28
TIME TO GET WILDE
“MR LOCKE?”
A hesitant female voice followed two light raps on the door of the dressing room that Ace and I had been ushered into around ten minutes ago. He’d just finished up with makeup and had slipped into his tailored Armani suit jacket, which matched his fitted black pants. “Yes. Come in,” he said from where he was standing in front of the mirror adjusting the cuffs of his black shirt.
I was seated over on the plush two-seater couch that was pushed up against one of the walls, watching him get ready for his exclusive “Ace Locke with Carly Wilde” interview that was about to take place in—
“We’ll be ready for you in ten minutes,” Kelly, the assistant who had been helping us out today, said. “I’m here to take you down to the green room. Mr. Prescott can watch the segment from in there.”
Ten minutes. Oh man. Ten minutes suddenly seemed so very close.
“Sounds great. I think this is as good as it’s going to get,” Ace said as he turned around to look my way.
I got to my feet and rubbed my clammy palms over my grey dress slacks, and then trailed my eyes up his long legs to his handsome face. When I noticed the slightly tense set of Ace’s shoulders, I was clued in enough to the man I was looking at to sense the underlying nerves behind the smile. I walked over to stop in front of him and brought my right pointer finger to my lips, tapping it there in contemplation. “You look like this famous guy I know,” I said, and then snapped my fingers before pointing at him. “Yes…big action star. Takes no prisoners. Sexy, too,” I said, reaching up to smooth my hands over his shoulders. “Very sexy.”
Ace’s eyes shifted to the woman beyond my shoulder, and then he grinned. “Well, since his is the only opinion I worry about, I say we’re ready.”
“Very good,” she said as I turned to head her way, and when I took a step, I felt Ace’s hand take mine. I glanced over my shoulder at him, and when he took a deep breath I tightened my hold on his fingers as we headed for the door of the dressing room.
Today was huge. What Ace was about to do was monumental, life changing, and I couldn’t believe he’d agreed to it, much less appeared genuinely excited, minus this small case of nerves.
It had been a little over two weeks since the night of Brenda’s disparaging interview, and since then we’d had several conversations with Ace’s friend and attorney, Logan Mitchell, who’d advised no contact with her, and no comments about her. The best way to fight this for the moment was with silence, and though Ace had adamantly told Logan he wished he could do a whole lot more than bite his tongue, Logan had advised him, “For once, listen to me, Locke. That’s what you pay me very handsomely for. Although I have been told that my mouth alone could be worth millions.” And, after much grumbling, we’d agreed with the bossy lawyer and followed instructions.
We’d remained quiet, and so had Brenda, but we knew her silence wouldn’t last for long. But right now the only people who continued to speculate and talk about that sit-down with Holly and my mother were the entertainment magazines who had nothing else to gossip about, and that had been Ace’s cue. Both Roger and Martina had agreed it was time to tell our story. It was time for Ace to step out of the closet and go public with an exclusive interview on the Carly Wilde Show, and now here we were walking down a corridor to her green room to wait.
As we were ushered inside, the first thing I noted was how nice it was. For some reason I’d expected a little room with a couch and a TV, but that was not the case at all. There was a bar along the back wall, the lights were low, and there were several couches facing a wall filled with televisions showing the program currently being recorded.
“Please make yourself comfortable,” Kelly said. “There are drinks over at the bar and someone will be in shortly to fetch you, Mr. Locke.”
“Thank you. You’ve been very helpful this afternoon,” he replied.
“It was my pleasure. And it was lovely to meet you too, Mr. Prescott.”
“You too,” I said with a smile, before she shut the door and I walked over to one of the couches to take a seat. “This is nice.”
Ace followed and unbuttoned his jacket before he sat beside me. I stretched my arms out along the back of the leather and then waggled my brows at him. “Too bad you only have a few minutes. We’re all alone, fully stocked bar, you’re lookin’ all hot in your suit…”
Ace’s lids lowered as he leaned in to lightly kiss my lips, and then he whispered against them, “Are you sure you want me to do this? There’s still time to cancel.”
I sucked my upper lip under my lower one and pretended to think about his question before my mouth curved into a grin. “Am I sure I want you to go out on public television and tell the world we’re dating?”
“Well, it will probably be a lot more than just that.”
“Hmm, yeah, I guess so. But…I’m not adverse to people knowing that you’re off the market. And I trust what you’ll say.”
Ace brought a hand up so he could brush his thumb over my chin, and then he held my face steady. “Good. Because I would never do anything to hurt you.”
I blinked at the sincerity I saw in his eyes, and then nodded. “I know.”
“Okay. And for the record, this is just as much about me telling the world that you’re off the market too. So don’t believe for one second that this isn’t a purely selfish move.”
I chuckled at that, but then sobered as I searched his blue eyes. “Are you nervous?”
I remembered him telling me once that he didn’t like to voice his nerves, because if he acknowledged them they would get the better of him. However, this time, he didn’t hesitate. The corner of his lips quirked and he said, “Yes.”
“Yes?”
When he nodded and slid his hand up to cup my cheek, I raised my own to cover his.
“About which part?” I asked.
“About me not making a fool of myself over you.”
My heart swelled at that and a relieved laugh slipped free of me. “Oh?”
“Mhmm,” he said, running the pad of his thumb over my lower lip. “How am I supposed to answer calmly when she asks me how I feel about you, when all I want to do is…” Ace took in a shuddering breath and leaned in to steal a kiss, and when he sat back I said, slightly breathless now myself, “When all you want to do is what?”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Mr. Locke, we’re ready for you,” Kelly said when she stuck her head in the door.
Ace nodded and rose to his feet while I sat there sputtering, wanting to know what he’d been going to say. But I’d just have to ask him later. It was time for him to go and sit down with the most popular talk show host in America, and there was no way you kept her waiting.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said, and then bent at the waist to give me one more kiss. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, hotshot. I’ll be watching,” I said, indicating the televisions on the wall.
“You better be,” he said, and then shot me his movie-star smile as he turned and headed for the door.
As I watched him go, the broad line of his shoulders, the tapered waist and long legs eating up the space, I couldn’t help the pride filling my chest. That man was mine, and he was about to go and tell it to the world.
* * *
IT’S SHOWTIME, I thought, as I followed Kelly, who wove her way backstage around props, people, and scaffolding to a side door. She instructed me to wait as two efficient men hooked me up with a battery pack that clipped to my belt under my jacket, and then they attached a tiny mic to my lapel. I could hear the excited murmurs of the audience through the door as the preshow entertainment wound up, and the nerves I’d confessed to Dylan only seconds ago slammed into me tenfold.
Jesus, I felt lightheaded.
“Excuse me, do you have some water?” I asked Kelly, who nodded and quickly dashed off, reappearing with a bottle. I took several gulps and then shut my eyes, trying to center myself as a loud roar went up beyond the door I was standing at.
Carly Wilde had just walked on stage, I heard muttered behind me somewhere.
Oh God. Oh God. This is really happening. I’m really about to do this.
I continued to look at the door only a few feet away from me, and knew that in less than two minutes it would slide open for me to step out on stage, where I would sit down and tell all of my secrets to several million of my closest friends. And though I wanted to do it, when I thought of it in those terms, I also wanted to pass out.
I shut my eyes and shook my hands out, and reminded myself why I was here. What I was doing here. And when I remembered the look on Dylan’s face just before I’d left him there in the green room, my pulse steadied and my frazzled nerves calmed somewhat, because for once I knew the end game here, and that was to tell the world the truth and to finally be free and happy.
“All right, Mr. Locke,” Kelly said, glancing at the door. “You’re up in five, four, three—”
No more was said, the door just slid open and I heard, “Here’s that moment you’ve all been waiting for. Please welcome Ace Locke,” and the audience of approximately three hundred got to their feet and went ballistic.
There were screams, shouts, and wolf whistles, and several women at the front of the room were sobbing, as they hugged and jumped up and down with one another as I walked onto the stage and waved at the crowd. I stopped between the door and the couch to face the audience and gave a huge wave and slight bow, as I’d been instructed, and that sent up more whooping and hollering and had me relaxing into the excitable atmosphere and my role here today.
Today I was the celebrity I’d spent the past decade honing. I’d perfected that persona and character to a T, and as I aimed my famous smile out at the crowd and turned to head toward the woman whose show this was, I was shocked at the calm that overtook me. I knew this role. I could play this role, and I’d be damned if I didn’t win this group over by the end of this interview.
When I reached Carly, her smile was radiant and sincere as she opened her arms to me for a welcoming hug.
“Ace, so happy to have you here today,” she said by my cheek. Her black hair was cut into a chic bob that angled down to two sharp points in line with her chin, and her cream stilettos made her five-foot-four frame tall enough that she was eye level with me. She was dressed in a sleek black sleeveless dress that was cinched high on her waist with a cream sash, and then hugged her curvaceous figure to where the hemline hit just above her knees. She was gorgeous, and not only one of the most respected talk show hosts and entrepreneurs, but also a fashion icon.
I embraced her in a warm hug, which was surprisingly firm for such a petite lady, and when we pulled apart she turned to her adoring audience and announced, “He’s really here!” And that set the crowd off all over again.
As they cheered and screamed, some even gasped when I looked in their direction. Carly took a seat on her famous crimson couch and I took my spot beside her. She grinned over at me as I adjusted my jacket and sat back to survey the crowd. The spotlights were bright, but not blinding, as I stared out at the anonymous faces all smiling back at me, waiting for whatever it was I was going to reveal today, and as the excitement mellowed to hushed murmurs, Carly let out a boisterous laugh and looked my way.
“Welcome to my show,” she said, and I couldn’t help but reciprocate with my own laugh.
“Thank you. I definitely feel welcomed.”
She nodded and then scanned her fans before bringing her eyes back to mine. “They are quite exuberant today, aren’t they?”
I clapped my hands along with the cheers that went up at that, and when I heard someone shout, “We love you, Ace,” I looked to the left in the general direction the platitude had come from and gave a wave and a smile.
“And isn’t that the truth,” Carly said, recapturing my attention. “The world loves Ace Locke. They love watching your movies. They love getting to know you through interviews and press. They love speculating about the special man who’s caught your attention. And in general, the world just can’t seem to stop talking about the private man behind the larger-than-life movie star that you are. So, calm yourselves, people,” Carly said good-naturedly. “We only have him for a limited time, and I know you want some answers out of this guy before he leaves. Am I right?”
When the affirmatives rang out around the studio, I leaned back into the couch, placing an arm on the back of it much like Dylan had in the green room. Settling into my seat, I placed an ankle on my knee and turned my body toward my host as she crossed her legs and faced me. Her blue eyes glittered at me as she reached out to pat my hand that was resting on the back of the plush seat.
“So, how are you doing today?” she asked.
I barked out a laugh at her simple segue into the beginning of the interview. “I’m doing just great, Carly. And yourself?”
“Oh, I’m fantastic,” she answered as if we were at an intimate brunch for two instead of sitting down for an interview for over seven million. “But we aren’t here to talk about me, mister. We’re all here today to talk about you.” She paused for a second and then added, “Well, you and a certain someone who goes by the name of Dylan Prescott.”
God, I couldn’t have stopped my smile if I tried. But as it was, I wasn’t trying.
“Look at that smile,” she said, patting my hand and leaning forward. “Just the mention of his name and your entire face lights up.”
There was no denying that. “He has that effect,” I said, and the crowd erupted into applause.
“Yes. I can see that. And I have to thank you for agreeing to come and sit down to talk to me today.”
I nodded toward her, pleased that she was so easy to talk to. I’d always heard that about her, but having never interviewed with her in the past, I hadn’t been convinced until this very moment. “Thank you for having me.”
“Of course. You have to understand how happy I am to have you here. You’re such an inspiration to many already through your acting and charity work over the years. And then there was your coming out, which I’m sure helped many young men, and women, feel that it was okay to be proud of who they are, just like you are. And now here you are, someone so private, proving once again what courage looks like. You’ve smashed through Hollywood stereotypes and stepped out of the closet in a most public way, and I for one am humbled to sit across from you right now and watch you smile at the mention of your boyfriend’s— I can call him that, right?”
I chuckled. “Yes. He is most certainly that.”
“Then to finish my thought, it’s a joy to watch you smile over the mention of your boyfriend’s name.”
“Thanks, Carly,” I said, and the crowd clapped and stomped their feet as I allowed my gaze to travel the entire length of the studio. The acceptance on all their faces, plus that of the woman opposite me, made it easy to open up with her and just be myself. “It hasn’t been an easy road, especially these last few months. I’ve dealt with countless setbacks in my career, people who have decided not to risk working with me due to what is going on in my personal life, but I wouldn’t change it. Dylan makes it worthwhile. And if me going through this publicly—sharing my story, and his, with all of you—makes the life of one person a little easier…then I’m happy to be here and talk to you about the man who has made me a better man.”
As a chorus of awws echoed around the room, I gave a bashful shrug. “What can I say? He kind of makes me sappy.”
“We’re not going to complain about that. Are we, guys?” she asked her adoring audience, who shouted out nos and hell nos until she returned her attention to me. “Okay, so come on, you know I want some goods here. The juicy scoop on how you two really met. There’s always speculation about these kinds of things, but we have to know. Was it romantic? Did you see him through a crowd and have to talk to him, like it was reported? Or did you call him up after spotting that hot billboard of him, you know, this one,” she said with a gesture of her thumb over her shoulder to the massive wall screen behind us, and up popped that sinful Calvin Klein ad of Dylan. The one with the leather jacket, the briefs, and the come-hither stare that had started it all, and if I’d thought the wolf whistles were loud for me… The women that made up ninety-nine percent of this audience went crazy. They cupped their hands around their mouths and howled like they were at a strip show, and some even put their fingers in their mouths to whistle the roof off the building as Dylan’s ad remained blown up center stage for their pleasure and, oh yeah, mine.
With a smug grin, I slowly brought my eyes back to the woman whose were wide and innocent as she said, “I don’t know how you would ever look at him and not smile.”
“That’s a dirty play, Carly. How am I supposed to think when you have that photo up there?”
“Good point,” she said. “We’ll just pretend it’s not there.”
I looked out to the grinning faces, happy to see them enjoying themselves. “Sure. I can do that. Umm…what was the question again?” I joked.
Carly clapped her hands together, laughing. “How did you two meet?”
“Oh, that’s right. Well,” I started, and then scratched the side of my nose. “It’s a funny story, actually. And he tells it a little differently to me.”
“Does he?”
“Yes. I’m sure. But, uhh, I met him on our first day of Insurrection 2. I was driving to work and he was walking in the middle of the road, and, well…” I paused and gave the crowd my best it wasn’t my fault look as I ended, “I almost ran him over.”
“Wait, you almost ran him over?”
“Yeah.” I laughed.
“But he ended up dating you anyway?”
“What can I say?” I said with an arrogant grin. “I’m that charming.”
“Woohoo. We believe that. Don’t we?” Carly said, encouraging the masses to vocalize their thoughts, and when they all shouted a loud yes in unison, she looked back at me and waited for them to settle down again. “I have to confess, Ace. Just like everyone in here and out there, I’ve been watching and reading what I can get my hands on about the two of you. I’m not sure what it is that’s drawing us all in and wanting to know about this relationship but… Oh, who am I kidding? It’s because it’s you, Ace Locke, biggest movie star in the world, sex symbol, now telling us that you are an out and proud gay man in a committed relationship that has made this story explode. Then add in those sexy snapshots of you and Dylan in Vegas, and the amount of attention you two have received over the last few months is unheard of. How are you dealing with all of that?”
It was shocking to me that my chest hadn’t tightened in fear and my face wasn’t flushed at her words, but as I sat there thinking over Carly’s question, I realized for the first time that I was finally comfortable talking about this, and that was a powerful realization. It was also one other thing I could thank Dylan for. Helping me accept who I was right down to my very core.
“Well, it hasn’t been without incident, that’s for sure,” I said, and then shifted to put both of my feet flat and place my forearms on my knees. I steepled my fingers together and looked out at the crowd, who, I’d noticed, had gone eerily quiet as they awaited my next words. “For the last decade or so—longer, actually—I’ve chosen to live in the spotlight. That was a decision I made going into this industry, and one I would do over again if it meant leading me back to this exact place in my life, and this man. But I’ve made mistakes along the way—we all have. I spent years hiding who I was. But now that I’ve found Dylan, I don’t want to have to hide that. I don’t want to worry that someone will take a photo and wonder who he is. So, if that means coming out here and telling you all that I’m in love with him, then I am more than happy to do that. To share that.”
“I think that’s what’s so captivating,” Carly said. I cocked my head to look over at her, and she curled one of her legs under herself on the couch as if we were sitting in her living room, not her packed studio on live network television. “That you are being so open about this. I mean, granted, it’s been some time since the Vegas photos surfaced, but for a man who never once publicly acknowledged any relationship before, to hear you talk about Dylan is fascinating. This man has really changed you.”
I nodded and chewed on my lower lip. “You’re right. He has. He’s funny, smart, incredibly kind and self-aware, and”—I stopped and peered out at the enraptured faces staring back at me and gave a cheeky grin—“incredibly sexy, am I right?” One woman let out a “hell yeah,” and I pointed up at her. “See, she gets it.”
Carly chuckled. “Oh, I think we all get that.”
“I can’t describe him better than that. Our life is under a microscope. And there are days that are extremely difficult, and stories that are told that aren’t true. But all relationships come with problems—ours are just up for public consumption, and we know that. We are aware, and as long as we both know what’s real and what’s true then we can get through each day with most of our sanity, which is one of the reasons I’m here today. It was time to give voice to this relationship in the true sense of it. To give an honest narrative to what we share and who we are. And I thank you for letting me do that and be here.”
As the crowd erupted in applause, Carly laid her palm on my shoulder and squeezed. “You are fast becoming one of my favorite people in the world. Sit tight, everyone—we’ll be back after this commercial with more from Ace Locke and his upcoming movie role and where he sees himself and his new beau, Mr. Dylan Prescott, in the future.”
* * *
I DIDN’T THINK it was possible to feel as happy as I did right then while sitting in the green room of the Carly Wilde Show. But with every word and answer that came out of Ace’s mouth, my smile extended farther across my face. From the second he’d stepped out on that stage, Ace had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand, and they loved him. The tense line of his shoulders from earlier had vanished, and as he sat beside Carly on the couch, he talked to her and the crowd as if he were holding a casual conversation with me. It was as if he’d known them all for years, and every now and then just in case they forgot who they were all conversing with, Ace would aim his megawatt smile at them and toss out some of that movie-star arrogance, and boy did they go nuts over that.
My guy was incredible. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t known that before, but as I sat there watching people react to his mere presence, I really got it. Ace was…well, he was a true inspiration. When he spoke, these people in the crowd, and no doubt all over the country, were hanging on his every word. And it was easy to forget who he was when you were with him—he was just that affable.
Over the past few months, I’d come to realize firsthand that in regard to celebrities, the public viewed them as their own personal property. Their every move was up for grabs, their lives, entertainment for all us normal folk, because as far as we—and yes, I lump myself in there too—continued to put them up on pedestals, they would always be under scrutiny. But it was what they did with that fame, that notoriety and level of success, which really made them be loved or vilified. And it was as I listened to Carly discuss Ace’s choices, his decision to come out publicly and tell the world who he was and how it had impacted and helped others, that I really thought of him and his reach in the broader spectrum of things. In the world beyond just him and me. And damn if that didn’t make me proud to be the one on his arm.
I took a sip of the bottled water I’d grabbed from the bar, and then glanced up at the screen, where Ace was leaning across the couch and saying something in Carly’s ear. They’d just cut to commercial and someone had rushed in to touch up their makeup, but they must’ve been close to going back live, because everyone had vanished from the stage, Carly grinned at him and nodded, and then the show’s theme music rolled, the logo appeared, and they were back, the crowd clapping and shouting their excitement.
“Welcome back, everyone, and to those of you just now joining us, I’m here with Ace Locke, the star of The Last Guttersnipe, Hard Throttle, and Original Bourbon, to name just a few, and he’s just wrapped up shooting the sequel to Ron King’s blockbuster hit Insurrection. Coincidently, the set of his latest movie Insurrection 2 is also where Ace first met the new man in his life, the man we’re learning a little bit more about today from Ace himself. Isn’t that right?”
“It is,” Ace replied with an extremely satisfied smile, and my cheeks heated the same way they had when they’d plastered my billboard image on the massive screen behind him earlier. As the audience clapped and the camera zoomed back to encompass both Carly and Ace, I was amazed at how relaxed he was. He’d settled right into discussing his life and us, and that comfort and level of ease made my heart want to burst with happiness, because I knew how long a road Ace had traveled to get to that point.
“Okay,” Carly said. “Let’s cut to the chase and ask some of the questions I know we’re all dying to know. How long did you wait before you and Dylan first got together? Did you ask him out on a date?”
I chuckled at Ace’s expression then. His mouth opened once, twice, and then he laughed. A spontaneous burst of oh shit laughter, as he seemed to recall the first time we’d gotten together. He then settled somewhat and answered, “It was at my birthday party.”
“Oh!” Carly said, clasping her hands together, delighted by the seemingly innocent enough revelation. “So you asked him to be your date?”
“No,” Ace said, and shook his head. He then looked directly at the camera, and I knew that stare, that intense focus he’d just rediscovered, was all for me as he answered, “I wasn’t that bold. He asked me to come with him, and I did.”
Fuck, there is no way he just said that on national television. But the smile that curled his mouth was one I knew all too well, and so was the spark in those blue eyes as the crowd went wild. That cocky bastard, I thought, chuckling to myself. He is in so much trouble later.
“Ahh, so Dylan isn’t the shy, retiring type?”
Oh God. I could only imagine what Ace would have to say about that.
“No,” he said. “I would never accuse him of being shy. There’s been a couple of occasions…but for the most part I would say, no. Not shy at all.”
“So…he wouldn’t mind if we got him out on stage with us today, then?”
Wait. What did she just say? I shot to my feet as if I’d just been pinched on the ass. My eyes were wide and I was convinced my mouth had fallen so far open that my jaw might just be hitting the floor. But Carly kept on talking.
“I understand he’s here with you, waiting backstage. Do you think he’d mind coming out to discuss the movie you two are starring in together? It’s his first, right? I’d love to get an outsider’s take on what it was like watching the Ace Locke up close and personal.” Carly made sure to add a whole lot of innuendo to that final word, and when Ace began to laugh and look around at the crazed people now cheering my name, he rubbed a hand over his face and looked over at her.
“Yeah, okay. Let’s get him out here.”
No. Way. This is not— He did not just say yes to—
The door to the green room flew open and my eyes darted over to see Kelly motioning frantically with her hand to hurry, hurry, but my feet were glued to the floor as she called out some words I couldn’t quite decipher. As my brain tried to keep up, two men raced in to attach something at my waist under my fitted grey vest, then attached—oh fuck, that’s a mic—to my black tie and Kelly was tugging on my wrist, saying, “Follow me.”
And with a final look to the TVs I’d been watching, I saw Ace on his feet and looking over his shoulder waiting for me as the crowd roared, and there was no way I would keep him waiting a minute longer.