I just shrug and gesture for us to head inside. He’s closest to the door, so he holds it open for me. I murmur my thanks, and we get into line. I opt for spaghetti and meatballs, but he gets cordon bleu and mac and cheese.
Rob leads the way to the back corner to a table for two. It’s basically the spot where we can have the most privacy possible in such a public space.
I sit across from him but don’t reach for my fork, watching him.
“You can go ahead and take my picture,” he says. “Hell, you could film me, so long as you’re starring in the movie with me.”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Thanks but no thanks.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know the kind of movie you want to make, and no way.”
“Not even if the movie was just for you and me and our eyes only?”
“No!”
“I have a safe we could store it in—”
“And I bet that the guys know the combination.”
“They don’t, actually.”
“I still don’t trust that it won’t fall into their hands, but even if you could guarantee that no one else would see it, the answer is still no.”
“Why not?” he asks, leaning forward.
“Why are you so desperate to learn why I don’t want to be in a porno?”
“Why are you so desperate to not be in one? Why not let your hair down?”
“Maybe because the idea of watching myself…”
“With me.” He grins and winks at me.
I shake my head. “With you or anyone else… I just don’t want to.”
“I guess that’s fair. I guess that also means that you’ll never want to in a public place either.”
“Rob, seriously, this is not the conversation I thought we would be having.”
“We can talk about anything you want.” He mimes zipping his lips and starts to cut his cordon bleu.
“I had an interesting conversation with Ace not that long ago,” I say idly.
“What about?”
I hesitate. “I don’t know if he’ll want me to talk about it,” I mumble.
“A real conversation? He didn’t harass or bully you at all?”
“No. If anything, he treated me like a… not a friend. Like a confidant. It was strange. Not that I minded. Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to.”
“Of course.”
“And when he’s like that, I can see why he might have a few friends.” I smirk and finally grab my fork.
“He is a good guy,” Rob says. “A bit passionate, and he’ll do anything for his friends. He’ll die for any of us.”