Page 71 of Jace 4Ever
Holy God, this man really wanted me to move in with him. Nelson Powers wanted me to live with him in his gorgeous New York brownstone. Away from the hell that was my brother, his friends, and their illegal activities. But how could I just leave Jerrod to his own devices? There was a good chance he’d never have food in the house again. He’d never have a clean sink or toilet. They would all just bring their bitches over and the place would be a sex den in a week.
“Can I have some time to think about what has to happen before I say yes?”
“Take as much time as you need, Jace. I’ll be waiting patiently for you.”
It wasfunny and bizarre to see Nelson so nervous. He’d taken the Best Supporting Actor award, which just about everyone knew he was going to do.The Last Night in the Parkwas up for best picture as well and I had bawled like a baby when I’d gone to see it with the Gaggle.
My phone hadn’t stopped vibrating in my pocket all night. I knew it was everyone in the Gaggle texting me wanting to know more, like what the heck I was doing in Los Angeles. I finally had to even shut off the vibrating during a commercial break.
That was even stranger. That there were commercial breaks in the presentations. Everyone would start chatting during the little intermissions and somehow, I had wound up deep in conversation with Jordan Peele in front of me, and then Emma Watson behind me. I didn’t know which way was up at that point.
The presenter, Meryl Streep of all people, finally leaned into the mic and started reading off the nominees for the best actor, pausing for a little clip between the names. “Harry Aarons forYesterday, Child. Idris Elba inMan, Man, Woman. Robert Redford inReturn, Chris Evans inLate the Hours, Kevin Kalb inInterspecies Love Story, Nelson Powers inUrchin, and Tom Vecture inFools and Lovers.” She held up the envelope and popped the seal, and I was pretty sure that all the canapes Nelson had eaten hours before were about to end up on my shoes.
“And the winner is...” She stared at the note and then directly at the camera. “Nelson Powers inUrchin!”
“Holy fuck,” he breathed out hard and stood from his seat. I stepped out of the row to give him plenty of room to walk down the aisle. He stopped, grabbed my face, and planted a hard kiss on my lips. I went red, but the audience gasped and then let out a string of whoops and hollers as he walked to the stage.
Jordan Peele turned and stuck his hand out. “Good job!”
“All he did was kiss me.” I was confused but shook his hand.
“It’s still awesome to see a same sex couple not afraid to show their love.”
I grinned and sat to watch my man on stage. I chuckled to myself. He really was my man, and I adored the idea of moving in with him. I wanted that. I had to just figure out how. I couldn’t abandon my brother no matter what I said or he said. Nelson and I would talk it out when we got home.
He accepted a hug from Meryl,gasp, and walked up to the mic. He stared at the Oscar in his hand, then found me in the audience and smiled. “Well. This is awesome and amazing and holy crap. Thank you to the fans, to the academy, to my family. I didn’t expect to be up here again, and I’m feeling a little dizzy. It’s been an amazing night, and I just want to say a quick thanks to my boyfriend, who had no idea what he was getting into with me. Thanks to the writers and producers and my fellow castmates. I would not be here without your incredible support and abilities.” He held the statue aloft, then hugged it and bowed to the audience.
I was still stuck on the “my boyfriend.” I probably looked like a deer in headlights, but at the same time—Nelson Powers had claimed me on prime time. I had the feeling that my face had been flashed, in all its shocked stupidity to the world. I was going to be afraid to turn on my phone when this was over because the Gaggle would have something to say about that.
They walked Nelson off the stage and we cut to commercial again. He came jogging down the aisle halfway through the break and leaned down to lay another kiss on me. “First one to ever win best supporting and best actor!”
“Please,” I said, brushing it off. “You’re Nelson Fucking Powers.”
Everyone around us cracked up laughing.
