Being a Star (Isn't Easy)
Chapter Ten
It was an hour after the concert and Ezra, his bodyguards, J.D., Josiah, Casey,
Inez, and Rain were all at Ezra's house. They were in his game room, lounging
around. Josiah and J.D. were playing billiards, while the others just sat around
and talked.
"That was a great concert," said Buck before taking a drink of his soda. Chris
had a strict rule about drinking alcohol on the job, it wasn't allowed.
"Thanks," replied Ezra.
"Ya know, it's pretty rare for an entertainer to be as successful as you are at
both singin' and actin'," Buck added.
"Ez is a pretty rare kinda guy," teased J.D.
"That's one way of puttin' it," mumbled Nathan.
"Let me ask you something, Mister Jackson, what the hell is your
problem?" demanded Rain.
"What? I don't have a problem," sputtered Nathan.
"We think you do," countered Inez.
"Lettin' your girlfriends fight your battles for you, now?" Nathan
snidely asked Ezra.
"Nathan," growled Chris in a warning.
"You know what, I have had enough!" said Ezra as he stood up. Glaring at the
still seated Nathan, he continued, "Rain, Inez, and Casey are not my
girlfriends. They are family. As I've already told you, I'm gay. I'm sick and
tired of your blatant disrespect in my own home, to my own face!"
They could all see that Ezra had reached his limits, and as Josiah had
predicted, it wasn't gonna be pretty. But, they all knew that Nathan had it
coming.
"I only hired you four because Josiah and J.D. convinced me that it would be in
my best interests. That you would keep me safe, that they had heard nothin' but
praise about all of you. Well, you know what, I don't want to have to depend on
you keepin' me safe, Mister Jackson. Hell, I wouldn't trust you to keep a mouse
safe! So, I would appreciate it if all four of you could be gone by mornin'.
I'll take my chances on my own."
Before the stunned Nathan or anyone could utter a word, Ezra was stomping out of
the room, rigid with anger. A minute later, Josiah spoke up. "Maybe, Ezra is
right. Maybe it would be best if y'all left, I don't know what I was thinkin'."
With that, Josiah and J.D. left to go check on Ezra.
Three glaring women stood, along with three glaring men. Seeing that they were
all six glaring at him, Nathan also stood. "I didn't mean nothin'. Is it my
fault that the star is so sensitive?" he tried to defend himself.
"YES!" exclaimed six voices.
"I told you that I would send you home, Nathan. But, you kept assuring me that
you could be a professional. Now, you've lost us the biggest job we've had. If
he puts the word out, we'll be lucky to get any more high-profile clients," said
Chris.
"Besides that, what did you expect when you kept right at him? Especially in his
own house?" chimed in Buck.
Blue eyes glaring at Nathan, Vin said, "I'll go and see if I can talk to him.
Maybe, I can convince him to keep us as bodyguards. I wouldn't feel comfortable
just leavin' him while he's got a stalker."
"Oh please!" exclaimed Nathan. "I've seen the way you look at him, you just
wanna get in his pants."
A slightly blushing Vin angrily said, "Go ta hell, Nathan." With that he left
the room.
Casey slapped Nathan across the face and spat, "You are an ass."
As he looked at her in shock, Rain and Inez seconded her opinion with slaps of
their own, before leaving.
Nathan held his reddened left side of his face, not being able to believe that
the three women had slapped him.
"Don't look so shocked, you deserved it," scoffed Chris.
"Nate, why don't ya be truthful and tell us what you have against Ezra," said
Buck.
Nathan shrugged, "I don't have nothin' against him. He's the one that was
yelling at me!"
"Cut the bullshit, Nathan!" Chris sharply retorted. His eyes shooting fire, he
said, "You either tell us or you're fired from the firm. Effective immediately."
Nathan's eyes slightly widened, "You'd fire me? Because of him?"
"In a heartbeat. But, not because of Standish, because of you. If you can't be
professional on his case, how can I trust you to be professional on other
cases?"
Nathan couldn't believe it, his three friends had turned against him, because of
Ezra Standish. That made him even more angry with man. And humiliated. Not
answering, he left the room.
"Nathan, get back here," Buck said as he started to follow him.
"Let him go, Buck. He needs to figure things out on his own," said Chris.
Nathan left the house, went outside, and started walking around. Well, more like
stomping around. 'Damn southern... Diva,' he snidely thought. 'Has to cause
problems.'
IN EZRA'S ROOM
Vin knew which room was Ezra's, he had watched him enter it on occasion. He took
a deep breath and knocked on the door. J.D. answered and he said, "I was wantin'
to talk to Ezra."
J.D. closed the door for a moment, before re-opening it. "Come on in," he said.
Vin entered the room, seeing Josiah sitting on the bed beside Ezra.
"Holler if you need us, Son," Josiah said.
Ezra nodded as Josiah and J.D. headed for the door. After they had left, Ezra
looked at Vin and asked, "What can I do for you?"
Vin took a deep breath and asked, "Is it okay if I sit down beside ya?"
After a slight hesitation, Ezra nodded. Vin sat down beside him and said, "I'm
sorry about how Nate's been actin'. Chris has put him in his place a coupla
times, but ole Nate's hard-headed."
Ezra turned, bending his leg and laying it on the bed, so he could face Vin.
"You don't have to explain. Mister Jackson hates me for some reason, although I
can't think of why. I haven't done anythin' to the man."
"We know that, Ezra. I wish you would reconsider about firing us, though..."
Before Vin could continue, Ezra interrupted, "That's why you wanted to talk. You
and your friends don't wanna lose the job."
Vin quickly shook his head, "No, that's not why I wanted to talk. It's not the
job I'm worried about. It's you."
Surprised green eyes looked into blue, as Ezra asked, "Me? Why?"
"Yes, you. I'm worried about leavin' you with a stalker out there." Vin paused
for a moment, then decided to just take the risk. "I really like ya, Ezra. Have
since we first met. I can't stop thinkin' about ya, I have to always stop myself
from touchin' ya when you're close by. I know you could never like a man like
me. I don't really fit into your star life...."
Before Vin could continue, Ezra covered his lips with his own. At Vin's shocked
gasp, Ezra took advantage and slipped his tongue into the warm, moist mouth.
After a second, Vin got with the program and started kissing him back, his hands
rubbing up and down Ezra's back.
When the need for air broke them apart, Ezra whispered, "You taste as good as I
knew you would."
Vin blushed and asked, "What was that?"
"If you don't know, then I must've done somethin' wrong," teased Ezra.
"Oh, no, you definitely did nothin' wrong," said a smiling Vin.
"Vin, I've been attracted to you since we met. And, I don't care if you don't
fit into the star world, in fact I'm glad. You haven't been tainted or jaded by
it. I really think I'm close to falling in love with you. I'm not all the way
there yet, but I'm close."
"Same here," whispered Vin as he leaned back in for another kiss. Ezra gave him
a slight smile as he willingly let his lips be recaptured.