Page 28 of Cosplay & Consequences

He laughed, leaned back in his chair, and waved his fingertips at me in a “bring it on” gesture. However, the viciousness I had for him earlier had drifted away. His laughter and charm made it hard to hold a grudge against him.

I leaned my elbows on the table, resting my chin on my hands. “So, was it my question or your sister beating the crap out of you that made you realize this?”

“Those were two moments which clarified things,” he admitted. He paused for a second, some kind of inward debate brewed inside of him. “If I tell you something, will you promise to keep it between us?”

My eyebrows went up, but I nodded. “Of course.”

He pulled out his phone and began to swipe as he talked. “I have a niece. She’s fourteen, and I have helped raise her since she was a year old. The ‘Boss’ I mentioned in the interview? It’s her. It’s a joke between my sister and me.” He held up the phone to show a picture of himself, Paige, and a girl with black hair with dyed red highlights. She had glasses with thick frames that highlighted her intense stare.

Everything shifted in my head. The smirk on his face during the interview. Paige laughing backstage, and then how angry she was afterwards. Across the table, I saw the shame in his expression, and I realized that I had misunderstood a part of him. When he mentioned his niece, it took me a second before I realized his motivation for taking the role.

I leaned back, holding up my hand. “Wait. You auditioned for Valley of the Red Tyrant, because your niece told you to?”

He smiled, and a warmth flooded my chest that I tried to squash.

“Her name is Faye and is a huge reader. Especially for the Tyrant series,” he continued. “And yes, when Brandon quit, she insisted that I audition for the role. She also made me promise that I would read the books. But I didn’t. I only watched the show and didn’t tell her or Paige.”

“Ooooooooh,” I said leaning back, now understanding Paige’s anger backstage. “Oh, you are in some deep shit.”

“The deepest,” he admitted. “I’m trying to dig myself out of it. The look of disappointment when I got back to the hotel room was brutal. I mean… not having a soul is one thing. Disappointing someone you care for is heartbreaking.”

He looked away from me, and I frowned. I wasn't used to seeing a shameful expression on the face of someone I dated. I cringed at the thought. Dated? Get it together Jessica. This is not a date.

“Anyway, that’s what I want to-”

“Apology accepted,” I said, immediately. I didn’t think I would do such a thing, but with everything he said, I realized he was trying his best to make amends.

His eyebrows shot up, and his mouth dropped open. “Just like that?”

“Oh, your sister and niece are going to be way meaner than I ever could be.” It wouldn’t hurt to give him a tiny bit of sympathy.

He gave me a grateful smile and nodded. “Thank you.”

I pretended to shrug it off like it wasn’t a big deal and tried to change the subject. That smile had me thinking back to the night before, and I was bound and determined to keep those thoughts away. “So, how are you getting yourself back in your niece’s good graces?”

He smirked and laid his forearm on the table. “Well, first I brought her soup dumplings, her favorite food,” he said, as if describing a multi-pronged attack on a fierce enemy.

“A good start,” I agreed. Food, mostly desserts, was a good way to earn back my good graces.

He hesitated before continuing. “And I’m reading the books.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes at him. “Oh, come on.”

“It’s true,” he said, earnestly. “I’m on book two.”

“Okay, now I don’t believe you. Nobody reads that fast,” I said.

He let out a chuckle. “Clearly you have never been on a soap opera during sweeps. So many rewrites. If you don’t learn to read fast and retain it, you’ll drown.”

I wanted to test him. Ask him questions over and over again, make him prove that he did indeed read the books. However, as a female in a nerdy world, I did not want to be that kind of gatekeeper. But there was one thing I was dying to know.

“If that is the case, you should be able to answer my interview question. How do you feel about Roderick Galfast and how the show handled him?”

His face lit up as he became animated, holding up his arms in amazement. “I can’t believe he’s not in the series! He’s fantastic! Not to mention some serious comic relief. He’s the heart of the first two books!”

I smiled, and that damn flutter in my chest returned. This time, I didn’t squash it down.

He continued to rave. “He’s completely the person Tyrst’an needs in the series. I mean he’s more than a sidekick–- he’s a foil to Tyrst’an’s stoicism. His loyalty and his optimism are absolutely integral to the series! When Tyrst’an’s at his lowest at the Crossroads of Braselton, it’s Roderick who practically pulls him out of the mire and gets him back on track with the quest!”