Launi

I'm not the only one creating viral posts. Tinsley's latest got more likes than ours and is helping to make a lesser-known Free Pony song rank in the charts for trending sounds. I repost it and comment something cute using Free Pony's official account. One of my first orders of business was to get us the blue check mark and now I make an effort to comment on anything related to be seen in the threads. I watch her post too many times to admit. I listen to him call her love and feel a pit in my stomach when he spins her around.

"You know it doesn't really mean anything," Parker tells me through the phone.

"It doesn't look that way," I say, hating how I'm practically pouting.

"It's all a show. You know this, Launi. It's literally your job," she says.

"He invited her and then arranged for a car to pick her up. He didn't even stay after the show, just rushed right back to the hotel. I'm not going to be delusional. It would help if you weren't either, Parker. Stop encouraging me," I tell her as I let my equipment bag fall from my shoulder onto the hotel room floor.

"Fine. It was disgustingly adorable, and they make a cute a couple. Is that what you want to hear?" she asks.

No, I don't want to hear that because it's the truth and the truth hurts. "I don't want to hear it, but I need to."

"I think you still have a shot if you wanted to try," she says.

"Parker!"

"FINE. He's dead to me," she says. "We must move on."

I laugh and head into the bathroom to take a shower. I want to wash the day off me and crawl into bed.

"Thank you," I tell her. "By the way, Sean asked about you today."

"Really? What did he ask?" she says excitedly.

"If you still wet the bed," I tell her.

"Stop it. I'll die," she says.

Laughing, I turn my phone to speaker so I can undress. "I'm kidding," I say. "He asked if you still read your stories."

"Of course that's what he would remember about me," she says. "And of course I do," she says with a laugh. "Smut forever."

"You were so embarrassed when they found your old Kindle," I say as I turn on the faucet.

"Only because those covers can be scandalous. You know I'm a romantic at heart," she insists.

"Ok, Parker. It has nothing to do with the hot male leads and what they can do for the leading ladies," I say.

"Listen," she tells me, "I've learned a lot from those stories."

"I bet you have," I tell her quickly.

"And men could too if they'd read them. It's practically a manual of how we want things done. What to say and where to touch. I'm not ashamed of it anymore," she tells me.

"You sure seem triggered by his question," I tease.

"It's just not exactly what I'd want to be remembered by, that's all," she says.

"Shit," I say. I didn't bring a razor and I want to shave my legs. "I'm going to have to go. I need to run down to the front desk or gift shop to grab something."

"Ok call me tomorrow," she says.

I throw on the hotel robe and cinch it as tight as I can around my body. I tuck my small wallet into the pocket along with my room key. I head out and down to the end of the hall where Sean is sitting outside the elevator.

"I need to go down to the desk," I say to him as I reach for the button.

"Not like that," he says with a chuckle, covering the bottom with his hand before I can press it. "What do you need?"

"A razor," I say. I look down at the robe and realize he's right. I can't go wandering through a hotel lobby in a robe.

"No problem. We actually have a man out at CVS right now grabbing a few items other people forgot," he says before picking up his phone and tapping out a quick text. I hear the ding when he gets a response back. "Ok they'll get it."

"Thanks," I tell him.

"No problem. I'll bring it to your room when it gets here," he tells me.

I wait in my room for what feels like forever. I sit, staring at the door between our rooms, knowing Rye is on the other side with Tinsley. I try not to let my mind drift to what they might be doing in there. It's none of my business and according to Parker he's dead to her which means he's dead to me. I need to be strong and move on. The thought makes my heart pinch in my chest. It's ridiculous, we've only just reconnected after all these years. It's not like I can even really know the man. But something inside me says that's not true. I know him. Maybe better than most people, and certainly better than her. However, she might know this Rye, the adult rockstar, and I only know the little boy growing up in his dad's shadow. He and I have years locked up in a time capsule while she has tonight.

Maybe there's a chance it's all a show and they are in there on their phones, not touching or talking. I haven't heard anything from the other side of the wall except a few laughs and some music. It's not what I would guess is his playlist.

A knock on the hotel room door startles me. My hand grips the top of the robe as I laugh at how jumpy I am. That's what I get for staring at the door between us like an idiot. I look through the peep hole and see Sean outside. Relieved, I open it and smile in appreciation.

"Here you go," he says, handing me a pack of women's razors.

"Thank you," I say. "How do I pay?" I ask.

"Great question," he answers. "I have no idea. It's probably going to be expensed so don't sweat it."

He's still in front of my door when Rye's opens. "Sorry," Rye says to him. "I thought you knocked on mine."

"I've got yours too," Sean says, he digs into the large bag.

Rye leans out of his room and looks at me for a moment. I feel like I can't breathe. My heart beats quickly, making me feel dizzy. His eyes drop to my robe, and he slowly brings them back up to meet my own. I think he's going to say something, but Sean drops a pack of condoms out of the bag at our feet.

"Shit," he says, reaching for them with a bottle of Advil in his hand. "Sorry."

I don't wait for them to be handed off.

"Thanks again, Sean," I say. I step back and close the door, leaning against it to try and stop the ache that is radiating under my ribs. I guess that's the answer to all my questions.