“Good morning, Rafa. Are you off somewhere?” It was Alan’s voice. He couldn’t bear to look up.
“There you are, darling.” Heels clacking, his mother swept down the stairs in a navy pantsuit, her aides and agents trailing behind. “Did you have breakfast?”
“Uh-huh,” he lied. He’d attempted a piece of toast and given up after one choking bite.
“I’m going to greet some visitors in my office and give them a tour. Would you like to join us? I’m sure they’d be thrilled.”
Sure they would. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m going to meet with Marissa,” he lied. “About the project.”
“Excellent.” She beamed—truly beamed—and guilt sliced through Rafa. “Have a productive day.” She strode away toward the East Wing.
As staff passed by, Rafa nodded and tried to smile. During the day there were so many more people around, and he wished he could run back up to the third floor and hide in his kitchen. But then he couldn’t talk to Shane, so he’d have to suck it up.
“Did you want us to drive you?” Alan asked.
“No, I’ll take my car. It’s been a while.” Rafa could see Shane in his peripheral vision, but kept his focus on Alan, who had dark circles under his eyes. “How’s your son doing?”
“Better.” Alan smiled genuinely. “Thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Um, so…” He glanced around. “I actually want to see a movie. Not meet Marissa. Not right now, anyway. I’m seeing her this afternoon.”
“Okay.” Alan glanced toward the East Wing, which housed the movie theater. “After you.”
“Oh, no. I want to go out. To a real theater. The AMC? It’s not far.”
Alan and Shane glanced at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation. Then Alan said, “Pop-up shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Cool. Thanks.” He started walking toward the West Wing, leaving through the Palm Room and going along the covered outdoor walkway, past a row of white columns. The West Wing bustled with activity, and Rafa smiled and nodded as he made his way past the Press Secretary’s office and the Cabinet Room, leaving through the other side and hurrying to the parking lot beyond. Shane and Alan followed, and Rafa resisted the urge to look back.
His Toyota chirped as he pressed the key fob, and despite the knot of tension threatening to cut off his airway, he smiled as he slid behind the wheel. He couldn’t freaking wait until the day when he could drive whenever and wherever he wanted, without anyone following or needing to know where he was going. He grabbed his Yankees cap from the passenger seat and tugged it over his slicked hair.
The Suburban pulled up, waiting. He couldn’t really see them through the tinted windows, but he wondered what Shane was thinking. He continued wondering as he drove to the theater.
Is he:
A) Furious
B) Embarrassed
C) Disgusted
D) All of the above
Rafa knew that if anyone found out he’d kissed Shane, it would be Shane that suffered. He’d probably lose his job, or end up on some terrible field duty in Podunk, USA. It had been unbearably selfish. It really had. Shane had been so nice to him, and this was how Rafa thanked him. The urge to apologize and clear the air burned in his empty stomach.
At the AMC parking lot, he waited to get out of his car until Shane and Alan approached, just like he was supposed to. Alan walked ahead to the theater, scanning and talking into his wrist, and Shane’s presence behind Rafa felt like…he didn’t know what. It was somehow awkward and electric at the same time.
After getting the nod from Alan, Rafa went inside. In the quiet lobby, he bought his ticket at a machine while Alan bought theirs. Rafa would have just picked them all up, but his agents had always insisted on protocol. Alan would expense the tickets and get his money back eventually. Still wearing his cap, Rafa approached the ticket taker, bypassing the snack bar, because vomiting popcorn and M&Ms wouldn’t help his case.
A kid who looked about fifteen took his ticket. “Enjoy the show.” Then he did a double take, and stared with wide eyes at Alan and Shane, who handed him their tickets. “Uh…enjoy the show too,” the kid sputtered.
As they walked to the theater, a young woman in business casual clothing approached, smiling widely. Shane stepped toward her so she didn’t get too close. Rafa smiled at her. “Hi.”
“Hello! Welcome to AMC. How wonderful to have you. If there’s anything I can do to make your visit better, please let me know.”
Alan spoke up. “If you could keep any looky-loos out of the theater, that would be very helpful. And ensure that your staff don’t start tweeting that the president’s son is here.”
“Absolutely. Consider it done.” She smiled at Rafa again. “Did you want any snacks? On the house, of course.”