Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“My career is hanging by a thread. I might look like I have my shit together, but I really don’t. My manager said if this show doesn’t succeed …”
“You’ll become like me.”
“Well, he didn’t say that specifically, but yeah, that was the implication. And so there’s a lot of pressure for it to do well, but the show has been surrounded by legal crap because the other networks pretty much know we’re trying to rip off the big talent shows, and they’ve stopped production from going ahead at least twice now.”
“Hence the scheduling problems.”
“Exactly.”
I know exactly what he’s going through. All those doubts about his career, I’ve lived. But then my chest twinges, and instead of being sympathetic toward Denver, it focuses on my pain and reminds me that when I was the one dealing with the same thing, he wasn’t there for me.
I’m torn because I wouldn’t wish that kind of loneliness on anyone, let alone my best friend, but being that comfort he needs is a lot to ask.
“Out of us Eleven guys, it seems you and I are the ones who need the Eleven reunion the most,” I say.
“And the ones who are most reluctant.”
“Why are you reluctant? This could be the thing you’re looking for.”
Denver averts his gaze. “I was reluctant because of you. Because …”
“Because we’re both dumbasses who hurt each other, and now it’s hard to get over ourselves?”
“Yep.”
I lean back in my seat. “Say we really try here, and we get back to how we used to be, do you think you’ll say yes?”
“I’ll say yes if you need me to. I owe you so much after what I did. And I know it was wrong.”
“Let’s not do that,” I say.
“Do what?”
“Keep tally of who owes who, who hurt who more, and who was wrong. I think we can agree we both made mistakes. Yours were just more conscious. I’m sorry if I ever hurt you. You know that wouldn’t have been my intention at all. Ever.”
“I do know that. And that’s why there’s so much guilt over ignoring you, and then by the time I got past that, you’d gone home, and I … It became one of those things where I’d left it too long, so the problem between us only grew and festered. I should’ve made the effort sooner. I’m so, so sorry.” His emphatic tone, the genuine regret in his eye, this apology finally eases some of the hurt. It’s the first one I’ve believed.
“No more apologizing for the past, okay? Let’s focus on getting us back to being friends. If you think we can work together again, I’ll consider coming back to Eleven.”
Denver’s face lights up.
I point at him. “But don’t get ahead of yourself. And definitely don’t tell Harley.”
He crosses his heart. “Scout’s honor.”
“That’s not how you—” I shake my head. “You know what, never mind.” I cross my heart too. “Scout’s honor.”
“What were your plans for the day? Can we hang out? Maybe watch a movie? Go down to the beach?” It’s cute how animated Denver is now we’ve talked through our issues, and I really don’t want to say no to him, but …
I lower my gaze to my stomach. “I’m not … I’m not really public ready.”
“Why not?”
I cock my head and look at him as if to say Really? “Hmm, so you haven’t seen the recent headlines like ‘Who’s the Fatass Who Ate Mason Nash?’”
“Are you serious? Who would write that?”
“Who do you think? Nearly every publication in Hollywood.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the way you look. It’s not the Mason everyone is used to, but you still look hot.”
My lips twitch. “Still?”
Denver rolls his eyes. “Well, I wasn’t attracted to you for your brains now, was I?”
Joking about this awkwardness has to be a good thing, right?
“I had no other plans than hitting your gym, so we can hang after my workout.”
“Or we could work out together,” Denver says. “I haven’t even had the chance to exercise since we started filming. It could be nice to have someone there encouraging me to push. A few weeks ago on my day off, I got on the treadmill and did maybe five minutes before I gave up and said, ‘Fuck this. This is my day off, I should be sleeping.’ And then I went back to bed.”
Having an accountability partner would probably help lose the extra pounds faster.
“Okay, you’re on.”
Chapter Nine
Denver
Offering to help Mason work out was a dumbass move. Because not only are we spending time together and cracking the occasional joke between us like we used to, but now I get to watch him sweat all over the place and moan.
Jesus H. Christ, that moan.
He has these thick legs that he never used to have, and this round ass that definitely used to be flat. And as I watch him on the elliptical machine, I’m mesmerized by it bouncing in front of my face.