“You’re...” Her mouth fell open.
“I’ve had sex with both men and women. I prefer women.” I shrugged. “I came out publicly a few years ago. You didn’t know?”
“No! I had no clue. And it didn’t affect your career at all?” Her eyes widened as I told her a bit about my experience of coming out in Hollywood.
“Maybe ten years ago it would have been a bigger deal, but now? The only people making sexuality a big deal are the bigots, and no one listens to them here,” I assured her. “Honestly, I think making it public helped my career more than not.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. Horror is the gayest genre of film. I was welcomed by the fanbase with open arms.”
“So you think I should just…”
“Be yourself? Yeah, I do.” I gave her a half smile. I meant what I’d said. “But, like, if you could try to not steal my girl anymore, that would be great.”
“Oh, my God.” Her eyes widened. “Sebastian, I am so sorry! I was so worried about myself, I just realized I kissed your girlfriend. Fuck, I’m a mess! She didn’t kiss me back, I swear.”
I laughed and waved off her worry. “I know. You’re fine. Evie isn’t…” I’d had a heart-to-heart with her, sure. But I wasn’t going to spill about the PR deal. That was a lot of money to lose if it got out. “I’m not entirely sure she feels as strongly about me as I do about her,” I confessed.
That, I could say.
“Oh, Sebastian.” She threw herself at me, and I patted her awkwardly on the back. I was glad I could help her, but her exuberant energy was still a bit much for me.
There was a loud knock on the door, and I glanced at my watch. It’d been almost a full hour. Shit.
“Let’s get out there. Hopefully, you can finish the scene and go home. You want to get dinner or something?” I asked her. I had a feeling now that she’d come out, at least to me, she needed a friend tonight.
“I’d like that,” she said, and we exited her trailer, only to be greeted by a blinding flash that made us fall back.
“Sebastian! Have you moved on from Evie Reyes? Is your other co-star your new girlfriend? How does Evie feel about the relationship?”
A paparazzi, dressed in a security uniform was instantly tackled by an actual member of security. I groaned as they ripped the camera away from him, but it didn’t matter. As he fought them, I noticed a second one snapping photos with his phone. He scurried away before I could chase after him. I pointed security in his direction, but I knew it was too late.
A photo of Skye and me coming out of her trailer looking secretive was about to be on the internet in just a few hours.
Fuck.
Chapter 38
Sebastian
The Turn
One of our camera guys stopped me on my way to set the next day. “Did you not get a phone call? Schedule changed. You’re off today.”
“What?” I glanced at the Red Bull in my hand. “No, no one told me. What the hell?” Irritation swelled in my chest. It was five in the morning. I could have slept in.
“Sorry.” He shrugged. “Evie called off. Emergency or something.”
“When’s she coming back?” I was already pulling out my phone. I hadn’t talked to her last night—I’d been preoccupied with Skye. We had made plans to have dinner, but after the paparazzi snapped photos of us leaving her trailer, we’d canceled the plans, and instead, she’d spent the evening on the phone, telling me how much of a relief it was to finally say out loud that she preferred the company of women over men.
“No idea. Dante isn’t thrilled, but the executives are giving us all the time we need so long as we deliver on those scenes, so, it is what it is.” He smacked my back and gave me a tight smile. “Go home, head to the gym early, take a nap, enjoy the day off. Lucky.”
He left me staring after him, fuming.
She just called off?
I spun around and stormed back to my car. I slammed my Red Bull on the way home, and when I got back to the house, I took Cujo and Precious for a light jog. I went past Frederick’s house and paused, staring at it. He’d died a week ago. His maid had found him the next morning. Unlike the people on Evie’s list before him, he’d actually made the news.
