Polaris: Book Five of The Stardust Series

by Autumn Reed

  “Is that your sales pitch?”

  “Okay, so the snow can get old, but D.C. has so much more to offer—national monuments, world-class museums, incredible restaurants.”

  “I suggest you lead with that next time,” I teased.

  “Patrick told me I'd like you,” he said thoughtfully. “Before we wrap up, do you have any questions you’d like to ask me?”

  Wanting to make a good impression, I asked, “What do you think is the key to success in any strategy role?”

  He leaned back in his chair, crossing his leg at the knee. “Expect the unexpected. You have to accept that no matter how much you research, analyze, try to think ahead, something will always happen that’s not part of your plan. How you choose to react will define your success.”

  He stood, and I followed suit, rising to shake his extended hand. “Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to learning from your expertise.”

  “Thank you, Haley.”

  It wasn't until I returned to my seat in the classroom that I breathed a sigh of relief. Kenneth's “interview” wasn't at all what I'd expected, and it felt more like an interrogation about my personal life. Still, he seemed nice enough, even if a bit nosy.

  After my last class dismissed, I changed out of my uniform, trading it for jeans and a sweater. Despite traffic, I made it to Kara's apartment in record time. I jogged up the stairs, trying to avoid the cold, and knocked on the door seconds before my phone chimed with an incoming text message.

  Liam: Are you eating dinner with Kara, or would you like chicken parmigiana?

  Me: I'd love some chicken parmigiana. If you can wait, I'll eat you.

  Me: *Eat WITH you. Dang auto-correct.

  Liam: Dang Freudian slip.

  I laughed to myself, surprised I wasn't more embarrassed, and I chalked it up as a consequence of dating five guys.

  Liam: Text me when you're leaving, and I'll put it in the oven.

  Me: Great. Thank you!

  The door swung open, and Kara beckoned me inside. She'd already changed out of her work clothes and was dressed in black yoga pants and a loose sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder. My phone chimed again as I kicked off my flats, preventing me from giving her a proper greeting.

  Liam: Can't wait to see you, gorgeous.

  I smiled and sent Liam a kissy-face emoji before sliding the phone in my pocket. “Sorry, I swear I’m silencing my phone so we can have uninterrupted girl time.”

  “No worries.” She waved a hand through the air. “How's lover boy?”

  I followed her inside and sank into the couch, noticing a number of changes. In addition to a much larger, newer flat screen TV, there was a UCLA blanket draped over the back of the couch. An Xbox and several controllers were tucked in the media cabinet, leading me to believe that Logan had officially moved in now that they were no longer keeping their relationship a secret.

  “Liam's good. Or, at least, that's who I assume you're referring to.”

  “Because he's your 'boyfriend'?” she asked in a singsong voice, folding her legs beneath her on the couch.

  I laughed. “Someone's in a good mood. And, yes, he's my boyfriend. No air quotes necessary.”

  “This is the first time I've heard you refer to any of the guys as such.” She arched an eyebrow.

  “Well, he is my boyfriend, but so are Jax, Chase, Theo, and Knox.” Even I was surprised I had admitted it aloud.

  She fist-pumped the air. “I knew it!”

  My jaw dropped. What was she talking about?

  “Oh, come on, Haley. You can't honestly tell me you thought you'd be able to choose between them?”

  “No, but I believed I would be forced to.”

  “And now?”

  “Now, I realize that's not the case.” I sucked in a deep breath, caressing the microsuede throw pillow. “Knox told me that they want to be with me, permanently.”

  Her mouth twitched, and I could tell she was holding back a smile. “How do you feel about that?”

  “Relieved, selfish, crazy, happy,” I said, skimming the surface of my conflicted emotions. Would I ever get used to it—dating five incredible men?

  “I'm glad. You deserve to be happy, and it's clear they adore you.”

  “All right,” I said, ready to shift the conversation away from me, “your turn. I know you have dirt to spill, and I’m not going to monopolize this conversation.”

  She rolled her eyes playfully. “I can’t help it that we have so much to catch up on. We haven’t had a girls’ night in forever.”

  “Not since before the holidays, at least. Now that I'm done chauffeuring Jackson to physical therapy twice a week, it’ll be easier to get together.”

  “Haley, I get it,” she said with sincerity. “Does that mean he's done with rehab?”

  I nodded, a huge smile on my face. For once, I could think of Jackson’s injury without cringing, knowing he had overcome it. “He had his last appointment and a follow-up with his doctor. He got a clean bill of health.”

  “That's great. I'm sure you will all be glad to put it behind you.” She paused, her expression solemn. “Not that you could ever forget it, but hopefully you can move past it.”

  “I hope so. I think I was more traumatized by the ordeal than Jackson,” I admitted.

  “While that may be true, I suspect he was putting on a brave face. He's used to being the calm, levelheaded leader. He knows that's what everyone expects of him, and he probably wanted to be strong for the rest of you.”

  I knew she was right, but that still hadn’t made it any easier. I wasn’t even there when it happened, and I’d had a hard time coping. I couldn’t imagine how Knox, who had watched his best friend get shot, processed the event.

  “Thanks again for being so supportive these past few months.”

  Her eyes pierced me, full of compassion and concern. “Have the nightmares gotten any better?”

  “They aren't nearly as frequent. Lately, I've had crazy dreams where the guys and I are superheroes.”

  “Like Batman and Robin?”

  “More along the lines of The Avengers, but yeah.”

  She laughed. “That would be a kickass group Halloween costume.”

  “I'll keep that in mind,” I said dryly. “So, I'm dying to hear how Scott took the news of you and Logan, because your text message led me to believe it went well.”

  “It went surprisingly well. I think it helped that Tyler was super supportive and happy for us.”

  “What about Hunter?”

  She shrugged. “Seemed cool enough about it.”

  “So . . . no throwing chairs? No yelling?”

  “I think Scott’s exact words were 'don't fuck the team over if you decide to stop fucking.’”

  “Charming.”

  “I thought it was rather tame. In all honesty, I think he was more pissed about us keeping it a secret from the team for so long than the fact that we're dating. But, clearly, it proved that we’re able to remain professional despite being a couple.”

  “Does this mean you'll get to share a room on assignments?”

  “Yes.” She grinned. “Although, I'm going to miss the sneaking around. It was kind of hot.”

  “I can see that, at least at first. But after a while, it gets old.”

  Her face softened. “You don't have to keep your boyfriends a secret forever.”

  “Really? I already get death stares from some of the girls at Zenith for dating Liam. Can you imagine if they knew the truth?”

  “Screw them. Their opinions don’t matter. Or shouldn’t. What does matter is how you feel about it.”

  “I'm only just now getting comfortable with the idea of dating the five of them. I'm not ready to declare it to the world.”

  “You don’t have to broadcast it, but there has to be a compromise. Sneaking around is obviously wearing on you.”

  “It is.” My shoulders drooped. “But I'm not ready to do something about it yet. We’re still figuring out what
it even means to be in a relationship of this type.”

  “In that case,” Kara said, shooting me a devious smile, “I think we should use code names to refer to the Jaguar guys.”

  I rolled my eyes, secretly grateful that she was trying to lighten my mood. “We are not using code names.”

  “But I have the perfect one for Jackson.” She pouted.

  “Fine. What did you come up with?”

  She bounced in her seat. “Jackson can be PMS for panty-melting smile. Which actually works out well, since most people would assume we were talking about your period.”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. “That is a terrible code name.”

  “Liam can be lover boy or sex god. Your pick,” she continued, as if she hadn't heard me.

  “I think I liked you better before your relationship with Logan went public.” She threw a pillow at me, and I narrowly dodged it. “Maybe I should taunt you with some of the couple monikers Theo has been toying with for you and Logan, or should I say, Kalo.”

  She leaned her head back and laughed, looking more carefree than I’d ever seen her. If I wasn’t so happy for her, I would have been jealous.

  “I should’ve known. Was he surprised by the news that we’re dating?”

  “Not particularly. Of course, I’d once told him I had a hunch about you two. That was before I knew you were dating, but it may have tipped him off.”

  At the sound of a key turning in the lock, Kara looked over her shoulder as Logan walked through the door. He pushed back his hood and dropped a gym bag by the door before kicking off his shoes. He shuffled to stand behind Kara, and she leaned her head back to look up at him.

  “Hey, baby.” He bent down to kiss her before straightening to look at me. “Hi, Haley.”

  “What are you doing home so early?” Kara asked.

  “It didn't take as long as I expected,” he answered cryptically, leading me to believe they were referring to a Zenith assignment. “Sorry to interrupt girl time.”

  Logan promptly disappeared to shower, and I stood, shaking out my foot that had fallen asleep. “I should probably head out. Liam's making dinner, and I don't want to keep him waiting.”

  “You don't have to rush out on Logan's account.”

  “I know.” I looped my arm through hers as we made our way to the door. “We'll hang out again soon.”

  “Promise?”

  “Definitely.” I paused, wondering how I'd never considered this before. “Does Logan know?”

  “About you and Team Jaguar?” She shook her head, and I let out the breath I'd been holding.

  “Thanks, Kara. For everything.”

  I pulled her into a hug, hoping she realized how much I appreciated her friendship. Between supporting my relationship with the guys and helping me sort through my anxiety after Jackson was shot, she had been there for me. Although it should have surprised me—how much I had come to rely on her, to trust her, considering the brief amount of time we’d known each other—it didn’t. Somehow, it just made sense.

  12

  Reputation

  Haley

  “The zoo?” I guessed when I caught sight of the sign ahead.

  At breakfast, Knox had directed me to dress in warm clothes and bring along Theo’s spare camera, without telling me where we were headed. Since it was Sunday, and I was already ahead in my coursework, I’d happily agreed.

  He grinned at me. “Yeah, I thought it would give you the chance to practice your photography skills. And it should be relatively warm today if the sun stays out.”

  “It’s great.” I leaned across the Jeep’s console to kiss his cheek. He’d been driving the Jeep on random occasions lately, I assumed to prove he didn’t purchase the extra vehicle solely for me. I still didn’t believe it, but it was endearing that he tried.

  “Honestly, I can’t believe I haven’t been here yet.”

  “It’s not exactly the kind of place a guy takes his girl to impress her.”

  “Thankfully, you don’t need to impress me any more than you already have. I disagree, anyway. Jax took me to the aquarium for our first date, and I loved it.”

  Knox swung into a parking spot and cut the engine. “I don’t think this zoo is quite up to Monterey Bay Aquarium standards. I haven’t been here since an elementary school field trip, but I don’t remember it being that great.”

  “It’ll be fun.” As we walked to the entrance, I pointed to a series of large signs displaying photos of animals. “Look, there are lemurs.”

  Knox took my hand and squeezed. “You are so easy to please.”

  “Is that a bad thing? Should I demand five-star restaurants and hot air balloon rides for every date?”

  “No. Every other date, maybe.”

  “Well, then, I expect that hot air balloon ride for our next outing.”

  “Done.”

  After he paid our entrance fees, I unfolded the map of the zoo. “Where to first?”

  He took the paper from my hands and stuffed it into his back pocket. “No maps. Let’s live a little. Right or left?”

  I scrunched my forehead in feigned indecision. “Right, no left. Yes, left.”

  “Good choice.”

  As we wandered through the zoo and park, I had to admit that it was clearly geared more toward children than adults. Although there were a few interesting animals, I’d been hoping for at least giraffes or elephants. Still, the exhibits gave me a chance to practice taking photos of moving targets. And I was spending the day with Knox. That alone was enough to make me happy.

  While I changed the manual settings for at least the twentieth time to try to shoot a fox with huge ears, Knox stepped up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

  “Do you have any idea how pretty you are?” He nuzzled my ear, his words filling me with warmth.

  “You’re supposed to be looking at the animals, not me,” I teased, secretly delighted by his compliment.

  “Where’s the fun in that?”

  I twisted around and gave him a kiss. “You tell me.”

  He smacked his lips together before releasing me. “Your lips are like ice. How about some hot chocolate?”

  “That would be amazing.”

  “Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  I returned my attention to the fox posing on a small boulder. When I realized my settings still weren’t quite right to capture the red of its coat, I adjusted the aperture and set up my shot again.

  “Well, if it isn’t Haley Jones,” a voice from behind me said.

  I spun and almost dropped the camera—Vanessa was standing there, her smile gleaming white. My stomach immediately sank. Had she seen me with Knox?

  “Hi, Vanessa,” I responded with as much calm and politeness as I could muster. Noticing a young girl plastered to her side, I waved. “Hello. I’m Haley. What’s your name?”

  She stared at me before eventually saying, “Amanda.”

  “My niece,” Vanessa added quickly, as though she wanted to cast aside any doubts as to the girl’s relation. Honestly, the thought of her as a mother almost made me laugh.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Amanda. Are you having fun seeing all the animals?” She nodded, and I continued to direct my questions at her, preferring to talk with her than her aunt. “I like the lemurs. Do you have a favorite?”

  “Timon,” she said with great enthusiasm.

  I smiled at her reference to The Lion King. “The meerkats are really cute.”

  Vanessa started to steer Amanda away from the fox exhibit. “Well, we need to go. It was nice bumping into you.”

  Why was she being pleasant? Or was it an act? Maybe spending the day with her niece put her in a good mood. Maybe I needed to stop being so suspicious. “You too. Bye, Amanda.”

  “Bye.” The little girl waved.

  The duo began walking off, but then Vanessa paused and turned back to face me. “Oh, was that Knox I saw you with?” She continued with a smile, not giving me a chance
to respond. “Liam must be such an understanding boyfriend, what with you spending time alone with one of his best friends. A super hot one, at that. See you later!” She disappeared down the path with her niece.

  Suddenly feeling strangled, I yanked the camera strap over my head. With shaking hands, I snapped on the lens cap before returning the camera to its case. Was I overreacting, or did that sound like a veiled threat?

  My mind whirred with so many thoughts, I couldn’t keep track of them. Would Vanessa tell anyone she saw me with Knox? After Liam and I were openly together at the Christmas party, everyone would assume the worst of me if she did. Was it possible she only saw us together but not kissing?

  “Tired of snapping photos?” The sound of Knox’s deep voice made me jump, and I nearly rammed into him as I whirled around. “Whoa. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, sorry.” I pasted on the best smile I could manage. “Just zoned out for a minute.”

  “Maybe this will help.” He handed me a cup of steaming hot cocoa.

  I blew on it, needing something to do other than obsess about what went down with Vanessa. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He took a sip of his coffee before taking the camera bag from my hand. “Does this mean you’re ready to leave?”

  Leaving meant a forty-minute drive back to Santa Cruz. There was no way I could hide my freak out from Knox during the entire trip. Though I hated keeping things from him, I needed more time to regain my composure and figure out what to do, if anything. I didn’t want to make a bigger deal out of the encounter than necessary, especially if she’d only been messing with me.

  “No, I’ve just had as much practice as I can handle for one day. Let’s keep going.” I tugged on his arm. “We haven’t made it to the petting zoo yet.” And it was in the opposite direction of where Vanessa and Amanda were headed when they left.

  He eyed me but nodded. Seriously, why hadn’t I asked him to teach me his poker face skills already? That would have come in handy right about now.

  “What’s with you this morning, sweet cheeks? Got the Monday morning blues?”

  I glanced over at Theo, looking as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as ever from his spot next to me in the back seat of the Subaru. Knox was driving, and Chase was riding shotgun. Since all four of us were headed to the main Zenith office, we’d decided to carpool.