Page 61 of Jace 4Ever
Jace
“Are you sure you don’t mind coming to this meeting?” Nelson laced his fingers with mine. “I can go alone, and you can have the pool to yourself.”
“I don’t like the pool by myself. I like you there. Naked.”
“Mm. That sounds so much better than reading a script.” He kissed my cheek softly. “But don’t tempt me. I need to do this. This is how I keep my name alive.”
“I know, and I want to see you in action.”
I really did. I didn’t know much about how Hollywood worked. I’d been stuck in porn for so long, I’d never had the chance. Now, I did. And on the arm of one of the industry’s hottest stars, thankyouverymuch.
The car pulled to a stop at the curb of a skyscraper and Nelson popped the back door open. “Thanks, Mike. I’ll call when we’re ready to go.”
“You got it,” Mike said.
Nelson grabbed my hand as soon as I stepped on the curb. I loved that he was so willing to hold my hand in public. I’d been in relationships that were 100 percent in the closet, and I hated it.
The interior of the lobby was all art deco, and it was gleaming and well kept. A receptionist sat the desk straight ahead and we walked up.
“Good afternoon, Mister Powers. How can I help you?”
“We’re here to see Jay of Gimme Gimme Productions. He’s expecting us.”
“Yes, he is, sir. Go ahead to that first elevator and head up to the thirtieth floor.”
He offered a nod, and we slipped into the elevator car. I pressed the button for the floor and we were swept up. I noticed that Nelson was tapping his fingers on his leg, and I quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Are you nervous?”
“Anxious,” he answered. “I always get anxious when I read. No idea why. I command millions of dollars at the box office, but reading makes anxious.” He pushed out a breath. “Ridiculous, but it probably has to do with me not being a native English speaker. I didn’t speak a lick of English until I was six, and only in school.”
“Holy…I never thought about that.”
A smile lit up his face. “Thank you. That means I don’t have an accent at all, which is what I worked so damn hard for. I’m always afraid that I do.”
I laughed. “You have fears?”
“Sometimes I do.” He laughed.
The doors of the elevator slid open and we walked into a sleek, masculine looking glass-and-silver-and-gray reception area. There was no receptionist, but there was a large touchscreen mac that had a severe “Sign in Here” directive incased in plexiglass.
“Huh.” Nelson glanced around, then walked to the Mac and tapped along with the directions. After he signed in, it flashed “Have a Seat” and melted back to a dark screen.
There were metal benches for us to sit on, so we sat. And they were the most uncomfortable benches I’d ever been on. Nelson sat forward and perched his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands. We both glanced around, and…I was getting a bad feeling.
After a long five minute wait, the door across from us finally opened, and adudebrowalked out. He was wearing a suit, with smart shoes, a fake tan, and blond-brown ombre hair, spiked up in what could probably transform into a fauxhawk at night.
“Nelson!” he crowed and walked over with his hand out. “So glad you could make it. Jay Altern, president of Gimme Gimme Films. Come on in, let me introduce you.”
Jay slapped Nelson’s shoulder and led him away from the bench. I followed right behind him, but the door nearly shut on me anyway.
“So glad you agreed to this read. We’re all excited about this script, and I think you’re a perfect fit for the character.”
He nodded and dipped out from the familiar arm Jay had wrapped around his shoulders. We were steered toward a double set of gray steel doors that peeled open after Jay swiped a keycard over the reader.
The illustrious CEO finally noticed me trailing behind them and glanced at me, then back at Nelson. “Your assistant can wait in the break room if you like.”
“No, he’s with me.” Nelson loaded the statement with intention that I waswithhim, but Mister Dudebro didn’t get the hint. He shrugged. “We’ll tuck him in the corner. We don’t want him to interfere with the flow of the read.”
