29. Chapter 29
Chapter twenty-nine
Dane
T hey were winding down filming, and Dane was already considering what to do for dinner. He would probably be better to wait and ask Aras if he had any brilliant plans.
“Dane!” Kyle strode over, back straight and shoulders back. “You have a minute?”
“Of course. You need some help?”
“Just talking.” He gestured toward a couple of chairs over by craft services. Or what had been craft services, before everything got packed up. Dane headed over with him, but his stomach tightened as they got closer.
When they sat, he had to ask. “Feels like I’m being let go, Kyle. Not going to lie. If I screwed something up, I can try to fix it.”
“Screwed up? Hell no.” Kyle leaned forward, hands clasped in front of his chest. “The opposite, actually. I’m pretty tied up on this project, but you’ve been a hell of a workhorse. Got word of another show that Homescapes is going to be filming for their streaming service. They were asking if I could spare anyone off the production here. Obviously you’re under contract, so they’d have to work that out with you, but they didn’t seem to think it would be a problem.”
Dane blinked a couple times, trying to work his brain around what Kyle was talking about. It…didn’t work. “Okay, can you explain so my stupid brain can understand?”
“I guess I’m rambling a little bit. It would help this all make sense if Homescapes wasn’t trying to save a buck, just shuffling people around instead of hiring new production staff.” He sighed. “New show. You’re a good grip, know what you’re doing. It could be a good opportunity for you to get a bit more of a foot in the door, if you wanted it.” He pointed forward with both hands. “Which, well, I’ve overheard you bring up that you do want that. Get more attention and try to get into a creative role.”
Dane nodded, though he wasn’t fully conscious of it. “Right. I mean, yeah.”
Kyle leaned back as though he’d made his point masterfully. “Not to mention, if they’re moving you around like that, you’d probably get a nice little bonus on your paycheck for the trouble.”
“Leave the show.” Leave Aras . Dane drummed his fingers on his knee and tried to keep his head on straight. His brain was working right and he understood, now, but he was caught in a swirl of emotions, and he couldn’t let that rule over everything. He needed a minute. And he needed more information. “What’s the job?”
“Not fully clued in, obviously. I’m sticking around here. But it’s another home design show, except they have some kind of budget limit. Got different numbers thrown out for how much. Someone said it’s a hundred dollars to redesign a room. Someone else said three-hundred. Someone tried to tell me it was a competition show and the goal was to make the best room for the lowest price.” Kyle shrugged. “Not really sure.”
“I don’t think I could leave you in the middle of a job. If I’m that good—”
“Hey. I’d love to keep you.” Kyle smiled in a shockingly fatherly way. “Like I said, you’re good. But you’re young, and you’re pretty new to the union. It’s a good opportunity. I got one like this when I was starting out. Now I’m where I am.” He spread his arms wide. “Not glamorous, but I do have a Rolex and a ‘66 Impala back at home.”
Leaving Pine Point Fixer-Uppers could get him more money, more opportunity…and less Aras. Less connection and good times. Dane’s stomach lurched and whirled. He still needed to buy time. “A Rolex?”
“Well, that was a gift. Helps to sell the point I was making. But I got the car off my salary.”
Dane nodded. His heart, his dick, his nerves, they all screamed at him to turn this down. But his head and his wallet and the apartment back home he split with a roommate were ready to smack the crap out of him if he turned down a free offer to better his position and his finances. Plus, as much as his heart longed for Aras, there was a big chunk of it attached to his own pursuits. If this could get him a little more attention… “When do they need an answer?”
Kyle raised one eyebrow, but didn’t question beyond that expression. “If they don’t hear back in a couple days, I’d imagine they’ll go looking somewhere else.” He rose and leaned on the back of the chair. “Listen, I’m not here to tell you what to do or try to take control of your life or anything, but my opinion? You’d be pretty stupid not to take this opportunity when it’s in your lap.” He shrugged. “I’m not going to pretend I’m some kingmaker or anything, but they asked me for a recommendation for a reason.” He patted his hand on the back of the chair and stood up straight. “I’ll let you get packed up and back to the hotel. And…well, no offense, but I hope this is our last job together for the foreseeable future.” He pulled out his phone and typed on it, then Dane’s buzzed against his hip. “Just sent you the details I have.”
Then he walked away. Dane sat, cracking his knuckles over and over again, even though they stopped making any sound after the first couple rounds. Not like being a lighting grip is my life’s ambition . But working in TV and movies was. Vague images of himself on set, on the red carpet, watching his movie in a real theater danced through his thoughts.
This isn’t some guarantee that I’ll make any real progress . That kind of guarantee didn’t exist, though, and this was as good a chance to move in the right direction as any.
I have a good thing going here with Aras . Except that was, as they agreed on, temporary, just to see how things worked out. All this would do was potentially move up the time table on figuring that out.
I don’t want it to be temporary . And at the end of the day, if it had any real staying power, then going off on another job wouldn’t kill the relationship.
Before Dane could take another round on the spiral of anxiety, Aras himself walked over. He didn’t sit, but leaned over on the same chair Kyle had. “Hey. You usually come find me. Everything kosher?”
Dane looked at him, so handsome and hawkish and going out of his way to find Dane, check on him. “Everything’s good. Just trying to figure out what to do for dinner.”
Aras nodded. “Well, we can figure something out, I’m sure.”
There was a big part of Dane tempted to say no, to try to cut all ties. It felt, in some weird part of his brain, easier to cut and run than to have any kind of awkward conversation. They’d fumbled their way into what relationship they had, against all of Aras’s instincts. Dane turning around and saying he was thinking about pulling the rug out from under all of that seemed cruel . It didn’t sprout from the same worry that Aras had—talent in a relationship with someone from production—but it was still undue pressure on something fragile.
Dane’s reason won out, though. He stood and went to Aras’s side. “I was thinking something a little lighter tonight. Bet there’s a vegan place somewhere in Baltimore if you’re game.”
“Always.” Aras reached up and massaged the base of his throat, mouth tightening to a thing line, and looked down at him. “You sure you’re okay?”
Fuck no . “Fine.”