Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series)

by Michelle Maness

  “Does Derrick know you two dated?” Kristen demanded.

  “No. I haven’t told him we have anyway. He may suspect.”

  “He’ll put his foot down and demand you choose when he learns,” Kayla predicted.

  “He can try,” she smirked.

  “So what about the other? Are you still a virgin or are you and Derrick getting it on?” Kayla was determined to pull the truth from Katherine.

  “I want to know why you think I should answer a question like that,” she insisted.

  “Because we shared,” Ellie shrugged.

  “What about you, Adam; who was your first?” Kristen turned to him.

  “A girl named Melanie,” he admitted.

  “Okay so now everyone but Katherine has shared; don’t you feel bad about that?” Kayla’s eyes were bright.

  “No,” she laughed.

  “Maybe she’s still a virgin,” Leslie suggested. “Maybe Derrick hasn’t put the moves on her yet.

  “I don’t think she is,” Kristen admitted.

  “Tell us that much, are you a virgin?” Ellie asked her. “Are you and Derrick sleeping together?”

  Katherine crossed her arms and refused to answer.

  “Come on, you can prerequisite it with how much you regret it and what a terrible person he was,” Jana grinned.

  “But he wasn’t a terrible person and I don’t regret it,” Katherine countered.

  “Okay then,” Kristen laughed; her face was red. “Was it Derrick?”

  “No, Derrick and I haven’t been there and done that,” she shook her head.

  “Come on, Katherine,” Kayla prodded, “Tell us!”

  Katherine sighed. She found Adam, his hands shoved in his pockets and his expression bemused, watching her. She could tell he was wondering if she was going to answer the question. She watched his eyes light and shook her head. The others were still talking around them but they had drawn Kristen’s attention.

  “Do you know the answer to this question?” Kristen, her gaze speculative, asked Adam.

  Katherine met and held Adam’s gaze a moment.

  “I do,” he nodded.

  “It was the night before Adam left for California to try and get into the music industry. I wasn’t certain I would ever see him again,” Katherine admitted. The room was quiet a moment.

  “Adam!” Ellie’s eyes were about to pop out of her head.

  “So you two were pretty serious,” Jana commented. “He wasn’t some passing interest.”

  “No, he wasn’t,” Katherine admitted. “It was a very difficult time and I don’t talk about it much.”

  “I’m sorry, Katherine, we shouldn’t have pushed you,” Kristen apologized.

  “Derrick finds out and he will freak! With a capitol F freak out!” Kayla predicted.

  “He’s already made it clear he isn’t happy with my friendship with Adam but some things aren’t his to decide or control,” Katherine shrugged.

  “I suspect Ken has a bit of a temper,” Adam mused.

  “Ken?” Ellie frowned.

  “Like a Ken doll?” Katherine offered.

  Kristen threw back her head and laughed.

  “So it’s not awkward? You know, still being friends after the fact?” Janna asked them.

  “When my friends start getting nosey, yes; most the time we manage just fine,” Katherine shared.

  “Okay, so if you want my opinion, you should ditch Ken for your ex,” Kayla teased.

  “Kayla!” Katherine frowned, “I would not be engaged to Derrick if I didn’t love him.”

  “You are too nice for Derrick,” Lindsey added.

  “You really are, you are so sweet and he is soooo controlling,” Kayla rolled her eyes.

  “We’ve watched the man mow over three fiancées now and we all like you,” Kayla shared.

  “Gee thanks, guys, does anyone here like Derrick?” she asked them.

  She looked around; Adam crossed his arms again and the other’s avoided her gaze.

  “That’s nice to know,” she sighed.

  “We all like you,” Jacinda offered.

  “Yeah, Katherine, we all like you,” Lindsey added.

  Katherine felt tears threaten; she couldn’t believe that none of her friends liked her fiancé!

  “Do you like him, Kaitlyn?” Adam asked her.

  “I love him,” she insisted.

  “Then that’s what matters,” he assured her.

  Katherine nodded but she was troubled. She felt like if everyone else disliked him she was missing something. She felt confused.

  ***

  Adam left the women talking and laughing. He had decided to get out of their way and let them enjoy some girl time. It had been enlightening, though, in more ways than one. It was always fascinating to see how women thought. He was convinced they’d talk about anything. Not that he minded people knowing he and Kaitlyn shared a very intimate past. Maybe Derrick would find out and Katherine would finally be free of the prick. Adam winced at his own thoughts and felt guilty. He had no right to interfere with Kaitlyn’s life or to try and change things for her. He’d had his chance, two of them, in fact, and blown both. Now he could only wish her happy even if he feared the opposite. He’d voiced his concerns and that was where he’d leave it.

  Adam sighed and laid his head back against his couch. He wanted so badly to force Kaitlyn to see what Derrick was doing to her; he knew he couldn’t. He also wasn’t sure he could sit back and watch her marry the man. Where did that leave him? He shouldn’t feel so satisfied knowing he’d had Kaitlyn and Derrick hadn’t but he did. That would change; the thought made Adam’s stomach churn. He hardly had any right to pass any kind of judgment on Kaitlyn for having a relationship with a man, not given his past, but damn it did it have to be a bastard like Derrick? He might not like watching her marry any man but he could at least be happy for her if she’d found someone who treated her right and loved her the way she deserved to be loved.

  He was fairly certain Kaitlyn regretted sleeping with him. No, she had said just today that she didn’t regret it and she had admitted it with him standing right there. Why? If she loved this man so damn much why was she was so willing for Adam to know that she didn’t regret sleeping with him? Adam’s chest tightened painfully; he loved her so much it hurt and he knew he had no one but himself to blame for her not being in his life. If he had stayed and been the man she needed instead of pursuing a career that had nearly destroyed him, Kaitlyn wouldn’t be with Derrick now.

  No, his career wasn’t to blame for his near destruction, his own stupidity was. He enjoyed his music. What had made him miserable and driven him to drugs and alcohol was leaving behind the person who mattered most in the world to him. Why had he not realized that she mattered more than anything else? Why had he thought that music would be enough?

  Adam was relieved when his phone rang and pulled him from his dark musings. His thoughts had been pulling him down and he knew that being down could lead to a very dark place.

  “Hello,” he answered.

  “Adam?”

  “Amy, hi,” he said in surprise.

  “I asked Kattie for your number. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, it’s good to hear from you. Congratulations on your wedding.”

  “Thank you. I got the gift you sent, it was lovely.”

  “I’m glad you liked it. How are you, Amy?”

  “I am wonderful. We’ve bought a house and we’re restoring it together; it’s fun. How are you?”

  “I am hanging in there. Some days are harder than others and some easier.”

  “I admit, I wanted to know how you were and to thank you for the gift you sent but I also wanted to call and…Adam, I am so worried,” Amy was fighting tears.

  “Derrick has got Kattie so blinded that she can’t even see what he is doing to her. He’s obliterating her, erasing her and she’s just letting him!”

  “I know. He even has her straightening her hair and
wanted her to lighten it,” Adam sighed.

  “Does he even like anything about her?” Amy was crying now. “Adam, you have to do something!”

  “What do you think I can do, Amy? I’ve expressed my concern.”

  “Expressed your concern? Are you saying you don’t love her anymore?” Amy sounded confused.

  Adam closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “I still love her,” his voice was soft.

  “Do you have any idea how desperately she loved you? The day you left she cried so hard and so long we thought she would be sick! She was devastated, Adam. She mourned, that is the only word for it, for months! That kind of love doesn’t just go away. She has to still feel that; she has to.”

  Adam winced and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He’d known he’d hurt Kaitlyn; he hadn’t known how deeply he’d hurt her. But then she wouldn’t have let him know, he realized.

  “Amy, for the very reasons you just listed I cannot interfere. I knew I had hurt her but…Amy, I have no right, none, to interfere in her life. I can’t be that selfish. Whatever concerns I may have, whatever regrets, I can’t interfere. I promised myself when she stood beside me and encouraged me through rehab that I wouldn’t risk hurting her again or screwing up her life. He’s a bastard but he’s not the wreck I’ve been, Amy.”

  “How can you say that? How can you just stand back and watch her marry the man knowing he will control and manipulate her and in the end will hurt her. You say you don’t want to see her hurt and yet you are watching her be hurt, Adam,” Amy accused.

  “Amy,” Adam shoved a hand through his hair. “I slept with her and then climbed from the bed and left her knowing I was hurting her. That is about as low as it can get. He’s still with her, isn’t he? He hasn’t walked away.”

  “He doesn’t love her!” Amy all but yelled. “He wants a doll he can dress up and show off and to be his lackey in his business. Do you know that he intends for her to hold down the Nashville end of the business while he jets off everywhere? Yeah, because he knows she’ll want to be there if their one child needs her. Way to manipulate her. Who says he isn’t screwing every stewardess and business associate he knows. Why the hell is he so willing to wait, Adam? He has a past; clearly he isn’t all about celibacy, so why is he willing to wait?”

  “I waited a long time because I did love her, Amy; should have continued to.”

  “Bullshit! She has no regrets about sleeping with you and says as much,” Amy countered. “Well, she did say once she wished she hadn’t waited so long so I guess she has that regret.”

  “Amy,” Adam sighed. He didn’t need to hear this. “She loves Derrick.”

  “I don’t believe she does, Adam. I think she is so caught up in her idea about how it is supposed to be…add to that…she was determined to show she could move on. I think she is mistaking all of the energy she put into moving on as love for the damn bastard. She’s asked me to be her matron of honor and I just don’t know if I can do it,” Amy vented.

  “Have you told her this?”

  “No but I may have to. I thought if you would just seduce her and get her into bed again it would be a lot easier.”

  “Amy do you hear yourself? Kaitlyn would have a guilt complex from here to England if she allowed that to happen. That would be me further hurting her.”

  “Okay so leave off the bed part but steal her away already!”

  Adam groaned. Why did everyone think him trying to sweep Kaitlyn off her feet was the answer?

  “I love her too much to hurt her, Amy.”

  “But not too much to see her hurt? I need to go,” Amy’s voice was tight.

  “Amy….” He frowned; the line was already dead. “Damn it!”

  Adam jumped up to pace his apartment. He’d love to seduce Kaitlyn away from Derrick and try to make her happy. He doubted his ability to do so. What if he couldn’t make something of his self without his music and the drugs and alcohol that had nearly destroyed him? Goodbye, his first real hit, had been written in a haze of alcohol and misery. What if he didn’t hold it together? How could he do that to Kaitlyn? How could he drag her down into the mire with him? He had known from the day he met her that she was too good for him and yet he had selfishly sought her out anyway. He’d been unable to help doing so. He was going to this time. He’d be her friend because he didn’t know that he could stand not being in her life to at least that degree but he would be damned if he would drag her into the mess he’d made of his life.

  ***

  Katherine sank to the couch with a sigh. She had spent her day with a difficult client and was more put out than ever with her job.

  “That was a big sigh,” Adam commented from the armchair.

  “I’m exhausted, I haven’t been sleeping well and I had a difficult client today. He keeps insisting that we make the commercial he wants to make. Trouble is it is so risqué that the censors will never go for it. Could someone get this through his head? Oh, and while they’re at it maybe they could ask him not to hit on me.”

  “He hit on you?” Adam was frowning.

  “He wants to take me to dinner to discuss the commercial.”

  “Did you tell him no?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let me take you out, that’ll make you feel better.”

  “I think I’ll let you. I am too exhausted to cook. Just let me change,” she stood and disappeared into her room.

  “Where do you want to go eat? I’ll take you anywhere you want?” He asked when she returned.

  “There is this great Chinese place close by; I’d love to go there,” she admitted.

  “Chinese it is,” he smiled and waited for her to precede him out the door.

  Katherine sank into the seat and felt weariness settle over her.

  “You said you haven’t been sleeping well. What’s wrong, Kaitlyn?” Adam asked.

  “I don’t know. Derrick…his family,” she sighed. “I feel like they are taking over my life. I keep telling myself it is just the wedding hoopla but what if it isn’t?

  “You need to decide now if you can deal with them, Kaitlyn,” he advised softly; she nodded.

  “Maybe we should move away and start our business elsewhere, New York City, maybe.”

  “You’d be miserable that far from your family.”

  “Yeah, I guess I would,” she conceded.

  They lingered over their dinner making it late before they made it back to her apartment. It was starting to sprinkle as they entered her apartment. Cleo, yowling and pacing between them and the answering machine, greeted them at the door. Cleo always got excited when someone left a message; she liked the little blinking light.

  “Okay girl, let’s see who left a message,” Katherine laughed and crossed the room to the machine.

  “Katherine, dear, give me a call,” it was her mom and she sounded upset.

  Katherine grabbed the phone to call but it rang before she could turn it on.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hi, sweetie, I don’t know how to tell you this, and I don’t want you to break your neck getting here, but Mama passed away earlier this evening.”

  “What happened?” tears sprang to her eyes. Her heart felt as though it had been shredded into tiny pieces. Her grandma couldn’t be gone.

  “She had a good day today; she was talking and laughing about old times and she asked to get out for a while. She was tired when we got home and went to bed. I went up a little later to check on her and give her her medicine but she was smiling peacefully and she was gone,” her mom related.

  “I’m glad she didn’t suffer.”

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there in a little bit.”

  “Why don’t you wait until tomorrow? They’re giving some nasty weather.”

  “No, I don’t want to be here alone,” she argued.

  “Is Derrick in town? Can he bring you?”

  “No, he’s out of town; I’ll be fine.”


  “Be careful,” her mom cautioned her. “And don’t forget your new cell phone. I tried calling it.”

  “I will be,” she assured her mom. “I keep forgetting about it and leaving it laying on my nightstand.”

  Katherine turned off the phone and walked to the window where a now steady rain was falling. She laid her head against the window and cried. Her grandma was gone.

  “What happened, Kaitlyn?” Adam asked from beside her.

  “Grandma died.”

  “Oh, Kaitlyn, I’m sorry,” he hugged her to him.

  “She went peacefully, the way she always wanted to.”

  “That’s a comfort,” he said for lack of anything better.

  “I need to call Derrick and let him know where I’ll be,” she pulled away and composed herself. She was too comfortable with his arms around her and that made her nervous and guilty. For a moment she had wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and drink in the feel and smell of him.

  “Hi, Derrick,” she couldn’t stop her voice from shaking when he answered her call.

  “Is something wrong?” Derrick asked her.

  “My grandma passed away.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Were you close to her?”

  “Very. I’m driving to Jackson tonight so if you need to reach me, call my cell phone.”

  She had just finally given into his insistence that she needed one.

  “I wish I could be there, Katherine,” he told her.

  Katherine felt fresh tears well up in her eyes.

  “Yeah, me too,” she was careful to keep her tone neutral. She had hoped that he would offer to come in.

  “Be careful.”

  “I will,” she turned her phone off and shook her head. She should have known that he wouldn’t drop everything to be there.

  “You okay?” Adam asked.

  “I had hoped that he would be able to come in but he can’t,” she told him.

  Can’t or won’t? He wanted to ask but didn’t.

  “Pack your bags. I’m going to go pack and then I’ll drive you,” he turned her toward her room.

  She was packed in record time and waiting when he returned.

  “You ready?” Adam asked.

  “I’m ready, where are your bags?”

  “I already loaded them; is Cleo going?” he took in the pet carrier and supplies.