“Are you any good?” Selena asked.
“I don’t know. Not really,” she said. She used her cell phone’s camera mostly to capture shots in and around LA, but now thanks to the fire, those were gone. She doubted there was any way to retrieve the memory from her phone, if it was to be found.
“Well, if you want some practice, I could use some new shots for my portfolio. Some of the backdrops around here would definitely give me something different.”
Backdrops. Selena saw all of this beauty and wilderness surrounding her as just backdrops to her own experience. “I’m more into scenery than people.” And if she were to start taking photos of people, Selena wouldn’t be her first choice. She’d seen the star on set and that was one headache she wouldn’t bring upon herself.
Selena shrugged as though that was boring and moved on to play with a laptop. No doubt hoping it was connected to the internet.
“Your phone’s ready,” the guy said, taking it from the box.
Leslie reluctantly moved away from the cameras and approached the desk as he unlocked the screen and displayed the home screen apps. “It’s good to use?”
“Yep. All set.”
“My contacts weren’t miraculously saved and transferred over to this device, were they?”
The guy laughed. “Unfortunately, I’d need your old phone for that.”
Right. The phone that held her lifelines, her photos...gone in the fiery blaze. Thanks to Selena. “Okay,” she said, signing the paperwork for the new phone.
He handed her the box with the charging cables. “Anything else?”
She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder at the Nikon Z 7. There was no way she could buy it now. “No, that’s it. Thank you.”
“I’m starving,” Selena said as they left the shop and made their way toward the bus stop where the resort shuttle was scheduled in five minutes.
Leslie was hungry too, but she wasn’t willing to spend thirty-six dollars on a room service hamburger, so she sighed as she passed the bus stop and kept walking. “I know a place we can eat. Great food and you won’t be recognized,” she said, leading the way to The Drunk Tank, the locals’ preferred bar and eatery.
“I think I prefer the restaurant at the resort,” Selena said, eyeing the wooden double doors and the neon sign.
“No doubt you would, but we are eating here. Welcome to the local Small Town, USA, hot spot,” Leslie said, opening the doors and going inside. At this point, she almost didn’t care if Selena followed.
But a second later, Selena stood beside her, her eyes widening as she noticed the man behind the bar. “Holy shit, that dude is big.”
“That would be Tank.”
Selena nodded. “Obviously.”
Leslie held her back as she flicked her long dark brown hair and straightened her shoulders, causing her chest to stick out farther in the body-hugging ski suit. “Don’t even think about it. He has a girlfriend.”
“What?” Selena’s innocent look was a testament to her acting abilities. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” Every woman in Wild River had, at some point, wanted to take the single dad off the market before his longtime best friend succeeded in doing it last year. At six-foot-five and about a thousand pounds of solid muscle, Tank would make even the Rock jealous. And despite his ominous size, he was one of the nicest guys in town. An irresistible combination for many a local.
Selena scanned the nearly empty bar. “I thought you said this was a hot spot?”
“It is,” Leslie said, heading toward the bar. The Drunk Tank was the best place in Wild River to hang out any night of the week. It was busy during tourist seasons, but that night it was filled with the usual locals—and by filled, Leslie meant with about forty people. Not exactly LA hot spot standards, but that’s why she was comfortable bringing Selena there. She’d bet her job—if she still had one—on the fact that no one would even recognize Selena.
And this experience should be entertaining at least. If anyone in Wild River could put Little Miss Movie Star in her place, it was the local watering hole owner. She smiled at him behind Selena’s head when they reached two empty bar stools and Selena was still scanning the bar like she was stuck in an old Western movie and didn’t know how to get out. “Hey, Tank.”
He nodded toward her. “Heard you were in town,” he said with a smirk he failed to hide.
Leslie’s own grin faded. Damn. She should have known that the search and rescue crew would have heard about what happened with the cabin...and the rescue...and her unfortunate wardrobe. And Tank was a member of the team. “Yeah, well... I like to make an entrance.”
He laughed because it was furthest from the truth.
Her “friend” on the other hand...
“Hi. What do you serve that’s skinny?” Selena asked, climbing onto a bar stool and looking for a drink menu.
Tank reached for new coasters and set them on the bar in front of her. “Besides you?” He rested his palms against the bar and even Leslie had trouble averting her gaze from the rippling muscles in his forearms. Tank was off-limits, but guys like Tank definitely were her type. Big, muscular, strong... Someone who didn’t make her feel like the manlier one in the relationship.
Selena smiled at the perceived compliment. “I meant calorie-wise, like a skinny margarita or martini?”
Tank shook his head. “Just regular margaritas and martinis but I can pour it into a skinny glass if it makes you feel better.”
Selena’s smile faded. “That will be fine.”
Tank looked at Leslie. “For you?”
“Diet soda, please.” She would kill for one of Tank’s famous martinis but she was technically on the clock.
Tank moved away to get their drinks and Selena twirled on the bar stool to face her. “You tricked me again.”
“No, I didn’t. Believe it or not, this is as wild as it gets here on an off-season Tuesday night.”
“I’d slit my wrists if I lived here,” she mumbled. Something caught her eye and she grabbed Leslie’s arm to hide partially behind her. “That guy’s staring at me. Do you think he recognizes me?”
Leslie sighed. Doubtful. The guy she was pointing to was Rob from the hardware store. “He’s staring at you because you still have the price tag hanging from your jacket.” She yanked it off.
“I don’t feel safe. I think you were right. We should just hide out at the resort,” Selena said.
Leslie wasn’t falling for that. The star had been desperate to explore the town—until she realized that there was little to explore. Wild River was a quiet ski resort town with a few shops along Main Street, a steak house boasting fancy dining and the pub. People came here to ski and hike and fish...not “be seen” red carpet–style.
So, naturally, Selena was eager to return to the only high-end place in town, where she felt more at home.
“You’re actually safer here. No one in this bar has any idea who you are,” Leslie said.
A loud shriek made her jump.
Tank’s twelve-year-old daughter, Kaia, was coming from the kitchen, carrying buckets of ice. Her mouth was wide open in shock as she stared at Selena.
“I guess you were wrong. Someone in this town recognizes me,” Selena said, obviously happy to have a fan.
Kaia walked slowly toward them and Leslie’s mind reeled. How did she convince the preteen that she had to keep this encounter to herself and off all social media when it was probably the coolest thing to happen to the kid in months?
“Hi, Kaia,” she said carefully. “Um... I guess you recognize my friend...”
Kaia was nodding, eyes still locked on Selena. “I’ve seen High School Romance at least a hundred times,” she said.
“That she has,” Tank muttered.
Selena’s smile was warm. “Well, thank you. That was a fun mo
vie to make... Kaia, is it?”
Kaia nodded. “Yes, Kaia... I’m Kaia.”
Starstruck was what the poor kid was. That had worn off quickly for Leslie. LA had a way of going from charming and exciting to fake and flashy fast. In her few years living there, she’d gone from enamored to disillusioned quickly. But she wouldn’t burst Kaia’s bubble. “Maybe Selena could give you an autograph?”
“Could we take a selfie?” the young girl asked.
“Of course!”
“No!” Leslie offered a sympathetic look at Kaia. “I’m sorry Kaia, but...” She lowered her voice to a conspirator’s level. If Kaia was part of the plan to keep Selena safe, she’d cherish that more than a photo anyway. The kid was already a self-appointed unofficial, junior member of the search and rescue crew and taught outback safety courses to kids in the town. “Selena is here in Wild River hiding out. So, we need to keep her presence here low-key to keep her safe. That means, unfortunately, no photos.”
As predicted, Kaia immediately looked serious and determined. “Absolutely.” To Selena she said, “You’re safe here.”
Leslie winked at her.
But then Kaia frowned, glancing at Selena’s drink. “Hey, is that alcohol?”
“Yes.”
“Are you even old enough to drink?”
Tank reached for the glass but Selena pulled it away. “Yes, I’m twenty-four. I was twenty-one acting like a seventeen-year-old in High School Romance,” she told Kaia.
“Wow. Really?” Kaia put down the ice buckets and climbed up onto the bar stool next to Selena.
Tank sighed, coming around the bar to retrieve the buckets. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the ice,” he said loudly, but Kaia wasn’t listening. She was enamored by the star.
“Hey, you’re super cute,” Selena said, pushing Kaia’s dark, messy hair away from her face. “Have you ever thought about acting? I could hook you up with my agent’s email...”
“She’s all set,” Tank said quickly. “School, sports... She’s busy.”
Kaia laughed. “Chill, Dad. I have no interest in Hollywood.” She paused. “Though I did just get the lead in the spring play at school. Maybe you could help me with my lines sometime?” she asked Selena. “If you’re not busy,” she added quickly.
Selena shot Leslie a look. “Believe me, that would be the highlight of my time here.” Turning back to Kaia, she smiled. “I’d love to help if I’m in town long enough.”
Kaia beamed. “Awesome.”
Huh, so maybe the star wasn’t all bad. Leslie knew Selena did actually care about her fans. She had several charities focused on children’s needs in LA and she was an active participant, volunteering her time as well as donating money.
“Great, but right now, you have homework,” Tank told Kaia.
The girl looked disappointed, but she climbed off the bar stool. “I gotta go, but it was really awesome to meet you and if you need anything...”
Selena reached for her coaster and a pen on the bar and signed it. “Here you go, and we’ll find a way to sneak a selfie before I leave town, I promise,” she said.
Kaia hugged the coaster to her chest as she headed into the back room. “I can’t believe I can’t tell my friends about this,” they heard her mumble.
Leslie knew she wouldn’t. They took care of one another in Wild River. Subconsciously, maybe that was why she’d come.
And at least Selena looked happier. Being away from her life couldn’t be easy on her either. “What a cutie,” she said as her gaze drifted toward the door. “And speaking of cuties...”
Leslie followed her gaze and almost choked on her drink, seeing Levi enter the bar. What the hell was he still doing in town? Didn’t he have a forest to protect?
“So there is a history,” Selena said, eyeing her.
“Nope. There isn’t.”
“Well, why does your face look simultaneously pale and flushed?”
“Just surprised to see him here,” she mumbled.
“So, you’d be cool with me buying him a drink then? For saving my life?” Selena baited her.
Technically, Leslie had saved Selena’s life. Levi had saved hers. “He’s probably meeting people...”
Or not. Levi spotted them and headed their way. “Hey.”
“What are you still doing here?” Leslie asked before she could stop herself.
Levi looked uncomfortable and Leslie immediately turned her attention back to the melting ice in her glass. This awkwardness would only get worse the more time they were together. Didn’t he realize that as well? No real contact in years had already made their previous, necessary encounter tense.
“Be more rude,” Selena said to her, before turning a warm smile in Levi’s direction. “I think what she meant to say was, have a seat—I’ll buy you a drink. With Leslie’s money.” The smile might have made up for Leslie’s coolness if Levi had seen it, but his gaze was still locked on Leslie. She could see his reflection in the mirror behind the bar, but she didn’t need to. She could feel his gaze burning into her.
“Come on, join us,” Selena said when Levi hesitated.
“I’ll sit, but ladies don’t buy the drinks,” Levi said, climbing onto the bar stool next to her.
“They do when they’re rich,” Selena said, reaching for Leslie’s wallet. Levi went to protest, but Leslie still wanted an answer to her question, though she did reword it to sound less offensive. “So, are you heading back to the station tonight?”
Selena’s side-eye was murderous. Obviously still not subtle enough. Leslie knew how it sounded, like she wanted Levi out of town ASAP, and she did. Being in Wild River was tough enough without spending time with him. Something Selena wouldn’t understand and something Leslie wasn’t planning to explain.
But if Levi caught her vibe, he was choosing to fight against it. “I took a few days off, decided to stay in town...since you were here. Thought we could catch up.”
Catching up was the last thing she wanted.
“So, you two went to school together?” Selena said, positioning herself to block Leslie’s view of Levi, obviously annoyed that the man’s attention had been solely focused on Leslie so far.
Levi cleared his throat. “Yeah...we’ve been friends for years.”
Best friends. The three amigos. Leslie was closer to Levi than almost anyone else and she knew what he was doing right now. The same thing he always did. Pushing his way in. Refusing to acknowledge her pushing him away. As kids, whenever she was upset and didn’t want to talk, to open up, he’d always barreled his way into being there for her and eventually she’d give in and tell him what was wrong and he’d be the shoulder to cry on. That was his role in their little group. He was the rock for her and Dawson. The sounding board. The fixer. The advice giver.
Damn, she could use some of him right now...
But no. They weren’t kids anymore and this was a problem she needed to find a way out of herself.
And not let nostalgia and “catching up” get in the way.
Luckily, Selena launched into a recap of Levi’s heroics that day and the two quickly seemed to forget that Leslie existed. Which was fine. She’d sit there in peace and enjoy her flat, watered-down diet soda. She wasn’t interested in hearing all the details of how the smoke jumpers executed the rescue. She wouldn’t intercept with her own questions, even if Levi’s job was super exciting and intriguing...
Selena laughed at something he said and her hand landed on Levi’s arm causing Leslie’s stomach to twist.
This was fine. Someone else to entertain Selena for a while was good. She could use a break and at least when the star had a captive audience, the whining and complaining was reduced to a minimum.
Levi’s cell rang on the bar in front of him and he glanced at the caller ID. “Sorry, I have to take this,” he told Selena.
“No problem,” Selena said. “I have to check my phone too...oh wait, I’m not allowed to have one.” Her pointed glare was directed at Leslie.
Leslie ignored it. Being without a cell phone wouldn’t kill her. Actually, a social media hiatus would be good for Selena. Social media for validation wasn’t great for one’s mental health.
She glanced at the caller ID, vaguely recognizing the phone number, then listened as Levi answered the call. “Hi, Mrs. Powell... Yeah, that’s no problem. Never too busy for you. What’s up?”
Mrs. Powell? Dawson’s mother was calling Levi? Why? The two of them were still close obviously...but calling him at nine at night on a weekday seemed slightly unusual. Leslie studied him but he avoided her questioning gaze as he listened.
Leslie could hear the woman’s voice on the other end of the line and strained to hear what she was saying.
“He’s so nice,” Selena said, checking her reflection in the mirror across the bar.
“Yep.”
“And really good-looking.”
“Sure.” Leslie could hear Mrs. Powell laugh and Levi was nodding. What were they talking about? Seemed important based on Levi’s expression as he listened intently. He was doing the one-eye-closed thing he always did when he was trying to commit details to memory. She’d always teased him about the habit but secretly thought it was cute. Seeing it now was completely messing with her ability to remain distant and neutral.
Selena was looking around the bar. “Hey, you want to play darts?”
“No.”
“Pool?”
Oh, so now the star appreciated the bar. “No. Shhh...” she muttered. Levi was talking now. Something about an event?
“Can I go to the washroom at least?” Selena asked.
“Yes. Go,” Leslie said through gritted teeth.
Stars Over Alaska Page 7