Chapter 3 #2
“You experience some fame from your books.” Brody’s tone suggests he’s unconvinced of Nate’s fame, but the connection suits his current argument.
“That’s completely different. I will not prance around making a fool of myself.”
“I don’t prance, and you wouldn’t be making a fool of yourself. Unless you really fuck up an excursion.” Brody clears his throat, perhaps remembering where we are and why, or realizing this tactic won’t work. He switches gears. “Besides, you owe me.”
“For what?” Nate and I ask simultaneously. We look at each other in confusion.
“Surely you owe me for something.” Brody’s brows pinch together as if struggling to pinpoint something specific to hold over his brother.
“I don’t think so,” Nate says. “But if we’re looking to collect on old debts?—”
“We’re not,” Brody interjects too quickly for my liking.
“My point is, if there’s ever a time to do the twin-switch thing, this would be it.
Rush, this season in particular, is my chance to move up in the rankings.
Gain more followers and get onto a big-name streaming service.
Everything is contingent on this season going well. Everything.”
“Bit dramatic, if you ask me.” There isn’t the same edge to Nate’s voice as in his other jokes. Instead, he seems deep in thought. Possibly even considering Brody’s suggestion.
If no one else is going to state the obvious, I am. “This is crazy. Brody, the shit you do on the show is dangerous. How is Nate supposed to pull that off?”
Nate gives a snarky “thanks” in response.
“I mean it.” I’m gesturing wildly with my hands as if my entire body needs to make this point clear. “There is no way Nate can do this.”
“I mean, I could,” Nate says at the same time Brody jumps to his defense.
“Nate and I have some of the same experience. Nate goes to the gym, and he used to play all the same sports I did back in the day. He can pick it up easily enough. Besides, if something goes wrong, the crew will edit it out.”
I cross my arms. “How are they going to edit out an injury?”
“No one is getting injured,” Brody states, as if saying it aloud makes it true.
There is something oddly comical about seeing him insist no one can get hurt doing what he does, even with less experience, while in a hospital bed with extensive injuries. I can barely hold in the hysterical laughter.
“Look, Abby, this is the perfect solution. This season is important. Make or break for me,” Brody starts. Nate’s mouth opens—probably to interject with an insensitive comment about something already being broken—so I hold up a hand to stop him.
“It’s vital for both our careers,” Brody continues. “I know how much you were looking forward to Fiji, and Nate has the…thing.”
“Thing?”
Brody’s eyes widen as he gives a couple of quick nods, like we’re in cahoots.
Only, I don’t know what he’s talking about.
Brody hasn’t told me a lot about Nate, but it’s enough to paint a picture of his brother’s selfishness, stubbornness, and clear disregard for family.
Whatever this ‘thing’ is, I know nothing about it.
“You can say it,” Nate says flatly. “My breakup. Look, I said it and the world didn’t crash down around us.”
Brody manages an ill-placed wink in my direction before turning to Nate. “Actually, I meant your manuscript that was due weeks ago. Or is it months at this point?”
Nate’s jaw tightens. “I got an extension, and working on my book is precisely why I can’t run off to Fiji. I only have a month to pull together a full draft.”
“Working on your book is precisely why you can and should run off to Fiji,” Brody retorts. “You can write from anywhere. Besides, this could be great book fodder.”
“To think I usually do things the old-fashioned way and make them up.” Nate rolls his eyes. “Besides, how am I supposed to write if I’m busy doing your excursions, filming your show, and pretending to be you? Sounds exhausting.”
Brody misses the sarcasm, taking Nate’s question at face value.
“Excursions are half a day at most, and they’re spaced out for recovery time.
Sure, there are some confessionals and such to film, perhaps even some initial scouting, but I promise there’s time.
Last year, I even binged a season of Bridgerton in my downtime. ”
“You watch Bridgerton?” I ask.
A Regency romance show is an unexpected choice for Brody, but Nate’s voice drowns out my question. “That had better not be an exaggeration because I have to finish this book.”
Sensing Nate warming to the idea, Brody pounces.
“It’s not an exaggeration. This could work!
The biggest difference between us is our hair, and that’s a matter of you pulling yours back like mine.
” Brody uses his less injured arm to gesture to his low bun, and Nate’s hand reaches up to his beanie.
He pulls the hat off his head and runs a hand through his loose waves before tugging the beanie back into place.
“Your bun is ridiculous, Bro.”
“The ladies love it. It’s an essential part of my brand. There are a few sponsored looks to incorporate into the trip, but Abby can walk you through it. She’s fantastic at keeping track of that kind of stuff. Heck, there are probably deals and such I don’t even know about!”
I’m about to jump in with anything to emphasize how utterly ridiculous this plan is when a nurse with a slender build and bleached hair whipped into a perfect ballerina bun enters the room.
“I need to check on our patient’s vitals.” She turns to Nate and me. “This will take a few minutes if you two want to grab coffee or something.”
Nate moves toward the door.
“I don’t mind staying.” No way I’m spending any more time with Nate than necessary. Given his effective avoidance of me until now, the feeling is likely mutual.
“No, go.” Brody waves a hand to shoo us out the door. “I can do this on my own.”
“You sure?” I widen my eyes, hoping he’ll catch my hint, but he nods.
“Yep, all good.”
Fine, I can wait in the hall or grab a coffee alone. I don’t need Nate around for that or anything else.
I follow Nate out of the room, fully intending to ignore him like he’s been ignoring me and his brother for the past several months.
Nate has other ideas. “How about we get that coffee?”
“How about we don’t?” The question is snappier than intended, which I clock even before witnessing the surprise on Nate’s face. Whatever. I’m on a roll now. “I don’t see why you’re entertaining this ridiculous plan as if you could pull off being Brody.”
There is a flash of something unreadable on Nate’s face, as quick to disappear as it was to arrive. “It means a lot to Brody, that’s why.”
“Oh, and you care about Brody?”
“He’s my brother. Of course I care.”
“Where was that care when you canceled on him repeatedly with no reasonable explanation? You take him for granted—take time for granted. Now you’re playing Mr. Nice Guy, pretending to like Brody’s plan and suggesting we get coffee together? I’m not falling for your act.”
There’s a long pause as Nate sizes me up, then clears his throat. “If I’m so good at acting, then you should have more confidence in my ability to pull off this switch, which is something Brody and I have done successfully many times, by the way.”
“Not recently,” I say, hoping it’s true.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t do it. He’s my brother, so I’m going to at least consider his crazy plan because, you know what? I do care about him, and he cares about his show. The least I can do is hear him out and help, if possible.”
I open my mouth to interject again, but this time Nate holds up a hand. “As for the coffee suggestion, it was the nurse’s idea. I was fully willing to ignore it, but then we got out here and…” Nate taps his pointer finger to the side of his nose.
“And what?” I glare at him in the silence following my question.
“Well, you smell a bit like a distillery. I try not to judge drinking before noon on a weekday, but it’s not the best look in a hospital or out here in the hall while borderline yelling at your boyfriend’s brother, whom you’ve only just met.”
My jaw falls open somewhere in the middle of his speech, and I struggle to shut it while also thinking of a reply to such a horrid insinuation from a horrible man.
“I had two-ish shots of whiskey after quitting my job on a less than fun whim. Hardly a cause for concern, especially when I’m the only one who’s thinking clearly! A twin-switch? Seriously?”
The corner of Nate’s mouth quirks up. “Seriously. If you were thinking as clearly as you claim, then you’d be on board too. At least you’d be willing to hear out the plan before stepping up on such a high soapbox to shut it down.”
“What? This plan is crazy! Deceitful. Complicated. It’s?—”
“The only viable solution to the current dilemma?” Nate interrupts. “Look, I don’t love the idea, and a lot could go wrong if we’re not careful. But this plan is how we can help Brody with the thing that means the most to him. I might be wrong, but this also helps you out.”
My grip tightens around the gold locket hanging around my neck. “What do you mean?”
Nate’s eyebrows rise. “You quit your job. Seems to me you’ve now tethered your professional career to Brody’s. How well can you manage a brand like his when he’s in a hospital bed?”
There is no way I’m admitting it aloud, but he has a point.
Without Brody Bannam’s brand, I’d really have no career left to save.
It’s unlikely I’d land anywhere else worthwhile without a referral, and I won’t give Carl the satisfaction of begging for my demotion back.
That leaves me with one choice, though also not a great one.
“All done!” The nurse announces as she exits the room, looking no more concerned than when she entered.
That’s good, at least. Not enough to get Brody to Fiji to film his show, but good in the sense that he’ll recover and see the set of another season.
There’s hope for him, so there’s hope for me too.
I follow Nate back into Brody’s hospital room, waiting for the door to close behind me before daring to speak.
“Okay.” My voice is shaking, but it still sounds more confident than I feel. “Let’s talk through the plan again. If we’re doing this, we can leave nothing to chance.”