Page 65 of Reckless Hearts

“I can imagine. Must be quite different from when your biggest excitement was finding out The Bog had two-for-one pizzas.”

He grins. “Yes. Although LA doesn’t have the unique thrill of running to your lecture hall through horizontal rain.”

“Do you enjoy your job?” I ask.

The smile fades from his face. He leans against the bar, his posture relaxed but his eyes intense as they focus on me.

“I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before,” he says quietly.

“Really?”

“I guess everyone always assumes because so many people want to be actors, it must be the best job in the world.” He stops and takes another sip of his drink before he continues, “I do like acting. Modeling wasn’t so great. The novelty of being treated like a clotheshorse wears off after a while. But I definitely enjoy acting.”

“What do you like about acting?”

He shrugs. “I guess I like the process of slipping into someone else’s skin, working out why they act the way they do.”

I’m suddenly lightheaded. When we were together at uni, I’d occasionally see glimpses of this side of Marcus. So different from the usual charming and cocky Marcus. More introspective, more…vulnerable.

“I saw you inCupid’s GPS,” I say. “You were great.”

Great is an understatement. Marcus lit up the screen with a presence that made it impossible to look away, even when he wasn’t speaking.

He runs a hand through his hair, ruffling it. “Thanks.”

“And I really liked the remake ofBen Hur.”

Marcus fidgets with his drink, his fingers tracing patterns in the condensation on the glass. “How many of my movies have you watched?”

Is there a way to answer that question honestly without coming across as a stalker ex-lover?

“I’ve watched all of them,” I admit. I duck my head, suddenly fascinated by the coaster on the bar. But I push myself to continue. “You were amazing in every single one. And you’re like a movie-making machine. You just keep churning them out.”

Marcus’s jaw tightens for a moment. He shifts his weight, angling himself away from the crowded bar. “The industry is ruthless. You’ve got to capitalize while you’re hot. You take a six-month break, and you find yourself doing infomercials for hair regrowth products.”

I look at Marcus’s hair. “I’m pretty sure you’d nail those slow-motion hair flips.”

Marcus smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Thanks.”

“But that sounds like lots of pressure.”

“It is an incredibly intense industry. You’ve got to be everywhere, all of the time. Be seen in the right places with the right people. And there’s this constant pressure to be perfect, to never have a bad day or say the wrong thing. If you do anything wrong, social media explodes.”

“Is it that way even after you’ve become famous?”

“Yeah. Especially as I’m trying to move into more serious roles.” Marcus lets out a self-deprecating laugh. “I guess I’m trying to prove to the world that I’m more than a pretty face.”

“You’ve always been so much more than that,” I say softly.

His eyes fly to meet mine. His lips part as if he’s about to say something more, but the intimate bubble we’ve created is suddenly burst by Saskia’s voice.

“Hey, my chief bridesman. Can you come give me your opinions on the placement of the tiki torches?”

Marcus rips his gaze away from mine to look at Saskia. “I didn’t realize ‘Hollywood heartthrob’ and ‘tiki torch technician’ were interchangeable job titles.”

Saskia smirks. “I figured your expertise in smoldering looks would translate well to actual fire management.”

“Well,Vanity Fairdid call me sizzling,” Marcus says smoothly.