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but it had turned out terrifi c in the end. Still his best theatrical experience to date. He liked to think that the fact that their romance had begun at about the same time didn’t have anything to do with it. Shawn had moved to New York with Roscoe shortly after graduating.
    They’d been happy.
    Until…

    ENCORE! ENCORE! 27
    He crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re just trying to get me away from Ms. Tyken’s.”
    The scowl turned down Roscoe’s mobile lips. “I’m offering you a job.”
    “A real job.”
    Roscoe hadn’t fallen into that trap the previous night, and he wasn’t going to this morning. Averting his eyes, Roscoe stood and picked up both of their plates. “See it as you like it.” Shawn followed him around the island so he could see Roscoe’s profi le as the taller man put dishes in the sink. “I see it as you trying to get me away from what I am.” Roscoe shook his head as he opened the dishwasher. A tensed muscle right underneath his ear was Shawn’s only sign that he was gritting his teeth.
    “What? Say it. You want to.”
    Roscoe leaned into the counter, gripping the edge. “What do you want me to say?”
    “That you hate my job. That you think I’m wasting my life.
    My talent. C’mon, give me the same old tired arguments.”
    “Sounds like you know all the lines.”
    “Fuck it.” Shawn turned on his heel. “I’m so out of here.”
    “Shawn, damn it.” He caught Shawn’s arm halfway to the front door. “Don’t leave.”
    He glared up at the man he loved. He could admit it in his head if not aloud. One year wasn’t enough to get over the feelings he had for this man. But that didn’t matter, did it? “I’m not sticking around so you can try and take over my life again.”
    “I never tried to take over your life.” Some of the anger showed through in the gleam in Roscoe’s eyes. “But I still don’t think that a drag show is where you belong.”
    “It’s what I am .”
    “Wrong.” Fingers bit into Shawn’s upper arm. “You are so much more than that.”

    28 Mykles ~ Much Ado
    “Fuck you. The drag queens I work with have some of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen.” He yanked free of Roscoe’s grip.
    “They’re fucking talented, no matter what you think.”
    “I don’t doubt that for one second.” His words stopped Shawn’s tirade. He shook his head. “But you don’t belong as a drag queen.”
    Icy cold froze Shawn’s veins. “What?”
    Roscoe ground his teeth and released Shawn’s arm. “You want it? Fine. I saw your act. I’ve seen your act a few times in fact. It’s adequate.”
    “‘Adequate’?” Fury iced over. He’d been Roscoe’s student.
    He knew that “adequate” translated to “not so good” or even
    “downright horrible.”
    “You’re not a comedian, Shawn, and you’re not a variety performer. You’re an actor. You shine when you’ve got a script and stage direction. God, you can wring more emotion out of Shakespeare or Mamet than most of the actors in this town. But that just doesn’t translate well to a…”
    “Two bit drag show?”
    “I didn’t say that.” Roscoe reached up to clutch a hank of hair. “It drives me crazy to think of…” He bit off his words. He shook his head. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s just not your thing.”
    Shawn waited but Roscoe chose to hold his tongue. This was different than the argument that had split them up. Back then, Roscoe said he was wasting himself. Now, he was saying Shawn just wasn’t any good. Shawn tried to dismiss his opinion, but Roscoe was a respected director. He’d even directed musical theater. Producers paid good money to have him use his talent of knowing which actor or performer was right for each role. He wasn’t often off his mark. He knew what he was talking about.
    “Fuck you,” he said after a drawn out silence where he glared daggers at Roscoe and Roscoe contemplated the fl oor. “You fucking snob. Fuck you! I like what I