Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I don’t snap out of that until it’s announced that Isla did in fact win the whole damn show.
I want to be mad about how unfair it is. I want to hate the whole production and everyone involved.
I smile as if I’d just won and hug her. But my glance moves to the side of the stage where Mason is, and I can’t help being thankful for Fandom.
It helped bring Mason back to me.
It helped us fall in love.
It has made the whole stressful process worth it.
Because Mason is my everything. And you can’t be mad at the thing that gave you the world.
Chapter Thirty
Mason
I can’t believe half the shit in the media about Denver and me and that teeny, tiny little kiss a couple of nights ago.
After we snuck off the set of Fandom, we turned off our phones, and Denver welcomed me home in the best way possible. My body is still wrung out from the rounds of handjobs, blowjobs, and every other which way we made each other come in the last few days. I lost count after the first time we passed out in a pile of cum and sweat.
Now, freshly showered and lying on Denver’s couch, I’m finally catching up on everything we’ve been avoiding. Denver’s in the kitchen making coffee and yelling at his manager on the phone, while I scroll through the ridiculousness.
Look at us, breaking the internet. Who knew the only thing I needed to get back in the spotlight was to kiss a dude on national TV?
It’s not all likes and popularity, of course, but after my solo album tanked, nothing they say can hurt me. It’s disgusting that so many hateful comments against the queer community can still exist, but considering I’ve only been a part of that community for all of five seconds, there’s that disconnect there that is helping me cope. It’s a good thing because it works as a shield against the haters, but we’ll see how long it lasts before the hate starts getting to me.
Then there are the comments that really make me laugh. It’s not the name-calling or telling us our sex lives are disgusting, but the people projecting this is all a big publicity stunt so that when the Eleven reunion happens, everyone will be focused on Denver and me instead of the “real” queer boys of Eleven: Ryder and Harley. Gay conspiracy theories are a thing, apparently. I worry what the fans will do when they find out Ryder and Harley are queer but happily in relationships with other people. I think they might be more heartbroken than when the band broke up.
Denver appears with a defeated sigh on his lips. He puts our coffees on the coffee table and then leans over me, touching his lips to mine. His mouth is warm, and I want more, but he pulls back before I’m ready.
He slumps down beside me on the couch.
“How’d the phone call go?” I ask.
“He wants us to play it up because ‘It’s a great way to get publicity. Why didn’t we think to fake date a man before?’”
“Your own manager is on team this is just a PR stunt?” I lean forward and reach for my coffee.
“Yep. So, I told him he’s fired.”
I almost choke on my drink. “You what?”
“If we’re going to do this Eleven reunion our own way, and we’re going to take a direction that’s risky—coming out was already a risk—I need someone who’s not only about the publicity grab. That’s all Keith was. His vision of keeping me famous was to throw parties and date starlets to stay in the tabloids. If we want this to be about the music, we’re going to need a team of people who’ll respect that.”
“Fair enough. I don’t think we’ll find anyone as good as Cameron was, and I’m a little scared to try after my last one. He was the worst. I thought he was good, but I need someone who’ll challenge me and push me.”
“Harley says his manager, Gideon, is good. Maybe he can work with us all or even find someone for us.”
“Speaking of Harley, how many missed calls did you have from him when you turned your phone on?”
“A gajillion.”
“Same. And a couple from my mom. I didn’t tell her we were planning to come out like that.”
“She’s all right with it, though?”
“She loves you. Probably more than me.”
“Not true.”
I smile. “No, but she does see you as one of her own. She’s happy for us but wary. Like she always has been when it comes to this industry.”
“You know who’s not happy for us? Blake. Wanna see the pic he sent?”
I move in closer so I can look at his screen as he pulls his phone out of his pants pocket. It’s a photo of Blake signing a … “Is that a cocktail napkin?”