Starlight Love

by Kat Bellemore

  Eli had to remind himself that for Benjamin, this was a welcome relief. No awkward questions. He could just eat and melt into the background as everyone else talked, the surrounding conversations all competing with each other as he happily did his own thing.

  It wasn’t that Benjamin didn’t enjoy being in the spotlight—he absolutely did—but on his own terms. Like, he was okay with going to a party and dancing on top of a table to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” And yes, he could totally do Michael’s moves. But once the song was over, he could disappear, and no one seemed to notice.

  This? This was different. And he figured dancing on top of the table probably wouldn’t be appropriate at a formal dinner. When alcohol wasn’t in his system, Benjamin was surprisingly thoughtful of others. He always blamed the paparazzi for showing up at the wrong moment and catching him at his worst.

  Eli steeled himself. He could do this. So, with an easy smile, he hid his anxiety and walked toward the gathering, scanning the tables for an empty chair. If given the choice, would it be better to sit by someone he didn’t know, who could be a wild card, or someone he did know and risk having to strike up an actual conversation?

  His gaze landed on Caleb and his wife, who were sitting at the far end, near their shop. A couple of empty chairs sat across from them, and he wondered if one of the chairs had been saved for him. He made his way toward Caleb, focusing on his breathing as he drew closer. His anxiety settled to a manageable level, and when Caleb’s wife finally noticed him, her entire face lit up. She nudged Caleb, and he turned in the direction his wife was pointing.

  That drew the attention of those nearest them, who then nudged their neighbors and so on. So much for not being in the spotlight.

  Eli kept his smile anchored in place as he approached Caleb. “Quite the get-together you are having here.”

  “Starlight Ridge may be small, but we know how to do things in a big way.” Caleb leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his stomach, seeming more at ease than Eli had previously seen him. He grinned and shared a glance with his wife. “Bree and I are glad you could make it.” He gestured to the empty chair directly across from him. “Have a seat.”

  That’s right. His wife’s name was Bree. Eli had known it started with a B.

  “I have to say, I’ve never seen a Thanksgiving dinner of quite these proportions,” Eli said, sitting down. The tables seemed to extend even further, now that he wasn’t seeing them from afar.

  Caleb gestured around him. “We’re family.” His gaze landed somewhere down the boardwalk, and he waved a hand, as if calling someone over. Eli twisted to see who it was, but with so many people there, it was impossible to tell. A moment later, Eli sensed someone walk up behind him.

  “Addie, we saved you a seat,” Caleb said. His smile seemed to have a hidden message behind it, like there was something Eli was missing. It hadn’t taken long for one of those dreaded inside jokes to appear.

  When the woman didn’t sit down, Eli turned to see who Caleb was talking to.

  Adeline Baker.

  Apparently otherwise known as Addie.

  She looked beautiful, her hair tied back with a fake sprig of fall-colored leaves woven in. Adeline stared at him, her lips parted in surprise, and she seemed to be having a difficult time deciding whether she should sit down or not.

  “You planning on eating standing up?” Caleb asked, his tone teasing.

  Adeline’s gaze darted around the table, like she was trying to find another seat, but at this point, all were taken. It seemed she’d have preferred to eat next to anyone but Eli. He hoped his disappointment didn’t show. Not only was he not used to women acting like he had an infectious disease, but he genuinely wanted to spend time with Adeline. The feeling didn’t seem to be reciprocated.

  “It seems you weren’t expecting me,” Eli said. “I can trade places with someone else if you’d prefer.” He moved to stand up.

  “No,” she said, the word bursting from her lips. She smoothed down the dark red blouse she wore. “I was just trying to decide if now would be a good time to formally start the feast.”

  “Adeline leads the committee that organizes Thanksgiving dinner each year,” Bree said. “But I think her being flustered has more to do with the fact that she just lost a bet for the first time. Ever.” She shot a triumphant grin in Adeline’s direction.

  Adeline rolled her eyes, like her friend was making a bigger deal out of it than necessary. “You think I care about something like that?”

  Caleb barked out a laugh. “Every time you’ve made me pay up for a bet that I’ve lost to you, you’re practically dancing. Being on the other side of things changes the perspective, doesn’t it?”

  Eli looked between the three friends. Yup. Definitely not loving the whole small-town vibe going on. He’d liked the idea of staying in Starlight Ridge on a more long-term basis, but maybe small towns were the type of thing that were better enjoyed from the inside. Which he definitely was not.

  He wasn’t going to ask what this whole bet was about—it wasn’t his business—but his curiosity must have been obvious because Bree shot him an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid Adeline was hoping to make some money off of you.”

  Okay, curiosity was giving way to confusion. “She was…what?”

  Adeline narrowed her eyes at her friend, like this was information that she’d have preferred to stay between them.

  Bree didn’t seem to mind and forged ahead. “She’s known for her bets, but the thing about them is that she only makes bets she knows she can win.”

  “Doesn’t seem like much of a bet, then, does it?” Eli asked.

  Bree laughed. “No, it doesn’t. That’s why none of us take her up on them anymore.”

  “Until today,” Eli said slowly. He threw a side glance at Adeline, who he caught shaking her head, warning her friend to not continue. When Adeline saw him looking at her, the movement morphed into her shifting in her chair, like she was trying to get comfortable.

  “After Adeline heard you were in town and we’d invited you to dinner, she was certain you wouldn’t show up,” Caleb said, continuing his wife’s story. “So certain that she bet us twenty bucks that your seat would remain cold.”

  10

  Adeline stilled. She’d have to let her friends know later what she thought of being thrown under the bus like that.

  She stayed quiet for the moment, though, not giving in to her friends’ goading as heat rushed into her cheeks.

  “Had I known how big of an affair it was, you might have won your bet,” Eli told her with a smile that made it seem like he was trying to help her feel better about the whole thing. But his gaze also bounced around, like he was uncomfortable and unsure how to feel about being the subject of a bet.

  Adeline gave him a side glance. “You…didn’t know that it was a town event?” If he had been lured to the event under false pretenses, maybe her friends’ win would be void.

  “No,” he said. “I was only invited to dinner. I thought it would be a small family gathering.”

  Adeline could see how he’d have thought that, considering that was what normal people did. She folded her arms across her chest and gave Caleb her best mom-look. “He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, so it doesn’t count.”

  Apparently, her mom-look needed some work, because laughter burst from both Caleb and Bree.

  “Really?” Bree asked once she’d stopped laughing long enough to talk. “We’ve never known what we were getting into with your bets, and you’ve never let us off the hook. Not once.”

  She had a valid point. But not one that Adeline would concede.

  Eli looked intrigued, his gaze bouncing between Adeline and her two friends, then settling on her. “So, you’re a betting woman, huh?”

  Adeline hesitated, wondering if he thought of that as a good or a bad thing. She didn’t know why it mattered, since she didn’t care what he thought of her. “On occasion,” she hedged.

/>   That set off another round of laughter from Bree and Caleb.

  “What Addie means by that,” Caleb said, “is that she doesn’t often get the chance to make bets anymore, because she can’t find anyone who dares go against her. We all know there’s some kind of information she’s leaving out if she’s wanting to make a wager.”

  Eli nodded slowly. “I see.” Adeline could practically see the wheels turning as he continued to nod, like he was doing calculations of some kind, and she wondered what thoughts were running through Eli’s mind. After another moment his gaze landed on her. He wore a grin that made her excited and nervous at the same time. It held a mischievous sense of adventure, and she couldn’t help but want to know more. What was the man up to?

  “Well?” she finally prompted him when he remained quiet, his grin still firmly in place.

  He hesitated, his smile dipping slightly, then it returned in full force. “I have a bet for you.”

  Oh, now she was intrigued. Adeline leaned forward, eager to know what he had in mind. It was normally she who made the bets and was at the mercy of others to take her up on them. She’d rarely been on this end of things.

  Eli’s eyes seemed to laugh as her gaze remained fixed on his. They were the type of eyes that could suck a person in, hold on, and refuse to let go.

  Adeline didn’t like that feeling.

  When Eli remained quiet, not seeming in any rush to continue, Adeline leaned back, frowning. “You’re making this painful, you know.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, though not sounding it. “That’s what I do for my profession, though—build suspense with carefully placed pauses so it leaves you wanting more.”

  That brought Adeline back to reality. For a moment she’d forgotten who she was talking to. A man who had been trained to become someone he wasn’t—a master at manipulating emotion. The gorgeous accent, the clothes that fit him perfectly in all the right places, not that she’d been looking—it was all fake. Carefully planned. Adeline pushed her chair back from the table. “I should probably get this party started.”

  Adeline could tell she’d surprised him by the abrupt change of subject, and she swore she’d seen a flicker of pain—like she’d hurt him—as she hurried away.

  But she couldn’t have, could she? Eli Hunt was indestructible. Fans worshiped him wherever he went, making sure he never forgot how wonderful and handsome and perfect he was.

  Adeline greeted her friends and neighbors as she wound her way through them, eventually stopping at a small portable platform. A karaoke machine sat on it. It was the only portable microphone they’d been able to find that didn’t need an electrical outlet. The one they had used in previous years had had an unfortunate accident last Thanksgiving. Jules had been running the show, and Donna, Erwin’s golden retriever, had leaped onto the platform and wrapped her leash around Jules’ legs, and they’d both tumbled from the platform, the microphone and speaker crashing to the ground with them.

  Thankfully, Jules had only needed a few stitches, and Donna had happily run on her way once she’d been freed of her leash. The portable speaker had not been so fortunate.

  Adeline stepped onto the platform and picked up the microphone, turning it on and tapping the top to make sure it was working. “Happy Thanksgiving,” she called out. The speaker that came with the karaoke machine was so small, she doubted the sound carried far, but she was met with hoots and hollers, so she figured everyone got the message. “We have a lot to be grateful for this year,” she said. “We had a fantastic tourist season, but the highlight, of course, was Leanne Warner moving back to Starlight Ridge and her and Isaac’s subsequent engagement.” That set off more hollering. Adeline smiled and waited for them to quiet down.

  “Of course, Isaac’s surfing accident put a slight damper on things, but another miracle and blessing occurred when he had a follow-up appointment this past week.” Adeline placed a hand over her eyes, blocking the sun as she searched for Isaac. “I can’t find you.” A collective laugh rippled through the crowd.

  Then, about halfway down the boardwalk, across from the hardware store, Isaac stood up. A gasp rose from those who hadn’t yet seen him. He still had trouble walking and was currently using a cane and Leanne for support, but he was on the road of recovery.

  “Now, if anyone sees Isaac using his surfboard as a cane, and he’s headed toward the waves, tackle him. No surfing for at least three more months,” Adeline said.

  Isaac laughed but shook his head at the same time. Even though they had joked together about it over the last few days, it seemed to still be a painful point for him.

  “But seriously, it’s been an amazing year,” Adeline said. “I’ve asked Davis to give our annual Thanksgiving prayer—”

  “You forgot something,” a man called from the front.

  Adeline searched for the source of the interruption but couldn’t place who it had been. “I’m sure I’ve missed a lot, but I see a lot of hungry people staring up at me, and if I don’t get this thing started, I think we’ll have a riot on our hands.”

  People laughed and nodded in agreement, but the person wasn’t giving up. “What about Leanne selling her screenplay?” Adeline finally located the owner. Erwin, the owner of the restaurant, Seaside Bay. “It’s brought Eli Hunt to Starlight Ridge, and it’s already done wonders for my place. Since the film crew started arriving, I’ve had to extend my hours.”

  “Hear, hear!” someone else called out.

  And then people were encouraging Eli to stand so they could give him the attention they felt he deserved.

  Adeline was left standing on the podium, forced to watch as Eli soaked it all up. He gestured for Leanne to stand with him, his grin evidence of how much he was enjoying the attention. But then his and Adeline’s gazes met, and, like at the Sunset Stroll the previous week, his smile faltered. And it returned just as quickly.

  “All right, all right,” Eli said, while laughing. “I need to get some pumpkin pie in me, so let’s turn things back to Adeline.” He paused. “Addie.” He nodded to her, then sat down.

  She felt a flutter in her stomach at the nickname. He didn’t know her well enough to use it, so why had he? Adeline stuttered along for a moment, trying to remember what she’d been saying before Erwin had taken over. Oh, right. “Davis,” she said, motioning for him to take the microphone from her so he could say the prayer. She’d asked him to do it this year as a sort of peace offering, for all the teasing with her reggae music.

  He’d accepted, but not without suspicion. Even now, as Davis stepped onto the platform, he eyed her like he expected her to prank him before he had the chance to say the traditional Thanksgiving prayer. But she merely smiled, handed him the mic, and moved off the platform to give him more room.

  Davis waited a moment before deciding there wasn’t going to be any funny business, and he moved forward with the prayer. The moment he finished, lines formed, everyone anxious to weave their way through the shops and get their hands on traditional foods such as turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, and homemade rolls. There were also non-traditional foods that one might expect from a seaside community, like shrimp, fish, and clam chowder.

  Adeline always moved to the back of the line, allowing everyone else to go first. She’d just taken her place when Eli walked up and stood beside her.

  She started. “What are you doing all the way back here?” She’d expected he’d be with Bree and Caleb, who were close to the front.

  “I thought you could use the company.” Eli said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. “And I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your speech.”

  Adeline allowed herself to fully look at him. His tone had sounded sincere, like he’d really needed to hear something she’d said. When their gazes met, his eyes conveyed the same thing his voice had. That he was grateful.

  “And I didn’t mean to steal your spotlight,” Eli continued, looking away. “I get enough of it already, I didn’t need any more.”

 
She raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you think? That I wanted the spotlight—that I need the attention?”

  Eli’s gaze whipped back, his lips parting in obvious surprise. “I didn’t mean… I just…”

  “You just thought that everyone is like you.” Adeline didn’t mean for her words to come out as bitter as they did.

  His eyes narrowed, and his accent disappeared. “I don’t ask for it. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking, I wonder how many autographs I can sign today, or how many selfies I’ll get with my adoring fans? I don’t even eat at restaurants anymore, unless I have to, because with all the interruptions I receive, my food is always cold by the time I get to it. But I never say no to those autographs or picture requests, or refuse to stand up at a small-town Thanksgiving dinner. Because that would be rude.” And then he spun on his heel and walked in the opposite direction, away from where all the food was.

  Adeline groaned. Why didn’t she have more impulse control, or at least a filter? Eli was right. She’d never seen him behave rudely toward anyone, and yet she’d treated him terribly since he’d first set foot in town. She’d assumed everyone in Hollywood was just another version of her father, and, at least in the case of Eli Hunt, it wasn’t true. And it wasn’t fair.

  She turned and hurried after him. The man must have had long legs, because he’d already made it to the beach. When she’d nearly caught up, she called, “You’re right.”

  Eli slowed to a stop and turned so he could see her, but he didn’t face her directly, like any wrong move on her part and he’d be out of there.

  “You’re right,” she repeated. “You’ve done nothing wrong, and it’s me who should apologize.”

  Eli didn’t say anything, instead watching her like he was waiting for her to continue. All right. She would.

  “I’m sorry. For judging you. I expect everyone to be like my fa—” Adeline cut herself off. She hadn’t meant to say that last part. No one in Starlight Ridge knew who her father was, only that he’d abandoned her family. She’d moved there as a child with her already-single mother. Well, almost no one knew. Bree did, but only because they had been roommates in college, and Adeline’s dad had unexpectedly shown up at her apartment a few years back. That hadn’t been a good day.