I catch Kiernan’s worried gazeagain, and ignore it. Isn’t that what we do whenever Mom comes up? Ignore it?
Twenty-Five
Bryce
“God-fucking-dammit!” Tad shouts.
He lays into a punching bag in thehotel gym. He’s the only one in here.
His blond bangs, drenched withsweat, cling to his forehead. It’s the way they sometimes look after we’ve beenfucking for a while. He hits the bag with a passion and fury that reminds me ofwhen he’s playing ball.
“You need something?” he asks ashe stops hitting and turns to me. The front of his white tank is soaked withsweat. His arms glisten in the overhead fluorescent lights.
“You all right?” I ask.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
It’s only been a few hours sincethe interview, and as far as Debra and Kiernan are concerned, it was a massivesuccess, convincing them that the public is behind Tad now that they know abouthis new, committed relationship with the man I’m pretending to be. Kiernan evengot a call from Linely at Brenner Hughes enthusiastically talking about theirnext plans for their ad campaign, hoping to schedule time to take ourlove-road-show on to more interviews for publicity. Even better, Debra iscertain there’ll be some new companies vying for his endorsements in the nextfew days.
As Tad looks at me, his expressionseeming to beg that I not press about the interview, I choose to leave it alone.“I’ll head over to the office center across the hall. Maybe catch up on someshows.”
“Or maybe just some crappy horrormovie,” he says with a smile.
It’s disarming. Despite thenegatives, the interview must have given him some ease with all the success wehad, which is good to know.
As I turn, he calls my name, and Iturn back to him. His expression is far more serious as he looks at me in a waythat leaves me wondering if he can read my thoughts.
“Thank you,” Tad says.
“It was nothing.”
“Not just for the interview. Forbeing here. For going well beyond what you thought you would have to do whenyou took this job. I appreciate it. And I’m sorry for giving you such a hardtime about…you know. I know you were just trying to keep us from getting intoany more trouble.”
“I’m glad you realize that becauseobviously, if I had it my way, we would have just kept going the way thingswere.” I still wish we could do that, but at this point, it just isn’t anoption.
He smiles. “One of the fun parts aboutbeing in my life.”
“Eh, I think I’ve actually seenthe fun part,” I tease.
And as we gaze into each other’seyes, I can feel that we’re back to everything being okay again. Not great, butokay.
Twenty-Six
Tad
The cameras flash.
Even with my shades on, the lightsare blinding as we make our way into Planet Hollywood.
Bryce and I hold hands as the hostescorts us inside. Funny that we’re pretending to be a couple now that we’veopted out of the fun parts of a relationship. Just when I thought I couldactually have something, it was snatched from me. Such is life, I guess.
Bryce is right. We can’t do thisanymore, and it’s probably for the best. Since he said that shit in theinterview, about loving me—fictitious as it was—something terrible has happened.I can’t stop thinking about him as more than just a trick. As someone I mightconsider being with in a more meaningful way. It’s something I’ve allowedmyself to do a few times before, but after the feeling I got in that interview,I know I have to be cautious. That’s just impossible with the life I’m living.I’ve already learned that the hard way.
Debra thought it important that webe “caught” by the paps on a date after our coming out on the Henry Mason showa week ago. This will be our first official date as a couple, and it’ll beinteresting pretending to be “datey” for the night with Bryce after we’vechosen not to mess around.
When we sit at the table, Bryceremoves his glasses and glances back at the door.
“Nice that you can at least getaway for a while,” he says facetiously.
