Page 25 of Lucky Shot
“Use a condom,” I say, frowning at Max.
Roux laughs. “I will. Always. The world is far too scary without one. I don’t care what they have on the market these days.”
Max sits up and I think he’s about to add something to the conversation. Instead, he says, “My boyfriend and I are going to the wave pools, and we’re going to try to stay vertical. Care to join us?”
Roux looks at me with confusion. “Boyfriend?”
“Just go with it. I’m not looking for a summer fling. Just to be left alone.” I nod toward Max.
Roux looks between us for a minute and then smiles. “Ah. I see. Opposite of my goal. Got it.”
Max gathers the trash on the table and leaves us to head a few feet to the trash receptacle. “You want to join us?” I ask. “I won’t tell you who you can and can’t get busy with.”
He laughs and shrugs. “I’m not like, imposing? I don’t really know what’s going on here.”
Max is talking to someone as he walks back over to us. “Max is many things and not all of them are favorable. Especially when you ask his agent or his team’s PR reps. But he’s a good friend.”
Roux nods, looking at Max with an assessing look. “Okay. I’m really not getting between something, right?”
“Trust me. There’s nothing to get between. And I’m seriously hoping his antics will take attention far away from me.”
Max drapes his arm around my waist and grins at Roux. “You coming with us, Younger Version of Lix?”
Roux narrows his eyes. “I’m not my brother. But yeah. Let’s go.”
“I didn’t say you were,” Max says. “You look strangely like him, though.”
“We’re brothers,” Roux deadpans. “Same parents. Both of them.”
“Hm,” Max says. “I have like eight brothers by the same parents. We don’t look alike.”
“Like eight? You don’t know how many?” Roux asks.
“I stopped counting after six,” Max says, shrugging. His hand drops to mine and I’m suddenly pulled down a path to his right. Roux jogs to catch up, looking at Max with skepticism. “Have you ever surfed?”
“No,” Roux says. He opens his mouth, but I grab his wrist and shake my head. I think Max's family is a touchy subject. I can feel the way his body has stiffened, and his movements aren’t nearly as fluid as usual. “But I’ve always thought it would be fun. And also…. Surfers? Yes, please!”
Max grins. “Fuck yeah.” He relaxes and we don’t bring up his siblings again.
NINE
ELIXON
My brother is still asleep,sprawled out across the couch in my room when I open my eyes. He stumbled in sometime around three and crashed immediately. I don’t think he even moved throughout the night. He probably didn’t even see me still awake and sitting on my bed, on my laptop.
I plug in my laptop and then head for the bathroom with a grin on my face. Hanging with Pretty most nights has probably been one of the highlights of my trip. I’m not sure if that’s sad or just… pathetic. A virtual person who I literally couldn’t pick out of a crowd has really made my trip something exciting.
Yep. Not going to question it.
When I get out, Roux is sitting up and looking around, slightly dazed. I chuckle and wave towards the shower. “Get ready. I’m going to grab us some breakfast.”
He nods absently and I head for the deck. It’s not stupidly early. Nine. A reasonable time for people to be milling about and making plans.
“Baby brother make it in all right?” Max asks, and I pause to frown at him.
“Yes. Why?”
“He was hanging with Noah and me yesterday. We lost track of him when he went off for a drink. Noah spotted him dancing at one point, but we didn’t see him again after that.”
