AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He tends to get his foot planted in his mouth, which is why I sit beside him,” Elle said, firing a look of chastisement my way. I chortled because yeah, she was right, I did tend to dive into things that appealed to me headfirst. Films and romances at the top of that leaping off the edge of a rocky cliff into rough seas list. “We’ll be happy to study the script in depth to see if it’s something that reflects the new direction Elias wants to take his career.”
“Can’t ask for more than that,” Caiden replied just as our main dishes arrived. “Let’s dig in.”
And dig in, we did. Eating and talking filled two solid hours. Caiden was jacked about this project, and so was I, now that I’d sat with the man. His enthusiasm was infectious. This could be a huge step forward for the action genre. A gay leading man. Imagine that. Imagine me playing this hero while living my life openly. Imagine Gibson coming to the premiere as my date. I bet he cleaned up well. I’d hold his hand on the red carpet as the flashbulbs popped and the press asked who we were wearing.
“…we should just leap into this project.” I blinked at Elle as we stood on the curb, in the rain, trying to hail a cab to get us to the airport. “I know…hey! Taxi!” A yellow cab pulled up, and we clambered in, slamming the door on the deluge. “JFK please,” Elle said and then sat back in the stiff seat to dig a handkerchief out of her purse to dab at her face.
“Why do you not want me to take it?” I asked, swiping at the dampness on my face.
“I didn’t say that. I said we shouldn’t just leap into it. I need you to pull back on the reins.”
“But you said it was an amazing second chance and they don’t come around often. Now you’re telling me to not get involved.”
“Elias.” Elle sighed as the driver shifted his eyes from the rainy street to me as the lightbulb of recognition lit above his head. His previous smiling demeanor turned into a look of barely concealed disdain. Well, fuck him too. “I’m not saying to not sign on, I’m saying to take a breath and not commit before we have the contracts worked out.”
“I think I pretty much committed when I shook hands with Caiden before we left and told him I was onboard,” I replied, shifting in my seat to face Elle.
“That’s what I mean,” she said, crossing one leg over the other as we cruised to a red light. “You must learn to be less eager.”
The driver’s lip raised slightly as if he smelled something rotten.
“Sorry, that’s just not me. I’m done pretending that I don’t like cock.” Elle gaped. The driver’s eyes rounded, but he kept his mouth pressed shut. “I’m gay. I like dick. I also like the idea of making a series of movies about a common man in uncommon times being the hero. If I get the chance to sign on to this deal, I am going to do it. Is that okay with the motherfucking world?”
Elle’s mouth hung open for about ten seconds. The driver’s shoulders came up and his gaze left mine in the rearview to focus on driving.
“Wow, that was impassioned.” Elle studied me. “I don’t recall hearing you being this excited over a film in years. I thought you were done with action movies.”
“I’m done with sexist, homophobic action movies. It’s time to show the world that queer people are just as able to kick ass as the straights.” I continued staring at the bald spot on the back of our driver’s egg-shaped head. He refused to meet my sight. Our ride to the airport was free from dirty looks. Amazing what calling out bad behavior could do.
I sent off two quick texts before the plane took off. One to my father to let him know the meeting went well, and I’d fill him in fully tomorrow. The other to Gibson to tell him I was feeling my oats and to be ready for a randy thespian tonight.
Dad’s reply was a smiley face. Gibson’s was a string of eggplants.
I couldn’t wait to cross that bridge to Kesside Isle. How funny is that? At eighteen, I couldn’t wait to leave that hunk of wet rocks, craggy pines, and piles of cormorant shit behind. Now I couldn’t wait to return. Amazing what twenty years of life could do to a person’s perspective.
***
Four days later, standing on the docks of the Kesside Inn, the ocean at my back, the sun at an advantageous angle—one that didn’t make me look too old—I took a deep breath and gave Kimmy a nod. She nervously gave me a thumbs up and then hit record on my cell phone. My dad and Gibson were flanking her not five feet away, smiling encouragingly.
“Hey, everyone, I’m here at home, along the coast of Maine, taking a small hiatus. During my time away, quite a few things have come to light. None of which I am ashamed of. If people are tuning in to hopefully see me deny what has been spread around the world, then those people are in for a disappointment. I am not apologizing for being me. I am not making excuses, rationalizing, justifying, or repenting. What I am here to do is tell you, my fans, that I am gay. I was born gay and I have been gay my whole life. When I came to Hollywood, being queer was not at all acceptable, especially for a macho role such as Connor Days. So, I hid my homosexuality. That ends now. I am not hiding who I am, who I date, or what I wear under my clothes. No more secrets.”
I paused for dramatic effect, allowing the sun to shine on me as I smiled at the camera. Elle nodded, a pleased look on her face. We’d gone over this announcement a few times. Memorizing it was easy. That was my job, after all.
“To that end, I am announcing that Four Winds Studio and I have parted ways. I thank them for all their support over the years. I have no idea what they plan to do with the Connor Days franchise, but whatever their decision, I wish them well. It’s been one hell of a ride and I enjoyed every moment of every film.”
That was a lie, but Elle thought it sounded good, so she added it to the speech. She and Katy were off to the side, whispering and giggling. It seemed odd to hear Katy giggle. There was a lot of ponytail flipping going on too with my personal trainer. Well, probably soon-to-be ex-trainer. All of her clients—and her life—were on the West Coast. I dreaded the thought of finding a new trainer. And a new PA, and a new PR team. Thankfully, Elle was sorting through all of that for me. She’d have a few prime candidates chosen for the assistant position before I got back to work.IfI got back to work. I was being pretty cocky. Just because a producer says he wants you for a part does not mean you have a lock on that part. Maybe the whole deal with Budgie in the Dell would fall through and I’d spend the rest of my life acting in the old Kesside Playhouse. Which also might not be too bad because that meant I’d be able to spend my time with Gibson, Billy, Dad, and Kimmy.
“Now, as you can see, a new Elias is standing here in the sun. An older and wiser Elias. A man who has several projects on his schedule already and is not in any rush to leave Maine anytime soon.” I motioned to my father to step up. He came to stand beside me, and I hugged him. “My dad is here with me, a more accepting parent I could not have asked for. His lovely girlfriend is acting as our camera person today. Kimmy is quickly becoming the mother I lost as a child.” Kimmy sniffled softly. I kissed my father’s cheek and then let him take over the camera so Kimmy could blow her nose and wipe her dewy eyes. “There is also a man here that I would like the world to meet. He and I have grown quite close since I came home. Gibson?”
Gibson pulled down his tee, ran his hands over his windblown hair and beard, and came to stand beside me, his arm resting around my waist. He’d been a little reluctant to be in the coming out video, but he’d relented when I had said he could wear a Sea Song Ceramist T-shirt. His tiny website would probably melt down after this went live.
“Hey, honey,” he said and kissed me. That was unscripted, but perfect for the moment. I felt my cheeks warm and not from the mid-summer sun. It was a chaste kiss, but it made a bold statement of possession that melted my heart. Not that it had needed much more thawing.
“Talk about sealed with a kiss,” I kidded, hugging Gibson to me, my eyes on the phone that Dad was holding a tad higher than it needed to be. “For all my true fans, thank you for your patience, love, and support as I worked through a tumultuous time. As you can see, I have come out of the eye of the storm whole, happy, and comfortable. I am truly blessed.”
I gave Gibson a loving look and then kissed him right on the tip of his nose.
“Cut,” Kimmy shouted to be heard over a small boat chugging past. “That was the cut place, right?”
