15. Yay for hypocrites! #4
“Wow. But why? You’ve been doing this successfully since you were a kid,” Hunter said in shock.
“My mom said she had posters of you on her bedroom walls, and you were the lead in a bunch of movies she still has on Blu-ray. Was it like the child star curse or something? People had trouble putting you in adult roles?”
Clearly, it wasn’t that he grew out of his cute phase because Chris was definitely what Hunter would have called a silver fox. He still had a chiseled jaw, thick hair, and a smoldering stare. He was still top-tier attractive.
Chris smirked and lowered his eyes to his drink.
He used his straw to swirl the ice in the tumbler-style glass.
Marc decided to speak instead. “It was more that Hollywood can’t separate the person from the job.
And social media isn’t making that easier of late.
Which is why he doesn’t have a social media presence.
And if I were you, I’d keep yours as impersonal as possible.
That would be my one piece of advice for a newbie. ”
“Are you an actor too?”
Both Chris and Marc chuckled at that. “Oh God no. I’m a novelist. I write thrillers mostly, but I’ve dabbled in romance under a pen name. That’s where the real money is. Everyone wants a happily ever after.”
“Even a gay one as long as it’s on the page and not in real life,” Chris added, and Marc frowned but nodded.
Hunter’s eyes ping ponged between the two men. Maybe Marc was Chris’s best friend with benefits? Exactly like Colby. “Oh. So, like you guys… Have you known each other a long time?”
Chris lifted his chin, stopping playing with his drink, and met Hunter’s eye. “I thought you knew. Everyone else on set does. Yeah. Marc is my partner. For the last twenty years, actually.”
“Would have been twenty-five but someone was a bit of a drama queen.” Marc rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
Chris shook his head, but he was smiling too. “I was trying to save my career. But there was no holding onto it and holding onto you. Once the press got that photo, I was fucked.”
“I mean, you were fucked before they caught us kissing,” Marc noted playfully. “It was a post-orgasm makeup session. But yeah.”
Chris turned back to Hunter. “Sorry. He’s crass when he drinks.”
“Honest. Not crass.” Marc corrected and smiled at Hunter. “If this kid is the next big thing, it’s only fair to let him know what he’s getting into.”
“He’s not gay, so it doesn’t matter,” Chris explained, and Hunter felt a blush trying to climb its way up his neck and cheeks.
“I don’t know that Hollywood would still care. I mean we’ve progressed since the eighties.”
“It was the nineties when I was caught.” Chris corrected and made air quotes around the word caught.
“And that’s what they used as an excuse.
That I’d been hiding. No one wanted to cast me in the big leading-man roles that I’d been owning once because suddenly America couldn’t trust me.
That’s what my agent said. I had been nominated for a fucking Golden Globe for playing a romantic lead with a woman, and then suddenly I couldn’t act?
Because there was a tabloid shot of me kissing a man, so I wasn’t believable anymore? Fuck off.”
He sneered at his drink before he took a sip.
“That’s bullshit.” Hunter croaked out. He felt nauseous. Like Chris was lecturing him directly. Like he knew. Which of course he didn’t. He couldn’t. “But you’re back now. This movie is going to be a big thing, apparently, and you’re in it.”
“I am.” Chris smiled. “It sort of feels like too little too late. I mean, imagine that after this role you get about five more amazing opportunities, and you knock every single one out of the park. You get everything you ever wanted, and then you fall in love. With the best, most amazing person you’ve ever met, and because of that, you’re kicked off the success train.
You’re back to bit parts and begging to even get an audition. ”
Hunter’s blood suddenly went from hot to cold. He shivered but hid it by shifting in his seat. “That would be a nightmare.”
He was on the brink of success, he knew it.
And he had been assuming that was it. Once this movie dropped and it was as good as everyone thought it was, he’d have reached the summit.
There would be no more climbing. He’d have made it.
His parents would be able to stop worrying.
In fact, they’d be proud. He could stop worrying about making rent on a shitty little apartment, he would never have to worry about landing credit card commercials, and he could help Colby out if he needed and anyone else.
Colby. Fuck.
“I need a drink,” he muttered, and Marc slid his across the table.
“I haven’t touched this yet. Go ahead,” Marc smiled. He was definitely attractive and seemed warm and kind, which is great because Chris was all those things too.
Hunter accepted the drink with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“You okay?” Chris asked, his heavy brows pulled together with worry.
“Yeah. I just… that sucks for you,” Hunter managed to spit out. “I mean, we deserve talent like you to succeed. Who gives a fuck who you date or fuck or marry or whatever.”
“I hope all of young Hollywood has your ideals,” Marc murmured. “Because then maybe things might change when these old, white homophobic fucks running the media finally die off.”
Chris shot Marc a sweet little smile. “How can you not find someone with such a fabulous vocabulary worth giving it all up for?”
Marc flipped him the bird, and Chris laughed as Marc lowered his hand and seemed to put it on Chris’ thigh again.
Hunter couldn’t be sure with the table between them, but it looked that way.
Chris turned his friendly gaze back to Hunter.
“Anyway, like you said, I’m back. This role is definitely a great one, and who knows, maybe it will lead to other great ones.
Hollywood loves a comeback, even when they’re the ones who made you go away.
If not, I’m happy in the Catskills on our acreage letting Marc pay most of the bills. ”
“So, there isn’t the same bullshit in writing?”
Marc grinned. “It’s different. You can hide behind pen names, but there’s a huge readership that actively supports queer writers. And the readership that doesn’t, they may judge my lifestyle, and vote against my human rights every fucking election, but they still buy my books.”
“Yay for hypocrites!” Chris said with a wry smile.
Hunter managed to smile back before he downed the rest of the drink in his hand.