Only You by Jerry Cole (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

hand, looking like he was just about ready to throw the whole thing back in one go. Bradley wondered how he was able to drink so much beer and still look like that. “That’s where it’s at.”

“Sydney?” Isabelle blinked her surprise. She was tucked under his arm, but pushed herself. Clearly, this was the first she had heard of it. “Since when?”

“I’ve been in communication with some people up there and they reckon it’s going off right now for actors.”

“Who?”

“Acting friends. Obviously.”

“What kind of jobs?” Bradley asked. He was drinking a vodka lime and soda, but was trying his best to nurse it. Since returning from Bali two months ago he’d tried to cut back on his drinking, for health reasons if nothing else.

“Yeah.”

“Come on.”

“What jobs?”

There were ten of them at the table, all actors from the commercial Bradley had spent the day filming. Some were newbies, even by Bradley’s standards, and some had been in the game for so long that they’d long since given up on ‘breaking in.’ Either way, at the mere mention of more work going, even if it was in Sydney, everyone perked up and focused their attention on Keith.

Keith was made for the limelight and with all eyes on him, he sipped casually at his beer, smirking as he did so. And then, only when he was ready, when everyone was at breaking point, did he continue with, “Everything. Pilot season starts in about three months and word is that there are more jobs going then they can poke a stick at.”

“They?” Billy asked, a teenager that quit high school to take up acting full time.

“Who’s they?” Barb asked next. She was an older woman in her sixties that did this as a sort of side gig.

“Who do you think?” Keith continued coolly. “Casting agents, managers, production houses – you're all actors, fuck. Figure it out. But I’m telling you... Sydney is where it’s at.”

It was said with such assurance, such authority, that it was taken as fact and thus it dominated conversation for the rest of the afternoon and into the night. What were these jobs? Were they real? And, most importantly, was it worth moving to Sydney to pursue them?

“I think I might do it.” Isabelle sounded half convinced in her conviction; like she wanted to, but didn’t know if she actually could. “If Keith does...”

“It’s a risk,” Bradley agreed. “But imagine if he was right?”

It was two nights later, and Bradley was in his small studio apartment, laying back on his bed, speaking on the phone with Isabelle. All they’d been able to talk about for the last two days was this possible relocation and now it was coming to the fore.

“If?” Isabelle challenged. “You think Keith would lie?”

“I think Keith has a certain looseness with the truth,” Bradley clarified.

“True,” Isabelle laughed. “Isn’t he great?” She paused for a moment as if considering something. Then she quickly followed it with, “I think I’ll do it.”

“Seriously?” Bradley sat up quickly.

“Yeah...” She took a deep breath. “If Keith moves, so will I. What about you?” she then pivoted. “You should come – oh, you totally should! How amazing would that be?!”

“It would be something...” Bradley agreed halfheartedly. He then changed the topic, “Did you get a call back for that sunscreen commercial by the way? Or do you know if Keith did? I’m sick of waiting to find out.”

Truth be told, the idea of moving to Sydney excited Bradley beyond belief. Not only did he actually think it might be a good career move, and one that he had already toyed with on a very casual basis, but he had another more personal reason for wanting to move to Sydney.

He and Sherman were closer than they had ever been. Since they both arrived back from Bali, they were on a daily contact schedule, more often than not calling each other every night before bed and speaking in a way that suggested they were dating... even if the words hadn’t been said yet.

But they also didn’t need to be, not while they were living so far apart. For now, both men were happy to be unofficially exclusive knowing that one day they would take it to the next level... that day just had to arrive.

Well, here it was. Sherman had already raised the possibility of a move several times since Bali, although it was always done in a subtle, off the cuff way. No doubt if Bradley suggested that he might consider moving up, Sherman would be beyond overjoyed. The only problem, and indeed it was a small one, was what would happen with them?

No doubt they would stay together. That wasn’t the issue. But there was more to it than that. Would they start dating? Would Sherman just expect him to move into his place? Or would he have to get his own? Could he afford to live there as an actor, or would he require help? Would he become dependent on Sherman? Would Sherman get bored of him and move on?

Would? Why? How? What? There were a lot of questions to answer, but none that would get answered until Bradley bit the bullet and asked Sherman directly. And so, four days after Keith first suggested a move to Sydney, Bradley sat himself down and called Sherman. It was their ordinary call time before bed, but there was nothing ordinary about this call.

“I was just starting to get worried,” Sherman joked on the other end of the line. It sounded like he was lying down, probably on his couch. But that was just a guess.

“This is the same time I always call you.”

“It’s actually two minutes late. You can see why I was nervous.”

“Right. Fair enough.” Bradley wasn’t in the mood for jokes. He had one thing on his mind