When a Star Falls (Stars Book 1)

by Rachael Eliker

  “Ruby! Sorry I’m running late. We had an investor meeting that I couldn’t get out of.”

  He leaned in for a quick peck on the lips, and I kind of swooned. It was difficult to put into words just how fantastic a simple kiss from Collin could make me feel. I closed my eyes and pulled Collin in for a hug, resting my head on his chest and feeling the rhythm of heartbeat soothe my tired nerves. Wrapped in his arms, it felt like I was home.

  Someone cleared their throat rather loudly and my eyelids shot open, expecting to see Troy standing nearby, offering me the soda I’d asked him to get me. Instead, I found myself face to face with Jill. She tossed her long hair off her shoulder and gave me a tight smile.

  “So nice to see you again.”

  “Glad you could make it, Jill,” I lied. She was wearing a form fitting cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline that barely contained her bust. Should she sway to the music too vigorously, it was likely her bosom would jump ship. As expected, the rest of her was flawless. Up close, she really was very stunning, and I kind of hated her for that.

  When Troy returned and handed me my drink, I couldn’t help but notice his gaze take a sip of Jill’s long legs. I supposed any hot-blooded man would have to be blind to not stare at one of Jill’s best features but for some reason, it irked me that Troy was so easily swayed by physical beauty. He was surrounded by gorgeous people all the time. One would think he’d become immune to it by now. Though Jill had shown little restraint when it came to Collin, I did observe that Collin appeared rather unaffected by her allure. He spoke highly of her as a personal assistant but had never alluded to any other attraction. He had been stalwart and unwavering in our relationship, and for that, I was eternally grateful. I pulled him a smidgen tighter to me, and he looked down at me with an affectionate smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.

  We were ushered to our tables, and gentlemanly Collin pulled out the chair for me. Jill expected and received the same treatment. I leaned over and ran my finger along his cheek, and he grinned, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. I relished the sour look that stained Jill’s expression as she watched our affectionate exchange. I wouldn’t give Collin up to anyone without a fight.

  Kiki barely let the delectable dinner of grilled salmon and roasted squash, arugula salad and a petite, beautiful serving of crème brûlée settle before she reminded, “You know Harper Music has already donated on our behalf to sing in the charity karaoke, right? They expect us to get up there. It’s the best kind of publicity…using your talents for a good cause.”

  I nodded, feeling a flutter of anticipation in my stomach. Wiping the last of dinner from my lips, I confirmed, “Mandy mentioned it last week when she was going over the schedule. George told me outside that we’re already signed up.”

  I excused myself to use the restroom, and when I came back, the karaoke had already started. The rhythmic beat of Beyonce’s Single Ladies echoed through the corridor, and up on the stage, a thirty-something woman with stick straight blonde hair and heavy smokey eyeshadow belted out the words into the microphone.

  Down on the floor, people danced and cheered her on. When she finished, she immediately burst into tears, dropping her head, her shoulders shaking with each sob. The DJ didn’t miss a beat. “Everyone give it up for Lacey!” The crowd responded with enthusiasm. “You’re better off without him anyway.”

  Lacey stumbled off the stage, wiping away a few tears and managing a somewhat pitiful smile, giving the DJ a thumbs up. I couldn’t help but grin, too. Music could be so cathartic. Lacey was received by a trio of other women who consoled her with pats on the back, slipping her into the crowd and away from the stage.

  I did a double take as Jennifer Lawrence positioned herself front and center. There was no denying I was starstruck every direction I looked—people I’d watched on movies and admired in music videos were everywhere, and with all of my gawking, I felt like an imposter. Heaven forbid I bumped into anyone famous. I’d probably end up bumbling out something incoherent and embarrass myself. I kept my lips sealed in a polite smile and tried really hard not to let my eyes widen when I my gaze briefly locked with Robert Downey Jr. and he gave me a slight nod of acknowledgment.

  The dinner table I’d sat at was vacated, so I craned my neck to see if I could spot Collin. Jennifer sang a decent rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun, dancing wildly to the enjoyment of the crowd. I don’t think there was a single person in the venue that wasn’t bobbing along with the beat. While I swayed my hips, I turned a circle, looking for him. In a sort of serendipitous moment, the crowd parted and Collin happened to look my way, our eyes meeting. His face lit, up and he jogged over.

  “Have I told you tonight that you look breathtaking?” he asked. I felt a blush practically light my face on fire. He slung his arms around my waist and pulled me close, swaying slowly, out of beat with the music.

  “You’re looking awfully handsome yourself,” I said, running my fingers down his cheek and along his strong jawline, brushing my thumb gently across his lips. He wrapped his arms tighter around me, and in an epic move worthy of its own chick flick, he dipped me back and pressed his mouth firmly onto mine. I ran my hand through his thick hair while enjoying the passion of the moment. It’d been the first deep, truly genuine kiss we’d shared in weeks, and though we were in the middle of a crowded room, it felt so personal and intimate. I could barely catch my breath.

  “Up next, we have Collin Moore of StarTech!” the DJ called from the front.

  Collin stood me up, and I held on for a moment longer as I tottered on my feet. The kiss had ignited a pleasant buzz that started in my core and shot through my limbs, completely rattling my brain.

  “I didn’t know you were going to perform!” I said with delight, wiping a smudge of lipstick from his mouth.

  Winking, he pushed my hair back, giving me a quick kiss on my forehead. He trotted up to the stage and took the microphone, bowing slightly as someone whooped from the audience.

  “This one’s for Ruby,” Collin spoke into the microphone as the opening chords of Josh Turner’s Hometown Girl started playing. I wove through the crowd and stood off to the side in the shadows so I could enjoy his performance in private. I narrowed my eyes at Jill, who’d shoved her way forward so she could be in Collin’s line of sight. Taking in a deep breath, Collin belted out the lyrics.

  He sounded terrible.

  For the life of him, Collin couldn’t keep a steady tempo and he was about as close to on-key as earth was to the sun. It didn’t stop the girls in the audience—Jill in particular—from screaming wildly for him. It was an affront to everything I knew as a musician, but I had to give him credit—his stage presence was fantastic, and he was singing genuinely from the heart, oblivious to any embarrassment any other non-inebriated human being might have felt. Tears clogged my throat at Collin’s gesture.

  As the song wound down, Jill strode past me, oblivious to my presence in the shadows and told another woman with high cheekbones and toned arms, that she couldn’t believe Collin would dedicate a song to me. “She’s nothing but a country bumpkin. They met in some middle-of-nowhere state. Missouri, I think? I seriously don’t know what Collin sees in her,” Jill pouted, taking a sip of her drink. “She’ll be out of the picture in a month or two if I have anything to say about it.”

  Alright, I fumed, that cow is going down.

  When Collin finished, I whistled obnoxiously loud, the way my dad had taught me to do when Murphy would run off. Jill and her friend jumped and Jill splashed her drink down the front of her dangerously low neckline. Looking over their shoulders, Jill scowled when our eyes met. I raised my glass to her with a confident smirk, then cheered Collin again as he gave another almighty bow.

  I met him in the middle of the parquet dance floor and hooked my arms around his neck. With a proud smile he asked. “How’d I do?”

  “You had me all choked up.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  “N
ot at all. It’s the first song anyone has ever dedicated to me. I’m over the moon.”

  I rested my head on Collin’s chest and hugged him before Collin whipped me out onto the dance floor. The rest of the songs were upbeat and catchy, and I’d planned on telling Troy I’d gotten in plenty of practice dancing in heels when I saw him with a slender blonde. They were stuck together like cling wrap. Any closer and they’d practically be fused together. I hated the way my stomach tightened, watching him get in some dance practice, too.

  “Ruby, you’re up next,” Kiki sidled over, still bobbing to the beat.

  My eyes widened, and I probably looked like I was in desperate need of a blood transfusion. “I haven’t chosen a song yet. Should I sing one of mine?”

  Kiki scoffed like I’d offered her rotten caviar. “Of course not. That would be incredibly vain. Besides, I already chose one for you.”

  “Something tells me that might not be a good thing,” I said flatly.

  “It’ll be perfect for you. Let’s just say Jill will enjoy it, too.”

  The DJ called me up to the front, giving the audience a bit of background and playing me up as Harper Music’s newest star. The crowd cheered vigorously, and I let Collin kiss me on the cheek for good luck.

  “Break a leg,” Collin shouted over the applause.

  I smoothed the front of my dress, taking a deep breath before walking up to the stage. I made it three measly steps before someone’s purse strap slithered out from under a chair and coiled itself around my heel. I helplessly felt myself tipping.

  Everyone around me groaned and went silent. No amount of dim lights was going to hide that faceplant. I whined internally at my klutziness, while taking a moment to run a mental check. Nothing felt injured, other than my pride, but it registered that the cool floor my cheek was pressed against was gritty and slightly sticky, walked on by hundreds of pairs of shoes tonight alone. Undecided if I was more embarrassed or grossed out, I started pushing myself off the parquet, scraping together what molecule of dignity I could muster. Before I could scramble to my feet, a strong pair of hands wrapped around my waist and easily hoisting me to my feet.

  I spun around and looked the several inches up into Collin’s worried eyes. “Are you hurt? Did you break anything?”

  A small, thrilling tremor migrated through my chest at the thought of Collin lifting me like my very own guardian angel.

  “I think you jinxed me,” I joked, though all I could manage was a closed mouth smile. This wasn’t exactly how I envisioned showing Jill I wasn’t a nobody.

  “Do you need me to walk you up?”

  “I think I’ve got it now,” I said, brushing a few crumbs off my dress. “If that isn’t a grand entrance, I don’t know what is.” Collin’s throaty chuckle infinitely improved my mood.

  “Alright, folks. Now here she is,” the DJ teased. When I got to the stage, I forced a smile and yanked the microphone from his hand. My heart pounded in my ears, but I could still very clearly hear the opening of Misery Business, an upbeat, punk, ha-ha-the-boy’s-mine-now song. Jill would have no question that I was performing it for her and all the other mean girls out there. I saw Kiki in the crowd and cracked a huge smile. She responded with a nod. Collin was in the front row with a goofy grin, excited for my performance. Jill flanked him, the only one on the whole dance floor who wasn’t energized by the music. As I started singing—and I was rocking it—Jill folded her arms, and her lips curled into a sneer. She was finally seeing what I was capable of, and it infuriated her. I was no second-rate singer.

  I finished, relishing the roar of the crowd, my knees wobbling from the rush of performing. I was quite sure I’d done Misery Business’ lead singer Hayley Williams proud. Nothing could bring me off my high. Collin was waiting for me at the bottom of the steps and caught me when I leapt fantastically into his arms. I was so elated, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I could fly.

  More people than I could count complimented my performance on the way back to our table, reaching out their hands and pulling out their phones to hurry and snap a photo. It was all so surreal and strangely addicting. The cherry on top was Keanu Reeves patting me on the back. Of course, my tongue felt oddly swollen so I couldn’t get out a lucid word, and I felt like I might faint. When we reached our table, I guzzled my water and resisted the urge to use my napkin to sop up the sweat that pooled in my armpits. Fanning my face, I breathed a heavy, satisfied sigh and sunk into my seat.

  “You can thank me now,” Kiki said, draping her arm across the back of her chair.

  My shoulders shook with laughter. “I do owe you. Thank you for choosing that song for me. It was perfect.”

  “Of course it was.” Kiki schooled her smile, though she couldn’t stop it from reaching her eyes.

  “Where’s Jill?” Collin asked. “I think she was planning on having a turn at karaoke, too.” Kiki gave me a knowing look as I realized gratefully that Jill was nowhere to be seen. I shrugged casually and grabbed a wheat roll from the bread basket and slathered butter on it. I’d earned it.

  “Put your hands together for Kiki Loveless!” the DJ called over the speakers.

  Unhurriedly, Kiki stood and straightened her back, making her fans wait until they were drooling with anticipation. Her eyes focused on the spotlight hovering over the stage. She was getting into her performance zone.

  “Wait!” I called through a mouthful of bread, grabbing her wrist. “What are you going to sing?”

  “Something of my own.”

  I dropped her wrist and cocked my head. “Isn’t that what you told me not to do?”

  Kiki raised an eyebrow. “And?”

  “You just told me it was vain to sing my own songs during karaoke.”

  Kiki tipped her head back and cackled gleefully. “Ruby, when you’re a superstar like I am, vanity becomes a virtue.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “You want me to do what?” I asked in disbelief.

  It was only Monday, and already, I found myself in California, my bare toes digging through the cool, coarse sand. It was the crack of dawn, and I was set to film Dark Clouds. As if there wasn’t already enough pressure, Mandy had made it abundantly clear that Mr. Drake expected everything to wrap up that day so it could get to editing. It was going to be released as my first single, and that meant in-person promoting would be hot on my heels. More music videos and promoting would follow, ultimately culminating in the concert tour with Kiki.

  Hamish, the director, looked at me through his aviator sunglasses which reflected the rays of sun barely peeking over the horizon. “I want you to exude sensuality, carefreeness, a touch of rage, everything that this song encompasses. Play around while you’re singing the lyrics. If you feel like getting in the water, go for it. We’ll get what we can and worry about cutting it later.”

  Though I loved the simple cotton dress Harrison had been instructed to dress me in, it did little to block the relentless chilly ocean breeze, and getting into the water seemed like a rather ridiculous notion unless I wanted to spend the morning battling hypothermia. I crossed my arms in front of my stomach, hoping it would stave off my shudders and the butterflies that flitted about my stomach. I’d been filmed while singing before, but it was all freelance and on my terms. No director, no specific wardrobe, no dancing. I was entering foreign territory in my career as a musician.

  Wanda stood over me, applying one last coat of powder “Uh-oh,” Wanda muttered under her breath.

  “Did I sprout a third eye?”

  “I’m not rubbing nuclear waste on your face,” Wanda scoffed. “It looks like you’ve smudged your eyeshadow is all.”

  I’d forgotten I’d already been made up when I rubbed my tired eyes, wishing I could have had one more measly hour of sleep. The jet lag was catching up with me, despite my attempts to run it off on the treadmill the evening before.

  “There,” she said, snapping her box of eyeshadows shut. Handing me a mirror, I turned my face and admired her handiwork. �
�I wish I would have known you as a teenager.”

  Wanda looked please and gathered up her supplies to get out of the way as Hamish clapped. “Here we go, people!” he shouted from his spot farther up on the beach. “And action!”

  I froze for a minute, probably looking like a deer caught in the headlights. All those emotions he wanted me to exude couldn’t possibly exist in the same facial expression. I could hear the introduction to Dark Clouds playing through the speakers, but I couldn’t seem to move my body with the rhythm.

  “Move!” Kiki hissed from the sidelines. I unhinged myself and tried to dance. Everyone behind the camera cringed, and one of the cameramen started shaking with laughter. Heat flooded my face, and perspiration formed along the line of my hair despite my goosebumps. I must have looked like I was performing a bad rendition of the robot.

  “Cut!” Hamish yelled. He jogged down the beach, barefoot also, his jeans rolled up at the cuff and kicking sand behind him as he approached. I heard bits of what he was saying but it wasn’t making sense in my head. A combination of fatigue and nervousness disrupted my brain function. “Got it?” Hamish asked, removing his ballcap and scratching his fingers through his thinning hair.

  “Sure,” I said feebly.

  Wanda had come over and was powdering my face again and flitted away as soon as Hamish was done with me. Kiki shouted from her chair, “Just imagine that you’re watching Jill stroke Collin’s arm.”

  That imagery clicked and my eyes narrowed in bitterness. “Ooo, yes! That’s it! Action!” Hamish called.

  For the next hour, I sang to the music, rolled along the sand, let the ocean wash alongside me. All in all, it wasn’t too terrible once I got over the embarrassment of so many people watching me. I only got pinched by a crab a couple of times (in its defense, I stepped on it when I pranced through the surf). Plus, there was one almighty wave that pumped my sinuses full of saltwater, making my eyes tear up from the sting. Impressively, Wanda’s makeup had barely budged.