by Max Walker
“Crazy,” he said with a chuckle as he left with Nicky. She was still getting commands barked into her ear, so they didn’t talk much on the short walk to the set. By the time they reached the doors, Caleb’s nerves were rocketing up again. It was starting to all hit him at once. He was about to be in a movie alongside the definition of a walking wet dream.
What if Red’s a dick? I hadn’t even thought of that.
He wasn’t expecting to end the day as Red’s newly minted best friend, but Caleb was hoping for a nice, if short, interaction with him. It would be a fun story to talk about at family gatherings. He knew his younger cousins would flip when they heard about him meeting Red Miller. He was a hero to them. It would have sucked if Caleb had to break it to them that their hero was a big ol’ dick.
“Alright, right this way.” Nicky led Caleb through the field of cameras and cables and onto his mark, denoted with an ‘X’ taped onto the gray vinyl floor with blue gaffers tape. As Caleb took his mark and looked around, he was surprised at how real everything appeared once he walked past the bare wooden panels that made up the backside of the hospital hallways. He was shocked at the attention to detail the set designers had in creating the light blue halls of their fictional hospital. Down to the containers of gauze and the lack of usable pens.
But, he wasn’t there to gawk at a fake nurse’s station. He was there to do a job. He went over his lines one more time. He had gone over them about a thousand times from the moment they had dropped in his email. He could practically say them backward if they needed him to play a possessed hunky nurse. He went over the line again in his head.
Sir, are you ok? Uh, no, no suit—
And then Caleb went blank. He could have practiced those lines a thousand and one times and still have not been prepared for the moment Red Miller entered into his space. It was like a freight train had barreled through the scene, demolishing everything in its path except for the two men.
Caleb snapped to. He broke the eye contact that had frozen him in place and reached out a (thankfully) steady hand.
“Hi, I’m Caleb Forester.”
Five
Red Miller
“I’m Red,” Red Miller answered, shaking Caleb’s hand as the crew took their spots around them.
Whoa, I didn’t know they were casting a model for the role. I thought Lisa was hellbent on a real nurse?
For the first time in his entire career, Red Miller was caught off guard by the actor in front of him. He had been on camera with some of the best of them. Seasoned professionals in the craft that could have easily overpowered him on screen. Red always managed to rise up and stand toe-to-toe with them, always learning and trying to better himself with every scene. He always appreciated how incredible it was to share screen time with such powerhouses in the industry.
And yet, through all of those experiences, Red had never felt this thrown off. From the moment he stepped onto the hospital set, he felt the energy in the room shift. As though he had been reacting to Caleb before he even saw him. He hadn’t understood it until he laid eyes on the handsome nurse. Then things clicked. This guy was really fucking attractive, but beyond that, there was something else that was radiating from him. Maybe it was that crooked smile that seemed to tell a hundred simultaneous stories or those bright, expressive, kind eyes that held a sexy fire underneath.
“Hi Red, I’m a nurse from Sierra View. Huge fan. Watched your pirate movie like twenty times. One of my bucket list items is sword fighting in the middle of the ocean.” Caleb’s expressive hazel eyes widened. “Sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my weird bucket list stuff. Anyways…”
Red cocked his head, studying the handsome and incredibly charming man. He felt his lips twitch up into a smirk. “One of my bucket list things is to eat one of those lollipops with the crickets inside of them.”
Caleb snorted out in surprise. Red nodded, surprised at himself for even talking about something as odd as his cricket-eating bucket list.
“Wait, seriously? That sounds terrible,” Caleb said, his eyes captivating Red like a damn snake charmer seducing a king cobra.
Something’s definitely reacting to this snake charmer.
Red smiled and leaned back on the entrance to the nurses’ station. He tried ignoring the pulse he felt between his thighs. “It’s a long story, but that’s one weird thing. You’re not the only one with an unusual bucket list.”
It actually wasn’t too long of a story, but Red didn’t want to just blurt out he was terrified of crickets and had a thing about overcoming his fears. Maybe if he were scared of sharks or nuclear explosions—something a little more action-star worthy—then he would have elaborated a little.
“Thank you for not leaving me stranded on weirdo island,” Caleb said, the blush in his cheeks dying down a bit. Red shot a glance down at his neck.
Yep. Pink.
A flushed neck was one of Red’s weaknesses. His kryptonite.
Kryptoneck?
“Alright, boys, get ready,” Lisa called as she hopped onto her director’s chair. “Pictures up!”
Caleb looked around, eyes wide.
“It means they’re getting the cameras rolling,” Red explained, cocking his head. He studied Caleb’s face for a moment. Admiring the way his powerful cheekbones complemented his defined jaw, all grounded by a pair of soft, expressive hazel eyes that radiated underneath the bright studio lights. “Is this your first time on set?” Red asked.
“What? Pfft, no. You mean you don’t recognize me?”
Oh shit. Did I fuck up? Is this someone I’m supposed to know? That had happened to Red before. It was one of his first times at the Oscars, and it wasn’t a pretty story.
Caleb let out a nervous bark of a laugh. “No, I’m joking. Your face was pretty funny though.”
“Asshole,” Red said, with a smile on his face. He laughed with Caleb and shook his head. “You had me going there for a second. You look like you belong on billboards, showing off a pair of Calvins.”
Whoa, calm down. I can’t forget I’m mic’ed. Plus, I’m sure the background actors wouldn’t mind leaking a juicy story.
Annnd, there was the blush again. Caleb chuckled and dropped his head in a way that made Red want to grab it and lift it back up, only so that he could push in for an all-consuming kiss. He was really starting to be taken by this guy. He never reacted this way around other men, even though he knew he had always been attracted to them. Maybe that was what had allowed him to stay locked up in the closet for so long? He simply never crossed paths with someone who poured gasoline all over him and traded the match for a flamethrower.
“I’m more of a Fruit of the Looms kind of guy.” Caleb shook his head. “Sorry, that was a lame joke. And really unsexy underwear.”
“Don’t apologize,” Red said with a laugh. “You’d look good in a grape costume.”
“Ha. Ha.” Caleb said, arching an eyebrow as a smirk crossed that captivating face of his. “At least put me in the apple costume. Everyone knows he’s the Beyonce of the group.”
This caught Red by surprise, along with the snort that it had resulted in. He continued to laugh, now picturing Caleb in a Destiny’s Child type performance wearing a sexified apple-costume. He was so taken by the joke, he hadn’t realized Lisa was calling for quiet on set.
“Shit,” he said when his uncontrollable laughs finally died down. Caleb was also catching his breath. “Sorry!” Red called out to Lisa. She was sitting in video village, which had been set up in a nearby examination room.
“Alright, ready?” she called. “And action!”
Caleb looked up at Red, his eyes not far from resembling that of a deer frozen in place by blinding white headlights. The four cameras were all focused in on Caleb. He was the initiator in the scene and his reaction was the first to be filmed.
Red’s eyebrows rose slightly, trying to prod Caleb into speaking his line. He cleared his throat while Caleb stayed completely and utterly silent. Red knew wha
t Caleb was meant to say, so he was going to have to improv something quick. Lisa hated wasting time and tape, and the last thing Red wanted was for Caleb to be the target of her wrath.
“Nurse,” Red started, immediately sounding out of breath. He leaned slightly on the counter and shot a sharp glance over Caleb’s shoulder, as though looking for someone. “Have you seen a man run by? Wearing a suit?”
Caleb snapped into the scene. Red’s prodding must have worked, because Caleb looked around and shook his head.
“Sir, are you ok?” Caleb asked, delivering the line that was meant to open the scene. Even after that little road bump in the beginning, Red was surprised at how authentic Caleb delivered the line. His eyes darted up and down Red, seemingly examining him for any visible signs of injuries. Red was wearing a semi-dirty tuxedo, but was completely fine besides being a little out of breath. The reason for that? Red’s character was supposed to have gotten into the hospital through the roof, which he had landed on after waking up in and subsequently hijacking a helicopter from one of the bad guy’s henchman.
“Yeah, fine. Suit? Have you seen him?” Red was urgent. He was looking down the halls, past the extras dressed up in scrubs.
“Uh, no, sir. No suit. Here, let me get you into a roo—”
“—Shit,” Red cursed. He put a hand on Caleb’s shoulder and pushed him into the nurse's station. With Caleb out of the way, Red took off running down the hallway, chasing after the imaginary Gage he had spotted down the hall. He ran until he was out of the frame and Lisa had yelled “cut!” from her post.
Red walked back to his spot, an X on the floor. Caleb had found his starting position as well, already smiling by the time Red was ready for the next take.
“I didn’t think you’d run that fast from me,” Caleb joked as they set up for the next few takes. The tone and glance Caleb threw made it clear that he was venturing into flirting territory.
Red was on the verge of saying “I was about to take you with me,” but realized how that would have sounded. His mic felt like a burning hot piece of coal, reminding him that he couldn’t be open with himself or the people around him. He had made the choice to live a lie in order to avoid risking his career. It had always felt like a shitty decision, but Red hadn’t realized the true weight of it until he was standing in front of a man whom he suddenly wanted all of.
So, instead of flirting back, Red nodded his head with a tight smile and a forced laugh. He ignored the dull pain in his chest as he got back to work.
Six
Caleb Forester
“Fucking amazing performances,” the director said as she hopped off the tall chair and exited video village. She walked over to Caleb, who still felt like none of this could be real. “You scared me for a second,” Lisa said, clapping her hand on Caleb’s upper back as she walked past. “But, you pulled it together. And you, Red, great as always. We only had to do four takes!”
She pumped her fist in the air and strode off, quickly sinking deep into conversation with her assistant about what the options for lunch were. Meanwhile, the background actors were all being led off set and into whatever holding area they had set up for them.
“Well, we all know who the Oscar is going to,” Caleb said, smirking.
Red gave a shrug of his broad shoulders. “I don’t know; I’d say it’s going to be a toss up.”
Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. “The director was crying when I said my lines sooo… take that as you will.”
Red snorted at that. “Oh yeah, I mean your line was so intensely emotional. Even I was almost brought to tears. Can you say that line again? Just so I can relive it.”
“Well, to begin with, I had a few lines, no need to diminish my accomplishments like that,” Caleb said, smiling while narrowing his eyes in faux anger. “And yes, I delivered my ‘are you ok’ with a deep intensity and truthfulness. Something I pulled up from all of my past trials and tribulations.” Caleb brought a closed fist to his chest and dipped his head, wiping away a fake tear.
Red was laughing again. It was such a surprising sound. Deep and happy. One that Caleb wanted so much more of.
“So many trials, huh?”
Caleb nodded, eyebrows raised. “Oh yeah. I was raised off the coast of Chile, deep in the jungle. Had to learn how to skin my own chupacabra by the age of six.”
That had Red snort out another surprised laugh. He brought a fist to his sexy lips and shook his head. His eyes searched Caleb’s, making the base of his spine tingle with… something. It was a warmth that tickled and spread the longer Red’s eyes lingered on his. Caleb swallowed and broke the spell, realizing that the set was quickly emptying of people around them. Everyone seemed to be making a rush to the lunch trucks set up outside. No one seemed to bother them when the cameras had been put down. Caleb assumed Red would constantly be the central orbit of everyone’s attention, but on set, he was just a regular guy working on a film like everyone else. It felt nice, seeing Red grounded in that way. Caleb thought he would be completely overwhelmed by Red’s presence. He was scared the action star and billionaire heir would be operating on an entirely different level. Instead, he found himself immediately warming up to Red. It didn’t feel like he was standing across from a man rated sexiest alive by various magazines.
This is insane. Absolutely batshit fucking crazy.
Caleb had to snap out of it. He wasn’t sure what the hell had gotten into him, but he knew he had to get the hell out of there. The longer he stood around Red, the dirtier and dirtier his thoughts got and the more forward he was going to be about them, which was only going to serve to make a fool out of himself. As if Red would ever be interested in him.
He has a girlfriend for fuck’s sake.
Caleb took a breath and stepped back, pointing over his shoulder toward the exit. “Alright, I should probably go. I have a ton of interviews and press to give. Then a few award shows and cocktail parties to attend.” Caleb sighed and wiped fake sweat off his brow. “The life of a celebrity, huh?” he asked, starting to walk away. Joking was Caleb’s natural state, and it was turning into a defense mechanism now. Laughing at jokes meant not thinking about dropping to his knees and burying his face between Red’s thighs.
“Wait,” Red said. Caleb froze. “Come to my trailer.”
The invitation came from out of the blue. Caleb cocked his head, forgetting actors even got trailers for a second. He quickly envisioned Red leading him onto a tractor-trailer. Which, although hot, was an absolutely ridiculous thought. That’s how much Red fried his circuits.
“I have some beers. We can cheers to your first movie role.”
Caleb looked at his watch. It was already getting late, but he was off tomorrow and a beer wouldn’t hurt. Neither would spending more time with Red.
Relax. He’s just being friendly. There’s nothing between us.
“Yeah sure, let’s go.”
Just being friendly. That’s all.
But then why couldn’t Caleb’s heart stop racing?
***
“This is a trailer?” Caleb asked, picking his jaw up from the floor. “This is nicer than some apartments I’ve seen!”
Red shook his head. “Yeah, I pinch myself sometimes. There’s a lot of excess but I try to give back, too.”
Caleb, still in awe at how extravagant the trailer was, clocked how grateful Red sounded for having it all. It was nice to hear. He heard doctors talk with less self-awareness. Money had that kind of power. It could destroy someone’s awareness and encase them in a bubble of luxury. But Red seemed to have popped that bubble long ago.
“Here, try this.” Red, who had walked over to the full-sized refrigerator—it had a damn ice machine—came back with a dewy bottle of beer. The label was a colorful sketch of a shark wearing sunglasses and a bright blue bathing suit. SharkFin was scrawled across the top.
“It’s from a local brewery one of my good friends owns.” Red brought the bottle to his lips, not taking his eyes off Caleb. Meanw
hile, Caleb couldn’t stop staring at Red’s lips. Thankfully, he stopped before he got creepy. He tasted the pale ale, enjoying the immediate lightness and fruity undertones.
“Wow, this is great,” Caleb said, nodding his approval. “And I’m not really a beer guy.”
“Oh, no? What do you usually drink?”
“The tears of my haters.”
A second of silence before Red burst out laughing.
“Sorry, that was a weird joke.”
“Not at all,” Red said, still laughing as he reached out and squeezed Caleb’s shoulder. It was a second of contact that left Caleb thirsting for more. Suddenly, he couldn’t stop himself from picturing the both of them tumbling onto the leather couch just feet away. A tangle of limbs and tongues. Passion dripping from their first encounter.
Friendly. Friendly. Friendly.
It was becoming his damn personal mantra. Caleb was getting way too carried away. It was the same thing that happened with the last guy. Caleb loved too hard, too fast. His fire could last but it was just always placed in the wrong person. The last one almost ruined him, and now he was falling head-over-heels for a very straight and very out of his league movie star.
What the fuck am I thinking?
“To living the dream,” Red said, raising his beer between them. Caleb clinked his, keeping eye contact with Red the entire time. Not so much because of the curse of bad sex between broken eye contact during a cheer, but simply because he was mesmerized. Red’s golden eyes were expressive and enrapturing and only gave a peek into who Red really was, and that intrigued Caleb to no end. He wanted to delve into Red, figure him out. Find out what made him tick. His likes and his hates. His passions and his failures. Everything.
“To living the dream,” Caleb parroted, unable to form any other words as he took a swig of the beer.