Pulling back, I stared with incredulity. “You what?”
Ozrik cradled my face. “I love you, Gale. You snuck into my heart when I wasn’t looking. Together, we make lightning.”
I mirrored his smile. Was this my life? “I love you, too.”
“Zap.”
“Zap.”
The kiss we shared was soft and full of promises.
When I woke that morning, I wasn’t anticipating being the face of queer romance on a television show I had originally wanted no part of. I wasn’t expecting the guy I’d been datingto declare he loved me, but God worked in mysterious ways. All these years, I’d been praying, asking for the strength and courage to be myself. Maybe this was His way of telling me I was ready, and it was time.
When this CineVision Entertainment thing started, I didn’t think there would ever be a day I would have a boyfriend, be out to my dad and sister, and have a handful of supportive friends ready to go to war for my right to come out on my own terms.
Everything became crystal clear, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I took Ozrik’s hand and dragged him from the bathroom. “Come on. It’s time I have my say.”
37
Ozrik
Gale and I marched into the conference room hand in hand.
Dennis jumped to his feet. “Gale. Please sit. We’d like to chat about solutions and get your feedback on how you’d like to proceed.”
I glanced at Gale, unsure if he wanted me to speak on his behalf or if he planned to make an announcement on his own.
“Is there a solution?” he asked. “Can things be changed at this point?”
“Yes,” said Dennis. “Absolutely.”
“How? We have three weeks.” Charles’s comment was directed at Dennis, who lanced him with a nasty glare.
“Would you rather cancel the whole thing? Because I’m not letting this proceed unless Mr. Windrow and Mr. Devereaux give their approval.” Dennis eyed us. “And I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“I have contracts that give me permission to—”
“Those contracts are now void,” Dennis interrupted.
“Says who?”
“Says me. Effective immediately.” Dennis waved to the chairs we’d occupied earlier. “Please. Can we have a conversation?”
“No. I have something to ask Charles,” Gale said, speaking for the first time. He did not move to sit, nor did he release my hand, so I remained at his side, scanning the faces around the table.
“Go ahead, Gale,” Dennis said.
“Why five people?”
Charles shook his head and glanced at Dennis. “I don’t understand the question.”
“Yes, you do. Why five people? On day one, you said the cast of Stormz Rising needed to be five people. Not six, not four, but five. Why?”
“It’s the optimal number. I weighed many factors, and data suggests that audiences respond better when they can connect with certain types of characters. Too many and they get lost. Too few, and you risk them being unable to relate to someone. Five is the magic number.”
“And you tried to cast us like this show was some sort of freaking soap opera,” Noah said.
