Chapter Four
Dade
Something was up.
According to Kristoff, Horatio didn’t tend to lean to much discussion over dinner. His interrogation of me the other night seemed like it might’ve been out of character. An outlier.
Tonight? Total silence.
I ate slowly, ensuring I didn’t finish before him. As he wiped his mouth with his napkin, I ventured a few words. “I believe there’s cheesecake in the fridge. You look like you work out a lot, so can you have some carbs?”
His imperiously raised eyebrow assured me I’d said the wrong thing. He cleared his throat. “You’re right in the assumption that I don’t indulge often. As to your assertion that I work out…”
Was he blushing a touch? Hard to say.
“I meant to ask you about your interviews today.”
Fuck. If you’d just kept your mouth shut… This time, I cleared my throat. “One was a disaster, and one…held promise.”
“What went wrong? With the disaster as you say.”
“Well…I wasn’t what they were looking for. I’m too old.” And I was a little irritated with my agent for having snagged the audition, but I’d never say anything. I’d been the oldest in the room by a good eight years or more and, sure, I might be able to play a bit younger. Not that much, though.
“Too old?” He frowned, clearly about to say something—leaning forward and all—then appeared to catch himself and sat back. “And the other?”
“Oh my God, it would be the coolest job ever.” I vibrated with excitement. “I mean, I probably won’t get it—”
“Whyever not?”
“Because I’m competing with about twenty other guys. Many of them have more experience and, I don’t know, just have a leg up, you know? They know guys who know people and I’m still trying to break in.”
“Break into what, exactly? You’ve never been specific.”
I chewed on my lower lip, feeling heat steal across my cheeks.
He clucked his tongue. “Unless it’s something illegal, I don’t see why you can’t share with me what it is. Do you think I’ll judge?”
“Oh, I don’t think. I know. Most people do.”
“Exotic dancing? Street performing? Although that doesn’t seem likely because you’d just do it, right? Trumpet player?”
Funny how all his thoughts ran to the arts.
I got the feeling that was a loser in his mind.
So I wouldn’t tell him about my audition for Vigilante Justice.
The show was only one of the biggest things on television these days, occupying a coveted Thursday slot in a solid lineup on a major US network.
Most people thought streaming was big—and it was—but a few people still watched television.
VJ was one of the top shows out there. And although the part was small, it held potential to get bigger…
if the right actor nailed the audition. I didn’t feel like I had.
“Uh, no exotic dancing, street performing, or trumpet playing.”
He arched an eyebrow in a way that had my cock stirring. “But something in the arts?”
How’d he do that? “Sort of.”
“Sort of?” He snorted. “You’re prevaricating—”
“Yes.” I forced the word out. “I had an audition with one of the biggest shows out there—Vigilante Justice. But I won’t get it. I mean, I probably won’t get it.”
“That’s very pessimistic of you.”
“Well, they had plenty of good-looking talented men to pick from. I have some stunt experience, which is required for the role, but I didn’t get the feeling that was enough.” I shifted on my chair. “I mean, I got to audition with the star of the show—”
“You met Cole Hamilton today?”
Okay…knock me over with a feather… “Uh, yeah. I auditioned a scene with him and Julie Reyes. Then I did a sequence with the stunt coordinator, Donovan Riggs.”
“That sounds like quite an audition.”
Since he didn’t seem to be judging, I continued. “Yeah, and this was my third callback. But there were a couple of other guys as well and, I dunno, I think they did better than me.”
“But you don’t know.”
Persistent bastard.
“No, I don’t know.”
He pressed his napkin with a strong and elegant hand. A big hand.
Totally inappropriate for you to notice.
Sure…but that didn’t stop me.
He cleared his throat.
Uh-oh.
“I might have a job for you. If you’re interested.”
Completely intrigued, I leaned forward. “What is it?”
“Well…I need a date for Valentine’s Day. I have a charity dinner and, according to the man organizing, I always disrupt things by not having a companion.”
I blinked. “Okay, so you want me to accompany you? Like, as your boyfriend.”
He blinked in return. “Well, yes. You wouldn’t need to fawn or anything…just express interest in the same things as me. You’re a little young, but I think if we put you in a tuxedo, you can pull off a bit older.”
“You want me to lie about my age?”
“You’re twenty-six?”
I nodded.
“Yes, thirty-three would be much more appropriate. Still a significant gap, but it wouldn’t appear I’m robbing the cradle. I’ll compensate you, of course—”
“I don’t want money.”
“You need money.”
Nice of him to crassly—and accurately—point that out.
“I’ll also provide you with a tuxedo. I assume you don’t have one?”
I shook my head. I didn’t even have a nice suit. The one I used for high school graduation was several sizes too small, and I hadn’t needed anything when I graduated from university. I had an acting gig that day and hadn’t gone to the ceremony.
“Brilliant. I’ll put you in touch with my assistant, Mona. She can hook you up.”
“Uh…okay…what day?”
“Valentine’s Day. Charity dinner for the Children’s Hospital or something.”
“Or something?”
He waved me off. “My company is one of the major sponsors so, naturally, we have a table. I’ll provide you with a brochure about the charity, some information about my company, as well as the list of all the people who’ll be at the table. Oh, Lucille and Gordon Forbes are joining us.”
I shrugged. I had no idea who these people were.
“She’s a reporter for the Vancouver paper. An investigative journalist. He’s…a dentist.”
“Oh well, I’m always down for a delightful conversation about my molars.”
He glared. “I’m telling you this so you can be on alert. Lucille is always looking for a good story.”
I made a mental note to look up a few of her exposés so I could get a feel for exactly what to expect. “You’re worried she might ferret out the truth.”
“It’s a possibility.”
I waved off his concern. “I’m an actor. We should sit down and discuss our history as well as learn more about each other.”
“Yes.” He nodded vigorously. Kind of out of character for him—from what I knew. “And we’ll arrange to have a few pictures taken.”
I grabbed my phone, rose from the table, and came around to him.
“What are you…?”
“Selfie.” Within just a moment, I had the camera on the phone set up. I tucked my head against his shoulder. “Smile.”
After a long moment, he obeyed.
I snapped several pictures. Selecting the best one, I posted it to my account for the world to see. Fortunately, I hadn’t put any other guys on the feed. Just hadn’t met someone I was willing to introduce to the world as my boyfriend.
But I was willing with Horatio.
I spent the rest of the evening pondering that.