(no subject)
One of the downsides to being an influential piece of the success and failure of so many musicians was that Matthew was expected to attend certain events. Attend and pretend to be interested in the people and the events around him. It was a flaw he found particularly annoying in wealthy society and he always preferred to bring a 'guest' along that he could bolster reasonable excuses to escape the increasingly dull conversations and even duller company.
No one in the community ever made a comment about Matthew's tendency to always bring a different man to the parties and other social calls he was forced to attend. In their eyes he was a charmer. A bright smile and brighter blue eyes that caught more gazes than would admit. And he always brought an attractive and charming enough guest with him.
It was a widely accepted fact that Matthew was something of a playboy. People chalked it up to his career before he became a consultant.
He offered Gabe an opportunity. There was some chance people would recognize him, but it was the more modern music crowd at the party he was attending. It was a simple enough job. Show up with Matthew, smile and pretend to enjoy himself, whether he did or not. He could help himself to the food, if he wanted, but he could not go far from Matthew's sight.
He even took Gabe shopping before hand. Let him pick out a nice, expensive suit of his liking.
Normally Matthew preferred not to bring people he actually slept with to these snobbishly dull parties. That was set aside for people who could put on a show of friendly smiles and act as though they actually enjoyed Matthew's company. But the truth was, he never really brought the same person around too many times because the longer the act went on the more invested in the story those gossip hounds got.
Matthew did not care if he was seen as a player, if people assumed he had a long string of lovers that he left behind, let them. Better that than show up alone and endure the dreary prattle of fake smiles and pretended interest. Or the people who, half-cocked and loose on free champagne, decided to throw themselves at him.
This particular event was a music awards party. After the ceremony. One of the young and upcoming stars he had placed with an unlikely record label that had shot off into popularity.
He just could not bring himself to give one damn about her, or her success.
But he was quite skilled at pretending.
He glanced at Gabe out of the corner of his eye, flashing him a bright and pleasant smile. A glass of champagne held loose between his fingers. He would pay Gabe very well, if he pulled this off. Though there came another downside to mixing the two sides. Business with pleasure. His eyes lingered, trailed down the well-fitted and expensive suit.
Gabe was a very attractive man.
That was a problem.
No one in the community ever made a comment about Matthew's tendency to always bring a different man to the parties and other social calls he was forced to attend. In their eyes he was a charmer. A bright smile and brighter blue eyes that caught more gazes than would admit. And he always brought an attractive and charming enough guest with him.
It was a widely accepted fact that Matthew was something of a playboy. People chalked it up to his career before he became a consultant.
He offered Gabe an opportunity. There was some chance people would recognize him, but it was the more modern music crowd at the party he was attending. It was a simple enough job. Show up with Matthew, smile and pretend to enjoy himself, whether he did or not. He could help himself to the food, if he wanted, but he could not go far from Matthew's sight.
He even took Gabe shopping before hand. Let him pick out a nice, expensive suit of his liking.
Normally Matthew preferred not to bring people he actually slept with to these snobbishly dull parties. That was set aside for people who could put on a show of friendly smiles and act as though they actually enjoyed Matthew's company. But the truth was, he never really brought the same person around too many times because the longer the act went on the more invested in the story those gossip hounds got.
Matthew did not care if he was seen as a player, if people assumed he had a long string of lovers that he left behind, let them. Better that than show up alone and endure the dreary prattle of fake smiles and pretended interest. Or the people who, half-cocked and loose on free champagne, decided to throw themselves at him.
This particular event was a music awards party. After the ceremony. One of the young and upcoming stars he had placed with an unlikely record label that had shot off into popularity.
He just could not bring himself to give one damn about her, or her success.
But he was quite skilled at pretending.
He glanced at Gabe out of the corner of his eye, flashing him a bright and pleasant smile. A glass of champagne held loose between his fingers. He would pay Gabe very well, if he pulled this off. Though there came another downside to mixing the two sides. Business with pleasure. His eyes lingered, trailed down the well-fitted and expensive suit.
Gabe was a very attractive man.
That was a problem.