darling .”
“Swim with the sharks and get teeth marks on your ass.”
“Thanks for the wisdom.” He pulled out a tissue and wiped at his face.
Shaz gripped his chin—hard. He raised Ru’s face to look at him. “In this case, darling, we’re not entirely sure who’s the shark.”
Ru gazed at his wise, loving friend—and finally smiled.
GRAY STARED out the window as they pulled into the parking lot of the Playhouse.
What the fucking hell are you doing?
Not sure.
Get a grip and remember who you are.
Don’t want to.
Grow up.
Really don’t want to.
Remember all those mouths you feed.
“We’re here, Gray. I’ll wait for you in the parking lot, okay?”
“Go get some coffee. I’ll be a while.”
“Okay.”
He looked at the big man who presumably would take a bullet for him—though he was more likely to be gang-kissed than assassinated. Still, Chris was a good man. One of many good people who worked for him. He had enough money to support his parents for their entire lives in style, but his staff? Like Benson adored pointing out, when Gray stopped working, they stopped eating. Hell, he was an industry. People his direct employees had never even met had a job because of the global corporation called Gray Anson. “And, Chris? Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
Gray smiled, but day-by-day it felt less like a pleasure to him.
In the theater, he got serious. Ru believed in him. That meant a lot. If I show him I value his help, maybe I’ll get more of it. He ran through the scenes again and again, even after Artie seemed satisfied.
Finally Gray walked to the edge of the stage for a drink of water. Artie trotted down to him. “Hey, wild man, take a rest. You’ve earned it. Save some for the performance.”
He smiled. “Thanks. I will.”
“Dress tomorrow. I don’t usually bring in costumes this early, but the clothes are so important to this staging, we need to reblock where required to show them off to best advantage. We want to get the gasps. Plus we need to give Ru time to edit where needed.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing the outfits.”
“He won’t have them all tomorrow, but probably most of yours.”
“Great.” Stupid how much he wanted to prance around in Ru’s clothes.
“Get some sleep.”
Gray grabbed his stuff and watched some of the other actors gathering for a social event—drinks, probably. He sighed. Do you want to go? Maybe not, but it kind of hurt that they didn’t ask. Big movie star. They figured he’d have other shit to do or wouldn’t want to join them. Story of his life these days. People stood in line to be with him because he was rich and famous, not because he was fun.
He started toward the door.
“Hey, Gray.”
He turned to see Merle waving. “I know you’re probably superbusy, but if you want a drink, we’re going to the Ocean Bar.”
“Thanks for asking. Maybe I’ll join you in a few.”
“Great.”
He walked out the front door of the theater, smiling. In the limo, Chris started toward the PCH and the hotel down in the southern part of town. Gray really wanted to see Ru—but he wasn’t invited. Damn. “Chris, would you take me to the Ocean Bar?”
“Uh, sure. If you’re sure.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure.” Well, not exactly, but for once he just wanted to do something normal.
Chris found a spot for the limo in a parking lot about half a block from the bar. Gray crawled out, and Chris fell into step beside him, walking toward the ocean. Wish I could just go on my own. Yeah, he was antsy, not crazy.
Inside the Ocean, people sat at the long bar, and only a few of the tables stood empty. A waitress hurried over with a plastered-on smile, her eyes anxiously scanning her customers. “Hi. Need a table? Take anything that’s empty.” She immediately walked toward a packed booth of men. Never even registered whom she’d just spoken to. That was a fun change.
Chris pointed to a barstool near the entrance. “I’ll
“Swim with the sharks and get teeth marks on your ass.”
“Thanks for the wisdom.” He pulled out a tissue and wiped at his face.
Shaz gripped his chin—hard. He raised Ru’s face to look at him. “In this case, darling, we’re not entirely sure who’s the shark.”
Ru gazed at his wise, loving friend—and finally smiled.
GRAY STARED out the window as they pulled into the parking lot of the Playhouse.
What the fucking hell are you doing?
Not sure.
Get a grip and remember who you are.
Don’t want to.
Grow up.
Really don’t want to.
Remember all those mouths you feed.
“We’re here, Gray. I’ll wait for you in the parking lot, okay?”
“Go get some coffee. I’ll be a while.”
“Okay.”
He looked at the big man who presumably would take a bullet for him—though he was more likely to be gang-kissed than assassinated. Still, Chris was a good man. One of many good people who worked for him. He had enough money to support his parents for their entire lives in style, but his staff? Like Benson adored pointing out, when Gray stopped working, they stopped eating. Hell, he was an industry. People his direct employees had never even met had a job because of the global corporation called Gray Anson. “And, Chris? Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
Gray smiled, but day-by-day it felt less like a pleasure to him.
In the theater, he got serious. Ru believed in him. That meant a lot. If I show him I value his help, maybe I’ll get more of it. He ran through the scenes again and again, even after Artie seemed satisfied.
Finally Gray walked to the edge of the stage for a drink of water. Artie trotted down to him. “Hey, wild man, take a rest. You’ve earned it. Save some for the performance.”
He smiled. “Thanks. I will.”
“Dress tomorrow. I don’t usually bring in costumes this early, but the clothes are so important to this staging, we need to reblock where required to show them off to best advantage. We want to get the gasps. Plus we need to give Ru time to edit where needed.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing the outfits.”
“He won’t have them all tomorrow, but probably most of yours.”
“Great.” Stupid how much he wanted to prance around in Ru’s clothes.
“Get some sleep.”
Gray grabbed his stuff and watched some of the other actors gathering for a social event—drinks, probably. He sighed. Do you want to go? Maybe not, but it kind of hurt that they didn’t ask. Big movie star. They figured he’d have other shit to do or wouldn’t want to join them. Story of his life these days. People stood in line to be with him because he was rich and famous, not because he was fun.
He started toward the door.
“Hey, Gray.”
He turned to see Merle waving. “I know you’re probably superbusy, but if you want a drink, we’re going to the Ocean Bar.”
“Thanks for asking. Maybe I’ll join you in a few.”
“Great.”
He walked out the front door of the theater, smiling. In the limo, Chris started toward the PCH and the hotel down in the southern part of town. Gray really wanted to see Ru—but he wasn’t invited. Damn. “Chris, would you take me to the Ocean Bar?”
“Uh, sure. If you’re sure.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure.” Well, not exactly, but for once he just wanted to do something normal.
Chris found a spot for the limo in a parking lot about half a block from the bar. Gray crawled out, and Chris fell into step beside him, walking toward the ocean. Wish I could just go on my own. Yeah, he was antsy, not crazy.
Inside the Ocean, people sat at the long bar, and only a few of the tables stood empty. A waitress hurried over with a plastered-on smile, her eyes anxiously scanning her customers. “Hi. Need a table? Take anything that’s empty.” She immediately walked toward a packed booth of men. Never even registered whom she’d just spoken to. That was a fun change.
Chris pointed to a barstool near the entrance. “I’ll
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