Shotgun Daddy (Fendi Mafia Daddies #3)

1. Reece

Reece

“You can’t! You can’t do this! The Andromeda Timewarper won’t handle the thrusters!” Reece said, doing his best to make the script as believable and real as possible.

“One more time,” the producer replied, evidently not very impressed with Reece’s reading. “This time, try it with… more urgency.”

“Okay, got it,” Reece said, trying to sound confident but instead fumbling his script in his hands and dropping it on the floor. “Whoops.”

Reece cringed. This wasn’t going well. In fact, it was going terribly and had been ever since he stepped foot inside the small room on the film studio’s back lot.

Reece had dreamed of being an actor ever since he was able to take his first steps up onto the stage in kindergarten and play the part of Joseph in the Christmas Story.

But despite acing his way through school plays and then into drama school, Reece was finding out that life as a professional actor was something else.

With the three producers’ eyes on him, Reece picked up his script and steadied himself.

You’ve got this.

Focus your breathing. Be still.

Show them what you’ve got. Show them your best…

“You can’t! You can’t do this! The Andromeda Timewarper hasn’t got any… I mean can’t have… I mean… won’t handle the thrusters!” Reece said, tripping over his words and finding himself barely able to get the line out, let alone give it his best.

And it was clear from the disinterested look on the producers’ faces that they felt even less convinced by Reece than he did himself.

Even from the second that he stepped into the nondescript room, Reece had felt like he was up against it.

It was mid-afternoon and the producers had been seeing actors all morning and for a couple of hours after lunch, meaning that Reece was a long way down on the list of potential actors for the part.

This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Reece had picked up on a very ambivalent and distracted vibe from as soon as he introduced himself – and the fact that he was struggling with the script was probably the kiss of death.

“That’s great, thank you,” the lead producer said, confirming Reece’s fears.

“It’s been a pleasure meeting you all today,” Reece said, doing his best to sound confident and optimistic but really struggling to convey anything other than frustration and disappointment. “I hope to hear from you soon.”

Reece didn’t bother sticking around for any longer. As the three producers went back to looking at their phones and talking to their assistants, Reece simply picked up his bottle of water and walked out of the plain, air-conditioned room and out onto the studio lot.

The sun might have been high in the sky with not a cloud in sight, but as far as Reece was concerned this was a glum, gloomy morning.

“ Urgh . Jeez. I’m not holding my breath on that one…” Reece said, even allowing himself a little giggle as the magnitude of his poor performance hit home. “Who wants to be a Spacestorm Trooper anyway?”

Reece was twenty-two years old and still young enough to know that it might be a while longer before his big break.

That didn’t make disappointing auditions any less painful, but it at least left him in the knowledge that there was time.

It might take another couple of auditions, or it could be ten more, but Reece was confident that as long as he kept getting opportunities to shine, then that was precisely what he would do.

As a film studio motorized buggy whizzed past him, Reece removed his backpack and unzipped the opening to take out Squirt, his most cherished dragon stuffie.

“You still love me, right?” Reece asked, giving Squirt a big squeeze. “Even if I keep flunking my auditions…”

Reece smiled and kissed Squirt on his big, squishy green face.

I wish I had a Daddy to cuddle too…

Ideally a movie star Daddy.

But truly any Daddy who loved me for me.

Reece sighed. Despite being comfortable in his Little identity, Reece hadn’t yet found his Daddy – or even come close.

Having fun in clubs and parties was one thing, but Reece was the kind of Little who wanted a relationship.

A fast flame was fine, and Reece didn’t judge boys who moved from one Daddy to another at super-speed.

But it just wasn’t him. Reece had more than enough insecurity and instability in his life as an actor.

When it came to a Daddy, Reece wanted reassurance, reliability, and to feel safe in the knowledge that he could rely on his protector.

Still, with his busy audition schedule and passion for having fun with his friends, Reece’s time was occupied so much that he was able to get through most days without pining too much for his perfect Daddy to reveal himself.

I’ll find my Daddy someday.

Or maybe he’ll find me.

Either way, I’m okay for now…

“Come on, time to go,” Reece said, taking one last look around the film lot. “I’ll be back soon enough. And next time, I’m nailing it…”

But what Reece didn’t realize was that next time might be a lot further away than he could ever have imagined…

PRESENT DAY

Eighteen months after the fateful Spacestorm Troopers audition and Reece was further away than ever to realizing his dream.

Whether it was the case that word spread about his poor audition or simply that the opportunities dried up, but Reece went months without a single audition following that disaster.

Not only that, but Reece’s LA agent very slyly dropped him from the agency books too. It felt like such an insult to not even be called in for a meeting or told face to face. Still, this was just how it worked, and it was a painful lesson for Reece as to how brutal the industry could be.

In fact, things got so bad that Reece soon left LA and moved to New York.

While his dream was always to make it into the movies, Reece figured that it might be a good idea to rebuild his confidence and reputation with some good work in the theater.

He wouldn’t be the first actor to take this route, and he certainly wouldn’t be the last either.

And, so far, Reece was happy to have made the choice to return to the East Coast…

“Hey guys, I’m going to my room now to learn lines, but we’ll catch up later,” Reece smiled as he breezed through the communal living area in his downtown shared house.

Life in a huge, sprawling shared house was fun, chaotic, and occasionally even a little sketchy.

But Reece enjoyed the free-flowing atmosphere and also the fact that he was surrounding himself with so many people who had similarly artistic dreams to him.

From jazz musicians to fellow actors, and sculptors to novelists, it felt like everyone had a dream that they were working toward.

He might have had a setback in Hollywood, but Reece was enjoying life in the city and with another new play soon to launch, he was feeling his confidence getting strong and stronger with each passing day.

“Okay, time for some lines…” Reece said, shutting his fourth floor bedroom door behind him and flopping down onto his bed.

One of the sculptors in the house had helped Reece build his own bedframe out of wooden crates, and while it perhaps wasn’t as durable as a fancy-pants department store bed, it certainly did the job.

And speaking of jobs, Reece was very happily working some shifts in a coffee shop nearby, plus picking up shifts sometimes at Bubble Palace, a Little club across town.

Since moving back to the city, Reece had found himself getting more and more involved in the Little community.

There was something so nice about being able to express himself and show his Little side on a regular basis.

Back in LA, Reece’s Little side was more or less confined to the privacy of his tiny apartment.

But back East, things were different. There was a bustling Daddy and Little scene, and had Reece wanted to he could have gone out every single day and night and found something Little to do.

And speaking of his Little friends, Reece saw his phone flash up with some messages from his two besties…

BENJAMIN: Hey! So I know you’re probably busy learning lines and all. BUT… how about a playdate at Bubble Palace? We can play pirates on the big ship? Or magic dolphins in the ball pit? Whatever we do, I know it will be FUN FUN FUN!

KYAN: Say you’ll come, Reece! It feels like it’s been too long. I know you’re busy being an actor and kicking butt Off Broadway. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be having all the fun too. And who better to have that fun with than me and Benjamin? Come on, do it!

Reece giggled and rolled his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind that if he did head down to the Bubble Palace, he would have a ton of fun. But that wasn’t the point. Reece knew that doing well and getting a part in this new play was super-important to him.

There were rumors that the play’s director was going to be moving into film soon, and it definitely felt like a smart move to impress him enough now and then hopefully be in his mind when it came to casting for his future work.

Reece knew how the industry worked. It was about who you knew as much as it was about how well you acted. And if Reece could blow the director away with a fire audition then that would be a great step forward. There was no denying that, even for a second.

“Nope. I’m staying home,” Reece said to himself, picking up his phone and firing off a message to his best friends to that effect. “Call me boring, but this is what needs to be done.”

With that, Reece put his phone away and walked over to the small desk in the corner of his room and picked up the script that he would be reading from when the audition rolled around.

Reece’s room was small but had everything he needed. From the little desk where he kept his stationary, coloring books, and theater scripts to the wooden crate bed, and to the cozy corner where he housed his beanbags, blankets, and toys.

It might not have been a room fit for a millionaire entrepreneur or high flying career person, but as far as Reece was concerned, it was absolutely perfect.

Reece smiled and began to pace around the room with the script in his hand and his mind set on diving deep into the character’s heart and head.

The element of pretending to be someone else was always a big part of the appeal of acting to Reece.

There was something so freeing and playful about working out a character’s motivation and really seeing how best to bring them off the page and into real life.

It might have meant missing out on fun and frolics with Benjamin and Kyan, but Reece was happy to be learning his lines and living his best life.

There was no guarantee that he was going to ace the audition and get the part.

But that was part of the process and Reece was getting more and more used to it.

However, there was a feeling inside Reece’s tummy that was telling him that this was going to be the part for him.

I’ll smash the audition.

I’ll get the part.

And then… the whole world better watch out!

Reece giggled to himself and began to recite his lines. With Squirt and his other stuffies watching on with interest, Reece soon found himself moving through the gears and delivering the lines with all his cute charisma and charm.

It was bad luck to assume that you were going to get the part as an actor, but as hard as he tried, Reece couldn’t stop himself from thinking that his name was written all over this part – and it was only going to take a single audition to prove it…