“Maybe. But to answer your question, because I don’t actually mind talking about my personal life, no, he doesn’t. Since he’s a hockey player, he’s gone a lot for games.”
“NHL?” I don’t have a ton of time for sports but I know a little about hockey.
She nods and smiles with pride.
“Who’s your boyfriend? He plays for the Kings?”
“Yeah, Gordon Fleury.”
“No shit!” This time I stop and look at her with a big grin. “He won the Conn Smythe trophy a year or two ago, right? Helped them all the way to the top of the playoffs.”
“That’s him.” She’s smiling at the ground. Her long blond hair falls in front of her face.
“Look at you keeping big secrets.” I nudge her playfully. “No wonder I’m no big deal. Not when your boyfriend has actual talent. Gordon Fleury. Wow.” I think about how many late nights and early mornings she’s been here to help me. “Even harder to maintain a relationship.”
She takes a minute to respond. “Maybe at first it was. You know, when you’re so greedy for each other the rest of the world fades away?”
Her cheeks flush as she speaks. Full of fervent adoration at whatever memories play through her head.
“At the end of the day none of the other stuff matters.” She tucks her hair back again. “It’s just him and me. The fame and celebrity in both of our careers is part of who we are but not the sum total. If that makes sense.”
“You’ve got it figured out.” I smile at her, feeling more than a little envious. She lets her hair fall into her face again.
“It took a bit to manage it, but in the end being together was the most important thing.” She’s about to say something else when the flash of a light blinds us. To the left is a cameraman.
“Roe, is this your date? What’s her name?”
Rachel steps back to give me the limelight I don’t want. I smile and wave to the camera and give them what they want.
“This is my lovely assistant and sadly no, her heart belongs to another.”
She keeps her head tucked as I put my arm around her and shelter her as we walk away. Just another reminder that my life isn’t my own. Rachel may have it figured it out, but being an athlete is different than this level of celebrity. My life will never be close to normal. That’s what Maggie has always understood. We’re silent another block as I look back to make sure we aren’t followed.
“Sorry about that.” I thumb back to the cameras.
“I’m around them all the time. Doesn’t bother me.” She gives me a pitying smile. “You really are good at all that, though.”
“Right.”
“No, really. I know people like to say ‘you fell into fame’ but the more we work together the more I see that you do a lot more than that. People think this industry is the dream come true. But it’s insane amounts of work. Don’t sell yourself short.”
I clear my throat. This is uncomfortable. I was plucked from Middle of Nowhere, USA and thrust into success. I do fight to keep it up but I’ve done nothing to deserve any of this.
“Well, thanks to you.”
“True.” She smiles. “You keep checking your phone. Am I going to have to draft a statement about a secret lovah?”
She says the last part breathy and I laugh. “No. Just a friend.”
“Miss Mayday?”
I nod.
“Hmm,” she says and it’s very akin to a motherly “hmm.”
“What?” I ask.
“She’s a reporter.” She hesitates. “Just be careful.”
