"Alexander," George spoke softly.
"Yes, sir?" Alex wiped his mouth with the
back of his hand; the paperwork was in a pile on Randy's empty
chair.
"I want to make sure you understand what this
film is about. No questions."
"Yes, sir."
"Have you finished reading the script?"
Adam looked down at his own copy.
"Yes. I have, sir." Alex nodded.
"The scenes require full frontal nudity and
simulated sex. With Randy Dawson. He has been cast to play your
leading man."
Adam rubbed his face in agony knowing how
Billy was going to react.
As if he had not been asked a direct
question, Alex didn't say anything.
George glanced at Adam and then said to Alex,
"The role is yours. Go home; discuss this with your agent. If you
agree, we'll write up the contract. Your payment terms will be
discussed, as well as the time frame we will need you on
location."
Alex, his eyes wide, nodded.
"Hang on. Let me call Randy back in." George
left the room.
Adam walked over to Alex and crouched beside
him, trying to speak privately. "You okay?"
"Oh, my God, Adam. He's giving me the
part."
"Alex. How will Billy feel about this?"
"It's work. Adam, just work."
Adam nodded, knowing this wasn't the time or
place to debate it. He returned to his chair as Randy was brought
back into the room.
George gestured to Alex. "Randy, you and
Alexander have wonderful chemistry. I just wanted to let you know
we have offered him the part. It's up to Alexander now."
"Wonderful. Alex, I would very much enjoy
working with you."
Alex stood up and clasped Randy's hand as
they exchanged small talk.
Adam could see the gleam in Randy's eyes. Who
wouldn't want Alex to play with, simulate sex, kiss…the man was
chomping at the bit…and…so, it appeared, was Alexander.
Once they had left the audition room, Alex
felt like dancing and pumping his fist into the air. Adam walked
beside him, checking his phone. It wasn't until they were outside
that Alex exploded with joy. "Yes! Oh, yes! I got a part in a
George Ford film with Randy Dawson! Aaaaaghhh!"
Adam glanced around, and then asked, "Who is
Randy Dawson?"
Alex gaped at him. "You don't know who he
is?"
"No. Should I?"
"Adam! What rock do you live under? He
starred in Deep-Cross Five, Hunter of Carnage, The Big Sleazy…"
Adam still looked confused.
"Google him. Sheesh, Adam, I thought you were
the cool one."
"Shut up," Adam replied, tapping his phone to
get to the apps.
Alex leaned on Adam's shoulder as Adam
brought up Randy's filmography list. "Huh. Thirty-eight years old…"
Adam paused as he kept reading. "Jesus, he's done a lot, and won
awards."
"Duh! Hello!" Alex shook his head and held
the script tight in the breeze. "Say yes. Call Mr Ford
tonight."
"We need to negotiate a good salary, Alex.
This being your first feature…" Adam caught up to him and they kept
walking to their cars.
"Don't be too hard on the negotiations. I'm
easy to replace. Okay?" Alex stopped when he stood at their parked
cars.
"I won't lose it, Alex. And my guess is they
already had you cast for the part before you walked through the
door. The reading was a technicality."
"Cool." Alex opened his car door and tossed
the script into the front seat.
"Talk to Billy. Not only does this involve
you kissing and simulating sex with an older man, it involves you
being in Rome for a couple of months."
"I know. He'll be fine." Alex kissed Adam.
"Let me know when you get the contract."
"Okay, babe." Adam waved and got into his
car.
Alex started the engine and smiled on the
drive home, still feeling the taste and kiss of Randy Dawson on his
lips. He rubbed between his legs and moaned.
~
Mark finished drying his hair and, wearing
just a pair of jeans and a loose fitted cotton shirt, trotted down
the stairs. Steve was preparing a salad and the scent of onions and
garlic sautéing in a pan permeated the bottom floor. Mark leaned on
the counter near Steve, who was just in a pair of gym shorts after
his shower. Mark ate a slice of carrot and asked, "Has Alex
returned our call?"
"Nope. But I spoke to Jack and he said Alex
and Adam went to an audition."
"I know. He left me a voicemail. Should I
call Jackie and see if they're back yet?"
"Sure." Steve fed Mark another carrot slice
and tended the sauté pan.
Mark picked up the phone, crunching on the
carrot and called Jack's phone number.
"Hi, babe," Jack's deep voice came over the
line.
"Hi, Jackie. Is Adam home?"
"He's just walking through the door."
"Are you boys coming for dinner?" Mark cupped
the phone and asked Steve, "Did they say?"
"Jack wasn't sure."
Mark focused on the phone call again. "Are
you and Adam coming for the weekend?"
"Hang on. Let me see what Adam is up to."
As Jack spoke to Adam, Mark watched Steve
cook, looking over his shoulder. "What are you making?"
"Sausages and onions over pasta."
Mark curled his nose. "Oh."
Steve glanced at him. "They are organic, fat
free."
"Still." Mark made a face of annoyance at
him.
"You're not modeling this weekend and you
promised to eat!"
"Keep your 'air on!" Mark held up his hand
and backed away.
"Mark?" Jack asked.
"Yes. I'm here."
"Adam said as soon as he changes we can head
over."
"Oh. Good. See you soon."
"And…" Jack said.
"And?" Mark gazed at the bowl of salad.
"Alex has been offered a starring role in a
George Ford film…alongside Randy Dawson."
"What? That was the audition he was on? Are
you joking?" Mark whipped around to meet Steve's curious stare.
"Yes. I mean. No, I'm not joking. Adam said
he'll bring the script so you can read it."
"Yes, please. Thank you, Jackie. See you
soon." Mark hung up and anxiously dialed Alex.
"What?" Steve asked, holding up a wooden
spoon he was using to stir the sausages and onions.
Mark indicated, 'hang on' to him and waited
for Alex to pick up.
"What, Dad?"
"Alex! I just heard the news!"
"Yeah, uh, can I call you back?"
"Why don't you sound happy?" Mark's smile
faded.
"I'm talking about it with Billy. Let me call
you later."
"Alex," Mark became upset. "Tell Lt
Sharpe—"
"Captain," Steve corrected.
Mark tried to ignore him. "Tell Billy you
have a career to aspire to. He can't stand in the way."
"Let me call ya back. Okay?"
"Fine." Mark disconnected the phone and laid
it on the counter, beginning to set the dinner table for four.
"Well?" Steve asked.
"Alex got an offer to star in a George Ford
film."
Steve put the wooden spoon down and gaped at
Mark in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? The George Ford?"
"Yes. The George Ford. He'll be co-starring
with Randy Dawson."
"Holy shit!" Steve brightened up. "Our Alex?
Starring in a movie with Randy Dawson?"
"Seems Billy isn't as happy as we are."
"Oh, come on!" Steve narrowed his eyes in
annoyance. "What's Alex going to do? Have an affair with Randy? The
guy isn't even gay."
"You sure?" Mark placed ceramic dishes around
the table, then silverware. "Many of those gorgeous leading men
are. He's not married."
"He's always in the tabloids with a woman on
his arm."
"So was Rock Hudson."
Steve dumped the fresh pasta into a colander,
draining it. "Even if he's gay, that doesn't mean Alex will cheat.
Come on, Mark. He's not going to do anything behind Billy's
back."
Mark didn't know. He set out wine glasses and
tumblers, and then folded napkins. "Then…if I were asked to do a
modeling shoot in say…France…"
Steve glanced at Mark quickly as he stirred
olive oil into the pasta.
"And I was on location for… let's say a
month…without you…"
"Mark…"
"Let me finish." Mark tucked the napkins
under the forks. "And say I was paired up with…oh, I don't
know…some superstar model for the shoot. And we were naked, in sexy
poses…"
Steve didn't say anything but Mark could see
his shoulders droop.
Mark placed the bowl of salad on the table
and stuck serving spoons in it. "It wouldn't even cross your mind
I'd be tempted?"
Steve spun around, his blue eyes the color of
the California sky. "Would you be tempted?"
"No. Not in the least. But I don't have
Alex's libido."
"I'd kill Alex if he had an affair with Randy
Dawson."
"You'd kill him?" Mark stopped fussing with
the table.
Steve didn't respond.
Mark shook his head in annoyance and walked
through the house to make sure the front door was unlocked. When he
did, he heard his cell phone ring. He picked it up and didn't
recognize the number. "Hello?"
"I'm looking for Mark Richfield."
"Who is this?" Mark said.
"My name is Travis Banks, the owner of
Piccadilly's Phantom."
It took Mark a second but he recalled. "Oh!
Yes, this is Mark Richfield. I'm sorry, but we enquired about that
horse months ago, and I'm afraid it had slipped my mind."
"Sorry for the delay. We needed the stallion
for breeding. But I'm interested in an offer now."
"Splendid." Mark spotted Jack's new Jaguar
pull into his driveway.
"I've got some free time this weekend if
you're interested in coming by."
"I would be, yes. I actually am interested in
purchasing two pleasure riding horses."
"I have one you may like. Shadow of the
Knight, that's Knight with a 'K'. He's a seven-year-old
thoroughbred."
"Lovely. Let me grab a pen." Mark waved at
Jack and Adam as they walked up to the front door and then he
scrambled to get a pad and pen from the kitchen drawer. "Yes. I'm
ready, go ahead with the address." While Mark wrote it down, he
split his attention to the men greeting each other behind him.
Over the noise Mark asked, "Shall we say two
pm tomorrow?"
"That's fine, Mark. I look forward to
it."
"Me, too, Mr Banks. Thank you." Mark hung up
and said to Jack, "Well! We finally got a call about the
horses."
Jack made a face of irritation. "Three months
later? Fuck that."
"He was breeding my baby. Jack, he's ready to
sell." Mark walked over to Adam and kissed him. "Hello, my love.
How did the audition go with Alex?"
"Here. Read this." Adam handed Mark a
script.
"Shall I be terrified?" Mark read the title,
Bedtime Stories.
"No. It's a great script, just that Alex has
loads of full frontal and tons of simulated sex."
Steve made a noise of disgust as he shook the
pasta into a serving bowl.
Jack said, "And with Randy Dawson? Christ,
he's in every tabloid magazine."
"How the hell do you all know about him?"
Adam asked, pouring a drink of wine for himself. "I'm in the biz
and I didn't."
"He's been around a while." Steve placed the
food on the table. "He was a child star then made a comeback
recently."
"He's a very good looking man," Mark said,
sitting down between Steve and Jack, Adam across from him. Mark
began to thumb through the pages.
"You should see him in person," Adam said,
sipping the wine. "Fucking gorgeous. Watching him and Alex kiss?"
He whistled.
Steve bristled. "Kiss? They already
kissed?"
"In the audition. Yes." Adam scooped out the
salad and passed it to Jack.
Mark watched Steve for his reaction.
"Steven."
"What?"
"Are you jealous of Randy?"
"No. Shut up, Richfield, and pass the
wine."
After reaching to place the script on the
island counter, Mark handed Steve the bottle. Mark said to Jack,
"Tomorrow at two we can see the horses. He said he has two to show
us."
"Okay." Jack nodded, handing Mark the bowl
with the pasta and sausages in it, which he promptly handed off.
Jack asked, "Are you modeling?" when Mark did not take any.
"No," Steve said, "He isn't."
Mark took salad to his plate and ate a bite
of the lettuce.
Jack put a few slices of sausage on Mark's
dish.
"It's organic and fat free," Steve said,
"He'd better eat it."
"Now it's your turn to shut up," Mark said to
him.
"Ahh," Adam laughed, "I love it here." He
held up his wine glass in a toast.
"I wonder how Billy is taking the news?"
Steve asked. "He just got promoted to Captain."
"Wow!" Adam laughed. "Those two got hit with
two huge life changes the same damn day."
Mark didn't touch the meat and worried about
Alex. He looked back at the phone on the counter and then at his
watch.
"What?" Jack perceived something was going on
in Mark's head.
"I'll be back." Mark went to stand.
A hand on either shoulder, one Steve's the
other Jack's, sat him back down.
"Bloody hell. Let me go to my baby boy." Mark
shrugged off their grip.
"Let Billy and Alex battle it out
themselves." Steve poked his fork into a piece of meat and held it
in front of Mark to feed him.
Mark glared at him and stood. "Five minutes.
I'll be right back."
"A meddling mother-in-law, just what Sharpe
needs." Steve shook his head.
"Piss off." Mark pocketed his phone and
slipped on his shoes.
"Don't whine if we fuck without you," Steve
said, chewing.
Mark rolled his eyes and left, opening the
kitchen door which connected to the garage. He elevated the double
garage door and hoped there was no fighting going on at Alex's
house. Why should there be? It was work. Right?