“What do you think about having Hughie take him over, Raymond? He’s a big enough star now… I think you’ve done your job.”
Raymond clicked his tongue, looking first at Hughie, the head of our top talent department. Then, he glanced back to me.
He didn’t seem to want to speak his mind; I knew that expression by now.
“Honestly?” he answered after a minute. “Leo’s the biggest pain in my ass, but he is sweet underneath all that bullshit. I worry about him.”
Paul, who was on Raymond’s other side, looked pointedly at me and raised a brow. I hoped my cheeks weren’t too red. I hadn’t told him anything at all that had happened between Leonel and I, but Paul had his guesses.
“Hmm,” I hummed. I slowed as we approached the side door to the hotel, then reached out to shake hands with Raymond. “Well said. We’ll talk about it after this week.”
He was looking over his shoulder, though. The unmistakable shocked, worried expression on his face made me glance back just in time to catch a familiar face ducking into the building.
Fucking Alex. I should’ve known he’d be here.
“Why’s he here?” I flatly demanded.
Raymond grimaced. “I checked the lists… he’s on tonight.”
“For his boyfriend?” Paul murmured, casting me a quick apologetic glance.
“Hayden Chaney,” I muttered. “The two of them are good together, though. Pair of assholes.”
“He’s arriving pretty early.” Paul frowned. “If he’s on this evening only…”
There were photographers nearby starting to look at us, so I clapped Raymond’s shoulder. “Whatever. Go on in, get our guys out there. See you backstage afterward.”
I smiled briefly at the cameras when they turned to me and put my arm around Paul and Hughie, clapping both their backs and leading them straight down the red carpet.
We ignored the general line and the cellphone camera flashes and noise coming from the general public, heading straight inside.
“Mr. Hale. You and your associates are seated through that way, but you’re a bit early. If you’d care to enjoy a drink first, the bar is through this way, sir.”
I smiled at the pleasant usher who was addressing me. “Thank you. Paul? Hughie?”
“Drinks sound great,” Hughie said in agreement.
“I think you could use one,” Paul added. He clapped my back and led the way to the bar.
* * *
“The show after ours is Hayden Chaney,” Paul hissed into my ear as he dropped into the seat next to mine -- pleasingly close to the front left of the stage, where the more important guests sat.
“No shit,” I whispered back. “That’s why Alex is here.”
“No, but he was invited here.”
I saw his point. I’d assumed the little leech was scraping together funds to pay for his own show, pay his own celebs to attend… but no. Of fucking course not. He and Hayden had wormed their way in somehow, despite deserving to be stuck in little regional shows.
Maybe it was thanks to Alex. He could suck dick and get Hayden an invitation.
I tried to calm myself down. Since the show was supposed to start about now, we only had fifteen, twenty minutes at most to wait, then another twenty minutes before it was over and I could head backstage.
YOU ARE READING
Not Just A Pretty Face
Romantiek[COMPLETED] Leonel James desperately needed a job. After his boyfriend stole his money and took off, he needed to figure out how to pay his rent. Gideon Hall, CEO of one of the most famous modeling agencies Prestige, is looking for an executive assi...
