River snuggled into the crook of Newt’s shoulder. Newt knew he ought to persuade River to go back to bed…and he would…eventually.
“Fffff…fake.”
“What? Fake how happy I am to see you?”
River thumped him.
“Ouch. You and Dila are fake?”
“Yes.”
“I guessed. Terrible acting.”
River elbowed him.
“Ouch. I hadn’t guessed. I wish you’d told me. I’ve been wracked with guilt.”
That earned him another elbow.
“Ouch. Fine. I know it’s fake. I…know. But who else knows?”
“Max, Jesse, you. I told Max…no more.”
“That was why you wanted a word on your own?”
“Yes.”
“And he said no?”
“Not yet. Need to act straight.”
Theyetlet Newt hope. Though almost immediately, he let that hope fade. He had a criminal record. River wouldn’t want anything to do with him once he knew. Though maybe that was being unfair. River might not care but Max would. Even if River believed Newt had been set up, it was the sort of publicity you really didn’t want. A guy had died as a result of that robbery. It had nothing to do with Newt but that was what everyone believed.
“Film…Orc…Or…Arrgh.”
“The film you want to make in the autumn?”
“Yes. Then I come out. Need that film.”
“What’s it called?” Newt drew lazy spirals on River’s back.
“Kay…den’s… Mon…ster.”
“Do you have the script?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you could learn the part now. It’ll help your speech. Even if the script is changed a little, it wouldn’t matter. Still good practice.”
River nodded.
“Aren’t the three who don’t know suspicious of you and Dila not sleeping together?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care.” River snuggled deeper.
“You ought to go back. I’m worried we’ll fall asleep.”
“Few…minis…hmm…minutes.”
