Page 60 of Out of the Gold

Melody

The blades of the helicopter whir and we rise from the helipad in Ravello. I suck in my breath at the magnificent landscape below. Small towns, winding roads and the water look beautiful from the air. “It’s so gorgeous.” I glance over at Charles.

“Yes, you are.”

His repeated compliment lodges in my heart. He’s been nothing less than wonderful with me. We made love twice yesterday and, even with the flash pain of the first time, it turned wonderful. He treated me with such care, always concerned about how I was feeling. And the balcony! Given our secluded villa, I knew no one would see us, and it was a thrill.

Not to mention, his body is like the most perfect sculpture. Michelangelo be damned. Not an ounce of body fat on him, with the most defined muscles I’ve ever seen. But his body isn’t what drew me to him. It’s his vulnerability. He’s been typecast in a particular role, and now he’s taking the difficult steps to change that. Because he wants more. I glance over at him and smile.

He leans over and kisses my nose, one of the only spots on my face available to him, given the huge headsets we’re wearing to block out the noise. “This was a great idea, Goldie. Much better than taking a car through those streets.”

“Thanks, but I was looking for the fastest way to Rome.”

He nudges my shoulder. “Wanted to keep me in bed longer?”

His smile is almost boyish. I’m sure mine is pretty soppy. I’ve got it bad. “Not at all. I wanted you to get as much shut-eye as possible.”

He laughs and returns his gaze to the papers on his lap. The lines he needs to memorize, internalize, and recite during his audition. I let him study, while enjoying the changing scenery below us.

Soon, we land at the heliport and are transported to the terminal. We arrive in the first class lounge with plenty of time, so we find a quiet spot in a corner. I grab the papers from his hands. “Why don’t you give it a rest for a little bit.”

Stormy blue eyes meet mine. He doesn’t have to say a word, as those eyes convey all his feelings. Guess that’s why he’s such a good actor. Why he’ll grow into a spectacular one, given the proper roles. And this part sounds like it’s a good platform to start.

“I need to nail this.” He tries to take the papers away from me, but I hold them against my chest. Yet I do understand his desire to know the words inside and out. “How about I quiz you?”

One eyebrow rises. “As in I give you my audition?”

I nod. “Yeah. Let’s see where you’re at.” I make a big deal out of placing the papers in front of me.

His Adam’s apple bobs. “I’m not ready yet,” he admits.

“I bet you’re in a much better spot than you think. Give it a shot. Consider it a sort of litmus test.”

He huffs a breath. “Fine. All right. But if you’re going to make me do this, right now, before I’m ready, you’re going to have to do something for me.”

His challenge stirs my competitive side. “You got it, big guy. What?”

A wolfish smile overtakes his face. “I’ll tell you when I’m done. It’ll give me something to look forward to.”

Iknowthis is going to be something I’ll regret. Or really, really enjoy. “Fine.”

He squeezes his hands together and closes his eyes. I let him prepare for this practice however he likes. His eyes open and I swear, he’s a different person. More serious. Intense. Before he even opens his mouth, he’s already sucked me into the vortex of Hamlet’s world.

And when he speaks, I’m transported. Not to the Hamlet of Shakespeare’s time, but rather to a painful place in today’s gritty world. I trail the lines as he performs the soliloquy with a couple of missteps, before stumbling to a halt.

I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t. Glancing up, his palm is on his forehead, eyes squeezed shut.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” I prompt.

“Right.” He clears his throat and launches back into the role. When he’s done, I clap. “Charles, that was fantastic. I mean it. You’re well on your way to acing this audition.”

He rubs his temple. “I can’t do this. What was I thinking? Let’s cancel our flights and return to the coast.”

I touch his arm. “Stop.”

He freezes.

“You can do this, Charles. You’ve only had this script for a few hours. You have about twelve hours ahead to get all the words memorized.” I return the script back to him. “Don’t abandon your dreams now.”

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