He felt Drew grin into his shirt.
Steve didn’t quite know what he expected, coming back here. Their first date was such an enchanting experience; he didn’t think anything could live up to that, especially not in daylight. But some of the magic must have remained, despite all the differences. Or maybe that was just Drew.
“Did your mom ever decide what she was going to do about Rico?” Drew asked after a moment, lifting his head again.
Steve nodded and set his empty coffee cup on the ground. “She’s taking the evidence she gathered and filing a complaint against him with the photographers’ association. It might not have any effect, but it lets her feel better about the situation. Oh, and she warned all her friends not to fall victim to his predations, of course.”
“Mm,” Drew agreed. He looked at his feet, then the sky, squinting at a seabird flying overhead. “I hate that he did that to you. Destroyed your privacy. I hate that I feel… responsible.”
Steve nudged him. “Don’t. I’ve always known this could happen. If it’s the price I pay….” He shrugged, not wanting to get too sentimental. Not in public, at least. “It’s more than worth it. And at least now no one can hold it over my head.” He spent a moment fantasizing about what would happen when he saw Austin next. He hoped Drew would be with him.
Before Drew could respond, Nina pushed open the aquarium doors. “If you’re sufficiently caffeinated, big shot, they’re ready for you by the shark tank.”
Drew made a goofy face at her, but he picked up his cup and Steve’s and walked them to the garbage near the roped-off area. He waved and said something to a little girl with an orange hat and a ponytail sticking out the back, then cocked his head at whatever she replied and laughed. “Steve! C’mere.”
Steve stood and dusted off his hands before joining Drew over by the onlookers. It was still a little awkward; he’d never be as smooth handling attention as Drew and his mother. He didn’t want to be rude, but he didn’t want to stop and talk to everyone either. “What’s up?”
“You’ve got a fan.” Drew motioned to the little girl, who looked up at Steve with wide brown eyes.
Shyly—though she seemed comfortable enough talking to Drew—she held out a book and a pen. “Can you sign this, please?” she whispered so quietly Steve could barely make out the words.
The girl’s father, who stood behind her, put his hands on her shoulders in a gesture of support.
Steve shot a quick look at Drew, who was grinning ear to ear. No trouble with the ego, then. Steve reached for the book. The cover readScriptwriting for Kids. “I would love to,” he said. “What’s your name?”
“Shellie,” she whispered to Steve’s shoes.
“That’s S-H-E-L-L-I-E,” her dad said as Steve uncapped the pen. “Thank you so much. She saw you onGloria, and it’s all she’s talked about since. She’s wanted to be a writer since she was six.”
“Hey, me too.” Steve wroteTo Shellieand did his best to ignore the few people taking pictures with their phones.
Shellie giggled.
Steve signed his name and handed the book back. “It was nice meeting you, Shellie.”
“Thank you so much,” said her father. “That really means a lot. What do you say, Shel?”
“Thank you,” she told the book.
Steve waved and let Drew usher him back to the aquarium. “That was cute,” Drew murmured. “You’re a natural.”
“Kids are easy.”
“Sure.”
They met up with Rita, Carol, and the rest of the crew in the Great Hall of the Pacific to go over their scene. An aquarium employee with a logoed polo shirt was there too, talking to Carol about what was possible in terms of lighting in the underwater viewing tunnel.
“We do that sometimes for weddings,” the employee explained, demonstrating on an iPad. “See the little lights on the floor?”
In a heartbeat the scene before him dissolved into something lighter, happier, more romantic. The wardrobe harkened back to the first time he and Drew came here together, but the crowd… well. Steve imagined this as a lot more intimate.
Suddenly he felt like everyone was looking at him. But it didn’t matter, because he’d locked eyes with Drew and was having a hard time looking away.
Nina clapped for their attention, breaking the spell. “So the three of you are going to come in from the far end,” she said. “Run full speed through the tunnel. Drew, you’re gonna reach back and grab Steve’s hand as you get to the jellies. Rita will be running with you, off leash. Try not to let her get too far ahead.”
“Easier said than done,” Steve snorted. “I’ll do my best.”
Their first run-through, Rita got excited and ran ahead of them, careening toward the crew, her paws sliding on the floor.
