“You told me about it that weekend. I remembered. I wasn’t going to read it because I didn’t want to be reminded of youwhen we were… dealing with things, but I read it this week, and it wasinteresting.”
“Augusten Burroughs is great. If you like that one, you’d probably like the rest of his stuff.”
“Then, I’ll read it,” Cameron said. “I’ve got a lot of free time on my hands now. I’ll buy it all.”
Lacey laughed and asked, “What’syourfavorite book? You didn’t tell me.”
“I don’t really have one favorite. I read a lot as a kid and kept reading as an adult. It’s a good thing to do during downtime on the set. I have categories and favorites in a category. Like, my favorite classic isPride & Prejudice, which is everyone’s favorite. My favorite dark book is probablyGone Girl. So trippy.”
“How many categories do you have?”
“A few,” she replied. “You don’t do that?”
“Not really, no. But I also don’t have much time for reading these days, so I haven’t kept up, so to speak.”
“Working?”
“Working, and I was in a relationship.” Lacey shrugged her shoulder and picked her fork back up. “River was… a lot of work. I know we’re not talking about them, but it’s true. She’s great, and I hope it’ll be better now that all the pressure is off and we’re just friends, but when the woman you’re with doesn’t call or come over when she says she’s going to, you end up sending a lot of texts asking when she’s getting there or if she’s okay, feeling like you’re nagging her. I’m actually looking forward to not having to do that.”
“Not worried about that with me?” Cameron asked.
Lacey shook her head and said, “No, but mainly because I’m not going to do it again. I want someone who wants to be with me; someone who will put me first. I know work is important. It’s how we make money to pay the rent and eat. And I wasn’t perfect, either, but I also don’t want to be that way again. I don’twant to feel like I’m forcing someone to spend time with me when they’d rather be somewhere else. So, if we keep doing this, and that ever becomes a thing, I’m not going to do it this time.”
“I like that.”
“Like what?”
“That you, I don’t know, learned something about yourself from your relationship, and that you won’t accept anything less than what you deserve.”
“Didyoulearn anything?”
“Lots, I’m sure. For one, I want to decorate my own damn house.”
Lacey laughed as the waiter approached their table.
“Can you box this up for us, too?” Cameron asked. “Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.”
“No problem,” he replied. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Just the check,” she said. “Thank you.”
He walked off, and Cameron looked over at Lacey.
“I learned more than that, but even though that sounds like a joke, it’s not. I don’t want to give in how I did with her. I learned that. I want compromise and not to be walked over at times.”
“I think that’s a good lesson,” Lacey said.
“Want to ride this ride that’s been going on around us?” she asked, nodding to a boat that slowly moved by them.
“I’m sure the line is, like, two hours long.”
“Um…”
“Cam, we can’t really cut in front of people.”
“Yes, we can. Come on. I never get to use my superpowers for good. Let me have this tonight.”
Lacey laughed softly and nodded. Their check arrived, and the waiter boxed up everything he could for them. Lacey wasn’t sure where they’d put it while they were on the ride, but Cameron reminded her that they had an escort who didn’t mindholding it for them. They were ushered through a secret door to a waiting boat and climbed into the front. Cameron wanted to put her arm around Lacey, but the boat was filled with other people, so she didn’t. Theyhadbeen given the front row to themselves, though, and it was a ride, and people held hands on rides out of fear sometimes, so she decided to risk it and reached over to take Lacey’s hand.
