Page 53 of Starring Role

Chapter twenty

Wait for me.

The text was odd. Short and urgent. Until it arrived, Jimmy had been resigning himself to the fact that Coop didn't want to see him at the airport, and was trying to psych himself up for the drive back to the studio and switching places with his brother again. Mike would probably mock him, but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was the feelingof let-down, that his plan hadn't been a good one, that Coop didn't need to see him.

There seemed to be reporters hanging around the entrance, and he slowly realized they were there for Cooper. That was a weird thing to realize. Yes, he'd always thought his talented, handsome boyfriend would someday be famous, but he hadn't really stopped to think about the whole "stalked by reporters" thing.Did they really want to get some photos of him looking like shit after he'd been traveling? He was unlikely to be his usual handsome, well-groomed self after a long flight and an exhausting press junket. Besides, he'd done every interview on the planet already. Why would anyone need more photos?

I guess it's the local guys.But no. When Jimmy looked as closely as he could, their equipmentseemed expensive. They didn't seem like the reporters for the local rag, most of whom he was pretty sure he knew on sight.

At any rate, he was heading back to his car, walking slowly, feeling discouraged about the whole mess, when he got the text.

He hesitated only a moment, then texted back,OK.I'll be in my car at the back of the parking lot.

Engine running,texted Coop.

What the heck?Was he running from reporters? Still, Jimmy was a Holdst clear through; the idea of a little sneaking around and maybe a car chase was enough to get his blood pumping. He grinned and got into the car, then sat drumming his hands on the wheel, thinking how good it would be to see Cooper.

My boyfriend, the famous actor.It felt like it had been months, but it had only been a few weeks. Hewas desperate to see Coop, to touch him, to assure himself that Coop was real and all right. He'd been so off lately, not like himself.

The door opened, and he jumped a little. Cooper was here, sliding into the passenger seat, all rigid nerves and tight muscles, along with a bright, brittle smile and the red eyes of someone who'd been crying. He was wearing a baseball hat, a jacket with theshow's logo on it, and jeans. He looked thinner than normal in his face.

Jimmy reached over and gripped his arm hard. That felt thinner, too, wiry and tensed.

"Drive," Coop said, looking at him with a face that seemed all eyes, his expression intense, like he wanted to eat Jimmy up.

Jimmy drove. Nobody chased them, but he hurried anyway. After a moment, Coop began to laugh. It was a scarysound, not like him at all.

Then he doubled over and wiped at his eyes, hunching in on himself. "So much for that. Shit. I'll have to apologize later. I ducked her. They were gonna... The studio..." He waved a hand. Then, suddenly, he deflated, all the energy and life and tension going out of him, and he just sat there.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay. We'll be home soon." Jimmyreached across gingerly and put a hand on the back of Coop's neck and held on, driving one-handed. He hadn't been this scared in a long time.

At home, one of the neighbors tried to interrupt. "Say, isn't that the guy from TV? He doesn't look so good."

"It's not him. It's somebody else," Jimmy said, a protective arm around his boyfriend, hustling him past and into his apartment.

He beganto breathe easier with the door locked behind them.