On the return trip to the hotel he was checking messages when a reply text came in: I fucking hate you
LOL what
Do you have ANY IDEA how many things have come in that I would have loved to send you?
No and don’t care I have personal shit going on Okay yes I know. So why did you send me this Old Spice Sex Machine picture?
Andy almost dropped the phone, he was laughing so hard. Victor took it out of his hand and read the exchange. “That’s a pretty good description.
Why did you send it?”
“Well.” Andy took a moment to compose himself and his thoughts.
“Because of what’s happening with Pop. Because I thought maybe it was stupid to slam that door when I’m still young. Or at least not incontinently old.”
Thank you Jesus, thought Victor. “Anyone who can fuck like you is not any kind of old.” They both heard a snort from the security guy in the front passenger seat. “Are you going to tell her you might consider something for around the time I start my thing next year?”
“Do you think I should?” Victor gave him a look. Andy shrugged.
“Maybe if it was filming in England too. Because I don’t want to be on the opposite side of the planet from you. Like, ever.”
“I don’t want that either. Tell her.” He handed the phone back to Andy.
Andy read the exchange again, starting with the selfie. It really was pretty good. And not every part would be as boring as what he’d done on
‘Vice,’ or as stressful as what he’d done for Tanith. After close to a year of doing exactly and only what he wanted to with Victor, he’d probably be ready to try something new. Hi Raquel thanks for the compliment. V agrees with you btw. He has a new thing starting next July in England. I would consider something same time same place. No sweet tame bartender tho I am OVER IT
The reply came immediately. I’m on it
They had their dinner with Jonathan and Loretta the night after Andy’s scene wrapped. Victor was on set for that, but the other two weren’t.
Jonathan spent most of the week finishing up some scenes on the Mackinac Bridge, and Loretta was filming a cat-and-mouse chase at Niagara. They all told stories for hours. Andy got caught up with Jonathan, who he hadn’t seen since they were all in Miami two years before, and who was eighteen months into a new relationship with someone he and Victor already knew. That whole thing had been surprising at first, but now seemed totally obvious.
Loretta had come to Los Angeles for the premiere of ‘The Ghost of Carlos Gardel.’ She said, “It was nice meeting your friend Jim there. Do you see him often?”
That was also surprising. Jim was a nice guy, but not a person they would have expected Loretta to remember. “Hardly ever,” Andy confessed, feeling slightly guilty about it. “We used to see each other all the time when I
could get to Chrome for the Cabaret shows. Then ‘Vice’ happened and we couldn’t really go anywhere without the whole Secret Service deal, and he lives out in the Valley, and ugh.”
“That doesn’t mean anything to Loretta,” Jonathan said. “She’s only been in L.A. a couple of times.” He lived there too, in a downtown loft.
Loretta was still based in Miami.
“Okay,” said Victor. “Well, imagine you’re trying to get from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale at rush hour. Now imagine it’s less than half the distance and takes more than twice as long. That’s getting from West L.A. to the Valley, or vice versa.” Loretta made an ‘ugh’ face.
“We still email.” Andy continued to feel guilty. “He’s out and about a lot. He still does video for dance events, and since Tanith’s thing he’s gotten some more gigs on indie films.”
“He was nice,” Loretta said. “Tell him I said Hi. And tell your parents I said Hi.”
“I’ll do that. Send me a sexy selfie and I’ll forward it to Pop.” Loretta laughed, but she did.
The next night, Victor was in the hotel bar with Jonathan and Loretta when a text came in from Andy: Hi catnip, we’re heading for the Keys tomorrow. Everything good?
Victor signaled the others. Loretta waved him away. He didn’t actually leave, but turned his attention to the phone. Everything’s good except I miss you. How’d Ronnie like that picture from Loretta?
A LOT
LOL good. What are you doing tonight?
Dinner with Alonzo. His hubs Enrique just left to take his nephew to Puerto Rico for the summer, they’re building houses Good for them. Victor was conscious of a totally unexpected pang of jealousy. When they’d been in Miami before, Alonzo had been ‘my friend from my past life.’ Only later had he learned that Al had actually been Andy’s boyfriend back in the day. He told himself to stop it. How does Al like your beard?
Shocked and appalled
How did your mom like it?
Shocked and appalled
LOL and Ronnie?
Laughed his ass off, which is the main reason I haven’t shaved it yet.
Don’t worry, I’ll let it grow again because I like the way you like it Hmm maybe for Love is Blindness
Okay but not for the other one because I don’t think I can pull off a drag routine with this
Victor laughed out loud. Are you really going to do it that way?
You said you wanted me to. You don’t ask for much I love you
I love you too. Be in touch once we get down to Key West Victor took a moment after they signed off. Thinking about that flash of jealousy, thinking about Andy with the beard and Andy in fishnets and heels, and feeling lonely.
“Everything okay?” Jonathan
