29. Always Been Different
ALWAYS BEEN DIFFERENT
“ Y ou’re a celebrity,” Roark said to Emma two days later.
Her brother was on the island doing business and came over for lunch and had her sign a few things.
Well, lunch was what he picked up and brought because she had little in the house that he’d want to eat and she’d have to go to the store.
What an idiot she was not to have shopped before she went away for the weekend.
Now everyone on the island would stop her to talk when she ran errands.
Most knew her and left her alone. That was before they found out who her boyfriend was.
“Hardly that,” she said.
“Close enough,” Roark said. “How much of a jump in sales have you had?”
“I’m too embarrassed to say,” she said sheepishly.
Connor had called her pissed off that he had found out through social media and would have liked the heads up.
The producers for her mini-series reached out to her agent all but salivating at how much of a boost it’d give the show when it came out.
She’d warned Warren that she’d see press like this and it’d increase her exposure more than it was going to do for him.
He didn’t seem to mind, but she was slightly bothered by it.
“You had to know it’d happen,” Roark said. “You know you can’t keep this stuff secret.”
“I know,” she said. “Are you being bugged a lot at work?”
“Some,” Roark said. “Hailey said there has been an uptick of calls.”
“Then the family should thank me,” she said, nodding her head. “I wonder if anyone else is seeing it.”
It’s not like she was so full of herself to call and ask.
“I’m sure everyone will notice it at first,” Roark said. “How do you feel about it? You don’t mind having your name out there, but this isn’t for your work.”
She frowned. “I know. I’m fine with it. I feel bad for Warren. He’s big about no distractions. I can shut the world out and not care. I’ll be recognized here on the island, but I already was. It’s more so for him. But I guess we can go out in public now.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been dating for months and hardly ever went anywhere together,” Roark said. “But at least it’s getting you out of the house.”
“He’s a lot like me,” she said. “He doesn’t care if he goes to restaurants or not. And we have gone to some here on the island.”
It was easier here in her mind than in Boston. Although people noticed him and spoke to him here, she avoided public displays of affection and stayed out of photographs with him.
“I can’t live like you do,” Roark said. “But you’ve always been different that way.”
She smiled. “You’re jealous because I get to dress like this daily and you’ve got to put a tie on.”
She was in black leggings and a T-shirt, her feet bare, her hair not even combed, and just thrown into a ponytail when she got up this morning. She only barely remembered to shower before her brother showed up.
She’d been too busy getting ready for her live chat with her readers for tonight.
By then, she’d fix her hair and put on a tiny bit of makeup, maybe.
“I like dressing up,” Roark said. “Unlike you.”
“You’ve always been fannnncy that way,” she said.
“You really like him a lot, don’t you?”
“I love him,” she said, grinning.
“You finally said it,” Roark said, smirking.
“I did,” she said. “Over the weekend. It’s really scary.”
“Stop wrinkling your nose,” her brother said. “Yes, it is, but it gets better too.”
“I hope so,” she said. “Once all of this noise quiets down. I can shut it all out though and get my work done without any problems.”
“I see your social media is blowing up. Cute interaction with you two. Was that your idea or his to announce it that way?”
Neither one of them had posted anything else after that.
She didn’t feel they needed to give any more about their relationship and Warren agreed.
They were both private people and she wanted to continue to keep it that way as long as she could.
“It was mine,” she said. “The team’s publicist wanted to make a statement. I’m like…no. That’s cheesy. It should come from us. Just like Connor was pissed off. Too bad. I’m allowed to have my own life, aren’t I?”
“You are,” Roark said. “Now maybe you understand why Mom has done what she has for years.”
“I know,” she said. “I never wanted to hide who I was or what I did. But I didn’t think I’d end up with someone this well-known either.”
“Are you jealous over that?” Roark asked.
She shrugged. “I didn’t think I was, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it’s kind of annoying I’m gaining readers because of him.”
“You’re going to gain them soon because of Mom. Will you feel the same way about that?”
Her head went side to side. She picked up a stray fry that had been left and popped it in her mouth. Once she swallowed it, she said, “Yes and no. At least those are readers already for the genre. Or close to it. I still write thrillers and mysteries. Not all my books have that much sex in it.”
“True,” Roark said. “You don’t focus on a romantic element in your series through Connor, but you have relationships in most of them.”
“I know,” she said. “That is what is different between Mom and I, but it’s still readers in general. Now there are football fans looking at me.”
Her brother laughed. “Football fans can still be readers, Emma. Warren is a good example.”
“I know,” she said, throwing her hands up. “Warren said he was asked if he reads my books, and he told them that he does. That he supports me.”
“That was nice of him,” Roark said. “Better than that dickhead you dated a few years ago who called your books smut.”
She laughed. “Hayden was a dickhead. He didn’t appreciate it when I told him that my smut had me laughing all the way to the bank.”
“Not everyone loves your sense of humor,” Roark said.
“Nope,” she said. “I’m okay with that. I’ve never cared all that much if people liked me personally and I’ve always known that there are some that won’t like my books. Even loyal readers won’t love them all.”
She read all her reviews and tried to not take them to heart.
That she put her blood, sweat, and tears into her characters. They lived in her head and controlled her every moment while she wrote their worlds and gave them the life she felt they deserved and that her readers would enjoy.
People weren’t perfect and neither were her characters, but it amazed her how many people felt her characters shouldn’t be flawed.
At least from reviews she read of some of her titles.
“Just like life,” Roark said. “I’m sure things will slow down in a few weeks. Are you going to go to all his games?”
“No,” she said. “He doesn’t need that distraction, and I don’t want him spending the money for the suite all the time. Nor do I want to sit in the stands either.”
“I’m sure money isn’t the reason,” Roark said. “You could pay for it.”
“I could and I will. We’ll get another one when you and Dad can go. Maybe Mom too, but I’d like to do that before her announcement. Then it will be a zoo.”
“That’s what you’re worried about, aren’t you?” Roark asked. “That Mom’s announcement is going to be big news and get tied to Warren?”
“Yes,” she said. “You and I always knew this day could come. We’ve been telling her for a long time. Even our family will be prepared for it, but no one is going to mind much.”
“No,” Roark said. “For anyone other than Mom and you, it will blow by fast.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I know. I’m going to be known as Steve Spencer’s daughter now.”
“Will you stop laughing? You are her daughter.”
“I know,” she said, giggling. “I’m looking forward to it just for the reaction of the world. Which is an exaggeration.”
“No,” Roark said. “It’s not really. Mom is one of the top-selling authors in the world. She’s had several movies and a few mini-series done on her books.”
Most of the movies and TV shows were on older books, not necessarily ones released in the past few years.
Things took time and audiences and sales were always gauged first.
“She is,” Emma said. “Maybe I’m a little anxious about it all. I can hide here, but what if people find out where I am? I’ve got my address listed as Boston for my readers.”
She had a PO box there at the docks. She’d never want anyone to know where she lived or that she was on the island even though it was common knowledge of her family background.
“If you’re worried for your safety then we’ve got to do something about that,” Roark said. “More than just your security alarms.”
“I’m not,” she said. “I’m more worried about my peace of mind. I don’t like people.”
“You can’t have it both ways,” Roark said. “Not when you’re dating Warren.”
“Sometimes reality bites,” she said, crossing her arms and pouting.
“Get over yourself,” her brother said. “Just laugh to the bank like you told dickhead Hayden you did.”
“It’s easy for you to say,” she said. “I don’t want anyone to think Warren is being used for that.”
Roark’s jaw dropped. “Emma. Come on. No one will think that. You’re very successful. You’ve never doubted yourself like this.”
“Yes,” she said. “I have. When my first book was published and I worried it’d flop.”
“It didn’t and you’re still going strong,” Roark said. “It’s no different than me at my first trial. Everyone feels those things.”
“I’m having a pity party and I shouldn’t be. Maybe I’m just hormonal.”
Roark rolled his eyes. “I’ll ignore that statement.”
She laughed. She always said that to him when she wanted to be left alone.
“You can’t ignore those things now,” she said, picking on him. “You’ve got three females in your house.”
“Don’t remind me,” he said. “And if any of them act like they might be, I get chocolate, ice cream, pizza, and ask if they need me to do anything.”
“Awww, you’re the perfect hero too, Roark.”
“Now you’re being a brat,” her brother said, flushing.
“It’s fun to see that reaction.”
Her phone rang in the other room. It was the ringtone for Warren so she jumped up to find it. Her brother’s face was comical since they all knew how much she pretended her phone didn’t exist.
“Hey there, hot stuff. Aren’t you lifting weights or something?”
Warren laughed on the other line and she walked back to see Roark cleaning up their lunch.
“I’m going into the locker room in a few minutes. I just wanted to know how things were going with you. I know you’ve got your live chat tonight.”
“I do,” she said. It was sweet that he remembered. “I’ve got everything set up I plan on saying, but I’m positive I’m going to get a lot of questions about you.”
“Sorry about that,” he said. “Will you answer them?”
“I’m going to start out talking about you for five minutes and then kindly ask everyone to focus on questions regarding my book. I’m pretty sure they will do it. If not I’ll ignore those questions. How about you? How many people are asking you about my sex scenes?”
She saw her brother roll his eyes. “No one,” he said. “And if they ask, I’ll tell them I don’t ask about their bedroom activities.”
“I love that answer,” she said. “It’s fun isn’t it?”
“If you say so,” he said.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
If he was struggling with the news of their relationship getting out, how much harder was it going to be when the world found out who her mother was?
“Yeah,” Warren said. “I’m fine. I’m more worried about you.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I’ve got caves to live in.”
“Caves?” he asked.
“Yeah, my house, my parents’ house if I have to. Lots of places I can go.”
“My place,” he said. “You can come here.”
“Maybe I will,” she said. “We’ll see. But you’ll be out of town for the next two weekends.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I know we’ve gone that long without seeing each other before, but I’ll miss you.”
She got a pout on her face. “I’ll miss you too.”
“I’m being called,” he said. “I need to run. I’ll reach out later. Bye.”
“Bye,” she said and hung up. She looked at her brother. “What?”
“That’s gross.”
“What’s gross?” she asked with her hands on her hips.
“Watching you be human,” Roark said. “I guess I didn’t know if you had it in you to act and feel like someone in this world. Or this reality.”
“I’m glad to prove you all wrong!”