Page 62 of Country Road Romance

When he got there, he looked at the theater across the street, and he thought of all of the things that Charlie might then be doing. Was he giving his talk? Was he wondering why Jared wasn’t in the audience, or was he just glad that he didn’t have to put up with another potential outburst?

It took him longer than it should have to work up the nerve to actually go in there, and by the time he started to cross the street the doors were already opening and a cluster of people were coming out. When Jared saw one of the faces in that knot of people, his heart fell.

It was Councilman Rhodes.

“You really have a lot of nerve showing up here,” he said, face turning an alarming shade of red when his eyes fell on Jared. “After what your boyfriend said in there, I should have you run out of town on a rail!”

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” said Councilwoman Tate, who’d clearly exited with him. She’d always been one of Jared’s favorite members of the City Council. Not only had she launched an investigation of Councilman Rhodes; she’d been one of the first to give her unapologetic support for the film festival. “In fact, I think that we’ll be taking a vote very soon to see whether or not you are really the one best positioned to represent your constituents on the Council.”

Rhodes’ face turned an even more alarming shade of red. “I was duly elected, and you can’t remove me without a full hearing.”

“Oh, believe me, I know the rules as well as you do,” she said crisply. “You may rest assured that it will all be done according to the book. I think that once we start digging into your finances we’re going to find some very suspicious dealings. You’ve gotten away with things too long, Rhodes, and it’s time to clean up City Council.”

Rhodes looked like he wanted to keep arguing the matter, but he was also smart enough to realize that he wasn’t likely to win this fight. He knew, probably better than most, thatno onewon an argument with Councilwoman Tate whenever she had decided that something was going to happen. With a growl and a huff he stormed off.

This was almost too good to be true, and Jared tried not to let himself look or feel too smug. However, there was no denying that it would be a bit of poetic justice if Rhodes was brought down by his own rampant corruption.

It’s just a shame that he wasn’t removed for being a raging homophobe,he thought.

Now that Rhodes was gone, Tate turned her attention to him, and he wasn’t entirely sure that he was going to like what she had to say. Indeed, she put her hands on her hips and looked him up and down.

“You sure have caused quite a lot of trouble, young man,” she said. “I honestly don’t know who I’m madder at, you, Rhodes, or that movie star that you brought here. Do you have any idea how much trouble he’s caused with that little speech of his?”

Jared wasn’t sure whether or not he wanted to ask what speech she was talking about, but his curiosity got the better of him.

“Um…I’m not sure I know exactly what you’re talking about,” he said cautiously. “What speech?”

Tate gave him a look, as if she wasn’t quite sure that she believed that he had no idea what she was talking about. However, she just shook her head.

“Yourfriendin there gave quite a rousing speech accusing certain members of the Huntington City Council of not being supportive enough of the gay community. It was a good speech, I’ll give him that, but it’s not what I expected. I respect him, though. For a guy who’s always been taught to keep an eye on his reputation, he sure does know when to cause a fuss at the worst times.”

Jared almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Charlie Garrett had actually gone out of his way to challenge the status quo? His heart swelled with pride and, he had to admit it, with love, to think that Charlie would actually do that, when the stakes were so high and he had so much to lose.

The studio isn’t going to like this,he thought.

“If you’re going to go after him, you’d better do it soon,” she said. “Because from the look on his publicist’s face I don’t think they’re going to stay there very long.”

“Thank you, Councilor. I’m going to do just that!”

Jared made his way into the theater. Even though most of the people were still inside watching the movie, there were quite a few people milling about the lobby, and it was clear that they, too, had heard about Charlie’s speech. In fact, it was all anyone could talk about. Jared had a feeling that this was going to be the topic of conversation in every piece of media that came out of the festival.

He honestly wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It might have been the thing that he was pushing Charlie to do since they’d met, but it was also one of those things that could have far-reaching consequences for his career. Jared doubted that he was going to be able to make any forward momentum with this kind of baggage weighing him down.

For the moment, though, Jared had more important things on his mind. He had to find Charlie before he left. Nothing else mattered. He’d been stupid to let the other man slip through his fingers in the first place, and he wasn’t about to let that happen again.

Fortunately, he knew his way around this theater better than most, and it wasn’t long before he was in the modified green room that they’d managed to rig up. To his dismay, though, Charlie wasn’t there. He looked around, desperate to find someone who might be able to tell him where he’d gone, but there was no one.

No,he thought.This can’t be happening. I can’t be this close just for everything to have everything fall apart. That…that just wouldn’t befair.

He knew even as he thought those things that he was being both tedious and childish. The universe didn’t owe him anything, and he certainly didn’t deserve anything from Charlie after the way that he’d acted.

Jared knew that his only chance now was for him to get to the back parking lot before Charlie managed to get away. Somethingtold him, though, that he wasn’t going to make it, that he was going to be too late and all of this was going to fall apart.

Sure enough, he got to the back lot just in time to see what he knew to be Charlie’s limo driving off. After all, who else but Charlie would have a limo at the premiere? He could have almost sworn that he saw Sheri’s face in the window looking back at him, but he couldn’t have sworn to it. He supposed that he wasn’t surprised that she’d rushed him out of there as soon as he’d finished with his speech. Whatever else she might be, she was a good publicist. She’d want to make sure that she was protecting Charlie’s legacy as much as possible.

Well,he thought,that’s that. I guess maybe it’s for the best after all. Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me that this wasn’t meant to be and that I should just accept that.

He stood there for several more minutes, not quite sure he knew what he was hoping for. He knew that he could have gone back to his apartments, gotten into his truck, and gone racing after Charlie. For that matter, he could have called him up on the phone and told him how he felt. Somehow, though, Jared couldn’t shake the feeling that if this–ifthey–had been meant to be that the universe would have made sure that he’d made it here in time. Since he hadn’t, it was best to just make peace with that and start putting his life together. Without Charlie.

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