Page 110 of Best Supporting Actor

Rafe chuckled. “Oh, I’m not worried about him.”

“You’re… not?”

“No, of course not. Grandy owns the rag he writes for—the whole media group, actually. And whatever he was planning to write won’t be what appears now, I can assure you of that.”

Tag blinked. “Oh, is that what you meant when you said he should think about what he puts in his column?”

“Well… yes.” Rafe gave a rueful pout. “I know I shouldn’t flex my connections, but in this case, I don’t care. You were awesome tonight, Jay, and I’m not going to let that slimy little prick attack our play just because he had a grudge against you at school.”

Now it was Jay’s turn to blink. “You know about that?”

Rafe made a face. “I was talking to him at your mother’s party. He canreallyget going on the topic of you and the sodding drama club, can’t he? It’s very obsessive and weird.” Rafe looked a little shamefaced then. “I may have got a bit drunk that night, and, well, Imayhave been bitching about being the understudy. So I suppose it’spossibleI gave him the impression I was a sympathetic ear.” Flushing, he added, “Sorry about that. I can be a bit of dick when I drink too much.”

But Jay couldn’t bring himself to mind about that now—hell, Rafe had just slain another of his dragons, at least for now. “It’s okay,” he said. “I get your frustration—you just want a chance to perform. We all do.”

Rafe’s smile in response was a bit more genuine than all the stagey ones he’d been doing up till now. Almost shy, in fact. “Yeah, well, it looks like I am going to get my chance. Bea told me that if the play’s a hit, there’s going to be a regional tour—and since most of the dates will be when you’re filming the next season ofLeeches…” He trailed off, sending Jay an almost apologetic look.

Jay grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s great news. And you’ll be fantastic.”

Rafe looked quietly pleased at that. “Thanks,” he said. Then, sounding more like his usual self, “Guess I’d better go and top up some more glasses. This champagne isn’t going to drink itself!”

“Well,” Tag said once he was gone, lifting his glass in a toast. “Here’s to you, Mr. Warren, and a truly triumphant night. Even Austin Coburn’s been sorted out.” He grinned, his eyes warm with affection.

And somehow, that was when the words that had been hovering on the tip of Jay’s tongue for so long came tumbling out.

“God, I love you.”

Tag had already raised his glass to take a drink. In fact, he was tipping champagne into his mouth at the exact moment Jay said the critical words. His eyes went wide over the rim of his glass, and the next second he was choking and spluttering on the wine, and all Jay could do was relieve him of his glass, then gently thump his back a couple of times.

“Cool reaction,” Jay said mildly, as Tag gasped in several big breaths, making Tag choke again, this time on a laugh.

When he finally got his breath back, Tag said, “I can’tbelieveyou said that when I’ve been such a—” He broke off. “Fuck, come with me, will you?” Grabbing Jay’s hand, he towed him towards the door.

“Where are you two going?” Freddie demanded as they passed her and Henry.

“We won’t be long,” Tag said, without looking at her or slowing his pace.

Jay suddenly felt elated, buoyant even. All his anxiety over his feelings and whether Tag would share them seemed ridiculous. For these last few weeks, Tag had been telling Jay through his actions how much he cared about him. Jay had never had a partner who had been so concerned about his happiness and comfort. Even if thiswasjust a fling, even if Tag didn’t fully return his feelings, even if he preferred them to go their separate ways when the festival was over, it wouldn’t change the fact that Jay loved him, and he wanted to own that truth, and to say it aloud. He wanted Tag to know it.

Tag didn’t stop walking even once they were out in the corridor.

“Where are we going?” Jay asked, a hint of laughter in his voice.

“The stage—we’ll be tripping over people going to the bloody loo out here,” Tag said firmly. “I want to do this properly, in private.”

Jay refrained from pointing out that a theatre stage was a pretty weird place for a private conversation because, yes, it probablywasthe most private area of the building right now.

When they got there, Tag turned around so that they were facing one another. “Now, can you say that again? Because I need to know I didn’t imagine it.”

“You didn’t imagine it,” Jay said, smiling, “but fine. I love you, Tag. I’m hopelessly in love with you—have been for a while, if I’m honest.”

“Fuck,” Tag swallowed, his throat bobbing hard. After a moment, he added, “I mean, I love you too—and now I feel like a dick for not saying it first. Shit, I should have said it first!”

Jay laughed softly. “Stillso competitive?”

Tag looked adorably rueful. “More like, you deserved to hear it first. It’s just that I’ve been scared shitless you wouldn’t feel the same way. Especially after I made such a big deal about keeping our relationship quiet. Which has backfired on me, by the way, since I find myself wanting to tell every guy who so much as glances at you that you’re mine.”

“I was afraid you just wanted something casual.”