Bridget tuts, but slides her reading glasses up her nose and eyes her tablet. “Starting tomorrow, you’re back to two-a-days with Trevor. This will get you in shape for filming ‘Edgelord’ in five weeks. That shoot is a full week long, remember? The director, Mark Savage, wants multiple locations…”
She continues, but mentally, I’ve checked out again. I’m not a complete idiot; I know I booked “Edgelord” for myself, under my own production house, because, at the time, I was the perfect fit to play the main character. My time in front of the camera has been few and far between over the last year. I mostly produce or sometimes direct films for my company, Neon Nights Media, but occasionally, I partake in scenes.
Mark Savage, a director I’ve worked with before and whose work I admire, had begged me to take the lead role in “Edgelord.” And two months ago, over drinks and cigars, it was the perfect fit.
But my mind wanders to the beautiful, smart, curvy brunette I met in Vegas. Bex.
We never had an honest conversation about what I did for a living. Sure, we skated around the topic, and she seemed shocked when she learned the truth, but she wasn’t scared away. Because when I was with Bex, that part of me, that… “porn star” part of me? It felt like part of the past. How quickly that happened when I was with her.
“Listen, Corey, you’re wasting my time—”
“Bridget, I’m sorry—”
She cuts me off with a glare, and I know I need to apologize. And perhaps… fess up.
“You know I’m not normally like this,” I say, leaning forward in my chair, placing my head in my hands briefly.
“Oh, Jesus,” she groans, and I snap my head up to look at her. “Did you knock some bitch up?”
Letting out a roaring laugh, I smack my hands on my desk and throw my head back, causing Bridget to jump. “Ha! Come on, Bridget, you know I got that shit fixed years ago.”
She holds her tablet close to her chest, as if protecting herself. “Right, that’s why I’m so fucking confused, Corey!”
I groan, rubbing my temples, before saying quietly, “I met someone.”
“Of course you did,” Bridget says, simply. But it’s anything but.
“In Vegas. She works at Aaron’s casino, and I…” I trail off, because I’m not sure how to explain it to Bridget. She’s seen everything in her time with me—the highs, the lows, the ultra lows, the indecent and extreme—and yet, words fail me.
“And the big bad wolf of porn has a crush,” Bridget says, smirking as she sets her tablet down.
I open my mouth to deny or argue her claim, but, once again, words fail me. So instead, I shrug and simply say, “Yeah. I do.”
Bridget nods and sits back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, it’s not the worst thing. Are you going to see her again?” She catches the stricken look on my face, as if there’s a world where Iwouldn’tsee Bex again. Is she insane? Then she says, “Okay, so it’s a big crush. Is it serious?”
“We spent some time together,” I say, fiddling with my fingers. I am the CEO of Neon Nights Media—I do notfiddlewith anything, so what the fuck am I doing right now? “I’m not sure how serious it is yet. But it feels… different. Good.”
“Okay,” she says, picking back up her tablet. “Well, I can squeeze in a visit back to Vegas in the next few weeks, if you want to see her again.”
“Really?” I ask, surprised at Bridget’s seeming show of support. I expected her to tell me to forget her, there will be more women, and move on, but she doesn’t. In fact, what she says next almost sends me falling from my chair.
“And right after ‘Edgelord’ wraps, you’ve got the Adult Film Awards in Vegas, at Aaron’s casino. Why don’t you ask her to go with you?”
My stomach fills with butterflies—fucking butterflies—at the thought of Bex accompanying me to one of the biggest nights of my career. I’m receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, which not only makes me feel old as fuck, but proud as hell. Would Bex really want to go to that with me?
But the butterflies drop dead suddenly as it sinks in, what comes before the awards.
“Bridget,” I say, cautiously. “About ‘Edgelord’—”
“Absolutely not,” she snaps, whipping her reading glasses off her face. “You’re not backing out of this role. This director is the hottest in theindustry right now, and this film actually has a half decent script,” she grumbles. “Consider this your swan song, Corey. This is the biggest budget any adult film has seen since that wacky pirates shit came out, and with you starring and executive producing? Neon Nights Media will be set for a long time.”
I sigh, knowing that she’s right, but not wanting to relent so easily. “But—”
“If this woman you met is so incredible, she’ll understand. I know you haven’t been in a serious relationship in years, Corey, and maybe this is why. But this could be your last film. Ever. Please, don’t throw it away for someone you’ve known for a few days.”
We sit in silence for a few moments before Bridget grabs her tablet and turns to leave.
“For what it’s worth, I’m really happy for you, Corey. I haven’t seen you like this since, well, not even when you were with Sabrina. Just… take it slow, okay?”
