Heaven Sent...

By Heather Mar-Gerrison

“Now, I know this is nothing like your usual role – but hey, who wants to be typecast?” My agent, Lawrence, laughed slightly hysterically and I instantly knew that he was up to something. He was holding the script in his hand, tantalisingly in view but still out of reach unless I made a grab for it, which, I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t above doing...
Gerard has been acting for years; he makes decent money and he's comfortable enough to be able to pick and choose his roles.
Jason is an up-and-coming actor who's just starting out in the business. He's been tipped to be the next big thing and as much as Gerard admires the guy, he can't help feeling a little intimidated by working with him.
What he doesn't expect is to find that Jason is one of the nicest guys he's ever met. He's funny and smart and truly beautiful inside and out.
Jason can't believe his luck. He's going to be acting alongside his all time favourite actor and secret celebrity crush. The fact that they're going to have to kiss and make out in the movie makes it all the more exciting for him - if a little terrifying.
As much as he's always admired him - he didn't expect for their friendship to become a bromance - or is it more than that? Are they actually falling in love in real life too?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Mar-Gerrison
• Release date: Jun 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463113882

Heather Mar-Gerrison

I love to write M/M romance and as a sucker for a HEA, you're guaranteed one in my books. #happyheatherafters

Book preview

Heaven Sent…

(Behind the Scenes #1)

Heather Mar-Gerrison copyright 2018

Smashwords Edition

Revised 2022

Beautiful front cover design courtesy of Shutterstock designs

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work.

Prologue

Gerard

Now, I know this is nothing like your usual role – but hey, who wants to be typecast? My agent, Lawrence, laughed slightly hysterically and I instantly knew that he was up to something. He was holding the script in his hand, tantalisingly in view but still out of reach unless I made a grab for it, which, I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t above doing...

I looked at my him with my eyebrows raised as he looked back at me with a look on his face that was a combination of nervous, excited, hopeful and terrified all rolled into one. Yeah, he was definitely up to something, I could tell.

I frowned. Giving in to my less polite side, I leaned across the desk and plucked the script from his sweaty hand. What’s that look for? I asked, narrowing my eyes at him suspiciously, You look like you’re about to give birth to an elephant.

He laughed again, and it was still no less hysterical before he swallowed and then spoke, Jason Flaherty is reading the other part. He said, speaking his name reverently. Uh-oh, looked like someone had a man-crush… He’s really up-and-coming.

I nodded. I already knew who Jason Flaherty was. Anyone who had a brain in their head in this industry kept their ear to the ground for new talent – and as much as I knew I was a good actor – the awards I’d accumulated over the past few years were testament to that – I also knew that there was always someone else who would come along that was better and he was that guy…

My girlfriend, Gina, hadn’t stopped going on about him since she and a few of her girlfriends had gone to see the chick-flick ‘Sunset City’ a couple of months back. Yeah, I know who he is. Young kid. Dark red hair and flawless skin, right? Unbearably attractive with an ingenuous appeal. He wasn’t all that young, actually – he just looked it with his slight frame and wide-set, doe-eyed, innocent-looking eyes.

He nodded, I think he’s still in his early twenties, yeah.

Great. So now I was going to have to hit the gym like a man possessed for the next couple of weeks before I was due to film, so I at least had a chance of looking reasonably decent on the big screen next to him. Not that I too, wasn’t in my twenties albeit closer to the mid-range than early – but there was no getting away from the fact that I’d always looked older and I certainly didn’t possess any sort of innocent air. I could play a guy in his thirties – and I could be cast as a good or a bad guy. I had that sort of ruggedness about me. Hell, I’d been shaving since I was thirteen…

I took the script off him and started to read the synopsis. Wow. I blinked and looked up at Lawrence, it’s set in San Francisco? I squawked excitedly, "I’ll be going to San Francisco?" I’d never actually been there before. I’d been to the USA before – plenty of times for different movies and chat shows, but never to San Francisco. It was the one place I’d always wanted to go. This was incredible.

He nodded, "Now, listen – don’t go getting all diva-ish on me – the budget isn’t particularly… well, lavish, shall we say? It’s kind of an indie film but we think it’s gonna be big."

I blinked, What does that mean? I knew exactly what it meant. It meant that they were after awards and we were gonna have to slum it for their benefit – and, hopefully, ours – if we got the awards…

It means that you’ll be up for loads of awards but you’ve got to work hard. He said, confirming my gut feeling. You’ll get a flight to Los Angeles but from there, you and Jason are sharing a car to San Francisco. All of this came out in a bit of a rush and he looked at me with pleading eyes.

I blinked. He had to be kidding me. I wasn’t good with new people. It took me ages to make friends. That was probably why I had so few and actually counted Lawrence among them, even if he did drive me crazy most of the time… But I’ve never met the guy. I said.

He grinned, Once you’ve read the script, that’ll be the least of your worries, believe me.

I frowned and looked back down at the script. What the hell had that meant?

I read on, Oh. I looked back up at Lawrence who was chewing his nails down to his elbows, It’s another gay part?

He nodded, wincing slightly as he spoke. He clearly thought I would turn it down. But you’re an actor, right? He said hopefully, "And obviously you’re a really good one. Hell, man, you pretend for a living – no one really thinks you’re gay..."

I knew no one really thought I was gay but this would be the second movie in two years where I played the part of a gay man. The first one wasn’t so bad. The fact that the character was gay was kind of secondary to the fact that he was a ruthless killer, so mostly I was remembered as the bad guy who shot people for fun… I pursed my lips, I’m aware of that. I said a little haughtily. Fuck, what the hell was my girlfriend, Gina, gonna say about this? Actually, she’d probably laugh her head off – and then get super jealous that I’d be kissing Jason Flaherty when it was all she ever fantasised about… I wondered sometimes why I wasn’t more annoyed about that. Mostly, I found it amusing. I’ll have to talk to Gina about this. I murmured, And I don’t really want to be typecast...

He nodded, Of course, of course. He said, You’ve got until Thursday to let me know if you want the part – and then he’s going to start auditioning other actors.

I shook my head, No need to wait until then – I’ll do it. Can you let them know right now that I’m in? Well, of course I was in. This was the most exciting thing to happen to me in almost a year of being out of work, save for the usual voiceovers and advertising contracts.

Lawrence beamed at me, This is going to be so great! he said, The director, Jack Rayner, asked for both you and Jason, personally. He didn’t want either of you to audition against anyone else. He actually said he would only make the movie if you two were in it and that’s why he’s waited until now that you’re both available.

I raised my eyebrows. Wow. He’d actually waited for Jason to finish his last movie? Really? I asked, Well, thank God. I hate auditioning.

He nodded, I know you do. He said, You could do more. You know I turn down plenty of shit just so you never have to do that.

I nodded. I was picky for a couple of reasons – one was that I really did hate auditions but the second reason was that I needed plenty of free time to spend helping my family out.

I knew I was lucky to have Lawrence as my agent. He knew all about my disabled brother, but he didn’t dwell on it and he’d never broken my confidence about him, which I was grateful for. The general public had no idea he even existed, which wasn’t my desire but my parents. They didn’t want his life to be a media circus and I guess I understood that – and I totally respected their wishes.

I didn’t need to talk to Gina before I’d made my decision. I’d liked what I’d read – and I wasn’t so rich that I didn’t need the money. My brother’s condition meant spending a lot of money altering the family home to accommodate his chair and that didn’t come cheap. Whatever Gina had to say about me making out with Jason Flaherty on the big screen, I was in. "I’ll call you tonight – just so Gina thinks she had some say in this." I said with a grin.

He tapped his nose and grinned, Good call. He said. He knew Gina quite well and I was sure his grin was more to do with his amusement at what she’d have to say about it…

Tucking the script under my arm and trying not to overthink having to kiss the beautiful young dude, I made my way home. Gina was going to be impossible about this. Absolutely impossible…

Chapter 1 – Leading man…

Gerard

The drive home from Lawrence’s office through the rush hour traffic is one of the stand-out moments in my life.

I spent the entire journey contemplating my future. Would this make me uncomfortably famous? Did I really want any more fame? Too much fame was a dangerous thing. The media would start digging about my family and I really didn’t need that. Not that I was ashamed of them or anything, it was just that Mum and Dad wanted my brother’s life kept private. I respected that – I didn’t really agree with it. My brother was one of the most amazing people in my life and I would have happily shared him with the rest of the world but right now, while he lived with them, I guessed they were right. They didn’t want the paparazzi camped outside day and night.

Not that I really thought that would happen. It certainly wasn’t my experience. At the moment I could quite easily walk around the city without getting recognised and I rather liked it that way. There was never paparazzi camped outside my house. It was kind of nice.

But I’d never really pushed any boundaries, either – this film could either make or break my career – and it would definitely give Jason’s a welcomed boost…

The song on the radio was going to stay with me forever as I thought about the part – and my co-star.

Yes, it was going to be uncomfortable getting naked on set, especially when it was in front of other people – with kissing and simulated sex with another guy but hell, I was an actor – of course I could play a gay part even though I was straight. It was just playing a part…

To be honest, I wasn’t a particularly sexual person. I never had been. Gina and I kind of fell into our relationship with each other towards the end of university and had stayed together since. Our sex life wasn’t particularly exciting – we didn’t even do it all that often if I was honest. I frowned. Would I be able to be convincing on set? Did I actually know how to look passionate? Suddenly I wasn’t so sure…

I gave myself a mental shake. Of course, I could do this. It was just another movie. And it wasn’t as if I was going to start developing feelings for my co-star or vice-versa. It had never happened in any of my previous films… Then again, no one had ever been as beautiful as Jason Flaherty before.

As far as I was aware, Jason Flaherty was perfectly straight, too. He’d been snapped with the same girl a fair few times – I should know, Gina never stopped grumbling about it. She didn’t think the girl was good-looking enough to be his girlfriend. He’s so beautiful, she complained, "And she’s so blah."

I’d begrudgingly admired Jason Flaherty from afar for a while. He was a fabulous up-and-coming actor and I’d seen a few of the films he’d been in. He had been outstanding in his last movie – the one that my girlfriend had been to see. It wasn’t exactly a box-office blockbuster but it had definitely put him on the map as an up-and-coming star, and producers were starting to notice him more and more.

I guessed he’d been asked to read plenty of scripts and I wondered why he’d decided to choose this low-budget indie film over some of the more popular choices. Maybe, like me, he preferred a challenging role to an easy option. I hoped so.

My career so far had been great. I could choose the scripts I liked and this was the second movie I’d taken that was a gay part