I DROVE UP THE WINDING road slowly since it was dark out and the road was unfamiliar. I hadn’t felt like going to a party at all and would’ve much rather stayed in bed sulking, as I’d done most of the day. I’d been thrilled when I’d landed at the airport and found a text waiting for me from Garrett. I’d waited until I got home and then quickly responded with a text of my own, letting him know that I had arrived safely as well.
I also told him that I’d enjoyed every second of our time together and that I wasn’t going to let him forget me because I expected us to keep in touch. He’d sent back a bunch of smiley face emojis which made me grin, but I wished it was his own adorable smile I was seeing instead. I made a mental note to ask him if he’d like to video chat every once in a while. That way I’d be able to look into his expressive gray eyes and hear the deep and smooth sound of his voice.
I knew it was late in Chicago and he was probably tired, but I’d felt bad when I’d gotten on the plane and realized I’d never warned him about the tabloid article Bethany had shown me. I knew that most likely the paparazzi had no idea who he was and hopefully they wouldn’t find out. I guess that was the good thing about us being thousands of miles apart; even if it was the only good thing.
Still, I felt that he should be warned, just in case, so I’d sent him the link to the article along with a long apology from me. He’d assured me several times that it was okay and that he wasn’t upset and, eventually, I’d let the subject drop. We hadn’t texted anymore since then and I’d fallen into a fitful sleep, plagued by dreams of our time together on the island. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face; the amazement in his eyes when we were on top of the crater, the joyous smile he’d given me when we’d finished zip-lining, and the fierce look in his eyes as he’d taken me the night we were aboard my yacht.
I clung to each of those dreams, reveling in the feelings of happiness they brought me, but then reality, harsh and cruel, would come creeping in, and I’d wake up in a cold sweat, the sheets next to me cool and empty. I’d finally given up and padded out to the living room where I’d eventually been able to shut my brain down enough to doze in between reruns of old reality TV shows.
The entire last two days had left me tired, cranky, and miserable. The only reason I was going to this party at all was because I was hoping to speak with the movie director whose house the party happened to be at. I’d never met Gregory Moss before, but I’d always enjoyed his films, finding them refreshing and groundbreaking.
He was known for being a bit eccentric which, for the people in Hollywood, was a nice way of saying he didn’t fit inside their tidy little boxes. Gregory was highly progressive and wasn’t afraid of tackling even the most difficult or uncomfortable subjects in his films. His forward-thinking scared many of the actors and producers I knew, but to me he was brave, and with any luck, the man to help me find the role I’d been looking for.
I turned into the driveway and stopped to give my name and driver’s license to the security guard standing at the gate. He waved his hand at me instead. “I know who you are, Mr. Wilder. I’d recognize your face anywhere. My son and I are both huge fans.”
“Oh, well, thank you. I appreciate that,” I said, giving him my practiced movie-star smile. I’d used it enough over the years that I was able to paste it on my face now, no matter what kind of mood I was in. I waited for him to press a button and then the gates opened, and I drove through, the smile sliding off my face.
“Wow!” I whispered to myself as I got my first look at the property.
Enormous statues lined either side of the long driveway that led to the house. Giraffes that looked like they were eating from the trees, rhinos, elephants, and, randomly enough, a few clowns thrown in for good measure. I wasn’t sure what theme Gregory had had in mind when he’d decorated, but I could see now that maybe it wasn’t just his filmmaking that had given him his eccentric reputation. I was especially sure of this when I pulled up to the end of the circular drive and saw the fountain with a giant statue of a brightly colored peacock on top of it. Its feathers were spread out behind it in all its proud splendor and I chuckled at the thought of what the vibrant abomination must have cost the director.
I got out of my car and handed my keys to the valet before climbing the wide marble steps that led to a wide wraparound porch. The front door swung open and I was greeted by a friendly young woman who looked like she’d stepped right out of the seventies with her long, flowing hemp skirt, peasant-style blouse, and crown of flowers adorning the top of her head. Her raven-black hair reached all the way to her waist and she was barefoot.
“Hello. I’m Greg’s wife, Autumn. It’s a pleasure to have you in our home, Mr. Wilder.” She flashed me a friendly smile, having obviously recognized me. I tried to hide my surprise. I knew that Gregory was in his late sixties, but from the look of her, I’d guess his wife to only be in her mid-twenties.
“Thank you for inviting me. Please, call me Vincent.”
“Vincent Wilder! It’s great to finally have you here,” someone announced loudly. I looked over Autumn’s shoulder and smiled at the man walking our way. At 6’4”, with wide-set shoulders and a big, booming voice, Gregory Moss might have intimidated some people, but his easy smile and friendly disposition immediately put me at ease. He walked up and wrapped an arm around his wife before sticking the other one out to me. We shook hands and then he looked down at his wife who barely came up to his chest. “Were you going to let him in or just stand there and hope for an autograph?”
Autumn blushed but then laughed, obviously used to her husband’s gentle teasing. “I was just getting ready to invite him in when you interrupted,” she quipped back. Gregory kissed his wife’s cheek with a soft chuckle then turned to me.
“My wife is a big fan of your work, although she thinks you need some meatier roles. Something that really shows off your acting abilities,” he informed me. Autumn looked alarmed and I knew that she was probably worried that I might have been offended by her husband’s honesty, but I wasn’t, not in the slightest. I appreciated the fact that Gregory didn’t mince words and I was even more hopeful than before that I’d come to the right place.
“Actually, sir, I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you about that, if you have a moment.”
He tilted his head, giving me a long, measured look then he nodded. “Okay. I have to mingle for a bit with the other guests, but I’ll find you before the night is over and we’ll talk.”
“Thank you very much, sir.”
“Please, call me Gregory.”
I was wearing a wide smile as I followed them into the house, but it slid away quickly as they branched off, leaving me on my own. I scanned the room, taking in the usual sea of faces. Not all of them were famous, but they all had one thing in common. Money. Oodles and oodles of money, which a few of them had acquired through hard work, but most of them through an inheritance from their dear old daddies.
Taking a deep breath, I pasted a fake smile on my face and spent the next two hours making mind-numbing small talk with the other guests. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and I grabbed a beer then slipped out on the veranda, hoping to get some fresh air and clear my mind. Luckily, I didn’t see anyone else around, so I sat down on a cushiony chaise lounge. Stretching my legs out in front of me, I tilted my head back and stared up at the sky.
Sitting there in California, Maui felt so very far away. It was hard to believe that the stars I was staring at now were the same ones I’d gazed at just a couple of days ago on the island. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel Garrett in my arms, still smell the sweet scent of his skin. How long would that last though? How long would my memories stay strong before they began to fade? How long would his? The sound of voices broke me from my depressing thoughts and I perked my ears as I picked up on the angry words. The voices sounded familiar, but not enough for me to tell who they were.
“I wasn’t doing anything with him, I swear,” a male voice said.
“Oh, so I suppose he just needed your help in the bathroom. What were you doing? Holding his cock while he peed?” the other man accused.
“Look, I was just using the restroom and he walked in right before you got there. I barely even said hello to the guy,” the first man explained.
“How did he just walk in? It’s a private home. It’s not like there’s a public bathroom with a line of urinals hanging on the wall,” the second guy pointed out.
“So, I forgot to lock the door, is that a crime?”
“No. It’s not, but something doesn’t feel right,” the second guy insisted tightly.
“Look, think what you want, but I’m telling you that nothing happened,” the first guy insisted. I held my breath as they were both quiet for several moments, then the first guy spoke, and his voice was syrupy sweet with an almost flirtatious sound to it.
“You know I don’t want anybody but you, baby. Although, I have to admit that this little jealous streak you’ve got going on is really turning me on. What do you say we head back in to the party for a little bit and then I can take you home and you can remind me who exactly I belong to,” he coaxed. I rolled my eyes. I didn’t know who they were and even I wasn’t buying the guy’s story.
“You go on without me. I need another minute,” the second guy said quietly.
“Fine. Sit out here and pout,” the first guy spat out. He had obviously seen that his flirting wasn’t going to work so he’d reverted back to anger.
Before I had a chance to get up and slip back inside, I heard footsteps rounding the corner of the house. The man was almost all the way past me before he looked up and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened, recognition written clearly on his face. He looked back in the direction he’d come and then back at me, probably wondering how much I’d heard.
“Vincent,” he said in greeting.
“Erik.” His eyes wandered over me slowly then came to rest on my face, but he visibly flinched when he saw the scowl I was wearing. I’d always thought the guy was a prick, but now I knew it for sure.
“I’m just gonna…” He pointed in the direction of the door and then slithered inside like the snake he was.
I shook my head as I watched him leave, but then I swung my head back around when I heard a soft gasp. Joel Winchester was standing there with a surprised look on his face. He was an extremely handsome man, but the pinched set to his mouth and the dark smudges under his eyes told me that the issues I’d heard aired between him and his boyfriend a few minutes ago were not the first argument they’d had lately.
I’d met Joel and his boyfriend, Erik, the year before when they’d shown up at my house, film crew in tow, to do a celebrity edition remodel of my man cave for the DIY cable show they ran. Joel and I had hit it off right away. He was a nice guy with a great sense of humor and he was a genius when it came to building things or revamping a living space. Erik, on the other hand, had struck me as obnoxious, self-absorbed, and not very loyal if the way his eyes had zeroed in on my ass every time his boyfriend’s head was turned was any indication.
He’d even attempted to touch it one day, but I’d grabbed his wrist roughly and threatened to break it if he laid one finger on me. After that, he’d avoided me like the plague. Given what I knew about the man, I had no trouble whatsoever believing that Erik would cheat on Joel. I just hoped Joel was smart enough to get out soon before he got too hurt. He was a nice guy and he deserved better. I was glad that the two of us had remained friends after his work on the house was finished.
“Vincent, I’m sorry you had to hear…”
I held my hand up to stop him. “You have nothing to apologize for and it’s none of my business anyway,” I assured him.
He let out a loud sigh. “Thanks.”
“You okay?” I asked gently.
Joel opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, but Erik stuck his head back out the door. His eyes bounced back and forth between the two of us. “Joel, I’ve got some people in here who’d like to ask you a few questions about a remodel.”
“I’ll be right there,” Joel told him, clenching his jaw. I waited for the door to shut before I said anything else.
“Like I said, it’s none of my business, but I consider you my friend and for what it’s worth, I think you deserve better.”
Joel looked shocked, but he just nodded at me. “I’d better get back inside.”
“Okay. Just know that I’m here if you ever need anything.”
“Got any nice guys you know of?” he asked with a sad grin. “Never mind. I’m not sure they even exist anymore,” he murmured. He said a quick goodnight and headed back inside the house.
I watched him leave and then turned my attention back to the night sky. I hoped that Joel would be okay and that he’d find a good guy someday because they did exist. I knew it because I’d found one myself.
An hour later, I was headed back home. Gregory had come out looking for me not long after Joel had gone back inside. We’d talked, and I’d explained to him that I was tired of playing one-dimensional characters and I wanted to make a movie that not only had more depth, but that could possibly portray a gay male character as its lead. He’d listened intently and then asked me several questions. I answered each, including the fact that I wasn’t concerned about not making as much money as my current films, nor was I worried about the possibility of losing some fans if I took on the role of an openly gay man.
“I am an openly gay man in real life and I’d like to show that in a film that doesn’t end with one or both of its characters dying. There are a lot of films portraying gay men out there, but most end in tragedy, which doesn’t give much hope to the gay viewers out there. And none of those films have been made with the class and sophistication that I’ve seen in your work.” Gregory had smiled at that then he’d told me that if we could find the right script that he was on board with working with me. I’d left there truly smiling for the first time that day.