an angel watching over you. Speaking of which, are we on for church this Sunday?”
“Yeah, of course. And the Sunday after that, and the one after that.” His phone buzzed in his pocket, prompting him to scarf down the rest of his food and climb to his feet. “I’m going to study. Promise me you’ll get some sleep?”
She nodded, but she was already eyeing the dishes in the sink.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said. “I’ll do those. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Satisfied, he headed back upstairs to his room. The second the door was shut behind him, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. It was a text message. He almost hoped it was Sana, his manager, telling him she needed him to work today after all. Even brewing coffee would be better than brooding in his room.
He tapped on the text, and a second later nearly dropped his phone. It was from Colette. Clammy sweat sprang up on his palms.
Are you free to talk?
He tried not to take work calls at home, whenever possible. His mom had bat-like hearing when it came to things he’d rather she didn’t know. He could leave, but he’d just told her he didn’t have work or school today, and his fingers were itching to hit the Call button.
Sucking in a breath, he willed himself to remain calm. This was probably just a courtesy call. She needed to let everyone who auditioned know the results. It didn’t necessarily mean anything.
Even as he thought that, his heartbeat tripled.
His fingers danced across the keyboard. I’m free. Call whenever.
He stared at the screen, tense with impatience. Ten excruciating seconds later, an incoming call popped up. He tapped the answer symbol and then held his phone to his ear. “Hello?”
“Jaden, it’s Colette,” she said needlessly. “How’ve you been?”
“Great. You?”
“Peachy. How are your classes? And your mom?”
He blinked. Colette only bothered with small talk when she was in an exceptionally good mood. Maybe she wasn’t calling to reject him after all. “They’re both fine. What’s up? I’ve been waiting to hear from you.”
“Yeah, sorry for taking so long. I meant to tell you the good news sooner, but Darko and I had some details to iron out.”
Good news. The words hung in front of him, each letter ten feet tall and flashing neon colors. He fumbled behind him until his hand connected with his bed, and he sank onto it. He waited for her to continue, almost bursting out of his skin. When she didn’t, he lowered his voice and prompted, “So, I got the part?” I get to see Kyle again?
“Well . . .”
The neon letters popped like bubbles. Oh God, that was embarrassing. She must’ve been calling about something else. He knew it wasn’t technically a competition, but this sure felt like losing.
He swallowed. “Ah, I see. Thanks for letting me know. I’m sorry if I let you down. I know you really wanted me for this.”
“No, you misunderstand. You got the part.”
“Wait, seriously?” He glissaded right over her last words in his excitement. “Please tell me you’re not just playing with my emotions.”
“I never play around when it comes to my work,” she intoned, but there was a smile in her voice. “Congratulations.”
“Oh my God, thank you.” He almost couldn’t believe it. He must have done something right after all.
“Don’t thank me. You earned it.”
“Did Kyle say anything about me?” he blurted out, caught up in giddiness. He slapped a hand over his mouth. Wow, way to sound like he was still in high school.
To his surprise, Colette answered seriously. “He said you did brilliantly and that the two of you have off-
the-charts chemistry. I look forward to seeing it for myself.”
Pete’s breath wedged in his throat. It seemed the attraction wasn’t just on his end. Kyle felt it too.
“Anything else?” He cleared his throat. “I mean, did he have any feedback for me? I’m always looking to improve.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you are.” She chuckled. “He said you were charming, in a guileless way. And cute. The connection was instant, according to him. He made a few other colorful comments that I won’t repeat because I’m pretty sure the acts he described are illegal in the state of California. But, needless to say, he wants to work with you.”
He flushed, but for once, it wasn’t with embarrassment. A hot, tingling sensation slithered through him and settled between his legs. “That’s . . . wow, great.”
“If the feeling is mutual, I’m going to offer you the role. I’m guessing from your breathlessness that it is.”
He almost choked on his own tongue in his haste to answer. “Yes, the feeling is mutual.”
“Then congratulations, Jaden. You’re the newest star of Heat Wave.”
“Thank you so much,” he gushed. “I won’t let you down. I promise I’ll—”
“There is one thing, however,” she interrupted. “A contingency, so to speak.”
His excitement dampened as if it had its own personal rain cloud. “All right. What is it?”
“Darko said . . . How shall I put this? He said he kept getting the urge to pin you down.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” In fact, from the moment Pete had met him, he’d had a strong desire for Kyle to do exactly that.
“Down, boy. He meant it in an ‘oh shit, this guy’s gonna bolt’ kind of way. He said you seemed a little jumpy and tense.”
Pete started to deny it only to realize he couldn’t. Kyle had thrown him from the moment he’d laid eyes on him, and rather than try to hide it, he’d pretty much told Kyle to his face. Shit. “If he felt that way, why’d he pick me?”
“He must’ve seen potential in you. Or maybe his dick was doing the talking. Who knows. The point is, you’re his top choice, but we have a runner-up on standby just in case. Chaz, to be precise. I’m willing to give Kyle the benefit of the doubt when he says you’re the one—mostly because I thought you were the right pick as well—but believe me, I’ll replace you if I have to.”
That should have sobered Pete, but he was too busy wrestling with an insane spike of jealousy at the idea of someone taking his role. “What do I have to do to prove myself? Whatever it takes, I’m there.”
“I like how resolute you sound. So, here’s the deal: we were originally going to start promoting Heat Wave with a photo shoot, but now we’re going to jump right into filming and save the publicity stuff for later. We’ll start with a promotional teaser, like a movie trailer. Nothing serious, just a five-minute thing to get you both acquainted with your characters and give the people something to anticipate. You won’t even have to be naked for it. You and Darko will fool around a bit and see how you work together in front of a camera. If Darko is satisfied with your performance, the part is yours. Sound good?”
His heart didn’t know if it wanted to race or skip. He should be devastated. Kyle liked him, but not enough to pick him outright. Somehow, that was worse than being rejected.
Instead of discouragement, however, determination bubbled up in him. He needed to prove himself. He would prove himself. And when he was finished, Kyle would be the one left thinking about it for days.
“When do we begin?”
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon—a little over a week after his phone call with Colette—Pete walked onto the set of Heat Wave. Or, as he knew it, Joyce’s house.
It looked different in the daytime: less palatial and marginally less intimidating. According to Colette, a decent chunk of the filming was going to take place there. If nothing else, at least he had familiar surroundings to fall back on, and a potential friend in Joyce.
When he pulled up, he spotted figures standing out front. He prayed none of them were Kyle as he parked next to the other cars. He wanted to portray confidence, and arriving in a vehicle that was more rust than machine was not a part of his vision.
Luckily, when he jogged up, he saw Colette and Joyce standing on the veranda next to a woman he didn’t recognize. Kyle was nowhere in sight.
“Jaden,” Colette greeted him. “You look chipper.”
“Happy to be here,” Pete said, slightly out of breath. He nodded to Joyce. “Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise, handsome.” She held out a bejeweled hand for him to shake.
He kissed her knuckles instead. “You look lovely.” It was true. She was wearing cropped jean shorts and a flowery top that left an inch of her tan stomach showing.
“I had to dress up for my boys,” she teased. “Although your boy dressed down for you. Wait till you see him.”
Pete perked up. “Did he now?”
“You can go in if you want.” Colette’s pursed lips suggested she was fighting back a grin. “Kyle’s doing a mini photo shoot for another project, but once that’s finished, we’ll get started.” She turned to the other woman. “Won’t we, Yolanda?”
Yolanda hefted a large camera bag onto her shoulder with ease. “Ready when you are.”
“Excellent.” Colette looked back at Pete. “We still have a few technical details to go over. You remember your way around, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Go get a feel for the set. We’ll be right behind you.”
Pete hurried toward the house, fighting the desire to break into a jog. He let himself in the front door just like before. He couldn’t tell if he was more or less nervous this time around. On one hand, he knew where he was going and what he’d find when he got there. On the other, if he bombed this, Colette would lose all faith in him, he’d be humiliated in front of Kyle, and he’d jeopardize a starring role in a major production.
So, really, no pressure.
The sound of shutter clicks led him once more in the direction of the living room. He took a deep breath and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. He’d gotten this role on his own merit, he reminded himself. This was his chance to show both Colette and Kyle that they’d chosen the right man.
When he’d woken up that morning, he’d stretched, practiced sexy faces in his bathroom mirror, and even masturbated, something he seldom did before a gig. He was loose, limber, and prepared. And above all else, he had something to prove.
He could do this.
He rounded the corner before the living room and skidded to a comical stop.
Kyle was lounging on the sofa, completely and gloriously naked, while a photographer fluttered around him, snapping photos. Pete froze, eyes wide open. Christ. He’s . . . beautiful.
Oh God, he couldn’t do this.
Though Pete tried to stop them, his eyes snapped right between Kyle’s legs. Not naked, Pete realized, both relieved and profoundly disappointed. Kyle was wearing the tiniest pair of underwear in the entire world. The black fabric—no more than a strip of cloth, really—was slung low on his hips, and he had one thumb hooked in the waistband, tugging it down even lower. He was shirtless and possibly oiled; his skin gleamed in the sunlight pouring through the windows. From his messy hair to his curled toes, he looked delicious.
Pete’s face turned atomically red. He looked away and ordered himself to calm down. What was wrong with him lately? Granted, walking onto porn sets was always a little awkward, and he didn’t think he’d ever get completely used to seeing strangers naked—or having sex with them for that matter—but this was ridiculous. He was a professional. It was time to start acting like one.
Steeling himself, he looked back at Kyle. He was precisely where Pete had left him, supine on the sofa like a sunbathing jungle cat. Only now, he was watching Pete.
Pete’s mouth went dry, but he didn’t look away. As if sensing his determination, Kyle’s lips twitched up at the
corners. He lifted a hand to his hair, flexing his biceps. His fingers ran carefully through his mussed locks, and then he dragged them down his chest. Arching his back into his own touch, he smirked at Pete, and the message was as clear as if he’d spoken aloud: I’m pretending it’s you touching me right now.
Pete’s cock twitched in his jeans. The photographer was snapping a photo a second, but Kyle wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention to him. He smiled lazily at Pete and quirked an eyebrow, as if daring him to do something about it.
Pete knew a challenge when he saw one, and was determined to win this particular exchange. He let his eyes drift down Kyle’s body, drinking in the sight of him. Out of his periphery, he could see Kyle tracking the path of his gaze. He made a point of lingering between his legs, sizing up the considerable bulge that lay there. Then he locked eyes with Kyle and slowly licked his lips.
The strangled noise that escaped from Kyle made the whole standoff worth it, in Pete’s opinion.
Colette appeared at his side. “Having fun?”
His attention didn’t waver from Kyle. “You could say that.”
“As entertaining as it is watching you two, we should get started. Ready?”
Pete’s whole body screamed yes in response. “Ready.”
“Good.” Colette signaled to the photographer, making a cutting motion by her neck. He retreated, and Yolanda set up in the vacated space. Colette directed her attention to Kyle next, pointing toward the dining room. “Get dressed. Your clothes are in the bedroom.”
Kyle slid to his feet and exited in the direction Colette had indicated. He didn’t so much as glance at Pete as he slipped through the doorway and disappeared.
Pete frowned after him. What was with all the mixed signals? Hot and cold didn’t come close. More like nuclear and Siberia.
“Jaden,” Colette said, breaking him from his reverie, “we have wardrobe for you to choose from if you want, but I think what you’re wearing now is perfect.”
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