Declan’s sarcasm seemed to annoy Mark. He could tell by his agent’s flared nostrils, but the man didn’t say a word. He tossed the script to another pile and went on to the next project.

“British army officer fighting in Northern Ireland.”

“Geez Mark, did you sell your soul to the devil? I’m not going to act that part. Never.”

“The movie is already lined up for an Oscar.”

“No. I won’t betray my country.”

“Damn it Malone, it happened almost a hundred years ago. It’s time to put history behind you.”

“My dad lost his granddad in that fight and the family lost many more in the civil war that followed. I won’t do it.”

“Oh, the papers will love that. Irish actor announces British are all murderers,” Mark sneered.

“You can twist it any way you want. I love the British and they always make me feel welcome when I go over. But I won’t play that part. If you really want me in the movie, give me a part of a rebel.”

“But they lose. You can’t be on the losing side.”

“It’s a movie. Not real life.” Declan wondered if he came across to strangers like Mark did to him. Hollywood gave him a good living, but it was about as far from reality as you could get. Real life was different. It was about working hard, paying bills, saving up for stuff. Family time, meals with friends, laughing. He missed being with Zoe and Dominic. He even missed Gertie.

Declan put his hand out. “I’ll take it home and read it.”

“Good man. Knew you would see sense.”

Declan knew he needed to break ties with Mark. His agent had become so consumed by making it in the bigger leagues, he had forgotten why Declan agreed to work with him in the first place.

“Mark, you’ve changed a lot in five years.”

Mark looked up from the scripts he was working through. “What?” He looked totally confused.

“Do you remember that day I took you out to Howth to see the fisherman bring in the fresh fish? You wanted to see a bit of the real Ireland.”

“Can’t help but remember it. The smell was on my clothes for weeks.”

Declan pulled off some of his best acting by maintaining a serious composure. It was hard work. He could still picture Mark standing on the pier, dripping onto the stones stinking of fish. “Well, I didn’t tell you to take a swim.”

“It was your friends who pushed me in.” Mark shuddered.

Declan hid a smile. His mates back home had thought Mark was a pompous twit back then. What would they make of him now?

“You swore that day you would never pressure me to do anything I didn’t want to do. I was free to pick my scripts, work when I wanted to—”

“Yada, yada, yada,” Mark said. “That’s the same speech I give everyone. Would-be actors are all the same. They’re full of principles. Then they come here, they like the money and the lifestyle. They see how much more they could earn if they do have a more…flexible attitude to working.”

Declan had been guilty of that. He remembered taking on roles because they gave him a higher status in Hollywood, not because he believed in the movie. Nothing he did was making a difference to anyone. Well, aside from making the studios, Mark and him a lot of money.

“I think it’s time we call it a day, Mark.”

“What are you talking about?” Mark couldn’t have looked more surprised if Elvis had walked into the room

“I’m leaving you. I don’t want you to be my agent anymore,” Declan said softly.

Mark simply stared at him. He didn’t speak.

“I’m grateful for all you’ve done. You will still get your cut on the movies we have agreed to do, but I want to change agents. This, us, isn’t working anymore. You want to do one type of movie, I want another. I don’t want to fall out with you Mark, so can we agree to disagree and just split?”

Mark stood up and came right up in his face. Tempted to take a step back, Declan stood his ground. He wasn’t about to let Mark bully him.

“Are you joking? Or are you pissed because of what I said about the girl? I take it back. She’s gorgeous. She could even pass for a top model.”

Declan cringed. Couldn’t Mark hear himself?

“Mark, stop.”

“Just think about it. You’re in a funny mood this morning and maybe I was less than understanding. Go home, read these two scripts. You’ll feel different later. You’re tired. You’ve been traveling.”

“I didn’t travel that far.” Not in miles anyway, but he felt like he was an ocean apart from Mark.

“Take a day or so, Declan. I can see you have a lot on your mind. I didn’t mean to push you so hard, it’s just that I believe in you. I can see your name up on the Oscar lists. Clear as day.”

Declan took the scripts and left. He wasn’t going to convince Mark, not when he started talking about Oscars.