by Jerry Cole
“How thoughtful of you,” Bryce smirked.
“And it’s not like you wouldn’t get the money back,” Roman then hurried. He hadn’t even technically asked for the money but was already trying to convince him to lend it. “As soon as profits start to come through – which they will. We have a studio behind us on this one. Once the profits start to come, you’ll be the first – fuck, you’ll probably make a little money off this one. Maybe even more than a little. Like have you seen how producers live? It’s a pretty cushy—”
“You need to slow down,” Bryce laughed. “And take a breath.”
Roman hadn’t realized how fast he had been talking. His breathing was up, his face was turning red and he was sweating. He wasn’t even sure what he had said, just that he had raced through it like a bull on heat. He was desperate, and it surely must have come across like that.
“Better?” Bryce asked once Roman was breathing normally again.
Roman offered a tight smile. “A little.”
“Good.” Bryce slapped the table with both palms. “Because I’m in.”
“You are —”
“Of course, I am.” He beamed across the table at Roman, looking so pleased with himself. “Seriously, how can I not be? I know how much this means to you, and how hard it probably was to ask me. Anything I can do... of course I’ll help.”
“And you’ll get the money back,” Roman rushed again. “And even more than —”
“Mate, you have the sale,” Bryce laughed. “Learn to take it when it comes. First rule of sales, right there.” He reached out and put his hand on Roman’s again, giving it a squeeze. It wasn’t sexual in nature, but more nurturing; a friend comforting another.
“Thank you,” Roman then said. He looked dead into Bryce’s eyes, making sure that Bryce could see just how grateful he was. “Seriously, I can’t even... thanks.”
“One more thing though.”
“Anything,” Roman agreed hurriedly.
“I don’t want to just be some silent partner. If I’m shelling out the big bucks, I want in. I want to be on set, taking a peek behind the curtain so to speak. You said it yourself, I have nothing to do. So why not this?”
“This?” Roman frowned. “You mean, make movies?”
“Something like that,” Bryce laughed. “Honestly, I have no idea. But a day or two on set might... inspire me down a path I didn’t even know existed.”
Roman had no idea what Bryce had on his mind. Fuck, Bryce probably had no idea. But Roman was in no position to argue, and thus, agreed wholeheartedly. “Deal... so long as you don’t want to get in front of the camera. You’re cute, but you can’t act for shit.”
Bryce laughed. “When silent films come back into vogue maybe.”
“Only then.”
And that was that... kind of. The next thirty minutes or so was spent going over specifics; how much they needed and when they would need it by. They also touched briefly on what exactly Bryce had in store for himself, but it became pretty obvious pretty quickly that he had no idea.
“I’d just like to be on set a few days a week,” Bryce shrugged. “I’m curious, is all – don't worry, I’m not going to try and take over or anything. I’m not that much of a ruthless cunt.”
“Well, you are,” Roman smirked. “But lucky I know how to handle you.”
By far, the best part of the entire experience was the way it ended. When lunch was done with, and there was nothing else to say or do, the two men stood as one, shook hands and called it a day. There was no suggestion that lunch should carry on-to something else, and no indication that it might another day. This really was just two friends finishing up a lunch meeting together.
Roman had been worried about seeing Bryce. Firstly, the idea of asking an ex-lover for money was terrifying to say the least, and a little embarrassing. He had worried that he might be overcome with raw sexual arousal and make a move, or say something inappropriate, or even put his whole film in jeopardy. But none of that had come to pass. Not even close.
Instead, it seemed that he and Bryce had a completely professional working relationship to look forward to and nothing more. It was strange to think of it that way, but it was also a relief.
There was a time not so long ago when Roman had just assumed that one day, he and Bryce would end up together. At the very least he had always kind of predicted that they’d indulge themselves in another romantic tryst, if for no other reason than they were both sexually active men with a history that couldn’t be ignored. But after today it looked like that once-upon-a-time fantasy was now resigned to the sidelines. And truthfully, Roman was glad for it... although at the same time, Bryce had been looking so scrumptious that he wouldn’t be against the idea entirely. He was only human after all.
Chapter Nineteen
“So, what’s this film about exactly?” Bryce held the script in his hand, and although he’d been given it a week earlier, he was yet to actually read it.
“You don’t know?” Sally raised a single, judgmental eyebrow at Bryce and looked him up and down like he had just asked what color the sky usually was.
“Obviously I do.” Bryce laughed it off as if he were kidding. He even considered punching Sally in the shoulder playfully, like the two were old chums just messing around... but he quickly shelved that idea. “I was just making sure that you knew.”
“Funny.” The look on her face – a furrowed brow, a curled nose, a dirty scowl – suggested that she didn’t think it was funny. At all.
It was the first day of filming, and Bryce had arrived just in time for the film’s very first production meeting. When he had been told the previous night of the time and place, he had expected it to be in an office, or at the very least a room with four walls and a roof. This was a multi-million-dollar film production after all. Instead, he found himself in a rundown, graffiti covered alleyway in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
There were fifty or so people crammed into the small alleyway, which was about as many as the narrow confines of the space would allow for. Of those fifty, about half were already busy setting up lights and giant reflector screens and other instruments that Bryce didn’t really understand or know their use. The other half mulled about anxiously, by the end of the alley, looking like they weren’t quite sure what to do. Bryce decided to choose them to stand with.
It became clear almost right away that Sally was in charge of the set. Where Roman and James were nowhere to be seen yet, Sally was rushing up and down the alleyway, speaking among the crew, like a woman on a mission. She had a clipboard resting in her arm, wore the most comfortable looking shoes – and pants and shirt – that Bryce had ever seen, and had the constant look on her face of someone who hadn’t slept in about a year.
If Bryce had taken note of all of this when he had first arrived, he might not have asked such a stupid question. But he had, so now he had no real choice but to take a step back, hide among the crew and hope that she forgot all about it.
But it wasn’t just Sally that was treating Bryce like he didn’t belong. Of the fifty or so crew stuffed into that small alleyway, Bryce warranted a guess that forty-nine of them either didn’t know who he was, or knew who he was and wondered what he was doing there. Bryce would have even warranted a guess that it was all fifty, but surely at least one member of the film’s production didn’t outright resent him, right?
“So, that Sally is a charmer, eh?” Bryce joked to a crew member standing some two feet away.
The crew member was a tiny fellow with shaggy hair, loose clothing and a beard that hadn’t quite grown in yet. He half-smiled, but then caught someone’s eyes and quickly turned and started speaking to that person instead.
It was around this time that Bryce realized he didn’t belong on set. And when the meeting did start some five minutes later, he stood to the back, out of sight and out of mind. Sally ran the meeting – primarily a series of checks and timetables outlining the day’s goals and what they hoped to achieve – but even
when Roman and James joined the fray, Bryce still kept himself hidden. What the fuck was he even doing here?
In truth, Bryce had no idea. Oh sure, there had been some vague discussion with Roman about finding him something to do once the filming started, but he had sensed that was all in jest and that Roman didn’t really mean it. It wasn’t like Bryce had any actual filming experience to fall back on... like at all. Fuck, he barely even watched movies.
It had become even more clear over the past month that Roman just wanted Bryce’s money and nothing else. And not in a bad way either, like he was using him. More that he just knew Bryce had nothing else to offer... at least in regard to this movie.
The only reason Bryce had turned up in the first place, and this was something he would never admit to anyone, ever, was that he was bored. It had been nearly two months since he was bought out of his company and despite the fact that he was young, rich, handsome and very single, he had nothing to do. Since the day he’d finished university, he’d had a full-time job, and now that he didn’t have one... he was at a loss in how to fill out his time.
It was no wonder then that the day before filming was set to start, Bryce called up Roman to ‘see how things were doing.’
“We’re on track,” Roman had assured him. “Your money is being put to good use.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Bryce hurried. “I was just – just making sure you were surviving. You know I worry.”
“How sweet. So unlike you”
“Please. You, more than anyone, knows how sweet I taste -- I am. How sweet I am.”
There was a pause after this, a slight hesitation from Roman as if he didn’t know what to say. But that had been happening a lot of late. Whenever the two spoke, one of them inevitably went a little too far in regard to their flirtatious banter and left the other speechless, not knowing how to proceed. It was seriously starting to become a problem.
And it wasn’t that the two were going to hook-up again... and not that Bryce wouldn’t. But he just felt the time wasn’t right, what with the movie and his money being involved and everything. It was more just that both men had a history and it was impossible to keep it contained.
“Why don’t you come tomorrow and check it out? Day one. You should be there?” Roman had then hurried, once the silence had grown too great.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Definitely. You should be there.”
That was clearly a lie, and by the end of the first day of filming – a very long day – Bryce had no doubt that he could have named a dozen other places in Sydney where he should have been, other than that film shoot. This was such the case in fact that when Bryce finally got some time alone with Roman, literally as everything was being packed up, that he was ready to tell Roman he’d see him at the premiere.
“Hey there.” Roman’s smile was a tired one, but genuine. He was standing between two TV screens, both playing footage from the scene they had spent all day filming. He looked from screen to screen, his expression screaming disappointment. “I was wondering where you’d gotten to.”
“I’ve been around,” Bryce said. He pulled up next to Roman and watched the screens for a few moments. “Keeping an eye on things, you know.”
“Right.” Roman didn’t even bother looking at Bryce. “Like that the extras aren’t stealing muffins or something?”
“Exactly,” Bryce chuckled. “Got to keep an eye on my investment. And those muffins... that’s where the money goes.” He waited for the returned laughter from Roman, but it didn’t come. The guy looked stressed as he watched the scene play out again and again. Bryce exhaled, figuring now was the time to tell him he was done. “Roman, listen. I’ve been thinking —”
“This is fucked.” Roman suddenly kicked the TV stand in a rage. “This is – fuck!” He clenched his fists together and looked as if he were about to snap.
“Hey.” Without thinking, Bryce comforted Roman. It was natural really, the way he wrapped his arm around Roman’s shoulder and pulled him in close. “What’s wrong? And don’t say nothing. I know you want to.”
Bryce could feel Roman instantly relax in his arms. “I was going to say that too.”
“I know.”
A deep exhale from Roman. “It’s this shoot – day one and we’re already two days behind.”
“How is that possible?”
“People.” Roman shrugged. “I love James, but he’s useless when it comes to time management – too busy trying to get the perfect fucking shot. And Sally is great too, but she isn’t forceful enough. She can organize a shoot better than anyone I know – getting people here, making sure everyone is prepped... but when it comes to laying down the law, she’s....” Roman grimaced. “You don’t want to hear this shit.”
“I do,” Bryce said rightly. “Tell me.”
Roman chuckled. He was still in Bryce’s embrace, and didn’t look like he’d be removing himself anytime soon. “That was pretty much it. There’s a lot of testosterone flying around the set and Sally does her best... but sometimes the guys just won’t listen to her. And now we’re behind – well, to be fair to her, there are about a dozen other causes for that too.”
“Like?” Bryce wasn’t sure yet, but he was starting to have an idea.
“You really don’t want to hear it.”
“Well not here. But how about in an hour or two? Dinner?” Bryce made sure that there were no sexual overtones in the way he asked. That wasn’t what this was about.
Roman stepped out of Bryce’s arms. “Dinner? I don’t know if... what for?”
“Business,” Bryce said pointedly. “I’ll explain then.” He matched Roman’s confused stare with his own serious one. This wasn’t a date. It really was business.
“Okay,” Roman eventually relented. “Dinner it is – and I have to say, I am fucking curious about what you have in store.”
“Honestly, me too,” Bryce laughed. “But I think you’ll like it.”
Since Bryce had effectively sold his business and gone into early retirement, he had been bored. In fact, bored was an understatement. Really, he had been yearning for a new career path, something both complex and rewarding that he could set his mind to. He’d thought on this a lot and until now, he’d been at a loss. Well, if dinner went as well as he hoped, maybe his boredom would become a thing of the past. He just had to hope that Roman went for it.
Chapter Twenty
“Places! Everybody!” Roman shouted out as loud as he could. His throat was sore and his body was tired. It had been weeks of this, day in and day out, and although he loved it, it was also a drag on the body and mind. “Come on, people! Pla—” A pinch in his throat had him coughing up and punching at his chest as if in agony.
The momentary pause saw the set erupt again as cast and crew used the slight pause to finish what they were doing. The actors moved back together and started chatting among themselves. The stage crew went back to drinking their coffee and gossiping. And everyone else moved, bustled, and ran about like Roman hadn’t just told them all to get ready for the next shot.
Roman punched at his chest some more, cleared his throat and was about to try and get control of the set again when --
“That’s enough!” Bryce stormed into the middle of the set. He had a megaphone in his hand – bought one month ago, although Roman had no idea where from – and he held it up to his mouth and shouted into it as he rounded on the individuals responsible for slowing things down. “Michael, if I don’t see you behind those lights with your mouth shut in ten seconds, I’ll shove that tripod up your ass and you can be our new lighting fixture!” Michael, one of the lighting guys who had been in the middle of telling a story to a group of extras shrunk back and shut up the moment his name was mentioned. “And Carl!” Bryce powered across the set toward Carl, one of the third-string actors, and got right in his face. “Put the coffee down and get on your mark or so help me...”
As Bryce used the megaphone to berate Carl for wasting time, the rest
of the crew hurried to take their places, lest they find themselves next in the firing line. It wasn’t a pleasant spot to be, and nearly everyone to the last man had come under fire at least once in the past month. And sure enough, within moments, the crew quieted down, the cast moved to their assigned places, and the shoot was ready to start up again.
Roman couldn’t help but smile. He watched Bryce walk to the back of the set and take his place – the perfect spot for viewing everyone and everything – and offered him a grateful smile. Bryce smiled back and shrugged as if to say, “what are you going to do?”
“Bud, we’re good to go.” James was standing beside Roman, looking through the camera, getting the shot ready... and most likely hiding from Bryce. He too had been shouted at on multiple occasions and no doubt wanted to avoid such a thing happening again.
“Oh. Sorry.” Roman hadn’t even noticed, but all eyes were now on him. Where a moment ago the scene was anarchy, now it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. “All right, everyone! We’re ready!” Roman shouted out. He looked over the crew, and then to the actors standing on their marks. “Lights... camera.... and action!”
Just one month ago, Roman hadn’t known what he was going to do about Bryce. When Bryce had agreed to lend him the money to help pay for his film, Roman had been beyond grateful. He was so grateful in fact, that he’d kind of suggested that Bryce come on set and help out. He hadn’t known what Bryce would do exactly, he had just known he wanted to keep him happy. He felt as if he owed him and was willing to offer almost anything to make it right.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much that Bryce could do, and it took just the one day of filming for Bryce to come to this startling realization himself. Unfortunately for Bryce, by that point he’d become the least of Roman’s concerns. Film sets were hard work and keeping everyone in line and on task was a job unto itself. Even as the film’s director, Roman was having a hard time keeping the crew in line and after just the one day of filming he could feel everything he had worked so hard to create, falling apart.
