The Collection (Contemporary Reverse Harem 5)

“Kealy, wake up.”

I opened my eyes to a dark room, where I could just make out Fantine.

“What are you doing in bed so early? It’s only six o’clock,” she said.

I reached through the fog in my head for my nightstand light. Switching it on made me squint. “Wow. I just laid down for a little nap. Guess I was really tired.”

Fantine scooted up on the bed next to me and propped a pillow behind her back.

“I brought home some of your favorite Thai. I thought it might make you feel better,” she said.

I had a lot of things to be grateful for, and at the top of the list was Fantine. She was always looking out for me.

“Oh, thank you. You’re the best.” I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Hey, how was the audition?”

Fantine was always going from one audition to another for various off and on-Broadway shows. She got a few parts here and there, but I had to hand it her—she never got discouraged. She believed auditioning was a numbers game and that if she tried out for enough parts, she’d eventually get something big.

“It was good. They had me sing that stupid song from Cats. Everyone wants to hear the song from Cats. I’m so over it.”

“I’m starving,” I said.

“Good, because I got a ton of food.”

Not two minutes later, we were sitting on the floor of our tiny New York apartment, shoveling steamy, spicy food into our mouths.

“You know, Keal, I’ve seen worse than what Muse did to you.”

Well, I had too. But I wasn’t going to share that with her. “Yeah?”

“You should see some of the shit that goes down in the theater world. You know how many times I’ve been asked to get on my knees and give someone a blow job?”

“What?”

“I’m serious. It’s common. Happens all the time. I won’t do it, though. I don’t want to be someone who finally ‘makes it’ and has to live with what I did to get there. No, I’m going to get ahead on my talent.”

Fantine could afford to take her time with her career. Her parents paid her freaking rent.

“In fact, just last week, I walked in on a guy giving a producer a blow job. I guess one of the good things about theater is that there are so many gay guys that a lot of them aren’t interested in anything from me. Small miracles,” she said, shrugging.

I sighed long and loud. “Well, there was one bright light in my day…”

She set her plate on the floor next and turned to face me. “Yeah? Fill me in.”

“Well, you know how Forest does both men’s and women’s apparel?”

“Yeah, I do.” She looked like I was going to tell her I’d won the lottery.

Maybe I had.

“Well, most of the male models are kind of creepy and skinny, but Forest is pretty good at picking the manly ones. And there were some hotties there today. I met this guy named Marlon who was very sweet, and freaking hot. Shaved head, rich brown skin, and muscles to die for. You don’t usually see models like that. Not at fashion shows, anyway.”

Fantine studied me. As carefully as I knew she was choosing her words, I pretty much knew what was going to come out of her mouth.

“You know, Keal, it might be nice for you to get out there again. Go on a date or two.”

Easy for her to say. Lush black curls tumbled down her back, the perfect contrast to her bright blue eyes. And she had a flawless hourglass figure. Wherever we went, guys fell at her feet.

Not that I did that badly with the guys—I just didn’t have any game. I totally sucked at small talk.

I nodded. “I know. It’s been months since the asshole blew me off,” I said, trying not to remember how I’d waited a month to sleep with the guy, thinking I was playing it the right way. But apparently, I hadn’t, because he completely ghosted me right after I gave it up.

I mean, I’d even met the asshole’s mother.

“Are you gonna see him again? Like at a show or something?”

“Well, I know he has to come by the office for a fitting soon,” I said.

A slow smile crept across her face. “Now you’re talking, my friend. We’re gonna cheer you up and figure out how to handle that dickwad, Muse.”

“That’s what I’m counting on. I really am, Fantine.”