Chapter 8 #3
Lee couldn’t take his eyes off of Drew, even though they’d stopped talking.
His mind pinged with all sorts of possibilities and with the idea that they might just actually be equals.
And his gaydar bounced off the charts at the sexual tension that was undeniable between them. He wondered if Drew felt it, too.
He wondered if Drew was even remotely aware of the vibes he was throwing off.
Before he could ask, Drew’s phone rang. The two of them had fallen into such a trance with each other that Drew actually jumped, then scrambled to pull his phone out of his back pocket. As soon as he looked at it, his eyes went wide.
“Sorry, I have to take this,” he said, lighting up like Christmas as he tapped to answer. “Hello, Simon.”
Lee sat back, watching Drew as he talked to whoever Simon was.
Drew’s excitement was palpable, and Lee couldn’t help but feel a stir of pride and mirrored excitement for him like he’d been friends with him as long as Abby and Jessica had.
There was just something about Drew that made you want to cheer for him and wish him every good thing.
“I would love to get together with you for a chat,” Drew said, glancing across at Lee as if he was having the best day of his life. “I’m in London for the next eight weeks, but I can always do a video call or—just in person?”
Lee made what he hoped was an encouraging face to give Drew confidence.
“Of course, yeah, I agree,” Drew went on, nodding. “I’d be happy to meet with you in London, if you’re coming this way.” He paused, then burst into a beaming smile and said, “Next month? Yes, absolutely. We’ll be in touch.”
Lee was on tenterhooks by the time Drew ended the call, lowered his phone, and stared at Lee, practically fizzing with joy.
“Who was that?” Lee asked like that was his cue.
“Only Simon Underhill,” Drew answered, looking like he expected Lee to know who that was.
“That’s good?” Lee asked, knowing he probably looked like an idiot in Drew’s eyes.
“Simon Underhill!” Drew exploded with enthusiasm. “He’s this amazing LGBTQ director who does some of the most meaningful, deep films in a generation.”
“And he called you?” Lee sat forward, which brought their knees into contact at last.
“Yes!” Drew threw his arms wide. “He only works with queer actors, and he doesn’t hold auditions. He likes to meet people in person and get a feel for them, and then he builds his films around them.”
“Wow! That sounds like an amazing opportunity.”
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Drew said, so pumped that he grabbed Lee’s leg.
Lee felt the sizzle of that touch all the way up his thigh and into his groin. He had no idea if Drew felt the same or if he even noticed, but if the man didn’t move his hand soon, he would figure things out from the bulge in Lee’s jeans.
“Nobody gets opportunities like this so early in their career,” Drew went on patting Lee’s leg hard a few times, then launching off the sofa to pace the room. “Simon’s movies win awards. They make legends.”
“And he wants to meet with you,” Lee said, shifting to angle his body toward Drew as he paced.
“Unbelievably, yes!” Drew sang to the ceiling.
“But you say he only casts queer actors,” Lee said, growing a bit more serious.
Drew immediately caught what Lee was implying. His overt joy calmed down a little, and he turned to Lee.
“It’s not a problem,” he said. “I’ve got you, and as long as we’re together, everything is going to be okay.”
Lee had no fucking clue what to do with a statement like that.
It could either mean that as long as they kept pretending, Drew could deceive his way into the role of a lifetime, or it could mean that as long as Lee was there to stand by his side, and maybe even guide him, Drew could come to grips with a few things about himself that would change not only his career, but his world.
Either way, how could Lee turn down an offer like that.
“You’ve got this,” he told Drew, standing and walking into an encouraging embrace with him. “I absolutely believe in you.”
“Thanks,” Drew said, hugging him back so tightly it stole the air from Lee’s lungs.
Or maybe it was the rush of hope, longing, and fear that feeling so close to Drew gave him.
Those feelings doubled when they each straightened a little without ending their embrace and looked right into each other’s eyes.
The air crackled. Everything seemed to heat up. Possibility swirled around them.
Lee stared at Drew’s mouth, wondering if they were about to have a private repeat of their public performance from the night before.
He wouldn’t say no, but if all the things he was beginning to suspect about Drew’s sexuality, and his potential lack of awareness of said sexuality, were true, then he had a serious responsibility to keep his fake boyfriend safe.
The moment ended when Drew took a step back and pushed a hand through his hair. “I was going to suggest we get take-out, because I’m way too tired to cook, but now I’m too wired to do anything. So let’s go out, find some food, and have our picture taken by strangers.”
Lee smiled before he could stop himself. “Sounds like a weird but good evening,” he said.
He had the feeling the two of them were in for a lot of weird but good evenings going forward.