Swoon: A Brother's Best Friend Standalone

Colin is blushing. “Thank you for that. That was all great to hear.”

“It’s all true. So, tell your pesky imposter syndrome to stop talking shit inside your head, or it’ll have to answer to me. And let’s not forget, I’m the woman who handled Caleb Baumgarten’s bullshit for nine months. I’m not someone to be trifled with, honey.”

Colin bursts out laughing. “Clearly not.” He picks up his fork, which makes me do the same, and we begin eating the scrumptious meal he’s prepared for us with gusto. As we eat, I compliment Colin on his culinary skills, and he tells me how he made the food. Which then leads to him telling me stories about how his mom and two older sisters always kept him busy in the kitchen as a kid. Until, eventually, we’re pushing aside our plates and I’m picking up Colin’s script to help him run lines on the poker party scene.

“That was awesome!” I say, after Colin’s delivers his last line in the scene.

“Did I get all the words right?” he asks.

“Every single one of them.”

“I have to get all of them exactly right. No improvisation allowed, unless the director specifically asks for it.”

“You delivered every word perfectly like a true professional.” I wink. “You want to run the other two scenes now?”

Colin looks far more relaxed now than he did before breakfast—like a whole new man—as he nods and replies, “Let’s do it.”

We run his two other two scenes with lines, and Colin mostly nails his dialog, only requiring a few corrections.

When we’re done with both scenes, I put his script down on the table and praise him.

“Now that I’ve heard you,” I say, “I’m positive Gary Flynn didn’t hire you as a PR stunt. He hired you because you’re a natural.”

Colin’s face lights up. “That’s the exact word Gary used about me! Same with my acting coach!”

Oh, my heart. He’s darling in this moment. So vulnerable and sweet. I lay my hand on his on the table. “I’m so happy for you, Colin. I know you’ve dreamed of being an actor since you were a kid. I’m so excited to have a front-row seat to you making your childhood dream come true.”

Colin looks utterly shocked. “How do you know I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was a kid? I’ve never told anyone about that. Not even my family.”

“You told Logan when I was in the room, hiding behind the couch.”

He laughs. “What?”

I giggle. “You guys were watching a horror movie. My mother said I was too young to watch it with you, so, when she went to bed, I snuck out of my room and hid behind the couch to watch. And that’s when I heard you telling Logan that’s what you wanted to be when you grew up—an actor in a movie, like the one you were watching.”

Colin lets out a sort of half-chuckle of astonishment. “I don’t even remember saying that. It’s funny you remember that.”

“Who knows why certain memories take hold inside a person’s brain,” I say casually, even though I know exactly why I’ve always remembered Colin’s comment: because anything that boy has ever said or done in my presence that gave me a window into his soul immediately got filed away in a special drawer inside my brain labeled “Colin.”

“This movie really does feel like a childhood dream come true,” Colin admits. “I haven’t said that to anyone else. I don’t want to jinx it or come off like a total dork. Plus, I’ve been lucky enough to have so many dreams come true with my band, and I don’t want to come off like a greedy motherfucker.”

“There’s no quota on dreams,” I say. “As far as I’m concerned, they can be infinite.”

His chest heaves. “I like that.”

“You’re allowed to keep dreaming and reaching for even higher stars, no matter how successful you’ve already been in life,” I say, my eyes locked with his. “In fact, I’d be a bit sad for you, if you didn’t.”

His nostrils flare. He doesn’t look away and neither do I. The air between us at the kitchen table suddenly feels electrified.

“Can I tell you something?” he whispers.

“Of course.”

“I’m deathly afraid I’m going to embarrass myself tomorrow. Fail to meet expectations and get fired on the spot.”

“That’s not going to happen.. Even while running lines, you became Private Sherman before my eyes. I know you discount my high opinion of you, because you think I think you can do no wrong. But I’m telling you, you’re an objectively fantastic actor—a true natural—and everyone tomorrow will think so. Not just me. And so will everyone who eventually sees the movie.”

Colin bites his lower lip, his cheeks flushing gorgeously. “The truth is, Amy . . . with my band, I’ve been feeling like the caboose for a while now. So, getting cast in this movie felt like more than a childhood dream coming true. It’s a chance for me to spread my wings and prove to myself—and the world—that I can actually earn something.”