Copyright © Alexa Silver, 2015
“Hi, Bryson. Or should I call you Bry. Seems as if everyone does.”
“That’s fine. Hi, Orion. It’s good to finally talk with you.”
Bry had put not only his faith and trust in Kell, but he’d taken a leap of faith when Kell had suggested that Orion pitch his story, no names included, to several publications to see which, if any, might bite.
This was going to be Bry’s coming out story, but also his debut as Kell’s lover, and it had to be right. Though Bry knew he couldn’t direct this, as if his life were a movie, he desperately wanted to try. The lack of control was its own stress.
“You too. Anyway, guys, I have some news.” He paused then and Bry white knuckled the steering wheel.
“Vanity Fair is interested in a four thousand word article. That’s huge, guys. And depending on who my celebrity coming out is, they may want the cover as well. Bry, I’m sure they’ll want you on the cover. Before I go forward, do I have your okay?”
“Shouldn’t we sign a contract or something?” Bry asked, panic welling up inside him. Was he ready for this?
“We will. Soon, I promise. And confidentiality agreements that should plug the majority of the leaks. I’ll do my best. Bry, Kell, Vanity Fair is a great choice, and they’re willing to go there without even knowing what celebrity it is. For all they know, I have Lindsey Lohan or Brittney Spears lined up. Or, I might have the girl who was in Glee for two lines. They’re trusting me, and I know you both are, too. It is a trust I’m not going to screw up, on any levels. I care too much about Kell and too much about my reputation and integrity as a journalist to mess anything up. Bry, I know you don’t know me, but I swear, you can trust me.”
Vanity Fair. A possible cover. Kell had thought he was ready for this, but maybe he wasn’t. “Give me tonight to think about it,” he told both Kell and Orion. “I need to make sure this is the right thing at the right time.”
“Cold feet,” Kell remarked.
“Not cold feet,” Bry shot back. “Just…hesitant. This is a huge thing.”
“Orion helped me when I had the People magazine cover,” Kell admitted.
Bry hadn’t known that. He nodded, driving automatically toward his parents’ house, the other cars mere distractions as his muscle memory took over, allowing him to think deeply. “Orion, I will call you tonight. Give me a few hours to think about it all.”
“You’ve got it. Lean on that guy there. He’s pretty amazing. If I wasn’t completely straight arrow, I’d be kicking myself for losing a chance with him. You’re lucky. Remember that.”
“I’ll try.”