"You're welcome," Allansaid, sounding smug.
"I already know the contract changes were because of Singh," Coop said a bit testily. First, he'd gotten Jimmy in trouble with one of his coworkers, and now his agent was trying to take credit for Singh's change of heart? "It had nothing to do with you."
"I beg to differ. If I hadn't twisted your arm to go to that party, do you think you'd have met Rorke Swindon? Anddo you really think it just happens to be a coincidence that the day after a picture of the two of you together chatting, all buddy-buddy, surfaces on the 'net, you get some major contract changes from the studio? Like I said, you're welcome."
Coop's throat was dry, and his heart started to pound too fast. "You think that's why? But Singh said—"
"It doesn't matter what hesaid. It matterswhat he does. So, are things going well with Rorke? Tell me all the dirty details. Well, spare me the sexual ones. Is he wining and dining you? Has he offered you a penthouse suite?" He laughed.
"It's not funny, Allan." Coop felt hoarse. He felt like he was going to have to put his head between his knees and take deep breaths. "I'm not seeing him. I'm—I'm going to turn him down." Heheld his breath, waiting for the explosion.
"You what? Cooper Hayes, you'd better crawl after that man. Do you want your career to tank? People don't do that."
"Why? Is he spiteful?"
"What's the point of having made that connection if you're going to throw it away? No, as far as I know, he's not spiteful. He's generous with his exes. But you'd better see that man if he wants to see you.You're gay, and young, and cute, so use what you've got while you've got it. Get some experience, some contacts, some roles under your belt before you get precious about whom you'll date. I mean it, Coop. You throw this away, and you'll be looking for a new agent."
And with that, he hung up.
Coop stared at his phone and realized numbly that his hands were shaking.When did I become sucha wuss?Scared of loud noises and angry voices?
Maybe I always was.
He wondered desperately when he'd grow out of it. He hadn't expected that attitude or the threat from Allan, and it had thrown him for a loop. He'd always maintained the hope that Allan was really on his side, not the kind of guy who would refuse to respect his wishes and try to bully him into something he didn't wantto do.
Was he right about the contracts and about Swindon? Was that why Singh had changed his tune, the thing he'd said about his husband being right and Coop being right for the role? He'd gone above and beyond in his apology, and Coop hadn't even thought to doubt his sincerity.
Maybe he was naïve.
Obviously, he'd been naïve—about Allan, if nothing else.Ouch.He really threatened me,and then he hung up.
Part of him wondered if it wouldn't be better to find a different agent for no other reason than that. Really, it wasn't professional. He didn't want to date Swindon, and it was weird and gross that Allan would make such a big thing out of it. Even if he'd wanted to date Swindon, that sort of behavior would make him question Allan's professionalism.
It wasn't as thoughCooper was always a hundred percent professional, that he had so much room to judge. But he couldn't imagine telling someone those things: date so-and-so or I'm out of your life. It went beyond the pale for an agent, and it would have been weird even coming from a friend. Which Allan clearly wasn't.
I need to stop being so soft about this. Find a new agent if I have to. I'm not going tolet him push me into anything, not when my career is finally taking off for the right reasons—I hope.
He wondered if he was wrong, if Singh's change of heart really was about Swindon. But that didn't make sense. Singh was the kind of guy who'd dig his heels in and defy anyone. He'd taken on that talk show host (politely, of course) when he didn't even want to defend Cooper. He wouldn't bebullied or cowed into making contract changes he didn't believe in, and he wouldn't be scared by a single photograph of Coop hanging out with Swindon. If anything, he'd probably lose some respect for Coop, thinking he was looking for a sugar daddy. And Coop wasn't going to do that, so it didn't matter what Singh thought. But there'd been no hint of undercurrent of that in their conversation.Coop's gut told him Singh was sincere, and too stubborn to do something because of someone powerful who might not like it if he didn't.
Besides, Swindon's base of power wasn't really in the TV industry, was it? He was far more into movies. Artsy stuff, too, not cop dramas. He certainly wouldn't have any sway in the police business that was Singh's primary role in life—that, and running theShifters and Partners program. It was hard to imagine anything Swindon could do to hurt him, even if he particularly wanted to.
And Swindon was actually pretty low-key, from what Coop could tell; he'd seemed more amused by Coop than protective of him. Coop thought that was how Swindon was, even with his lovers: detached and opulent, not a powerful behind-the-scenes bully. Maybe he spoiledhis boyfriends, but he didn't seem like the sort to get terribly protective of them.
If anything, he probably gets a kick out of them wheedling him into giving them roles and stuff. Then Coop wondered if he was being too harsh. Maybe Swindon was a loving and caring boyfriend who was deeply besotted and thus generous with his lovers. It was just hard to imagine.
He'd seemed so amused byCoop the whole time they talked. It would be unpleasant to go to bed with someone who found him amusing, Coop thought, much less try to fit them into his life. He'd always feel a little looked down on, a little off-balance.
Maybe he was too fucking sensitive.
You're thinking about getting a new agent because Allan yelled at you. Yeah, not sensitive at all.
Still, if Allan was going toquit anyway, this was a good time to find somebody new. He actually had a contract and a good role; this was the perfect time to find a new agent. Somebody who wouldn't try to pimp him out.
Briefly, he thought of Allan's advice that he stay in the closet. Maybe he was wrong about that, too.
