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

and wanted to get straight to it, like a band-aid being torn off in one go. “Hey, I need to talk to you about something.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It is kind of.”

“Oh.” He could hear Sherman sitting up, the tone in his voice changing slightly. “What about – nothing is wrong, is it?”

“What — no, no... I mean, I don’t think so – no. Nothing is wrong.” Bradley took a deep, calming breath. There was no reason to be nervous, but he still was. “I shot a commercial a few days ago for —”

“I wanted to congratulate you on that, actually,” Sherman cut him off. “I love that you’re getting regular work. I’m really proud of you.”

“Will you let me finish,” Bradley snapped. “And, thanks,” he then added nicely. He shouldn’t snap. Again, there was no reason for him to be so darn nervous! “I was saying, I shot this commercial and afterwards me and a few of the guys went out for a beer —”

“Do I need to be jealous?” Sherman joked. Bradley didn’t respond, but Sherman must have read the silence correctly. “Sorry,” he apologized rightly. “Continue.”

“Anyway, they were talking about how the work here in Melbourne is drying up... but how Sydney is apparently the place to be for up-and-coming actors —”

“Yes!” Sherman exclaimed down the line. “Yes!”

“What? How do you know about acting jobs in Sydney?”

“I don’t, but I know that’s not what you’re asking – you're thinking of moving to Sydney!” he continued, sounding more excited by the second. “Admit it!”

“Thinking about it,” Bradley confirmed. He could feel himself getting excited by the prospect now, but made sure to stay calm and reasoned. “At the moment, it’s just a conver —”

“Well, let’s make it a reality.”

“It’s not that —”

“Why not?” Sherman bulldozed over him. “Seriously? When work was keeping you there, it made sense. But if work is dragging you up here, why fight it?”

“It’s a little more complex than that.” Bradley wasn’t even sure why he was fighting this.

“How?” Sherman demanded of him.

“Ah... I only said that there might be more work.”

“We can look into that,” Sherman responded quickly. “Before you come, we can double check, speak to some people. Surely, that won’t be too hard?”

He was right, it wouldn’t be. “And um... my family is here.”

“Just your mother,” Sherman reminded him. “And she’s only an hour flight away – need I remind you too, that I have a little sway with the airlines here. Getting flights won’t be an issue.”

“All right. But what about —”

“What?” Sherman challenged.

“I was going to say —”

“Say it,” Sherman cut in again.

“I just think —”

“No, you weren’t,” Sherman again cut him off. This time though, he was laughing on the other end. He had won, and he knew it.

Sherman was right in his arguments, and if the work was in Sydney then there really wasn’t any reason for Bradley not to move up. If anything, there were more reasons to move than stay, and right about now, Bradley was all but certain he’d be moving to Sydney sooner rather than later. However, there was still one small issue lurking in the back of his mind and until that was sorted, there was no way he could move.

“What are we, Sherman?” Bradley blurted. He had to blurt it, otherwise Sherman wouldn’t have let him get it out.

“Huh?” Sherman faltered. “What do you mean?”

“What are we?” Bradley repeated. “You want me to move to Sydney for you – fuck, you asked me to months ago. But... but I don’t even know what we are? Are we dating? Are we a fling? When I move to Sydney will you get over me and upgrade? What?” He was standing now, although he couldn’t remember doing it.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, as if Sherman were really actually considering it. For the briefest of moments too, Bradley wished he hadn’t said anything.

“Is that really what’s bothering you?” he asked softly.

“Yes!” Bradley snapped. “Of course!”

“Well, if that’s the only problem, Bradley Miles, will you go out with me?” He could not have sounded more serious.

Bradley blinked back his surprise. “Really?”

“Of course.”

“Well... then yes, yes I will.” He was glad that he was alone in his room, otherwise he would have had to hide the big cheesy grin he was now wearing... not to mention the tears now forming in his eyes.

“That was easy,” Sherman chuckled on the other end of the line. “And now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, when are you moving to Sydney?”

Sherman had been right, there really was no reason to not move to Sydney. And now it looked like Bradley was going to. He predicted in his head that it would still be another month or two yet, seeing as he had to tie up loose ends in Melbourne first. But once that was done with... he’d well and truly be a Sydney-sider. And fuck, even if there wasn’t more work up there like Keith had claimed, Bradley didn’t think it would matter too much. He’d be living closer to Sherman, so close he could see him every day. And that was all that really mattered. Truthfully, he could not wait.

Chapter Fourteen

“What do you think?” The realtor, her name was Sally, held her arms wide and did a 360-spin in the middle of the empty living room as if to show off just how much space there was. “Fabulous, isn’t it?”

“Great for raves and band practice,” Sherman agreed. He was standing in the doorway, admiring the room and the apartment in general. But then he saw the shocked look on Sally’s face and he hurried to clarify, “I’m joking,” he assured her. “I assure you, he isn’t into raves