Chapter twenty-three
Sahil and Grant hadstayed in the area and had done some work remotely as well as using the time as an impromptu vacation together. Sahil had tried not to chafe at the confines of this backwater area and the urge to get casting and other TV-related work over and done with and get back to important things. He'd been asked to look into a situation in Canada,and his personal team were investigating a cult that might be trying to lure and murder teen shifters. He wanted to stay on top of everything else as well.
Being here waiting for Cooper Hayes to have a couple of days' rest wasn't high on his priority list. However, Grant could be very convincing when he wanted to be, and he wanted them both to slow down a little anyway, without totally abandoningtheir commitments. So they waited, and finally, Cooper was back to work, and they could have him read with several actors for the role of his new partner.
Sahil wanted to tell him exactly what and why they were doing this casting, but Grant thought they shouldn't put any extra pressure on him. Chemistry would reveal itself best, he said, if the guy was relaxed. "I have no doubt he's eagerto work with someone else, and he might try too hard," Grant said.
Sahil knew he was right, but he didn't like the sneaking around, and he wanted this over with.
Of course Grant's favorite was the beefy security guard wolf shifter, and Sahil was trying not to dislike him on principle alone. He had an irritating tendency to become extremely jealous of anyone Grant appeared to approve of orlike in any way. It was ridiculous, and he should have outgrown it long ago, but it had taken a lifetime for him to get that way, and it appeared to be taking another lifetime to change.
He trusted Grant completely; it wasn't about him. It was just emotional scars coming out in the worst possible way. Fortunately, Grant put up with him and didn't get fed up with him when he struggled withthese things. They knew now that they had to face things together, even when it was just an issue for one of them.
So he was trying to keep an open mind while Cooper and the blond boy read together. Cooper was looking good today, clear-eyed and rested, and he seemed to find the blond guy, James, pretty appealing as well. They really focused on each other, reading the few silly lines.
They went through a brief scene that didn't give anything away, neither of them faltering or sounding unconvincing. Sahil supposed the blond fellow would be adequate in the role if he could learn all his lines this well and say them with conviction. Would an acting coach giving him a crash course really be enough, though?
Grant was smiling a secret little smile as he watched the two ratherknowingly.
Sahil immediately straightened up a little more, alert.All right, what do you see that I don't?
He turned back to watch the two. It was something that would be immediately clear to Grant, but not to him, because hehadbeen paying attention.
That meant... Oh. Realization dawned on him.
If Grant knew they were sleeping together, he should have said so earlier. But he hadn't,had he? He hadn't been grinning like that during the last audition. Of course, Cooper had been on the promotional tour and hadn't been around that time, so James couldn't have smelled of him very much. But now...
Grant had the indulgent look of a true romantic, so he must think this was a good thing, and serious. Grant was an old romantic at heart, and Sahil was very lucky he was.Probablythe only reason he didn't give up on me years ago.
But would it really be a good idea to cast Cooper's boyfriend? Especially since he wasn't actually a trained actor?
Scene completed, Coop gave James a quick, shy smile and reached out to fiddle with his collar, adjusting it for him. He said something quietly that sounded encouraging. This moment of intimacy wasn't part of the scene, but itwas impossible to miss.
Yeah, okay, they have chemistry—because they're sleeping together.
Grant cast Sahil a look that wasn't exactly smug, but damned close to it.See?I was rightseemed to be what he was thinking. Clearly, he thought this was a good thing.
