Page 59 of The Actor: Harrison

“Yeah, I didn’t think it was a problem either.” He blushes shyly. He’s a good guy and really doesn’t like to be on the illegal side of the track.

“Did I put you at risk asking to finance the movie the first time?” My heart starts to hammer in my chest. I didn’t want to put him in a bad spot. It was a request made in innocence, but my word doesn’t count as proof against a tax fraud accusation.

“No, absolutely not.” He scrambles to reassure me and I let out a sigh of relief. “I checked with them before proceeding, but still. They said that I can’t do it anymore, not if I don’t want to raise suspicion for the both of us. You’re on the line too.”

I lower my gaze, ashamed for not checking with my accountant before stepping into potential trouble. This movie has fried my brain since the beginning. I’ve never acted so recklessly before.

“Thank God. At least I didn’t fuck up that one,” I murmur and he chuckles.

“It’s okay. I don’t go blindly into those things. I would never agree if I’m not sure it’s one hundred percent safe.”

I don’t feel better about it. I didn’t become a billionaire by making reckless investments. I became one because I study the market and the companies, and I chose the right one to put my money into. And here I am. Feeling restless because I need to find another way to come up with the money. I have the distinct impression that I’m fucking this up on too many levels to even count.

“Do you want to see the dogs before you leave?” he asks with a smile when it’s clear I’ve run out of time here.

“Yes, please. I love those dogs!” I stand up faster than ever and follow him into the daycare room. If there’s one thing that puts a smile on my face, no matter what, it’s playing with Pepper Jack and his friends.

***

“You have dog hair all over your pants and shirt.” Leonard’s face is almost comical. His disgusted expression makes it clear what he thinks of rolling around a dog park and laughing until your belly and cheeks hurt. Not his style, for sure.

“I know.” I smile grabbing a cue stick while Aaron grins besides him.

“And you’re okay with that?” he asks like it’s the worst disease someone can get.

He’s always so perfect, sometimes I wonder if he’s even human. And sometimes I’m sad for him. His life revolves around his companies. He has so many I lost count. He loves to spend every waking moment glued to those computers or doing something that will help him to achieve another huge goal in his career.

He became a billionaire in his twenties, and not because he inherited a bunch of money from his family. He’s one of those geniuses that drop out of college and succeed wildly just using their brain. College tried to put him in a box and he decided he didn’t like it. Sometimes I wonder if he ever feels like he belongs to anything other than what he builds. It almost seems like he can’t find anywhere to belong so he keeps building new companies.

“Do you want a hug?” I tease him and he hides his thousand-dollar shirt behind Aaron.

“Stay away from me,” he spits out ominously.

I would tackle him to the ground if I wasn’t so off balance about this whole situation. I don’t want to joke around—a first for me.

“Did you ask Edward for more money?” Aaron gets straight to the point.

He probably figured it out because of the dog hair. He knows that’s the only place I get it.

Leonard stops what he’s doing and takes a good look at me, probably wondering if I dared to go to a business meeting looking so disheveled.

“I did.”

Aaron shakes his head like a disappointed father at his kid’s bad grades. Sometimes I feel like heismore of a father figure than mine. After I told my old man I wanted to become an actor, he didn’t take much interest in my life.

“Are you going to stop with this insanity or what?” he asks sternly.

“Apparently Ihaveto stop because they can’t do anything or the IRS will start to freak out.” I rub a hand over my face.

Leonard looks at me like I should be admitted to the psychiatric ward. “I really don’t understand you. You’d prefer to risk a tax fraud accusation instead of going straight to Sienna and explaining why you need this movie more than anything.”

I let out a breath and try not to get irritated by his reasoning. I know what I’m doing isn’t mature. I know I should talk to her and explain why I want this movie to succeed. I don’t need him to remind me of that.

“You know why I can’t tell her. You were with me the other night. You know exactly what her reaction will be!” I spit out and Aaron looks at me, wide-eyed.

I’ve never acted like this with them. I guess I’m not the only one surprised by that. This is so out of character I don’t even know how to explain it. Sometimes I feel weirded out when I finish a movie because I find it hard to step out of my character’s shoes. But that’s not what this is about. My outburst has nothing to do with me still being in character.

“You are not that douchebag!” Leonard points out, exasperated.

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