Joshua wheeled to see Nate stabbing his index finger into Ross Tanner’s face. Even from this distance, he could hear Nate’s angry shout, which shattered the party atmosphere like a thunderclap. “You fucking bastard!” he bellowed. “You’re out of your fucking mind if you think—”
David elbowed Tanner to one side, and Nate turned to him, words tumbling out in a rush as he gestured toward Tanner and Rugby. No one at the head table could make out what was being said, but it was clear that Nate was seething with anger.
“Shouldn’t you go over there?” Joshua queried, gripping Colin’s arm.
“Yeah,” Trent echoed. “You’re the lawyer here, and unless I miss my guess, this discussion involves legalities.”
“Goddammit anyway!” Colin spat out. He rose and pushed past Joshua and Trent, jerking his phone from his pocket as he strode toward the group, thumbing a number. “Hey, Matt,” he said, speaking to Nate’s contract attorney. “Nate needs to talk to you.” He moved David to one side and shoved the phone at Nate. “It’s Matt,” he announced, then turned to face Ross Tanner. “Do you and I need to have a conversation, asshat?” When Tanner took a half-step back, Colin turned to face David. “WELL?” he demanded, eyes wide, hands spread in question.
David breathed out a huge sigh. “Someone on the UVA board gaveasshathere…” he pointed to Tanner, who was nervously eying Colin, “…the impression that because the board is financially invested inAutumn’s Pride,they have negotiating rights on the Dreams Theatrical contractafterthe agreed upon six-week run.”
Colin wheeled and glared at Tanner, who lifted both hands and took another half-step back. Colin spat out a disgusted noise and turned back to David. “Is theremore?”
“Yeah. This same board member also insisted that Nate is contractually bound to remain a script advisor in New York for the next six months.”
Colin turned to Nate, who was seated at a nearby table, still holding the phone to his ear. “What does Matt say?” Colin asked.
Nate held up one finger, then nodded. “OK, Matt. OK.” He rose and strode back to the group, holding the phone toward Ursula. “Matt wants to speak to you.” As she took the phone, he turned back to David and Colin. “Matt says they’re full of shit. He said just because a UVA board memberthoughtthat their financial involvement gave the board the authority to bargain with Dreams Theatrical, that does not make it true, or more to the point,legal.”
He turned to stare at Ross and Ursula, who had put Matt on speaker and were bent over the phone listening. “Matt said I’m done here once my six-week run is completed, and UVA hasnoauthority over my play. They’ll get their agreed-upon share of the profits and producer credit in all the promotional material. But that’s it.” He drew in a wavering breath and fell forward onto David’s chest. “Jesus Christ, Davy, I just want to gohome!”
David wrapped Nate in both arms and pointed at Ursula Rugby, who offered Colin’s phone. Colin wheeled and snatched it from her hand. “Matt gave you the abbreviated version,” Colin snarled. “You try any more fucking bullshit with Nate, and I’ll be back to give you theextendedversion! And trust me, you won’t like how it ends.” He stabbed an index finger at Tanner. “A version that might include me kicking the shit out ofyoujust on general principle!”
David chuckled as he led Nate back to their table. News about the quarrel between the play’s author and the production’s managers had reached the ears of everyone present, and many members of the cast and crew stopped by to offer Nate their support. But the party atmosphere in the ballroom had evaporated, and people were beginning to drift toward the exits.
Scowling, Colin left the group and fell into a chair near the back of the room, where he slumped on the table in gloomy silence, picking at a plate of hors d’oeuvres. After giving him a few minutes to collect himself, Joshua moved to join him.
“You ready to head to our room?” he murmured, embracing Colin from behind.
“You mean the one on West River Road?”
“Don’t I wish.” He kissed Colin’s cheek. “We’ll be home tomorrow, baby. But right now, Nate needs our support. His partners and university betrayed him, so he’s feeling a bit low.”
“It wasoneuniversity board member,” Colin said. “Who I’m sure David already has scheduled for a verbal ass whipping. And as far Tanner and Rugby go, he should have expected this kind of bullshit, at least from Tanner. I’m not sure Ursula had much to do with it.”
“Aww, you just like her ‘cause she thinks you’re cute,” Joshua teased, flopping into a chair beside him.
“Well, thereisthat. And, y’know…” He cocked an eyebrow and pointed to his face. “Iamsorta cute!”
Trent approached and tugged Colin to his feet. “C’mon, Irish. We’re taking this party upstairs.”
“Are we taking the food with us?”
“I’ll order new food,” David told them, leading Nate toward the door.
* * *
In the suiteoccupied by Colin, Josh, Trent, and Jeff, the six friends gathered around a table piled high with beer and appetizers and spent the better part of an hour reassuring Nate about the success of his opening night.
“Just look at the response you got!” Jeff pointed out. “The audience loved it!”
“Nate, you wrote a magnificent play,” Trent added.
Nate opened his mouth to speak, then glanced around, looking puzzled. “Where’s Colin?”
Frowning, Joshua rose and moved to their bedroom, returning moments later. “He’s not there,” he told the group. “Where the hell did he go?”
“Did he go up back to the ballroom?” David asked.
