I nod. "Yeah. I heard you. And I get it. You're right. What we have is temporary. That's fine. I'm good with that. I don't have time for a relationship anyway. Busy with work and stuff. This new project is killer. I have my career. He has his. I'm happy for him, really." I force a smile, doing what I always do, playing pretend that everything is okay.
"You sure?" Simon claps his hands together and gets distracted by the game he's here to watch. "Yes," he cheers. "Sorry, Dodgers are on fire tonight."
I glance out on the field, watching the grown men on the field run around and throw a ball at each other. Baseball is a strangely elaborate game of tag I don't quite understand.
"Hey, that's why we're here." I elbow him. "You really were surprised, weren't you?"
"I was." Simon's eyes twinkle and it's sort of adorable to see his inner child come out since he's such a hardened man living in this dangerous world he's been consumed by. "I told her one time, before we even became what we are...and she listened." He meets my gaze. "Find someone who listens to you, Cora. Don't settle for anything less. I mean it. The little things matter a lot more than big grand gestures. Those are too flashy, almost fake, you know. Sure, they're great, and you deserve the big and the small, but the small ones, they add up over time to something more profound..."
Simon seems to get lost in his thoughts, and I allow the time to let his words sink in.
Someone who listens, someone who does the little things...someone who pays attention.
At that, Alec and June appear at the entrance of our small but lavish blocked-off area, both of them with boxes and drinks piled up and hanging from their limbs.
I rush over to Alec, taking the drink carrier he's about to drop. "Let me help you."
"Thanks," he says with a smile.
"What is all this?"
"Well," June starts. "I was hungry and couldn't decide, so we got a lot of everything." She walks over to the little ledge in the back wall that acts as our makeshift table. "We got pizza, pretzels, hotdogs, nachos, popcorn, umm what else?" She looks at Alec.
"Cotton candy, fries, cannoli..." He carries the rest of his stuff over. "And a couple burgers. I think that's it." He points to the drink carrier June is holding. "Oh, and milkshakes." He winks at me. "Chocolate with extra whip."
I crane my neck at June. "You told him?"
She pops a fry into her mouth. "Told him what?"
"My milkshake order."
"Actually, I thought you preferred vanilla, but he insisted I was wrong." June shrugs. "Guess Alec knows you better than I do."
Simon strolls over and grabs a bag of cotton candy, leaning in close to me and whispering, "Maybe I misjudged the situation." He kisses June on the cheek. "Thanks, love."
Alec smooths the hair off my shoulder, tucking it behind and rubbing my back. "Hey," he says softly. "I thought you should eat something before you drink anymore."
I melt into his embrace. "Are you calling me a lightweight?"
He pinches his lips together and says, "Maybe."
I lightly elbow him but it's hard to blame him when he's totally right. I should eat something to simmer the buzz from turning into full-blown drunkenness in the first hour of being here. "Fine."
Alec opens the top of the pizza box, revealing a whole entire pizza, half of it with pepperoni and pineapple.
The little things.
"You want a slice?" He reaches for it and eyes me.
"Sure."
He grins and pulls one out, plopping it on a napkin and handing it to me.
I take a bite, my jaw tense from keeping it clenched all day. I hadn't even realized it until I went to open my mouth wider than what is required to drink from the straw.
"This is good," I mumble.
June passes me my milkshake, and I down a huge gulp, brain freeze immediately settling.
