by Lynn VanDorn
“That’s part of the charm,” Ryan said. “Too bad you couldn't see it in a few weeks. When the leaves fully turn it's gorgeous.”
“If I'm still here to see the leaves change color, just shoot me, okay? Thanks.” She swiveled back to Tyler. “How's the arm? Ryan told me about the accident. It's not like you to be clumsy, but it could've been worse, I suppose.”
Tyler had no idea what Ryan had told her, but it didn't matter. “I was drunk,” he said, and Alicia nodded as if he'd confirmed her suspicions. Drunk was always good as an alibi.
“It's just as well Brad had to come up here and give you stitches. This way I won't have to fill him in later.” Ryan held out a chair for Alicia at the kitchen table. “Can I get you anything before we start?”
“For the love of God, give me coffee, the blacker the better.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ryan replied and set about pouring some for her.
“Alicia, how boned am I?” Tyler asked, trying to keep how truly worried he was out of his voice.
She grimaced. “It's not looking great now, kiddo, but we'll see what we can do. The situation is by no means hopeless. When I first started in the business, back in the stone ages, it would've been a different story. Now we've got a chance.”
Ryan brought Alicia her coffee, then took a seat next to her. He cleared his throat and steepled his fingers. “First things first. We’ve hired you a publicist, Ty. It's past time we did so. I know you've been dragging your feet on this, but we've run out of time.”
“Fine,” Tyler said. He knew he'd probably need a publicist eventually, he just didn't think it would be before he'd actually starred in a movie. So far, he'd played bit parts and some decent supporting roles. Even his part in The Silver Arrow, while the largest role he'd had to date, wasn't a lead. Of course, all that had been assuming his sordid past wouldn't be splashed all over the internet in video form. Now it was possible The Silver Arrow would be his last film and not a springboard toward an eventual starring role. “You're right. We need a publicist.”
“I've got one of the attorneys from the firm serving several tabloids and websites with injunctions to keep them from showing the video or any stills obtained from it. We also have people working on how it was obtained in the first place,” Ryan said.
“But that's going to mean jack shit in the grand scheme of things,” interrupted Alicia. “All the legal maneuvering in the world isn't going to make this disappear. It would take a damn time machine to contain it at this point.”
Ryan continued, unruffled. “The video has already been posted and removed from the more legitimate image and video posting sites on the internet several times in the past day and a half. It goes up faster than we can have it removed, and those are just the sites that care if they're hosting a sex video with underage participants. In short, we can close the barn door as tight as possible, but the horse has already escaped.”
“What about the other thing?” Brad asked. “You think there's any danger of that getting out?”
“What other thing?” asked Alicia. “There are more things? No one said there were more things.”
Yeah. What other thing?
Ryan raised an eyebrow in inquiry at Brad. Brad sighed. “Spring of his junior year in high school.”
Oh, that other thing. My “two boys didn't do it for me, so let's fuck a grown-up and see how that works for us” phase. There better not be video footage of that floating around.
“Oh. No, I wouldn't think so,” Ryan said.
Brad and Ryan looked at Tyler, and he held up his hands. "Don't look at me,” he said. “I have no idea how buried any of that shit is. I was a minor at the time and no one told me anything, aside from Dad instructing me that there’d be hell to pay if I testified. I wasn't even at the hearing.”
Alicia’s voice sharpened to a knife point. “Testified about what? What hearing?”
Tyler ignored her for the moment. “You two were both in college at the time, and while Brad was in Chicago, he wasn't at the hearing, either, and he wasn't told any more than I was. Unless I'm wrong?”
Brad shook his head.
“And you,” continued Tyler, turning to Ryan, “were still in California, probably studying for finals. Even so, of all of us, you'd have been the one most likely to know the answer. Dad talks to you.”
“Dad didn't tell me much,” Ryan said, “but we did discuss it a little.”
“That’s one hundred percent more than I got. I didn't get told anything other than to keep my mouth shut. Oh, and what a horrible excuse of a human being I was. After a while, I tend to tune it out. The only one who would know exactly how well all that shit got buried would be Dad, and good luck getting it out of him, although he might talk to Ryan. Maybe.”
Brad and Ryan looked at each other and Ryan shook his head. Then he perked up a little. “Mom might know. I'll give her a call later.”
Alicia looked around the table. “What the fuck have I gotten myself into? Someone better explain what's going on, or so help me I'm going to fuck you all sideways with something pointy and uncomfortable. I did not fly all the way here just so you assholes could jerk me around.”
“We’re all here for the same reason—to try and salvage what we can of the situation,” Ryan said, his tone soothing. “I apologize, Alicia. We’ll explain if we need to. Let me speak to my mother first, and then I'll decide if there's more you need to know. But I'm sure you'll understand when I say that we'd like to keep what is truly buried right where it is.”
“I don't understand a damn thing about what you just said, and it's really starting to piss me off. If you're not going to be honest with me, I can't keep Tyler on as a client, especially if he was involved in something illegal.”
Ryan sighed. “I'll have an NDA drawn up, then we'll fill you in. I'm sorry, but it's necessary. I can tell you ahead of time that Tyler was the victim in this incident, and he himself did nothing illegal. We don't wish you to go anywhere, but I understand Tyler can be a difficult client…”
Tyler, tired of being talked about like he wasn’t there, started singing. “How do you solve a problem like Tyler? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?”
Across the room someone laughed. No, not someone. Josh.
Alicia and the brothers swiveled toward the sound of Josh’s laughter. Rachel stood next to him, grinning, and Tyler was struck by how alike they were—curly dark hair, expressive brown eyes, beautiful smiling mouths. Her hair was long, though, her nose was smaller, and she didn't wear glasses. Even so, they might have been mistaken for twins.
“When did you come in, hon?” asked Brad.
“Just now,” Rachel said.
“This nice lady was threatening to fuck someone sideways with something pointy and uncomfortable. Which, for the record, is redundant,” Josh said. “Hi, Ryan, when did you get here?”
Tyler looked at his brother. The beatific smile was back. It was as if he couldn't help himself. “Not long ago. I want to thank you for saving Tyler. I owe you. We all do.”
Tyler looked back at Josh. He was blushing like a little girl, the sap. “No, you don't,” he said. “You don't owe me anything. It was the least I could do, and I was, at least partially, to blame.”
“Don't be ridiculous. You’ve gone above and beyond and we're all deeply grateful,” said Ryan, earnest sincerity bleeding from every pore.
Tyler exchanged a disgusted look with Brad. It was like watching a soap opera. Then he locked eyes with Alicia. She raised her eyebrows in question at him and he shrugged. Explaining Josh and Ryan was beyond him, especially non-verbally.
“So, what's going on? Is there anything I can do to help?” Josh asked.
“No,” Tyler said, turning back to frown at him. He wanted to shake Josh until he lost that look of eager helpfulness. It grated on Tyler’s nerves.
“But—”
“I said no. Thank you,” he added curtly.
Josh scowled back. “I just want to help.”
You’re an idiot. Go away before you get sucked into this insanity. “No,” Tyler said. “You don't. Trust me on this.”
Josh’s lips thinned, and he looked mutinous, but he shut his mouth. He didn't leave, though.
Ryan cleared his throat. “Do you mind if Rachel and Josh are here for the rest of this discussion, Tyler, or would you prefer privacy? It's up to you.”
Alicia made a disgusted sound.
Tyler started counting, got to twenty, then gave up. “You know what? Fuck it. Like it matters at this point. You heard him. Josh wants to help. And Rachel’s practically family. No point in keeping all this fun shit to ourselves. Sit down, guys. Might as well make yourselves at home. Rachel, Josh, this is Alicia Peters, my agent. She’s come all the way here to try and save my bacon. Rachel, can I assume Brad told you the whole story and then you told Josh?”
“Every embarrassing detail,” she said.
“Great, then we don't need to backtrack. Alicia, this is Rachel and Josh Rosen. She's Brad’s fiancée and he's—” Tyler paused, trying to be accurate yet tactful, “—been a friend of the family for pretty much forever.”
Rachel pulled out the chair between Ryan and Brad, and Josh took the last chair remaining, which was between Brad and Tyler. Josh sat up straight and looked attentive, as if he'd be graded later on the material presented.
“Fabulous,” Alicia said, deadpan. “I can't wait to see who shows up next.”
“Is there any sort of plan yet, or are we waiting for the publicist?” Tyler asked, eager to get what was rapidly turning into a farce over and done with. “Although I have no clue what a publicist is going to do to help me overcome the world seeing me being fucked by two guys.”
Alicia clucked her tongue at him. “What this needs is spin and good behavior on your part. The incident on the video happened many years ago. Youthful indiscretion. That the video was captured by CCTV and not filmed deliberately is a point in our favor. We can stress the invasion of privacy issue. That you and the other participants were underage is also helpful. Technically possession of the video is a crime. We’re already pursuing that angle, as your brother said.”
“But…” said Tyler, who could hear it in her voice.
“I just want you to know, before I tell you the proposal, that this wasn't my idea. I'm not opposed to it, if you aren't, but…”
“Oh, just spit it out, Alicia. How much worse could things get for me?”
“All right.” Alicia drummed her perfectly-manicured nails on the table. “Are you in a relationship? Male or female, doesn't matter, but male would probably be easier to spin at this point, based on the nature of the video.”
“What? No. Although, for the record, I'm gay, not bi. The women I've gone to events with were either friends or chosen by the studio. In the last couple of years, I've dated, but casually. My last actual boyfriend and I broke up over two years ago, and I haven't really wanted a new relationship. Being single is just easier. I have it on good authority that I'm annoying and high maintenance.”
Alicia made a face. “Well, hell. The publicist we hired, Tom Harvey—he's fantastic and he'd better be for the money you'll be paying him—wants to play up that you're currently in a serious, committed relationship. The American public has become much more accepting of gay celebrities in the last decade or so, but you'll note that all the most successful and popular ones are one-half of a monogamous, nauseatingly happy couple. This is going to be a lot harder if you're single.”
“Well, I'm sorry my personal life isn't cooperating,” Tyler said. “And here I thought keeping my love life private and discreet was a good idea. Silly me.” He felt a kick under the table, and looked up to see Ryan glaring at him.
“For the foreseeable future, you’ve lost the right to a life that’s either private or discreet, kiddo,” Alicia told him. “Get used to it or I wash my hands of you.”
“A relationship,” Ryan said. “You said male would be easier?”
“Tom says anyone who’s either seen or heard about the video won’t believe Tyler is straight. That ship has sailed. He was willing to work with you being bisexual if there was a girlfriend in the picture, but he told me gay was a much easier sell at this point. While Middle America has just about wrapped their heads around homosexuality, they are a lot shakier on anything more… exotic.”
“Exotic like teenaged threesomes?” Tyler wasn't bi, but he still felt offended. He looked at Ryan, wondering how he was taking being labeled as exotic, but there was nothing but bland interest on his face, as if the conversation had nothing to do with him at all.
Beside him, Josh reached under the table to briefly squeeze his thigh. Whether in warning or in solidarity, Tyler had no clue, and Josh’s face wasn't illuminating.
“So, this Tom person wants Tyler to be in a committed relationship yesterday?” Brad asked. “Is there a plan in place to make this miracle happen?” He gave Ryan a look, like somehow this was his problem to solve.
Alicia’s nails tapped the table like rapid fire gunshots. “Any exes who would be willing to take you back?”
Tyler considered, then shook his head. “The only one I'm even on speaking terms with is engaged. I've either lost touch with the others or we didn't part well. Sorry.” He thought of David and shuddered. No way in hell he'd try and reconnect with him. Tyler thought he'd rather fade into shameful obscurity first. As for the rest, Jeremy wasn't as bad as David, but still an asshole, Carlos had gone overseas somewhere, and Tyler had no clue where Ron was.
“What about friends? It doesn't have to be a real relationship. It just must seem like it for long enough for this to die down. Probably until after the premiere of The Silver Arrow. We can hire someone, but that's a last resort. A known quantity would be better.”
Tyler was considering whether Purvi would let him borrow her boyfriend for a few months (doubtful) when Ryan said, “There’s Josh. What about him?” Tyler felt Josh tense beside him.
Alicia lasered in on the man being offered up on a platter and looked interested. Tyler felt impending disaster press down on him and tried to forestall it. “No,” he said, and if possible, Josh’s posture became even more rigid.
“Why not?” asked Ryan. “It seems like the perfect solution. He's gay and out, so that isn't an issue. You already know him and our families are already connected. Faking a relationship would be easier with him than anyone we could find or hire. We can trust him implicitly. He would never betray us.” He looked at Josh. “Are you currently seeing someone?”
Josh shook his head.
“Great,” Ryan went on. “That’s perfect. He isn't currently involved with anyone else, so that won't be an issue.” Ryan looked back at Josh, and how he could miss the man’s tension was anyone's guess. “I know it's a lot to ask, but you'd be doing us all a huge favor. For old time's sake, would you consider it?”
Tyler could sense Josh quivering like a bowstring pulled back too far. A little bit more and he'd snap. Tyler glanced at him and saw that Josh’s face had gone as pale as a sheet of paper, and he'd made his expression into a blank mask. Tyler could have cheerfully murdered his brother in that moment. He kicked Ryan hard and felt a mean stab of pleasure when he winced in pain.
“Ryan, that’s enough. More than enough,” Rachel snapped. “Stop it.”
Ryan got a look of hurt confusion on his face that clearly said, what did I do? “I have no idea what you mean, Rachel.”
“Leave. Josh. Alone,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Maybe you two should go,” Brad suggested. He glanced at Josh and frowned, looking concerned. “Josh, why don't you and Rachel go into town? She said you needed to get another phone. No time like the present, hey? You don't need to be here. Rescuing Tyler isn’t your responsibility.”
Josh took a deep breath and relaxed by degrees. “No,” he said. “It's fine. It… the suggestion. It took me by surprise, but it makes sense.” He laughed, and it sounded fake as shit to Tyler. Rachel looked, if possible, even more
pissed off.
Alicia folded her arms across her chest. “What the hell is going on?” Everyone ignored her.
“No,” said Tyler. “It's a terrible idea.”
“Why?” asked Ryan, who was too stupid to live.
Tyler opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked at Rachel, who was livid, but offered up no suggestions other than the promise of bloodshed he saw in her eyes. Then he looked at Josh. He'd gone from white to full flush, and his eyes studied his hands on the table.
“Josh doesn't owe this family a damn thing,” Tyler said, “and he deserves better than to be saddled with me for what could be months. It'll be a non-stop circus and it's not fair to ask it of him. I won't disrupt his life like that.”
“I could use some excitement in my life,” Josh said, speaking to his clasped hands.
“Not like this. You’re a doctor, for fuck’s sake. You can't have people hanging about and constantly taking pictures.”
Josh shrugged. “They'll see how boring I am and lose interest quickly enough. Especially after you go back to LA.”
Alicia cut in. “About that. We need the two of you together. A long-distance relationship will not cut it. We need you to seem like a happy couple, or at least a reasonable facsimile. That means staying in the same zip code.”
“There you go,” Tyler said. “Josh can't leave his practice. This won't work.”
“It can if you stay here,” Alicia said. “In fact, that's a much better idea than Josh following you back to LA. The paparazzi will find someone more interesting to bother in a few weeks, especially when the weather in Chicago starts getting bad. You can make brief trips home if you need to, but it would probably be for the best if you're not in LA for a while. At least until the sharks find someone else to circle.”
“Stop talking like this is a done deal, Alicia. We’ll find some other way. I am—” Tyler felt Josh’s hand on his thigh again and stopped talking mid-sentence. He looked Josh’s way.