Page 102 of Heavy Shot

Rhiannon pushed over a copy. "Kline is a former high school friend whom you used to torment. He's become a very successful stand-up comedian, known for his sharp barbs. Since Thad has been struggling to break into stand-up, he thinks Kline is going to help him. Instead, it's a set-up for Kline to get back at Thad for all his bullying in high school. Thad and Kelsey have a very nice scene at the end with a big kiss. No garlic for the kissing this time, huh?"

“I thought I’d just be reprising my character from Knock,” Kline said, flipping through the pages.

“He’s too likable,” Rhiannon smiled. “I didn’t want you to sprain anything getting into character.”

He made a sour face as Thad said, "Kline gets to abuse me? Damn.He'll enjoy that."

"People like for you to be their clown.This will go over really well,” Rhiannon explained.

He frowned a little."I was hoping I'd get to abuse him. Oh well."

"That's good because—come in?" There was a knock at the door followed by a delivery man. "I have a delivery for Rhiannon Charles."

"That's me."

The delivery man handed over a plain wrapped box and his clipboard to sign, then looked over his shoulder."Thad James?"

"Yes."

"I've got one for you, too.Just a minute."

He disappeared while Rhiannon looked over the package finding no sign of the sender, then tore off the brown paperand lifted the lid to reveal three little boxes in Cartier red. She plucked the card from inside and opened it.

"These are rose cut amethyst set in 18k white gold," Jill's handwriting read, "These roses won't die. I saw the bracelet first, then decided you had to have the rest. And it's not just for the great introduction.It's for being a great friend.Much love,Jill."

She pulled the lid off the first boxto reveal a thin and sparkling amethystcuff bracelet, then hurried to the next to find a delicate amethyst and iolite drop pendant on an 18-inch chain. The final box was the matching ring, a smooth flat band with a perfectly round amethyst set like a belt buckle at the center.

They were checking out the jewelry when the delivery man came back in, this time bearing a wrapped tower of boxes. He handed those over to Thad and then his clipboard. "I just picked those up at Godiva," he said. "Somebody likes you."

"Everybody likes me," Thad said, grinning. He signed for the gifts and handed the clipboard back over. As the man left the room, Thad's face lit up like a schoolboy’s. "Someone likes me a lot! Seven fucking pounds of chocolates"

He tore into his own card after untying the ribbon that held the boxes and passing one off the Rhiannon to open. "It's from Jill.She says that I dipped her world in chocolate, and she'd like to return the favor. Then she apologizes for being corny and says she can't wait to see me Tuesday. Aw!I like her!"

"Me too," Rhiannon said around a mouthful of truffle. "Oh my god—these are like eating heaven!"

With Kline looking on, they spent the next few minutes taking samples out of each of the boxes until they looked up at each other guiltily and started to laugh. "I'm so glad I'm not an actor who has to fit into wardrobe pants," Rhiannon giggled.

"I'm so glad I'm the star and I can tell wardrobe to toss off if they bother me."

Kline looked pained and said, "One day, I’m going to be as big as Marlon Brando, and then, I’m going to get as big as Marlon Brando. For now, I’m getting out of here before I succumb. Fucking Jill and fucking chocolate. She used to make these brownies…Fuck.”

Thad laughed and Rhiannon smiled slightly.“Let’s get you to the table read,” she said, rising from her desk. It’s that time”

It had been a long time since Kline had done a table read with a sitcom cast, and it was only a few pages before he’d caught up the rhythm again, but Thad was happy to pull him along until he did. He’d forgotten about the camaraderie of a TV cast and what it was like to laugh into a joke along with the rest of the table, and be laughed at when you fumbled your emphasis or got tangled up in a too-long sentence.

It felt good to be back in that flow, and halfway through, he found himself jealous. It was clear that everyone adored Thad, and more than once the writers waited for him to decide whether or not something would work before moving on. Kline caught himself trying to caper for the same kind of attention Thad got just by being himself, and he had to remember that he was the guest star, not the star. He wasn’t sure he liked that.

Old jealousies were stirring. The kind that had sent him looking for bigger roles even back when they were getting started on Knock, and by the time the read was done and they were released for the day, Kline just wanted to get out and get going. He said his goodbyes as quickly as possible and started for the lot before the first light was out.

Thad caught up with him as he was on his way out and shouted, "Oi! Hey, you want to go for a pint?"

"Can't," Kline said, "I've got other plans. I'm taking Jill out for a late dinner, then we're going to The Frame for a while."

"More photo ops, eh?"

"That, too," Kline replied, with a shrug. Thad already had just about everything Kline thought he wanted, and now Jill, too? "Mostly we're just spending time together."

"Oh?"

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