“That was fun having you guys on set today,” she said when Em continued to watch her. Maybe her makeup had taken a turn for the raccoon.
“Was it?” said Em. “I’m glad you thought so.”
AJ swallowed her bite. “How are you feeling about everything?”
Em considered. “I mean, you would know better, having worked with Ian. What do you think?”
AJ was so stunned that Em Tyner had asked her opinion, she blurted it out in the most inelegant way possible. “I mean it’s a shitshow,” she said. “But it always is at this stage. And we’ve got some really strong threads emerging. The captain and Iris. Navi and Zora.”
“Ana and Rho.”
AJ blushed. “How did you come up with all the world building?” she asked shyly. “The bible is amazing.”
Em gave her a sly grin. “This may shock you, but I was a very nerdy child.”
AJ laughed, and he launched into an explanation of his process, his sources of inspiration, and methodology. He was so articulate and self-effacing and brilliant, AJ privately wished she could have recorded the conversation to study later on.
As Em waxed poetic aboutGhostbusters,AJ’s scalp prickled. Toni wasglaringat her with such vehemence AJ blanched.
“You should try this salad, it’s really special,” said Em, offering her a wooden bowl.
Flustered, AJ reached for the tongs.
Noah placed a hand on the bowl. He inclined his head toward AJ and spoke in a low voice. “Aren’t those pine nuts?”
Then he turned back to Xiaobo and continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.
Em gave AJ an odd look.
“I’m allergic,” said AJ, blushing. How utterly absurd that Noah remembered.
A pugnacious light shone in Em’s eye. “Fascinating.”
Right then, Dave’s crass, inebriated alter ego, Drunk Dave, joined the party. “Who’s got alimerick? There once was a man they called Huck…”
As the table devolved into cackles, Em rose to his feet. “Excuse me a moment.”
“Of course,” said AJ, distracted by her castmates. Their jocularity brought her own siblings to mind. As Em cleared his plate, she felt a stab of longing for the loud, dysfunctional, overcrowded Graves Thanksgiving.
Beside her, the air stirred. Noah glanced at her. “You missing your family?”
The room faded half a decibel. “Yes.”
He rested his silverware on his plate. “First time away?”
AJ nodded. “It’s weird—Thanksgiving isn’t, like,fun,” she said. “Football. Yelling. My dad’s probably two six-packs in by now. Actually, sorry, forgot the time difference. Make that three.”
Noah snorted. “And mine’s at a strip club. Just texted me.”
As AJ laughed, she stole a peek at the non-tattooed side of his face. So stupidly handsome. He inquired after her siblings, so AJ told him. Babies for Patrick. Marriage for Libby. Gaming stardom for Mike. A job at Big Y for Emily.
“They all still in Gladstone?” he asked.
AJ nodded. “Mike leaves intermittently for esports tournaments and D&D stuff, but he always ends up back at my parents’. What about you? You get back to Drew House much?”
Noah shrugged. “Some. I do try to be there for the holidays. This time of year can be really…quiet.” A tremor of anguish overtook him.
“Your mom,” said AJ softly.
