When a Star Falls (Stars Book 1)

by Rachael Eliker

  “Ruby,” Collin said with the slightest edge in his voice and shaking his head, “what are you talking about? Jill is my personal assistant and nothing more. She’s working incredibly hard to help StarTech succeed which means spending a lot of time coordinating where I am and who I talk with. It comes with the territory of being a public figure for a company.”

  “Does that include zipping up your pants for you?” I asked flatly.

  “That? She was helping save me from further embarrassment. I would think you would have done the same thing.”

  I could feel heat rising up my neck and my heartbeat quicken. “I would have except there’s one important difference between her and me—I’m your girlfriend and no one would think twice about what part of your body I’m touching.”

  Collin got a boyish grin on his face and waggled his eyebrows. “You were the one wanting to zip up my pants, huh?”

  Despite myself, I laughed and shoved him away, but it didn’t make my anger dissipate completely. I bit my lip, but I couldn’t stop myself from begging, “You need to get rid of her. For my sake. For my sanity.”

  Collin’s stare was intense, and I could see the wheels turning in his brain. “Get rid of her? Ruby, you know I can’t do that. She’s a competent assistant and knows the ins and outs of the company probably better than I do. I wouldn’t ask you to give up working with Troy.”

  “Are you envious of him?” I asked, my heartrate revving again.

  “Should I be?” Collin questioned. His eyes were hard and his cheeks were pinkening. My stomach turned sour, thinking of the secret I’d been keeping. Or maybe Jill had already told him and he was waiting for me to tell my side of the story to clarify. Either way, it felt like my guilt was going to rot me from the inside out.

  “No,” I said, mustering as much certainty as I could. “I just don’t see why you would rather hurt my feelings than Jill’s,” I pouted.

  “Because what you’re asking is unrealistic and selfish. Jill isn’t out to snatch me away from you. Those are your own insecurities that you need to deal with.”

  I slammed my food down on the bench, sending the French fries flying all over the grass, attracting the attention of the hungry geese. “It’s not all in my head, Collin. I’ve heard it from her own mouth. She thinks I’m a country bumpkin and said that I wasn’t good enough for you. And now, thanks to you bringing your on-the-side girlfriend, my dog is dead.” I knew I was going too far, but I’d built up enough indignant momentum that I couldn’t stop myself. Doing my best mocking impersonation of Jill, I flailed my hands and squawked, “Oh! Get this disgusting dog off of me! It’s going to ruin my Armani suit!” By then, Collin was sitting in shocked silence at my outburst. “If your secretary is more important to you than your actual girlfriend, then maybe this isn’t going to work the way we were hoping it would!”

  I jettisoned off the bench and stormed away into the darkening night, tears streaming down my face, but this time, for an even more heart wrenching reason than my dog’s death—I might have lost Collin for good.

  I was looking up at Wanda under her blinding lights while she dabbed cool dots of liquid concealer under my eyes. “Good grief, girl. Did you skip sleeping last night?”

  “My old friend, jetlag,” I fibbed. The truth was that I had slept fitfully since my argument with Collin. He’d tried calling and texting, but I’d ignored his attempts to apologize, rationalizing in my drowsy stupor that making him suffer would really drive my point home. I didn’t know how much sleep Collin was losing over all of this, but it was making me feel like a walking zombie from my night-long crying hangover.

  Wanda pressed her lips together, like she wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if she really should. She finally sighed and cautioned, “You know, I’ve been doing makeup for a long time. I can tell when someone’s tired, when someone’s sick, when they have allergies, when it’s jetlag…or when they’ve been crying their eyes out, all by what I need to cover up. I put money on your puffy eyes being caused by man trouble. It isn’t Troy, is it?”

  “No,” I moaned. Involuntarily, tears stung the corner of my eyes and threatened to spill over.

  “Whoa there, Ruby,” Wanda gently chided. She grabbed a paper and started fanning me. “Let’s not ruin your face before I’ve finished. You have to dry first before I can let you cry. This stuff ain’t going nowhere once it’s set.”

  I laughed weakly and thanked Wanda, blowing a few long breaths through my lips and trying not to think of how cruel I’d been to Collin.

  Wanda had me close my eyes while she brushed on a soft rose eyeshadow and a black eyeliner that really made my blue eyes pop. “You know, whatever it is that’s bothering you, it’ll all work out. Everything always does.” Her smooth voice was so calming. I especially loved when she hummed while she worked.

  “I know,” I sighed. “I need to fix some things, and I think my pride is getting in the way.” Wanda murmured her understanding.

  “Alright, open up those pretty eyes of yours.” Wanda adjusted one of my sets of false lashes and curled them before swiping on some black mascara. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t help but cringe every time I saw the mascara wand coming at me.

  “For heaven’s sake, I’m not going to stab your eye,” she said, exasperated.

  “I’m not trying to! It’s all reflex.”

  Holding my chin up, she managed to finish the mascara to her satisfaction. “There,” said as she gave me one finally pass of powder on my forehead, nose, and chin. I opened my eyes and smiled slightly as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Wanda was a miracle worker as far as I was concerned. She nudged my chair and swiveled me to face her. “Pride doesn’t have to be your downfall, you know.”

  I smirked. “You’re going to make me cry again if you keep shooting inspirational quotes at me.”

  “All I mean is, it’s not worth it to be unhappy just because you can’t get out of your own way.”

  “Wise words,” I admitted. “I think I’ll take your advice.”

  “Do it sooner rather than later.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I acknowledged her with a snappy bow, making Wanda roll her eyes while still grinning.

  “And honey, if Troy ever does give you trouble, you say the word, and I’ll whoop his skinny little behind.”

  I cackled at the thought of Wanda teaching Troy a thing or two, which I had no doubt she was very capable of doing. Casey strolled in with his tote of hair supplies. “Is it my turn yet?”

  “She’s all yours.” Wanda packed up her things and made way for Casey while I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Collin.

  I’m sorry.

  My hands started sweating as I clutched my phone between them, and my leg seemed to have a mind of its own as it jiggled violently. Casey brushed through my hair and started styling it in preparation for my upcoming performance. He always worked without much talking, he was so intently focused on the task at hand. I could barely stand the silence.

  “How did you get into doing hair?” I blurted.

  Casey’s hooded eyes flashed up to look at my reflection, then back down to the intricate braid he was weaving along the side of my head.

  I tried to prod him along. “You seem a little…” I stalled, searching my vocabulary, “rough for this type of work.”

  That elicited a smirk from Casey. “I will give you that. I think most people assume I should be brawling in a biker bar somewhere in Kansas.”

  “I always imagined it was in Texas,” I teased.

  Casey smiled broadly, showing one gold tooth. “For a good part of my life, that’s exactly what I was doing.”

  “What changed?”

  “Jail,” he grunted.

  “That’d do it.” I squirmed slightly in my seat.

  “It’s not like I killed a guy or anything,” Casey said. “Just got a little rough with someone.”

  “A little rough, huh?”

  “He put his hands on my baby sister, and I di
dn’t take too kindly to that.”

  “Understandable,” I said. Casey tilted my head to the other side and started a braid near my temple. “So how did that lead to your genius with hair?”

  “Jail gave me time to get my GED and explore some options for further education. Through some trial and error, I discovered I’ve got a knack for hairstyling.”

  “No one gave you any grief for it?”

  A slightly devilish grin slid across Casey’s face. “Nobody did who knew what was good for them.”

  I held in my amusement as long as I could, but small snorts started to escape until I was full-on laughing. “I would have never guessed you had such a colorful history.”

  “Doesn’t everyone?” Casey teased some hair on the top of my head to give it some volume, then sprayed what felt like an entire can of hairspray on my head to keep everything in place.

  “What do you think?” Casey asked, spinning my seat toward the mirror.

  “Edgy,” I observed. “I like it.”

  Casey picked up his scissors and snipped them in the air a few times. “Sure you don’t want to make your hair even more daring?”

  “Put those things away,” I shoved his hand. “My hair is one of the points of negotiation I will not budge on.”

  “That’s alright. It suits you,” Casey said as he gathered his things. “Head on over to wardrobe now. Harrison’s waiting.”

  I thanked Casey and stood up just as my phone dinged. Hurrying away and trying to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest, I looked at my text message.

  All will work out. I love you.

  Good luck on your TV debut. I’ll be watching.

  “You look pleased,” Harrison noted as I approached the clothing racks. I felt like I was skipping on clouds without the huge burden of guilt crushing down on me.

  “You could say that. What did you pick out for me today?”

  He pulled a dress off the rack and asked, “How do you feel about red?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  I was standing in the shadows to the right of the main stage, and Troy was behind me, tweaking the strings of his guitar. Seeing me watch him, he gave me a one-sided grin and pushed back his hair. He was attractive, no question, but my heart had chosen, and it was set entirely on Collin.

  “And now, debuting her first single live, Dark Clouds, give a round of applause for Ruby Hawkins!”

  The blanket of darkness quickly dissipated, and I stood under the blinding spotlight. I couldn’t see anyone in front of me except silhouettes of the audience, who sat in silent anticipation. Perspiration leaked out of my pores but it wasn’t from nervousness—performing was where I felt at ease. Knowing that Collin was watching, wherever he was, made the performance all the sweeter, even if it wasn’t our song. He was my number one fan, my unfailing cheerleader.

  I delivered a flawless, emotional rendition of Dark Clouds and was rewarded with a standing ovation from the audience. I was on top of the world. The only thing that would have made the experience better would have been if it was a song that I’d written. Someday, I reminded myself. I could live in the glory of the path that was taking me to get there.

  I took a bow and waved before the curtain dropped and the lights went dark. Troy wrapped me in a one-armed hug from behind and I let him congratulate me before I pulled away. I high-fived the rest of the band, my veins still buzzing with the adrenaline euphoria I experienced after every successful performance.

  “Ruby Hawkins, everybody!” the host roared over the applause. “Keep your eye on her!”

  I bit my lip, trying not to let anyone see my smile, though it wouldn’t matter in the darkness. Being praised on national television was about as much of a compliment as I could ever wish. After the show, I posed with audience members and thanked them for their abundant praise.

  An hour later, my face scrubbed free of the makeup Wanda had so meticulously applied, I brushed out the last of the snarls in my wet hair, balancing my phone between my chin and shoulder.

  “You were amazing, babe,” Collin cooed.

  “You think so?”

  “Your performance was mesmerizing. I can only imagine it was even more incredible in person. I wish I could have been there.”

  “Me too,” I sighed. “When are we going to see each other next?”

  “I’ll have Jill coordinate with George to see when our paths might cross. There are some dates I can adjust a bit if it means we’d get to see each other, even if it’s only for a night.”

  “I’d like that.”

  The next few weeks were a whirlwind of interviews and live performances and radio appearances. It was exhausting and exhilarating, all at the same time. To be adored by people I didn’t even know and to be constantly complimented on my beautiful voice and hair and eyes and legs…it seemed to make all of the long hours in the studio, all the hair Wanda had plucked out, all the pizza I’d skipped in the name of protein shakes, worth it. Still, in the middle of all the commotion, there were times that I felt incredibly lonely. Surrounded by people, and all I wanted was Collin, the one person who could make any place on earth feel like home.

  My wish came true when I landed in Detroit for another radio appearance. A few days before, I’d video chatted with Hannah to get her opinion.

  “You don’t want to look desperate but you want to clearly state that you aren’t one to be forgotten,” Hannah commented after I tried on the fifth dress I’d stuffed in my suitcase.

  “So, no cleavage?” I joked.

  “That’s not what I said,” Hannah denied. Chloe came skipping into the room with a lavender unicorn horn sticking out of the top of her head. She said nothing as she climbed onto her mother’s lap, eating the cheese crackers she had balled up in her fists as she watched me model dresses.

  “Is that a yellow sundress you have on the bed?” Hannah asked. “Try that on.”

  I stepped off camera and wriggled into the knee-length yellow dress and twirled to model for Hannah and Chloe. Hannah nodded slowly, looking up and down the dress with a critical eye.

  “Ruby?” Chloe asked softly in her toddler voice. “Are you a banana?”

  I tried to laugh but felt the wind leave my sails. Flopping down onto the hotel bed face first, I moaned, “I don’t want to look like a fruit.”

  “At least it’s a skinny fruit,” Hannah said, grinning. “What’s that mauve one over there?”

  In a few minutes, I’d slipped the dress over the top of my head and pulled down the hem, which fit snugly around my knees. Had it not had a slit in the back, I may not have been able to do more than a penguin waddle.

  “That’s the one,” Hannah clasped her hands and sat back in her office chair. “That’s the one that’s going to remind Collin again why he fell in love with you.”

  I was already waiting inside the lobby of the radio station, my legs crossed one over the other in a posh leather armchair when Collin arrived.

  He’d come in the doors, his eyes darting left and right as he looked for me. I sprang out of my seat like someone had stuck a pin in my rear end. Rushing to my side, Collin grabbed my hands and squeezed, holding my gaze momentarily, like he was drinking all of me in. Then, he pulled me close into a back-popping hug.

  “You look ravishing,” Collin whispered in my ear.

  “You think so?” I asked, twirling around so he could truly appreciate the curves of my understated, rosy dress. I knew I’d overdressed for the radio but once I’d heard Collin was coming, I’d decided I wanted to put more effort into my appearance. I was there to impress, not cutting a song in the studio with Troy in the leggings and sweatshirts I’d kept, despite Vanessa’s admonitions to trash them all.

  “I’ve got to run up for my interview,” I said as I peeled myself away from Collin. “You wanna listen in?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Collin said with a dazzling smile.

  “Hello, Ruby.” Jill’s overly sugared voice made me cringe. I turned around to see Jill standing behind me,
radiant as ever. Her smile stretched across her face, but I wasn’t fooled. “How are you doing on this fine day?”

  Taken aback by her politeness, I stammered. “Fine. You?”

  “Just fantastic,” she said chipperly. “I don’t want to keep you. Let’s get you upstairs.”

  I nodded slowly and turned to go up the two flights of stairs to where the radio station had their studio. Through the glass, I could see Troy already chatting with a portly DJ, who had a goatee and thinning hair to match his bright, snug fitting Hawaiian shirt that stretched over his midsection. He wore a genuine smile and had a booming voice I could hear through the walls.

  “This is me,” I jammed my thumb toward the door.

  “We’ll be waiting,” Jill said cheerfully. She sat down on a chair in the hallway, crossing her legs and pulling out her tablet, making notes and sending messages.

  I gave Collin a weird look but he didn’t seem to understand the meaning of my raised eyebrows. What’s with her? It was one of those moments I wished I was telepathic. Collin kissed me good luck and sent me into the studio.

  I introduced myself to Tom, the grinning DJ and set up behind the desk for a brief personal interview before standing after a commercial break to perform Dark Clouds yet again. I talked about my upbringing, my lifelong love of music and songwriting, the fairytale start to my career when Kiki threw attention in my direction with her lip-synching of Heart on Fire.

  “And is there someone special that Dark Clouds is about?” Tom asked, sticking the eraser of a pencil in the corner of his lips. His stare was intense enough to rival the hardcore news anchors that interviewed Olympic athletes who’d been caught cheating and dictators, not an aging man who listened to pop music all day.

  Though Dark Clouds had been written for Monica Best’s career, George had reiterated what Kiki had said, that I was under no circumstance supposed to distance myself from the song and make it appear that I didn’t own it. I loved the music and the lyrics, but it would have been a lie to pretend I had a connection with a song I hadn’t had a part in creating. I mulled over my answer for a few moments before answering. “I don’t know that this song is about any one person in particular, but I don’t think it makes it any less special. At the very core, it’s a song about love being stolen away by something that maybe seemed better at the time. I think we can all relate to that.”