Page 54 of Forever Finn
It hasn’t been plain sailing by any means. The day after the press conference, the shit certainly hit the fan. At least seventy percent of the parts I’d been offered were withdrawn overnight and of the couple remaining, they were ones I wasn’t interested in.
There were haters, quite a few of them, not just the public but within the industry. However, I’d underestimated just how many friends I had. Sky and I weathered the storm. Her long running TV show embraced her announcement and even wrote an Ace storyline into the show to try and educate people.
I managed to finally disentangle myself from Simon and signed instead with Sky’s manager Jude. He was the one who sent the screenplay of The Playbook to me. It was a story about a closeted American football player who’d been paralysed in an accident. I’d wanted to do it from the moment I read the opening lines of the script, but I wasn’t sure I had the acting chops for it. All I’d ever done on the screen was blow shit up and deliver cheesy one-liners. Jude, Sky, and Wyatt had all encouraged me to take the part. Even Kyan had written the title song for the film, which had earned the talented bastard another Oscar.
I have to admit I didn’t think I could do it; it was even harder than I’d imagined. It threw up a lot of stuff that hit a bit too close to home. In fact, I don’t think I would have made it through such an emotionally heavy shoot if Wyatt hadn’t shown up in the middle of filming and held me together.
And I won my first ever Oscar.
I know we joke about my attachment to it, but it’s not because it’s an Oscar, it’s what it represents. Something I never thought I’d be able to do. I have a lot more choice when it comes to movie roles now, but I’m ready for a new challenge, which is partly why I choose today and this particular place to tell Wyatt.
Wyatt has been my everything, my rock, my soul mate. I knew I loved him that night in the hotel, but at the time, I don’t think I realised what it truly meant. Every day with him has been a gift, and he’s made me fearless, he’s made me whole. I only hope I give him back a fraction of what he gives to me.
“You look really deep in thought there.” He smiles.
“Yeah,” I shrug. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
“I have something to tell you.” I chew my lip thoughtfully.
“Finn, what is it?” He frowns.
I knee walk across the blanket and climb into his lap, wrapping my arms and legs around him and kissing him deeply.
“I like the way you think.” He pulls back and grins against my lips.
“I love you, Wy,” I sigh, feeling the love for him right down to my bones. “I’m so grateful to have you in my life, you know that right?”
“Hey, I’m grateful for you too.” He lifts my chin and searches my eyes for any clue as to where I’m going with this.
“I know we joke about, Oscar, but he means something because I proved, not just to the public but most of all to myself, that I could do it, that I was capable of more than how I’d been typecast.”
“I never had any doubt.” He strokes my face lovingly. “You’re incredible, Finn. Any time you want me to stroke that ego of yours”—he kisses my neck—“or anything else, I’m more than happy to.”
“I’m sure you are,” I chuckle as I run my fingers through his hair. “But my point is, although I love being on set and the variety of roles I’m now being offered, I want to try something new, something a little closer to home.”
He pulls back and studies me seriously. “You know I don’t mind, right?” he asks. “I mean, sure, I miss you like hell when you’re shooting on location, but I know you’ll come home to me.”
He’s right, I do. In between any of my filming commitments I no longer stay at my condo in Malibu, I’m always on the first flight home to the bay… to Wyatt. He’s my home.
“I’ve sold the condo,” I tell him. “I’ll still take a few film roles now and then when something comes up that I really want to do, but…”
“But?”
“I’m going to scale back and…” I take a deep breath. “I may have bought something else… I wouldn’t say impulsively, but it’s certainly a massive commitment.”
“What?” He frowns.
I raise my eyes to the ceiling and then across our surroundings.
“The theatre?” he replies loudly in shock. “You bought the theatre?”
“Yeah.” I bite my lip nervously. “I probably should have said something to you first, but I wanted to surprise you. I mean, it is a huge commitment. I had to jump through a lot of hoops as it’s a grade II listed building, so it has to be fully restored, but I wanted to be back in the bay with you, and I’ve always loved the theatre so…” I wince. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a great idea.” He beams widely. “It’s perfect, Finn. I can’t wait to see you perform on stage for the first time. People are going to die when they realise you can sing too.”
“Whoa, we’re still a way off that yet.” I grin. “And that’s if I don’t die of stage fright first. It’s a bit different being in front of a camera and crew to being in front of an entire audience.”