AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. I mean Aliens. With an S. Don’t get me wrong—Alien brought Geiger to the big screen, and… wow. But Aliens is something else.”
I could argue that with her, and have a lot of fun. But I’d rather put the focus back between her and Dustin. “Dustin loves the prequels. The Alien prequels, not like The Phantom Penis.”
Adrienne snorted a short laugh. “Like, Prometheus?”
“I don’t love them. We’re just occasional fuck buddies.”
She stared at him with a blank expression. Damn, she had that look down. “What does that even mean?”
Dustin shrugged. “I have an appreciation for their more subtle points and sometimes we sneak away into the shadows to do naughty things.”
“Like watch them,” I said.
“I won’t apologize.” He never did. Not for his passions.
Adrienne sipped her coffee. “Usually I don’t like the term guilty pleasure—who should feel guilty for linking what they like—but Prometheus?”
“We’ll watch them. Today. I’ll teach you how to appreciate them,” Dustin said.
Did I really want to push them closer as friends and me onto the outside? Yes, but not today. We were here, we were having fun, and I was going to enjoy it. “I’ve got a great theater setup at home.”
“He really does.” Dustin shifted in his seat so he was half-facing Adrienne. “What are you doing with your afternoon, Addie?”
“Apparently, I’m watching the Alien movies.”
Dustin high-fived her. "Smart lady.”
“And then reminding you when we’re done that you’re wrong.” She grinned.
He scoffed. “As if.”
Our food arrived and conversation stuttered as we ate.
“What’s the news with that Nolan guy?” I asked Dustin. In the bedlam of the last week, I’d forgotten to get an update.
Dustin sneered. “Rotting in Hell? It’s in Legal’s hands now. We’re clear.”
“Who’s Nolan?” Adrienne asked.
“Dickhead extraordinaire.” Disdain filled Dustin’s reply. “But more specifically, a guy I used to work with who’s claiming AcesPlayed ripped off his art.”
Adrienne looked horrified. “That’s… How are you supposed to fight something like that? Why would anyone…? I don’t understand. You wouldn’t.”
She was right—Dustin wouldn’t steal someone else’s work and neither would I. But her faith in us was reassuring anyway.
“It happens a lot in this industry.” I tried to return the favor of being reassuring. “We’re lucky that we have lawyers behind us.”
“It’ll be fine,” Dustin said. “It’s irritating to be called a thief, and infuriating to be betrayed by someone I used to call friend, but we’ve already handled it.”
“You’re taking it a lot better than I would.” Adrienne didn’t sound convinced.
I gently nudged her toe under the table, drawing her attention. “That’s because you’re not a cold, heartless husk. You still care about the world.” The words came out with the playfulness I wanted, but they echoed hollowly inside.
Her smile was warm. “You can’t fool me. I know you actually care.”
The snippet of conversation echoed in my thoughts, especially Adrienne’s confidence in us, and the uncomfortable tug of emotion inside me. Why, after being certain for months, did part of me whisper I’d be losing something incredible if I went through with my quiet plan to quit?
As we were finishing our meal, Adrienne reached past Dustin to grab the check from the edge of the table.
