Page 67 of For the Cameras

“So, Chase, my guy,” Kace told me a bit later, when I was halfway into my first whiskey sour of the night. “How’s the single life? I always thought you reminded me of how I used to be before I met Nathan.”

“Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?” I asked him.

“Biggest compliment in the world,” Kace said, looking at me like I was nuts. “Are you having fun out there, playing the field, picking up hotties?”

I glanced across the table and was glad the executives weren’t paying attention to us. Kace Tomlin really was the most famous person I’d ever known—he was a star football player for Denver, and was nationally known for being openly gay and really fucking good at running with a football. But Kace was also the only person I’d met who rivaled me in being able to sayanythingthat crossed his mind.

I loved him. But for the first time ever, I felt self-conscious answering a question about my dating life.

“I haven’t been bringing as many guys home, no,” I said, looking over at Adam to see if he was listening. He looked absorbed in his own conversation, but at this point, I knew Adam. I knew he was sensitive to everything that went on around him, and I had no clue what he might pick up.

“I don’t buy it,” Kace said, giving me his big, signature smile. “You’re the hottest twink in Jade River.”

I laughed softly. “I don’t know about that.”

“For real,” Kace continued. “I had a guy over at my house for a party a few weeks ago and he said you gave him the best New Year’s dick he’d ever had in January.”

I took a swig of my drink. “What?”

“Best New Year’s dick,” Kace repeated. “That’s high praise for you, Chase.”

I shifted on my seat. I remembered the guy Kace was talking about.

“That New Year’s hookup was a relatively fun night, but the guy wasn’t for me. He insulted the blue streak in my hair, actually.”

Kace nodded. “Actually, he said my jello shots were too sweet when I had him at my party, too. Maybe the guy’s just a prick.”

From the other side of the table, Adam, Emmett, and the other guy let out a riot of laughter. Apparently Adam wasn’t paying attention to me at all, and was having a great time of his own.

Something welled up inside my chest—something completely unexpected.

Pride. I was fuckingproudof Adam.

As dinner went on, he flew right past all of my expectations, holding his own in conversations with the marketing guys and then also with Kace and his football player friend, chatting along with everyone and making some jokes himself that got the whole table laughing.

If I’d met Adam tonight, I never would have even known he had any social anxiety. And I knew how much it must mean to him that he was able to fit in with every single person here.

I knew it was something he’d needed and deserved for his wholelife.

I was watching him blossom, right in front of me, and it gave me another wave of affection for him that I didn’t know what to do with.

I wasn’t supposed to feel affectionate for him. I was just supposed to film filthy videos with him and maybe,maybeget fucked, if he wanted it, too.

I was finishing my main course when Adam pulled out his phone for a moment, tapping something out before slipping it away again. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and when I got a moment to take it out without being rude, I jumped at the chance.

Adam Richardsen: Check the OnlyShots video. Also you look really cute across the table. I like you in that suit.

I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. I tried to hide it, but Kace gave me a nudge.

“Looks like somebody just got a promising text,” he said. “Guess you’re still having more fun than you let on, huh, Chase?” he teased.

“Shut it,” I told him, and he just laughed.

I excused myself from the table and got up, making my way to the long, dim hallway that led to the restrooms.

I checked the OnlyShots video and my eyes opened wide.

There were over a hundred comments on the video. Usually, Adam’s videos got far less than that, and in the first couple of hours, they often got only a few. The video had been up for about ninety minutes now, and people were flocking to it.