Nina comes over to check on us again, then says her goodbyes as we go to get changed into our normal clothes.
Once we’re in the dressing room, Rori pulls something out of her bag. “Granola bar?”
“Oh, yes, thank you. I’m close to hangry mode.”
“I know it well.”
She’s ready to leave faster than me, but hangs back until I’m done so we can walk to our cars together.
It’s kind of cool, given how the day started.
Only I find out—she has an ulterior motive.
Once we’re at her car, mine only two spots away, she reveals it.
“Do you mind if I ask you a question? About you and Rawley?”
Uh… “Sure.”
“He told us the other day that it’s not going well. Specifically, that you’re calling things off.”
Okay well, that explains her attitude earlier. I debate how to answer, then just go with the simple truth. “Yes.”
“But Landon has also said to me many times that he thinks you’re great together, and I mean, you didn’t miss a beat to praise him today. Plus everything online between you two is so cute, though I realize social media is not real life.”
Little does she know howunreal it is.
“I’m not the kind of person who interferes in other people’s relationships. But just to be sure, it’s not the media attention that’s making you end things? Because I know that was a huge mindset block for me with Landon.”
“No, no it’s not that. And honestly—” I stop myself.
“You can say anything you want to me, and I’ll keep it quiet if you ask. It’s hard enough to handle relationships, let alone worry about who you can trust.”
I’m not going to tell her close to everything, but I don’t mind confessing one thing.
“I already miss him. He’s a great guy.”
That’s the first time I’ve said that out loud to someone else.
“He is,” she agrees.
“But it’s our schedules,” I say, repeating Taylor’s future party line. “It’s just going to be too tough.”
She nods, digesting what I’m saying.
“I do get that. All the time apart.”
“Yeah, so hopefully we’ll stay friends. It’s nothing personal. At all.”
She looks resigned now that she’s heard my reasoning. “I’m sure you will. Rawley’s not the kind to hold a grudge.”
I hope so.
“Just some words of wisdom, even though we’re the same age, and I’m hardly wise at all,” she says as she opens her car door.
“Yes?”
“The Battle brothers are green flag kings, and it’ll be hard to find anyone as sweet and funny as Rawley.”
