Beyond the Stars

by Stacy Wise

  “You were always trackin’ him with your eyes. I thought you were trying to assess his mood,” he says. “But now I see you were checking him out.”

  Jack jogs over and stands near me. “Hey, guys.”

  “And this guy,” he says, pointing his thumb at Jack, “this guy nearly put a hole through the tire with a sledgehammer when I told him I asked you out. Now it makes sense.” He grins and looks at me. “Jess, it’s okay. You were honest with me, and I appreciate that. We’re cool.”

  I smile at him. “Thanks. You’re an awesome guy.” I kiss him on the cheek and turn to Jack. “You really attacked the tire when Shawn said he asked me out?”

  “With a fucking vengeance.” He pulls me to him and kisses my forehead.

  “Okay. All right. Enough. I need to kick this guy’s ass into shape. I’m off for Christmas in a few days, so there’s no time for slacking.”

  With a laugh, I head to the guesthouse, trying to reflect on everything that’s happened in the last forty-eight hours, but I can’t. All I can think is, I’m going to Paris with Jack.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  It’s the Friday before Christmas, and we’re attempting our first outing together. No one knows. Jack didn’t tweet about it—we’re just having coffee with Kolbi.

  She sits across from us at the Starbucks near her dad’s office. She had lunch with him today, and we decided this was a perfect spot for our first outing, being that it’s not exactly a paparazzi hot spot. She stares at Jack, her eyes so wide she looks like a fish. A pretty fish, but a fish, nonetheless. “I’m not going to lie. This is really bizarre. Sorry.” She laughs, dipping her head to sip her coffee. “It’s like I know you, having seen you on screen so many times.”

  He laughs. “I get that a lot.”

  “He’s better in real life,” I say, resting my hand on his leg.

  “So are you going to come back to school next year, or what? How will this work?”

  I pause to stir the whipped cream into my mocha. “Yeah. I’m definitely going back.” Jack squeezes his hand over mine. “It’ll work out.”

  “I may try to convince her to live with me, instead of the sorority house, but other than that, I’m behind her with whatever she wants to do.”

  “Done. I’ll stay.” I kiss his cheek. “You realize that wasn’t a hard sell, right?”

  With another squeeze of my hand, he stands. “I’ll be right back. My food is up.”

  As he walks away, Kolbi looks at me. “You guys are sickeningly cute, but in a good way.” She starts to say something else but stops midsentence. From the look on her face, I wonder if a clan of photographers walked in.

  I whip my head, expecting the worst. Oh my God.

  It’s Meg. Holy hell. She walks over, looking as confident as ever, adjusting what is probably a knockoff Louis Vuitton bag over her shoulder.

  “Jess! What a surprise to see you up here. I thought you moved home.”

  “No. I found a place in L.A.”

  She turns to Kolbi. “With her?”

  Her rudeness makes me cringe. It’s sad that nothing seems to have changed since I left. “No, I found a place through my job.”

  She considers this, her brow raised just so. “Oh, really? Your job has done a lot for you lately. It’s catapulted you into a tabloid sensation. I find the shit they come up with fascinating. You and Jack McAlister.” She snorts. “What a laugh. No offense, of course.”

  “None taken, Meg.”

  Jack strides back to our table. His jaw tightens when he sees Meg. He surprises me by reaching out his hand toward her. “I need to thank you for kicking her out. Having her move into my place was the best thing that ever happened to us.” He flashes a winning grin, destroying her bluster.

  She pulls her hand from his and stalks to the counter where they’ve just called her name. She leaves from the side door, carrying a tray full of coffees.

  Jack resumes his seat as if nothing happened.

  “I feel sorry for her,” Kolbi offers. “She’s a miserable person.”

  “It’s sad. She was once a good friend to me.”

  Jack’s hand finds mine. “It sucks when that happens, but what I’ve found is your true friends will always be there. I can honestly say I don’t have a lot, but when I find them, I hold on tight.”

  Kolbi grins, taking my other hand. “Damn right.” She raises her coffee cup. “Here’s to good friends.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Christmas morning thunders in with a violent hailstorm. We have plans to see my family later today, which I’m thrilled about, but it’s caused my mom to work herself into a frenzy. She’s called me several times a day for the past week with new menu ideas. After what felt like the tenth phone call, my dad yelled in the background, “We’re ordering pizza!”

  Jack sits up in bed, placing his hand firmly on my leg, as though he’s about to tell me something important.

  I look at him. “What?”

  He grins. “Happy birthday, Jess.”

  “Aw, you remembered.” I place my hand over his, squeezing it.

  “I may forget a lot, but your birthday is something I’ll never forget.”

  “Ha. Christmas birthdays are easy to remember.”

  “True.” He smiles. “But I wouldn’t have forgotten.” He reaches over to his nightstand and opens the drawer, removing a small box wrapped in pretty pink paper. “I got this for you.”

  “You didn’t have to,” I say, unable to contain my smile.

  “I wanted to. Open it.”

  I take it and pause, smiling at the gift in my hands. “You used birthday paper, not Christmas paper. That’s really sweet.” I slowly pull off the silver bow and remove the thick paper. Jack’s eyes are on me as I open the box. Oh my God. It’s the Capricorn necklace. I take it from the creamy velvet box. “Jack, this is amazing. Thank you. I can’t believe you remembered this, too.”

  He laughs. “Yeah. What can I say? I should’ve known I was falling for you when you said it’s what you would’ve chosen for yourself, and I knew I’d get it for you one day.” He takes the necklace and places it around my neck. “It’s beautiful on you. Happy birthday.”

  “Thanks. This is the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Our eyes meet, and an energy charges between us. I bite my lip, wondering if he’s feeling the same things I am. My heart is so full; it feels like my body can’t contain it, like it could burst right out of my chest. I look down, but Jack touches his finger under my chin, making it so our eyes meet once again.

  “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

  “You have? Is it about Paris?”

  “No. He moves his hand and runs his fingers through my hair. “It’s not about Paris.”

  I can’t believe it, but he almost looks nervous. “Go ahead. Just spit it out. I can handle it,” I say, trying not to feel defensive.

  He takes a breath. “I’ve been meaning to tell you I love you.”

  The world spins around me. “Oh my God. What’d you say?”

  “I love you, Jess.”

  His words wash over me, and I can’t keep the smile from my face. I throw my arms around his neck. “I love you, too.” I pull back to see his face, and I’m rewarded with a look of pure happiness. He kisses me, slow and tender.

  When we finally part, I say, “We’re supposed to get to my parents early, but I don’t think they’ll mind if we’re a little late.”

  He looks out the window. “It’s raining hard. The roads could be dangerous.”

  “Extremely. We may need to remain inside for hours.”

  He nods. “For safety reasons.”

  Laughing, I scoot on top of him. “We’ll have to come up with something to do.”

  He reaches for my face, pulling it to his. “I have all kinds of plans for you, birthday girl. Christmas can wait.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Saying this was the best Christmas ever is an understatement. Jack helped my mom in the kitchen, showing
her how to make a mint and basil vinaigrette salad dressing that she couldn’t stop raving about, and he joined the entire group of cousins, aunts, and uncles in our annual crazy flag football game. He and my dad were thick as thieves, laughing and conspiring for the win.

  Tonight it’s back to the glitz of Hollywood, and I feel ready for whatever it brings. The limo rolls to a stop behind a line of sleek black cars in front of Sir Marcello Moncrief’s home. To be honest, the word home doesn’t do it justice. It’s more like an historic European castle. Tonight is his annual winter gala.

  I curl my toes in my pretty beaded Jimmy Choos. They’re borrowed, of course. Jack asked Summer to bring some evening wear for me. I felt like Cinderella before the ball. The bodice of the strapless dress I decided upon is encrusted with tiny crystals. It flows into a filmy silver chiffon skirt that swirls when I walk. Jack even thought to hire hair and makeup people for me. They arranged my hair into a pretty chignon fastened with a crystal barrette. “So this is slightly different from the Lara Croft get-up,” I say, smoothing my hands across the shimmery gossamer.

  “You looked hot as Lara Croft. But this…” He runs his eyes across me. “You take my breath away. I want to kiss the hell out of you, but I shouldn’t mess up your makeup.”

  I grab his face in my hands and kiss him. I don’t care about my makeup, or the limo driver, or anyone who might snap our photo. If I want to kiss my boyfriend, I will.

  We slowly part, and a stupid grin covers his face. “That was awesome.”

  My heart swells in my chest. “Even when I’m all fancy, I’m still going to want to kiss you. Lipstick can be touched up.”

  “Good. Plan on touching it up all night long.” He brushes a finger across my lips before kissing me sweetly. “Let’s tell everyone tonight.” He looks down at his hands before turning his gaze back to me. “I want to show you off. All that other shit doesn’t matter anymore. The only thing that matters is you.”

  “You’re making me wish we could stay in the limo and make out all night, but I guess we should go in.”

  “I like the way you think, but yeah, we need to make an appearance. You ready?”

  As soon as we step out of the limo, we have to shield our eyes from the furious flashing. Jack slips his hand protectively around my waist. His lips touch my ear. “I love you.”

  We step forward, and I take in all the reporters tripping over each other to get a picture of us. “Jack! So is it true you’re dating your assistant?” “What’s the story?” They fire questions like bullets, making it hard to decipher which to answer.

  Jack holds up a hand. “Hey, everyone. This is Jessica Beckett, my girlfriend. And yes, she’s also my assistant.” His words are met by rapid flashes marked with oohs and ahhs, as though we’re a fireworks show.

  Hands shove microphones at us. “Is this real? Give us something, Jack!”

  He kisses my cheek. “It’s real. I love her.”

  Suddenly, the reporters turn to me in unison, like a synchronized school of fish. They blast questions as we creep closer to the party. I feel like my humanness is disappearing, and now I’m something to be captured and dissected. Nonetheless, I grip Jack’s hand and smile. I know these people don’t want to attack me, they’re just curious—trying to get the latest, greatest scoop. One question rises above the buzz. “Everyone wants to know: how’d you land America’s hottest bachelor?”

  I turn to Jack, looking to him for support before speaking into the four microphones jutting toward me. “We got to know each other the way any couple does—by spending time together. It may sound crazy, but when I’m with Jack, I forget about the fame. He’s just an amazing, handsome man who I’m lucky to call my boyfriend.”

  “Are you still working for him?” a female reporter rushes, seemingly desperate to get in one last question.

  “I am, and I’ll continue to until I go back to school next fall.” Jack and I have discussed it over and over, and it feels right. But when I look out at the sea of faces full of skepticism, an ugly feeling of doubt creeps in.

  The mob erupts with more questions, but Jack holds up a hand. “My last comment and then we’re going in. The bottom line is, I couldn’t stop falling in love with her.” He faces me, his blues eyes shining with sincerity. “She’s my soul mate, so whatever outside stuff comes in—work or whatever,” he says, turning back to the hungry eyes, “it doesn’t matter. We have each other.”

  Tears threaten to fall, and I hold tight onto Jack’s hand. He looks at me. “Aw, babe. Don’t cry. I love you.” He brushes my lips with his. The press is there—I know they are—but for a moment, it’s just Jack and me, and in my heart, I know this is going to work.

  “Fine!” one of the female reporters shouts. “We get it! Don’t make a group of hardened reporters look like a bunch of sniveling saps.” With that, they part, and allow us to move into the party.

  As we step into the elegant foyer, Jack pauses, facing me. “You were awesome with them.”

  “I was terrified. You, on the other hand, were amazing. The things you said…”

  “I meant all of it. I’m crazy about you, and I’ll tell the whole fucking world about it again and again. We’ve got this, Jess.”

  I tuck myself into his chest, breathing him in. “We’ve got this,” I repeat in a whisper. He holds me close, resting his cheek against my hair, and I have an overwhelming feeling of home. Whether we’re at a fancy party in a rich man’s castle or in traffic on the 405, being with him will always be home to me.

  Epilogue

  Jack

  The Eiffel Tower glows in front of us, bright against the night sky. My hands sweat and my mouth is dry, and it’s not from the wine we drank with dinner. Jessica grabs my arm and smiles that smile of hers where her eyes look like they’re dancing. “Jack, this is amazing! I’ve dreamed of seeing this my whole life.” She stands on her tiptoes to kiss me.

  There’s a reason I brought her to this spot. I wanted romance, and there’s no place more romantic than this.

  I slip the small box from my pocket and squeeze it in my hand. This is everything. My entire heart in a little box. I drop to one knee before I lose my courage, and I take her hand in mine.

  She looks at me, her face twisted in confusion. She starts to say something, but I talk over her. “I’ve been searching for something most of my life. The crazy thing is, I didn’t know what I was looking for until I found you. I want to be with you forever.” I take in her beautiful face and freeze the image in my mind. Whatever happens, I want to remember the way she’s looking at me right now. “Jessica Beckett, will you marry me?” I pop open the box to show her the cushion cut two-carat diamond ring.

  Her pretty mouth hangs open. “Jack! You’re crazy.”

  “Uh, not the answer I was hoping for,” I say, standing. Her face glows under the light of the tower. She looks happy, but my confidence sags.

  “We’re so young. I haven’t even finished college. I mean…”

  I touch my forehead to hers. “I know.” It comes out in a whisper. I step back to look at her. “I want you to finish college first. Go to culinary school after, if that’s your dream. We can have a ten-year engagement.” I see the wheels turning in her head, but I’ve blindsided her. Words fly from my mouth, desperate for her to understand. “You don’t know what it’s like to have a fucked-up home life and to wish for a kind of love you’re not sure even exists. But I found it with you, Jess. I can’t let it go. I know what I want, and I want it to be us. I want us, Jessica.” My heart is stuck between beats as I wait for her response.

  Tears slide down her cheeks, but she smiles, giving me hope. “I want it to be us, too. I want to marry you, Jack.”

  I swing her off her feet and spin her around, feeling like I’m on top of the fucking world. As I set her down, the Eiffel Tower bursts into a fantastic display of lights.

  She looks at it in awe. “Your timing is incredible,” she says. “The tower lights up like this only once an hour starting
at dusk.”

  “My timing was lucky. I considered asking you at every landmark we hit today, but this is the one that felt right.” I take the ring from the box and slide it onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit. “We have your parents’ blessing, by the way. I met with them before we came here.”

  She covers her smile with her hands. “No way. My dad agreed to this?”

  I don’t know what the hell happens to me, but her question gets me all choked up. Her dad didn’t only agree to it, he welcomed me to the family—called me son. “Yeah. They had the same concerns you did, but they said they trusted you to follow your heart. They want you to be happy.”

  “I’m way past the point of happy. And just so you know, I would’ve said yes even if you’d asked me outside the portable bathroom. It doesn’t matter where we are.” She inches closer, pressing her body into me before finding my lips with hers. The way she kisses me. Damn. I feel like I could climb the Eiffel Tower with my bare hands. She pulls back, a sexy smile on that lovely face. “Maybe five years is a better plan. Ten feels extreme.”

  “Five is better,” I repeat. “And you can keep shaving off years if you’d like. I won’t mind.”

  “Good. Now let’s get out of here. I want to be alone with my fiancé.” The look in her eyes unravels me. And hearing her say the word fiancé makes me want to shout it from the rooftops. I grab her hand, and we race down the streets of Paris, the future splayed out in front of us, gleaming brighter than all the stars in the sky.

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  Acknowledgments

  Finally! The part I’ve been waiting for. You see, as a college kid with secret dreams of becoming a writer, I always knew in my heart that if I ever succeeded in writing a book (one that would do more than sit on my laptop), the people I would thank first are my parents, Don and Nancy Wise. So, at long last, thank you, Mom and Dad, for sitting at the top of the stairs with Stephanie and me when we were little, reading the same books again and again. You fostered a love of books in me, and I am forever grateful to you for that. Your endless support and love means the world to me. I love you! To my sister, Stephanie, thank you for your encouragement and enthusiasm, and for reminding me to laugh when I start to take things too seriously. I love you.