Chapter 3 #2
Nally was happy. That moment made him giddy with joy. The film was a success, people liked his music, and he had Jude to share it with. Why had he ever considered bringing Sam along to the premiere in the first place?
“That was a smashing success,” Heath Manfred came over to congratulate him once the film was over and all the VIPs had relocated to a ballroom in a nearby hotel for the after party. “Your soundtrack was stunning, Nally. You must be so proud.”
The last bit was directed to Nally’s mum and dad, who stood with him, schmoozing with A-listers like they were made for it. Then again, they were mad, artistic types anyhow, so they kind of were made for it.
“We couldn’t be prouder,” Nally’s dad said.
“I didn’t realize you were dating an influencer,” Aubrey, Heath’s husband, said, holding out his hand to Jude. “I’ve been following you for a while. I love your posh take on things.”
“Oh, we’re not dating,” Nally insisted, suddenly fluttery with nerves.
“Just friends,” Jude said, taking Aubrey’s hand and shaking it. “Best mates.”
“Sorry, I just assumed,” Aubrey said, glancing between the two of them with a sly grin.
“A lot of people have been assuming,” Nally said with a shrug.
“Well, you look good together is all,” Aubrey said, a little awkwardly. He didn’t look like he was the type to attend celebrity after parties on a regular basis.
“Regardless of all that,” Heath said, “your soundtrack was brilliant. I’ve no doubt you’ll have other producers and directors banging on your door in the next few weeks, wanting you for their projects as well.”
“Wouldn’t that be something,” Nally said, feeling a bit like he was drowning.
“Silver Productions needs to get you under contract immediately, if you ask me,” Heath went on.
Nally thought he might pass out.
“Hey, look. They’re bringing out pastries,” Jude said, grabbing Nally’s sleeve and tugging it. “Who doesn’t love a pastry?” he added before whisking Nally away.
“Thanks for rescuing me,” Nally whispered as they made a bee-line across the room to the buffet table.
“Who’s rescuing anybody?” Jude teased, his eyes flashing. “I just want an éclair. It’s fun to eat them in public like you’re giving head.”
Nally laughed, feeling more himself again as the two of them ducked carefully out of the spotlight.
The room was packed with celebrity energy, and even after they grabbed éclairs and attempted to hide behind a potted plant, people still wanted to approach Nally and congratulate him for a job well done.
“It’s not that I don’t want the attention or the accolades,” he explained to Jude as the two of them leaned against the wall behind the plant. “I’ve just never loved attention.”
“I know,” Jude said. “I’m the exhibitionist in our friendship.”
Nally laughed again, then Jude pushed away from the wall and gestured toward a small side door in the corner of the room.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here. There’s a new gay club right around the corner I’ve been wanting to check out. Let’s go dancing and cruising for men.”
“Yes,” Nally breathed, pushing away from the wall, too. “I could use a bit of anonymous grinding right about now.”
He and Jude slipped out of the ballroom and down a service corridor to one of the hotel’s back exits, then strode quickly around the corner to the club Jude had in mind.
It was the perfect environment for the mood Nally was in.
The music was loud, the lights were low, and the energy was pulsing and vibrant.
“What do you have in mind?” Jude asked as the two of them squeezed their way up to the bar, shrugging out of their jackets as they did.
“A gorgeous silver fox who likes a twink bouncing on his balls,” Nally said with a sly look. “And a porn star martini.”
“Porn star it is, then,” Jude said, half to Nally and half to the beefy bartender. “And I’ll just have a gimlet and a bear, please.” He wiggled his eyes at the bartender.
It was exactly the sort of nonsense Nally needed after the attention of the premiere.
He downed his drink faster than he should have once he had it, as did Jude with his, then the two of them tied their jackets around their waists by the sleeves like the wonkers they were and made their way out onto the dance floor.
It was freeing to let go of everything and to just enjoy himself.
He and Jude never had any problem attracting attention from men at clubs, and that night was no exception.
The two of them stuck close together, though.
For some reason, Nally didn’t want to let Jude out of his sight, and Jude stayed close to him, even when he found exactly the sort of muscular, hairy guy Nally knew he liked.
Nally danced with a couple of guys, one of whom had silver in his hair and knew how to move like a pro.
In other words, exactly his type. On any other night, he would have checked in with Jude before sneaking off with the guy to whatever hotel room or flat was nearby to blow off a little steam, or whatever the guy’s name was.
But for whatever reason, he just wasn’t feeling it, no matter how perfect the guys were.
“You’re a great dancer.”
Nally whipped his head back around from where he’d been watching Jude twerk against a different bear only to find Quentin from the alley right in front of him.
“Thanks,” he shouted over the music, his smile uneasy.
“Wanna dance?” Quentin asked, moving stiffly in something that might have been a dance move.
“Um.” Nally didn’t know what to do. No, in fact, he did not want to dance with Quentin.
It was odd that the man was at the same club as them in the first place.
But the dance floor was too packed and the music too loud to tell the man to go away.
“Okay,” he said, then moved jerkily back and forth in something that definitely wasn’t dancing.
Quentin seemed happy enough. He was a terrible dancer, which probably saved Nally in the end.
He swayed closer, maybe trying to grind and definitely trying to reach for him, but the floor was packed enough that all Nally needed to do was twist slightly to the side and he was dancing with someone else.
He made it seem like it wasn’t personal as much as he could and even gestured for Quentin to get into it a little more with any number of guys moving and sweating around him.
Another shift and turn, and Nally found himself face to face with Jude, who was no longer bumping against any partner. Jude had a sharp look in his eyes and jerked his chin toward Quentin.
Nally shrugged, but Jude must have seen his true feelings in his expression. “Come on,” he said, barely audible over the thumping dance music.
Jude reached out a hand to Nally, and when Nally took it, the two of them started dancing together.
That was exactly what Nally needed to loosen up a little and get back into the groove.
Jude threw his arms around Nally’s shoulders and cleverly maneuvered him farther from Quentin, who didn’t seem to be happy dancing with the other guy who now faced him.
And because Jude was Jude, he pulled Nally close so they could grind up against each other.
It was a move they’d done a dozen times before, and the older guys on the floor loved it.
Two twinks who moved like they were super into each other always got the type of guy both of them liked going.
But instead of peeling away from each other so they could have their pick of men for the night, Jude ended up grabbing Nally’s hand and rushing him suddenly toward the club’s door.
They were outside before Quentin or anyone else realized they were gone, or so Nally hoped.
“Your biggest fan definitely wants to get with you,” Jude laughed, his voice a little too loud as Nally’s ears rang from the club.
“No, thank you,” Nally said, walking fast down the sidewalk in no particular direction. He just wanted to get away. “To be honest, I’m just not feeling it tonight.”
“Neither am I,” Jude admitted.
“You want to just go back to Hawthorne House and call it a night?” Nally asked, heart beating fast as they reached the nearest intersection. He didn’t know where he was going or where he needed to go.
“Sounds divine,” Jude said with a smile. He grabbed Nally’s hand and tugged him off to the side, pointing at a nearby parking garage.
Nally let out a breath, feeling safe again. He wasn’t entirely certain what had just happened, with the premiere or the club or Quentin, but it felt wrong. Fleeing the scene with Jude, however, felt incredibly right.