I didn’t realize it was anything to do with Aurora when I first met her, but I do vaguely remember my mom following along with court proceedings many years ago. “Oh. I’d never thought of it like that.”
“Yeah . . . oh. I’m not saying I’ve got paparazzi in my face all the time, I mostly get left alone, unless I’m purposely drawing attention to myself, but I could never guarantee privacy to the person I’m dating. I can’t even guarantee it to my friends.”
Of all the ways I overthink, I can’t believe I’ve never thought about this. My brain is scrambling for a response and doesn’t find one, but I’m luckily saved when the ice cream store owner who served us earlier approaches our table. “Are y’all the folks opening a strip club?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
RUSS
“I’ve never known someone who’s definitely getting head today look so fucking miserable.”
I don’t realize I’ve zoned out until I hear Xander say the words “head” and “fucking miserable.” “I’m not definitely getting head later, but I will try to cheer up. Sorry, man.”
After the whole food hall sang happy birthday to me this morning, Xander announced we were spending our day off seeing what Meadow Springs has to offer. I told him I already know the answer and it’s “not a lot” but he was insistent, saying now he and Rory have joint custody of me I couldn’t not go with him when I went with her yesterday.
It’s a nice sentiment but there’s only so much mini golf two men can play.
Normally, I’d spend my day off hanging around to see Rory, but after our conversation about fame and privacy yesterday, a bit of distance for a few hours is letting me think clearly. I can’t think properly when I’m around her and I need to start using my brain again because I haven’t been recently.
Stopping at The Drunk Duck, the one bar available, Xander and I decided to grab some burgers before heading back to camp. I’ve spent the entire meal half listening, half trapped in my head.
“I’m pretty sure birthday head is in the Constitution,” he jokes, causing me to choke on my soda. “Ha, got you to laugh, you miserable shit. What’s going on? Tell Uncle Xan.”
“Did you just call yourself Uncle Xan?”
“Well I can’t call myself Daddy Xan, can I? I know how to read a room. So go on, what’s jumped up your ass?”
My knee jerk reaction is to turn the conversation around and make it about Xander, but I think it’d be good to get his opinion. We’ve been sharing the same space for weeks now and he’s a genuinely good guy, so I decide to chance it. “I’m wondering if I should call it a day with Aurora.”
“You’re fucking lying,” he says, watching for my reaction. “Say you’re joking right now.”
“We almost got caught this week. I opened the door just as Jenna showed up. If she’d arrived two minutes earlier she’d have caught m— well, it doesn’t matter, but she would have caught me doing something that would get me sent me home.”
“Two people sneaking around almost get caught. Yeah, that’s how it tends to go, bro. It’s half the fun and do you even care about going home anymore? We’re almost done anyway and your friend said you could always crash with him if you need to. You’re too smart to think I’d believe this is about getting caught. What’s the real reason?”
I have to give it to Xander, he has a point. I’ve definitely been more relaxed after my friends encouraged me to risk getting fired and JJ gave me somewhere to go if I needed it until I have the excuse of college assignments and hockey to keep me unavailable. “Have I ever told you I’m not trying to go pro?”
He puts his burger down, wiping his hands and mouth on his napkin, and leans back against the booth, only focusing on me. “No, you haven’t mentioned it. Why not? What’s that got to do with Rory?”
“I don’t want to be famous. I don’t want to have strangers potentially poking around my life or get attention in the public eye. It’s my worst nightmare and I don’t love hockey enough to give up my privacy like that.”
“Okay, and . . . ?”
“And she’s already famous. I googled her last night and there’s so much about her family, there’s even photos of Emilia. It’s just a lot. I knew about her dad, but I don’t really feel like I knew the full extent of it if that makes sense. Because she’s Rory and she’s the way she is and I forget that outside of camp she has a whole other life.”