Matt brushed their compliments off. “You should’ve seen this place in the summer. It was a complete wreck. The previous owners hadn’t kept the landscaping up, and we had to re-plumb the entire house.”
Gideon felt a bit better about that. His townhouse had been built in two-thousand and fifteen, which meant he’d have a few more years before he’d have to replace anything significant. Knock on wood. “You’d never be able to tell.”
Matt smiled, and Gideons shoulders relaxed a bit. Ms. Stace didn’t know what she was talking about, but maybe it would be a good idea to have another student or teacher present during those sessions in the future. He’d already thought about it more than once. It couldn’t hurt.If the college would finally hire some TA’s it would be a non-issue.
The two women from the restaurant were there taking pictures of the spread and Oscar. Gideon was mid-thought about how he hoped they wouldn’t snap any photos of him when the patio door opened and Megs stepped out along with a man dressed in cheetah print pants. She looked between the three of them. “We followed the signs.”
“Perfect.” Matt clapped his hands together. “Everyone, this is Emile. He’ll be our acting coach for the evening. If you’d like to grab a plate . . . ”
Matt continued to explain the snacks his assistant had set out on the half-bar next to the fireplace, but Gideon couldn’t focus. Megs wore an oversized forest green sweater that made her eyes shine. Her curls were swept up into a clip, but a few tendrils had escaped and framed her face. She wasn’t wearing much makeup, but she’d applied something to her lips that made them pink and glossy.
Emile clapped his hands together, and Gideon started. “Alright! Dish up and take a seat. Tonight, we're going to try something a little different.”
Alli shot Gideon a look and he shrugged. Different didn’t mean much to him. The last acting classes he’d taken had been in college, and he doubted he remembered a single thing. Why was he still here? He didn’t care about winning this competition, and while the platform would be nice, he didn’t know if it was worth it. Did he want to make a name for himself as a romance narrator? Was any publicity good publicity?
Gideon dropped a few strawberries on his plate, then chose some crackers and cheese from the charcuterie board. It wasn’t just the promise of a platform. The second he’d submitted that audition, he’d committed to seeing this through with Matt for old-time’s sake. Though, had he known that Alli was involved—
“That color is gorgeous on you.” Matt stood next to Megs at the bar counter. Gideon's stomach clenched as Matt offered to fill her glass, then put a hand on her shoulder as he leaned past her to pick up the bottle opener.
Alli leaned in. “I think Mattie has a crush.”
Gideon stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
Alli looked up, her fingers on the olive fork. “You haven’t noticed how he always ends up next to her?”
Gideon's mouth went dry. “How could I? This is only the second time we’ve all been together.”
“I think I heard he visited a few of the contestants one on one. You know, the four he didn’t know ahead of time.”
Had he and Megs spent time together? Was Matt not only trying to play matchmaker with his four friends, but also with himself? The idea of Megs falling for Oscar Calloway made his stomach twist. Not that Matt wasn’t a good person. He was. But Megs . . . Gideon’s grip tightened on the serving fork.
He wanted her.When he’d seen Megs in the coffee shop, he’d been intrigued, but after arguing with her in his office, he’d started to sink. That was why he waited for her in the parking lot. Why he’d taken her to Sammy’s. Why he’d kissed her after they’d only spent one evening together.
There was something wild and intriguing about her. He didn’t ever know what to expect. Every movement she made, every word that left her lips felt like a present he was unwrapping. Everything in his life was so predictable, she felt like a fresh spring breeze through a house that had been boarded up for winter.
Megs was his student, but she wouldn’t be forever. He couldn’t have her now, but the second the semester ended, he was planning to use that number in his phone. He had to wait, and he understood that being forced into patience was playing tricks on him. Only making his longing worse.
But Matt didn’t have to wait. Matt wasn’t Megs’ professor, and there was no reason why he couldn’t make a move. The idea of it made Gideon want to crush something.He wanted Megs. And Matt already had everything else.
“I didn’t know how much you liked pickles.” Alli grinned, and Gideon looked down to see he’d put six cornichons on his plate.
Once they’d all sat at the table, Emile produced a jar filled with small slips of paper. "As actors, it's essential to be in touch with ourselves. These questions are designed to help you explore your innermost thoughts and feelings.”
Gideon shot Matt a look. Was this a therapy session? “I thought we needed to get in touch with our characters.”
Emile looked affronted. “How can you look outward when you don’t know what lies here?” He put his hands over his heart. “You need to know what you’re working with—what you can draw from.”
Matt glanced between him and Alli, then smiled at Megs next to him.Ah. Not a therapy session. More like a reality dating show. He wanted to be there for his friend, but he didn’t know how long he’d last if this continued. He glanced up to see Megs put a strawberry in her mouth.Nevermind.
"Let's see . . . " Emile swirled his hand around the jar before plucking out a slip. "Gideon, you're up first. Your question is: 'Why do you want to be a voice actor?'"
Gideon blinked, then turned to Matt. "They’re not filming this, are they?” He pointed at the photographers.
Matt shook his head. “Just photos for the website and social media.”
Gideon nodded. “Well. I didn't know I wanted to be a voice actor until recently. Care to comment on that, Oscar?”
Matt grinned. “What can I say? Sometimes others can see the potential in us that we miss.”
