All Stars Fall

by Rachel Van Dyken

  “Did you get a cat?” Drew laughed as his eyes searched the room and then fell on me. His eyebrows rose straight up his forehead as he looked between me and Trevor. Bella ran full speed toward me, and I had no choice but to pick her up and let her little arms strangle me to death while both gorgeous men watched.

  “Apparently that’s my cue.” I let out a weak laugh. “I would be the cat though I’m more like the nanny and I’d like to think that watching me in a cat video would be the opposite of entertaining. You know, since I don’t have an obsession with goldfish and needing to be petted.”

  Too far. I just went too far, didn’t I?

  “You’re funny.” Bella squeezed me harder. “Can we play Barbies today?”

  “Absolutely! Should we dress Eric up as Ken?”

  “I WILL NOT!” Eric yelled, earning another laugh from us.

  And Drew still stared.

  Trevor cleared his throat…obviously, so obviously I wanted to die.

  “Sorry.” Drew took two steps toward me. “You’re just not the vision that comes to mind when someone says nanny.”

  “Because I’m young?” I asked honestly.

  “Because you’re hot.” He winked.

  “And that’s our cue.” Trevor shoved Drew toward the door, only to have Drew poke his head back in.

  “Number?” he called.

  “Off limits,” Trevor said in an annoyed voice.

  “Name?” Drew kept trying and Trevor kept shoving.

  I rolled my eyes and hugged Bella tighter. “Sorry. I don’t give my name or number to strangers, right, Bella?”

  “Stranger danger nine-one-one!” she shouted.

  “Taught her that yesterday.” I grinned and returned his wink.

  It was Trevor’s turn to poke his head around the corner of the door frame as he tried to shove Drew backwards. “Remind me to give you a raise.”

  “Oh, I will,” I joked. “Go make music!”

  “You should—” Drew sputtered as Trevor stepped in front of him, shutting down his attempt to linger by body blocking him out the door. “Son of a bitch!”

  “Children!” Trevor shouted.

  “Fine, fine, bye, sexy nanny, bye, beautiful Bella, later boys!” Drew yelled before the door slammed and I was left alone with all the kids.

  Bella patted my cheeks with her chubby hands. “Your face is red.”

  “I’m hot,” I said lamely.

  Her face fell. “You can’t marry Uncle Drew.”

  “Wait, what? Why would I marry Uncle Drew?”

  “He called you sexy.” She lowered her voice to a loud toddler whisper. “Sexy! Daddy says that means you have to get married!”

  “Oh, honey.” Bless her heart. “Trust me, I’m not marrying Uncle Drew.”

  “Oh, good.” She sighed happily. “Because I already prayed that you would marry Daddy, and then there was a shooting star and Daddy says that means it’s going to happen!”

  Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t have to heart to tell her I stopped praying and wishing on stars a long time ago.

  Who was I to trample on her dreams anyways? “I guess we’ll see.”

  With that, we walked toward the shouting between Eric and Malcom.

  And within seconds, I had blue paint both somehow in my mouth and in my hair.

  Yeah, I was totally going to marry a rock star.

  Not.

  Chapter Eight

  Trevor

  “Shut up.” My first words once we got into the Escalade and drove toward the recording studio.

  “Hmm?” Andrew cupped his ear. “I’m sorry, what was that? Were you just telling me to shut up? I didn’t say anything.”

  I snorted and took a right toward downtown, the only downtown Seaside had with enough ice cream shops and taffy shops to make a lot of dentists very happy for a very long time.

  “Your look says it all.” I groaned. “For the record, I was desperate for someone to help with the kids, I came here to escape, to produce, to help lay tracks for the next album, and I’ve gotten shit done.” I pulled into my parking space at the studio and killed the engine only to see Drew giving me the most shit-eating grin I’d ever seen—which really was saying a lot since the prick rarely smiled and up until recently had been on a downward spiral that would make any rock star proud.

  “Fine.” Drew grabbed his bag and then ran a hand through his buzzed hair. “All I’m saying is that she’s hot as f—”

  “Please don’t finish that sentence.”

  “She’s hot.” Drew sighed like I was being unreasonable. “I mean you have to admit at least that. I can understand being desperate but did you have to hire someone that looks like she could be a super model as your nanny?”

  I had no response.

  Because what could I say that hadn’t already been said?

  She was beautiful.

  She was working under my roof.

  And she was taking care of my kids.

  I let out a rough exhale. “We texted.”

  “OMG!” Drew yelled mockingly as he shoved a fist into my shoulder. “Did she make a pot roast for you too? And put on a maid outfit after—holy shit!” He burst out laughing. “This is the best day of my life. Tell me it was actually pot roast.” He grabbed his phone and started texting. “This goes in the group text right the hell now.”

  “Don’t!” I lunged for his phone, but he jumped out of the car and ran toward the studio, both fingers going at it.

  My phone pinged.

  Once, twice. Fucking perfect.

  I was almost afraid to look.

  Drew: RED ALERT 911 everyone drop their shit and listen up. Trevor has a hot nanny and she made him pot roast and wants to pot his roast.

  Will: WHAT? Wait, hot nanny? Do we get to meet her? I’m in town for the BBQ and to record with you dumb asses.

  Will was the core of our group. Next to Drew he sang the most on the tracks and was married to Linc’s sister Angelica Greene, beautiful actress. Hah, been down that road, never again, just never again.

  Me: Hilarious.

  Ty: We need pictures. And pot your roast doesn’t work bro, try again. I’ll see you losers tonight.

  At least Ty admitted to being a total jackass and man whore. The guy said settling down was too domesticated for his blood as proven with the harem of women that followed him around on a daily basis. That’s what you get when you’re one of the best guitarists in the world.

  Laid.

  Zane: I’ve never been more happy to be part of a text group. What about you, Linc? Alec? Demetri? Jaymeson?

  Fantastic.

  Shit for brains just had to add in rock duo AD2, superstar Zane “Saint” Andrews, and Jamie Jaymeson.

  They were all friends.

  All in the industry.

  All completely settled down.

  Which meant they fed off other people’s drama like piranhas.

  Demetri: We should make a home visit.

  Alec: I’ll bring pie since she made roast.

  Jaymeson: The kids like her? Like they haven’t burned the house down? Teach Alec your ways.

  Alec: My kids make me tired. I’ve been tired for so long. Goodnight, Moon.

  Linc: Terrifying also known as the day Alec Daniels says Goodnight Moon with tears in his eyes and actually means it.

  Me: I’m leaving this group now, some guys have work to do.

  Ty: See you tonight, bro!

  Linc: I’m just going to say you’re welcome in advance…the nanny will be there.

  Demetri: There is a God.

  Zane: Wow, I mean, like….what are you going to wear, Trev?

  Drew: He smells like beans.

  Me: Shut the hell up! Why are you texting me you’re standing literal feet from me outside the studio!

  Drew: And yet you’re still in the car getting redder by the second, also don’t wear that shirt, that shirt sucks.

  Zane: No shirts. Clothing just takes too much time to take off anyways.

&n
bsp; Demetri: Says the guy who never wears pants.

  Jaymeson: And yet I send them to him every Christmas, he always follows with a nice picture of him burning them over a fire roasting marshmallows with a scarf around his naked body. Every year it’s the same—except for the pants.

  Alec: And his tiny pee-pee.

  Zane: F U

  Me: As fun as this has been, I’ll see you guys tonight, be normal. Hell, what am I saying? Attempt not to scare other humans and for the love of God Zane, wear pants!

  Zane: No promises.

  I shoved my phone back into my pocket, got out of the Escalade, and glared at Drew. “Did you have to do that?”

  “Oh, it was completely necessary.” Drew chuckled. “Now let’s go make some music and we can talk about this horrible T-shirt with its holes and how it’s not going to impress HN.”

  “HN?” I repeated.

  “Hot Nanny, keep up.” He shoved me, I shoved him. All in all a normal day, because when I’m with my kids I feel like an adult, but when I’m with my bandmates and friends? I literally lose maturity points and years off my life.

  I would never admit how much I needed it.

  Especially after the divorce.

  And being alone.

  I was suddenly even more thankful Linc and Dani got pregnant and came back here, forcing the whole crew to come back into town early.

  It was just supposed to be Drew and Ty for a week.

  But now it was the entire gang.

  Yeah, if Penelope survived the kids and this, she could survive anything.

  “What’s wrong with my shirt, though?” I lifted it and sniffed.

  “If you have to sniff it to check, then you already know, bro.” Drew laughed, and all thoughts of Penelope were gone as we set up and started playing.

  It soothed me in a way nothing could.

  I let the music lock on.

  Closed my eyes.

  And sang.

  Five hours of bliss went by, five hours where I felt like my soul had finally relaxed into my own body once again, making the pain a little less, making the loss of someone I’d always counted on—dissipate.

  “Sounds good,” Drew said once we made it back to the house. His eyes weren’t even on me, but on the door, staring a hole through it like he was seconds away from barging in and getting down on one knee.

  “Your car.” I jerked my head to the right. “See you at the barbecue, and try to stay away from my nanny, all right?”

  He grinned, eying me up and down in that way that made me want to punch him in the face. Cocky bastard. “Ah, so now she’s your nanny?”

  “My kids’,” I ground out while he choked on a laugh and started walking toward his waiting Range Rover.

  “Tonight’s gonna be fun!” he called, getting in while I flipped him off.

  Bad timing on my part since I heard a little voice exclaim, “Why’s Daddy showing his middle finger when he isn’t driving?” I winced. Bella just had to be standing in the doorway with Penny.

  Penny pressed her lips together then got down at eye level. “Well, probably because your Uncle Drew was driving.”

  “But he didn’t go fast?” she countered.

  Penny gave me a helpless look and smiled. “She heard the car pull up. The boys are upstairs fighting over who gets to wear Captain America, so good luck with that one.”

  I groaned and then lifted Bella into my arms once I reached the front door. Penelope’s smile widened as she held the door open.

  Everything was spotless.

  I put Bella back on her feet and gaped. “How?”

  “Soap,” Penelope said with a smug grin.

  “Smart ass,” I said under my breath.

  Bella giggled and looked up between us. “That’s what Daddy calls Eric when he’s in trouble. Are you in trouble, Penny?”

  For some reason the question had me ready to launch a list of ways I could punish Penelope, ways I’d enjoy.

  And I was astounded at how graphic my imagination got with my own daughter standing mere feet from me looking up at her new nanny like she owned a Barbie factory and worked at FAO Schwartz for the sole purpose of getting Bella new toys.

  “No, sweetie.” Penelope leaned down and kissed her head. “Hey, is it actually okay if I meet you guys there?”

  Something in my chest deflated. Was I really that excited to take her to a barbecue?

  “Um…” I scratched my head and forced a smile. “Yeah, I mean it starts in an hour so…”

  “I can get ready fast.” And then she leaned in and whispered in my ear, her lips so close to my skin I had trouble breathing. What the hell was wrong with me? “I smell like the wet dog your lovely children tried to rescue out back.”

  “Dog? We got a dog?”

  “It was a small feral squirrel. It stepped in mud, then slipped on trash. I followed after it, and yeah, never mind. Point is, I should shower.” She pulled away, our eyes locked.

  And yet again, more visions of her peeling her shirt over her perfectly sculpted body, discovering what was underneath that hoodie seemed to be the only thing my worthless brain could focus on.

  Water dripping down her skin.

  She gulped and looked down while I wondered if Bella would notice if I touched the nanny.

  Touched her?

  Seriously?

  Talk about crossing a line.

  I took a step back, gathered my thoughts, and then nodded. “Yeah, that would be…a great idea.”

  “Told ya, I smell.” She shrugged, her smile a bit wobbly, and then she was grabbing her purse and heading for the door.

  I followed after her, not really sure why. It wasn’t like it was dark yet and I was worried about her driving alone.

  Maybe I just wanted to watch her.

  Maybe I just wanted to have a few more seconds in her company.

  Maybe I was losing my damn mind.

  Chapter Nine

  Penelope

  “What the heck do I wear?” I wasn’t panicking, not yet. I knew almost everyone except the members of Adrenaline.

  Uncle Drew.

  He’d been gorgeous.

  And then there was Trevor, sexy-as-hell Trevor with his three kids and need to move on.

  I’d completely planned on wearing what I’d had on, but after the squirrel incident, I wanted to at least make an effort.

  And the way that Drew looked at me, well, quite honestly, it almost stung. I wanted Trevor to look at me that way, and then I mentally slapped myself and realized it wasn’t about me.

  It was about his kids.

  I was an employee.

  But that didn’t mean I couldn’t at least attempt something other than a hoodie.

  Dani yawned. “I don’t know, clothes?”

  “Did you just yawn your answer?” I narrowed my eyes even though she wasn’t there. “I have twenty minutes.”

  “And why are you suddenly so…concerned?” Her voice was way too amused, way too…knowing. Damn her.

  “I’m ninety-nine percent sure I have some amount of squirrel feces on my person, that’s why.”

  “I call false.”

  “Dani.” I huffed and sat on my bed. “Help!”

  “Who are we trying to impress?” At least this time she sounded more serious, more willing to help me do whatever the heck I was doing. Which was clothing myself and trying to appear like I had a steady job and knew how to take showers and use a razor.

  “Humans. Let’s just leave it at humans. And not the ones of the tiny variety with chocolate on their hands and love in their hearts.” I smiled to myself. “Though I do love those kind too.”

  She was quiet and then. “You’ll be a great mom one day.”

  “Yeah.” My voice cracked. I didn’t tell her the daunting truth, that not only did you have to have a man, but that the older I got, the more my chances died right along with my eggs. I wasn’t even being dramatic, I was just being honest. I’d been the lucky recipient of HPV in high school, where it tur
ned into the early stages of cervical cancer which meant that after all was said and done my chances of getting pregnant were a stellar five percent during my most fertile times.

  Tears welled in my eyes.

  I didn’t want to focus on it.

  I couldn’t.

  Because then I felt sorry for myself, and I resented everything and everyone, including the news whenever I saw someone who abandoned a kid or couldn’t take care of them. I wanted to reach in and hold them close and sob.

  “You still there?” Dani asked gently.

  “Yeah.” I swiped my cheeks, wondering when I’d started actually crying on the phone. “Maybe I’ll just wear a pair of jeans?”

  “Shorts,” she corrected. “Jean cut-offs to be exact, a cute tank with a hoodie since it’s still nice out, and a pair of sandals. You’ll look great. Oh, and do your hair.”

  “I do my hair.” I touched the ponytail on my head and winced as I realized most of my hair had pulled out of the actual ponytail.

  “You never wear it down,” she said accusingly. “And it’s gorgeous and silky, and if you want to impress adult humans, ones that don’t care that you smell like cheese, you should try that angle.”

  “Why do I call you again?”

  “Because you love me?”

  “True,” I grumbled. “I might be a bit late.”

  “Even better!” She seemed amused by this, though I couldn’t understand why unless she was banking on me tripping on my own feet and landing face down on someone’s crotch. One time that happened. Friends and family never let me live it down. “See you soon!”

  “Yeah.” I hung up and stared down at my cut-off jean shorts. At least I’d already showered. “Well,” I said to myself. “Here goes nothing.”

  Chapter Ten

  Trevor

  The only thing better than having a nanny who could prevent the house from being burned down? Other kids.

  A miracle had taken place at that barbecue.

  My kids ran off with the littler kids and neighbor kids, and cousins of friends, and honestly, at that point even if it was a complete stranger and their kids, I was okay with it. Especially if it made Eric laugh.