Excitement churned in my gut as it always did when I realized a TV adaptation of Juno was really happening. “Do you have actors in mind?”
“Olivia Jones for Juno.”
My eyes grew round. Olivia Jones had just won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for a huge Hollywood film. “You know Olivia Jones?”
Theo nodded and shrugged like it was no big deal. “Before her fame exploded last year, we’d worked on a few smaller projects together. And I know she’s interested in doing a British drama. I think Juno would be just the kind of role she’d love to sink her teeth into. I might not be able to approach her officially yet, but I already sent her a copy ofHollow Grave.”
“When?”
“When you were sick. I bought a copy online and had it sent directly to her.”
“And she’s reading it right now?”
At my disbelieving tone, Theo chuckled and shifted in his seat to pull his phone out of his pocket. I watched him flick his thumb over the screen as I chewed a mouthful. Then he held out his phone to me.
It was a text conversation between him and someone called Olivia.
Holy crap.
Are you reading it?Theo had sent in his usual cryptic fashion.
Olivia must know him well because she’d sent an equally cryptic reply.Yes. Just tell me when.
And Theo responded,I’ll be in touch.
He laughed as my jaw dropped. I shimmied in my seat with excitement. Olivia Jones would make the perfect Juno McLeod. “Oh my God!”
Chuckling, he took back his phone. “Don’t get too excited. Her schedule might conflict with ours in the end. But she’s interested.”
“I can’t believe Olivia Jones readHollow Grave.” I shook my head. My life was so surreal!
“You’re fucking adorable, little mouse.” Theo’s grin was wolfish before he took a huge bite of his sandwich.
The human observer in me wondered why he flitted between the pet nameslittle mouseandlittle darling. Did the usage mean something different? Was I foolish to look for some deeper meaning in them? I’d heard Theo use endearments so casually with people at the club, with strangers. He’d called me darling before he even knew me.
“What?” he asked suddenly.
“Nothing. I’m just excited about the TV show.”
We finished our lunch, talking about other actors Theo was interested in and what I thought about them. Most of them I liked, though there were one or two I hadn’t heard of, so I wasn’t sure. He reminded me that the studio or television company he sold his scripts to used a casting director, but he had such clear ideas for Juno he wasn’t sure it would be necessary.
After we cleaned up, we settled down in the living room at our desks to write.
I’d barely written a paragraph when I became aware of tingling on my left cheek.
Turning my head, I found Theo staring intensely at me.
It reminded me of our conversation four days ago when he told me the story about his family, and I told him about my sexual history. I still marveled that I’d been brave enough to reciprocate his trust. And even more so that I hadn’t felt vulnerable or regretful afterward.
“What is it?” I asked, confused by his attention.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Much,” I promised with a small smile.
He nodded, searching my face. “So I won’t be a bastard, then, to mention that I can’t stop thinking about the fact that you’ve not been kissed since you were a preteen.”
Taken aback, I spluttered, “W-why c-can’t you stop thinking about it?”
