Written in the Stars

by Rachael Eliker

  “I think she’s noticed,” Kiki said.

  Pinching my lips together, I scowled at Vanessa. “Is this some sort of intervention you’re trying to orchestrate?”

  “Not really. You know how gossip spreads like wildfire around here,” she answered with a one-shouldered shrug. “Everybody’s curious, that’s all.”

  “You and Warren were seeing each other for a while, weren’t you?” Monica asked. I heaved a sigh and nodded. “You two were so cute together. I saw your first duet together on the show and knew there was something between you. What happened?”

  “She got in her own way and didn’t recognize what was good for her,” Vanessa answered for me.

  “It’s not just that,” I said. “We jumped into the relationship headfirst, and it was too much for me, too fast.” Vanessa gave me a knowing glance, and I admitted, “It was probably my fault. Warren was very gentlemanly and proper, but it’d been so long since I’d genuinely had a guy interested in me that when I had the chance, I panicked and kissed him, rather than talking through my insecurities and concerns. That then became the basis of our relationship, and it didn’t take long before it all kind of fell apart.”

  “But from the sounds of it, he’s wanting to give you two a second chance,” Ruby said, licking the salty crumbs off her fingers and staring unblinkingly. “Guys don’t stay up all night writing love songs for girls they aren’t interested in.”

  “But didn’t Vanessa mention that he’s seeing my sister behind my back?”

  A collective groan arose from Ruby, Monica, and Kiki, and I keenly felt the sting of the situation all over again.

  “Yeah, that sucks,” Monica agreed.

  “Thank you,” I said, relieved somebody was taking my side.

  “Maybe it’s all some sort of mix up,” Ruby suggested hopefully.

  Kiki tilted her head toward Ruby in agreement before leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees while I found myself leaning away. Even for the tiny little pixie she was, Kiki was intimidating. “It’s possible. I almost lost out on a perfectly good relationship with Josh because I saw him kissing another girl right when I thought there was a spark between us. Turns out, I’d seen only a sliver of what’d actually gone on, and when I saw a video of it, it was obvious Josh was completely innocent. There really are crazy fans out there who’ll throw themselves at whoever’s within ten feet of them.”

  “But this is my sister we’re talking about. She’s not a crazed fan looking for attention, and I heard loud and clear that she and Warren are planning a double date while we’re all here in L.A.”

  “Double date with who?” Kiki asked.

  I twirled my hair until it cut off the blood flow to my finger. “Does that matter? They could be inviting the Queen and the Dalai Lama. The point is, they’re going together. I’m assuming they’re going to invite Robby and me to tag along, from what I heard.” I looked down and picked at a piece of fuzz on my shirt so I could hide the tears that were welling in my eyes. “He told her she was beautiful and that he loved her. Kind of seems straightforward to me.”

  “You heard him say all this?” Ruby asked.

  Vanessa jumped to the edge of her seat to butt in. “She heard him on the phone and only half the conversation at that, so it’s entirely possible it is all a mix-up.”

  Scoffing, I shook my head. “Can you think of any plausible explanation why they’d be planning a double date if they weren’t interested in a relationship? I mean, as far as I know, Warren wrote that song for Stella, not me.”

  Quiet fell over our impromptu meeting, and I took it as a small victory. Why everyone was so convinced Warren and I were perfect for each other when I had overwhelming evidence to the contrary was beyond me.

  “She could be right,” Monica said softly. “It’s sort of like when Preston and I were a couple.”

  “Warren is nothing like Preston,” Kiki said, her eyes hardening at the name.

  “Preston as in your ex-boyfriend Preston?” I asked, watching Kiki and Monica to make sure they weren’t going to bite my head off for double-checking that I was on the same page.

  “And my manager,” Monica confirmed. “For the longest time, he had me fooled into thinking he was a great guy who was looking out for my interests when really, I was too blinded by love and the idea of a guy who’d stick with me through thick and thin. It was the worst when I snapped out of it and realized I’d been duped.”

  “See?” I said, gesturing toward Monica. “She’s got a very valid point.”

  Unconvinced, Kiki asked, “Why don’t you just ask him? Bring it up in a straightforward manner so there’s no confusion and no room to back out of it.”

  “Yeah,” Vanessa added. “You’ve had so many second thoughts that I’m not going to let you use that term anymore. You’re at least on thought ninety-five. Ask him, and make up your mind once and for all.”

  Slouching in my chair, I buried my face into my hands. “Because I’m a huge coward. If he confesses he is into my sister, it means I’ve lost. I’m not even going to try and fight my sister for him. If he denies it, either he’s a liar, or I have to confront my own relationship commitment dilemma and admit I’ve been the idiot. That would be a hard pill to swallow.”

  “But then at least you’d know,” Ruby said softly.

  “But what if he lies? And I’m too naïve to know the difference?”

  Shaking her glossy black fingernail at me, Monica said, “I watched a documentary once…”

  Kiki groaned loudly and flopped back in her chair. “Not another boring documentary recap.”

  “Excuse me if I enjoy learning,” Monica sassed back. “It’s not like Warren’s pants would catch on fire if he was lying. That would be too conveniently obvious.”

  I chuckled at the thought. “That would certainly make it easier.”

  “There are some telltale signs this former C.I.A. officer talked about. Stuff like people who are lying cover their eyes and mouth, or they fiddle with stuff around them. Fixing their necktie, wiping sweat off their brow, pushing their hair behind their ear. You just have to be perceptive when you ask the question, and he gives his answer.”

  “Or just hook him up to a polygraph machine,” Vanessa said.

  “Right. I’ll run out and go get one when practice is done,” I deadpanned.

  “Look,” Kiki said. “Just ask. Whatever his answer is, at least it’s a starting point. Let us know what he says and we’ll sort it out.”

  My face flushed, and my inner introvert cringed. Having people analyze my love life once was hard enough but to come back for more punishment was asking for a panic attack. But I knew there was no telling Kiki Loveless no. “Sure. When I get a chance.”

  “That might be sooner rather than later,” Ruby said in a hushed voice. Following her gaze, I saw Tad and Warren approaching from the back of the floor aisle, chuckling together. Warren’s eyes caught mine, but I quickly looked away, sure I had guilt written all over my face.

  “I’m not asking now,” I hissed to her.

  Warren walked right up to our group, tipping his cowboy hat by the front brim to everyone.

  “Asking what?” he inquired.

  Shaking my head while simultaneously shrugging, I said stiffly, “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. Girl talk.”

  I stole a quick glance at him, and he flashed one of his heart-stopping smiles, but I shifted in my seat, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. Hopefully he hadn’t seen the same documentary Monica had or I’d be in serious trouble for giving very telltale, nervous signals.

  “So, how are all you ladies doing?” Warren asked in his easy Southern drawl that made my heart hammer in my chest. “Nervous about our performance tomorrow night?”

  Shoving him, Tad joked, “Don’t you know you never ask a group of performers if they’re nervous? It’s a death sentence.”

  Warren chuckled. “Guess I wanna know if anyone else is shaking in their boots like I am.”

  While I
was busy studying the tread pattern on the bottom of my shoe, Ruby nudged me with anything but subtleness. Did she really think I was going to blurt out the burning question about him and my sister in front of everyone? That was setting myself up for embarrassment that I wasn’t ready to face.

  While the group chit-chatted about practice and how epic the final concert was going to be—no argument there—Warren suddenly snapped his fingers and pointed at me. My spine stiffened, and I bounced to the edge of my seat like I’d been caught daydreaming in class.

  “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, do you and Robby want to go on a double date with Stella and me?”

  His question was met with a silence so deafening I could hear the thrum of heartbeats in my ears. Trying desperately to appear casual, I slung my arm over the back of the chair and crossed one leg over the other, only to smack my shin on the back of the chair in front of me in the exact same spot I’d whacked it when out stargazing with him. I groaned internally and rubbed away the soreness. “Uh, I guess I haven’t asked Robby about going on another date…”

  “Oh, he’s in,” Warren said. I hated how animated he was.

  “You already asked him?”

  “Stella did. She’s the one trying to set this whole shindig up,” Warren said, putting his hands on his trim waist as he awaited my answer.

  My mouth swung open and shut until I finally managed a pathetic smile and bob of my head, which felt oddly disconnected from the rest of my body. “Sure. Sounds like all kinds of fun.”

  “Great. Tonight? She wants to go out for dinner and dancing. Not too late, though. Everybody has a big day tomorrow.”

  “That’s right,” I said, remembering how Stella had told me she and Robby were up for an important presentation for a room full of corporate bigwigs tomorrow afternoon.

  I supposed that tidbit of information had come up when the two of them had arranged the double date. My thoughts drifted, and I wondered what else they’d talked about. Had they even been uncomfortable discussing me? It sure didn’t seem like it was bothering Warren in the slightest.

  “Great. We’re planning on meeting in our hotel lobby at six,” Warren said, the grin on his face as wide as physically possible, which only crushed my soul further.

  As he left, he whistled a happy, rambling tune and seemed to have an extra spring in his step while Tad trailed behind.

  “Well, there you have it,” I said, spinning back in my seat and clasping my hands in my lap. “If that doesn’t convince you that Warren Jackson is in love with my sister and not me, then I don’t know what will.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Quit blinking,” Vanessa said, her tone annoyed as she tried to blend makeup evenly over my eyelids.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, forcing myself to remain immobile. “It feels like you’re punching me with the makeup sponge every time you dab the makeup on. You need to take lessons from Wanda on how to be gentler with your subjects. When she does it, it feels like she’s patting me with fluffy little clouds, not grinding makeup into my pores with a brick.”

  “Eloise, Eloise,” Vanessa said through a sigh. “Always so dramatic.”

  “Says the Drama Queen herself.”

  There was a knock at my hotel room door, and Vanessa left to answer it, her whole figure sashaying with each step. Peering through the peephole, she quickly threw open the door and screamed at a pitch that could have burst my eardrums if she’d sustained it any longer. “Are you Stella? I’ve been waiting forever to meet you!”

  Pulling my bewildered sister into a tight hug, I smirked at Stella’s unspoken expression as she looked at me over Vanessa’s shoulder. I shook my head and shrugged playfully, knowing that Vanessa was just being Vanessa.

  “It’s good to see you, too,” Stella said, unclamping herself from Vanessa’s arms. “I see you’ve already started getting Eloise ready. Thanks for that. I’m running a bit late after a panel Robby and I were attending went over. I about gnawed off all of my fingernails because I was afraid Eloise would try to show up for our date in jean shorts and a sloppy, cat print t-shirt.”

  “And if I did?” I challenged.

  Stella tossed her tote onto my bed and pulled off her charcoal suit coat. “I’d make you turn around and march right back to your room to change. We’re going to a nice place tonight, and I’m not going to be embarrassed by my famous sister who should know the rules of etiquette.”

  “You’re starting to sound like Vanessa,” I teased.

  “And that’s a bad thing?” Vanessa asked, touching my chin to angle my face up toward her.

  “What are you wearing, anyway?” Stella asked, putting her hands on her delicate waist and turning to rummage through my closet. With each dress she pushed aside, she gave it a very decided no, no, no, until she was at the end of my selection.

  “You don’t like any of my dresses? Guess it’s a cat shirt and jean shorts after all. I’ve got a fresh set in my drawer over there.”

  “Har har. Nice try,” Stella said, unamused by me being difficult. Pulling my suitcase out of the closet, she tossed it onto my bed and unzipped it. “Here it is!”

  Lifting the lovely, rosy dress she’d given me the very day I’d left its twin at the store, I felt myself wanting to resist. Not that dress. Not the dress that reminded me I’d wanted Warren to look at me the way he did when I was his one and only.

  “You’re wearing this,” Stella said decidedly, leaving me no room to question.

  “Isn’t that the one you didn’t buy?” Vanessa said, glancing up between brushing blush on my cheeks. “Where’d it materialize from?”

  “Stella apparently also thought I’d look good in it, so she gifted it to me.”

  “Good,” Vanessa said, turning her attention back to my cheekbones. “I was surprised you didn’t get it. It’s your color.”

  “Exactly,” Stella agreed. “And it’ll be a good dancing dress. Plus, I found these adorable shoes that’ll match beautifully.”

  Stella rummaged through her bag and produced a funky pair of heels, made of black, orange, and the same rosy hue as my dress. Even I had to admit they’d be a fun accessory.

  “Picked them up on my lunch break,” Stella said wistfully. “I tried them on, and they fit like a glove. You are still a size nine, aren’t you?” I nodded. “You can thank me later.”

  “So modest,” I said, my eyeballs rolling good-humoredly in their sockets. “What’s the big deal, anyway? You know it’s just Robby I’m going with, don’t you? I mean, he never complained about my casual attire when we were actually dating.”

  Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she kicked off her heels and ran her fingers through her short hair, messing it to give it some volume. “You were in high school. Your style should have evolved since then, especially given the resources placed at your fingertips,” she said.

  “Maybe, but I’m not trying to impress him. We’re just friends.”

  Stella looked at me with the same kind of frown I’d seen too much from my mom lately. “Robby and Warren are both such nice guys.”

  “At least Robby is,” I muttered.

  “What?” Stella asked.

  “Nothing,” I said, wafting the comment away with my hand. “My point is, Robby’s a nice guy, but I’m not interested in pursuing anything other than friendship with him. Putting in all this effort seems like it might give him the wrong impression.”

  “Oh, stop being a spoilsport,” Stella said. “Humor me. I want to go out and have a nice night on the town with my sister and two hunky guys while we both look hot. Is that so much to ask?”

  “Fine,” I said in a mock grumble. “Have it your way. I’ll wear the dress.”

  Stella squealed and ran in place, pleased she’d won me over. Taking her silver sequined dress to my bathroom, she changed and came out looking like a totally different woman. If she had inherited the musical talent in the family instead of me, she would’ve been a pop music sensation long before I’d ever mustered the cour
age to try.

  “How about I finish her makeup, and you do her hair?” Stella asked Vanessa. “I’m lousy with anything other than French braids.”

  Vanessa tapped her finger on her glossy lips. “What are you thinking? Straight?”

  “How about curls? There’s something so evocative about a woman with long, softly curled hair.”

  My eyebrows shot up my forehead, and I said, “Did you not hear me mention that Robby’s firmly in the friendzone?”

  Vanessa and Stella exchanged a look that I caught in the mirror reflection.

  “What? Are you two scheming? Because I’ll tell you how I feel about anybody scheming, especially when it comes to my love life. I don’t need any meddling because it’s never going to happen with Robby. He’s nice, but he’s not my type.”

  “Calm down before you give yourself an aneurysm,” Vanessa said. “Nobody’s meddling. You heard Stella. She just wants to go out and have a good time, and part of her stipulations is that you don’t look like the crazy cat lady you think you’re destined to be.”

  Stella clutched her stomach as she doubled over with laughter. “My thoughts exactly. Now, can you close your eyes so I can finish your eyeshadow? We’re going to be late down to the lobby if we don’t hurry up!”

  It wasn’t long before Vanessa had whipped the ends of my hair into perfectly smooth curls. Stella had borrowed Vanessa’s impressive pallet of eye shadows to create a soft smoky effect that made me feel like I was pulling off a smoldering look without even trying.

  Hugging us both, Vanessa shooed us out of my room, saying she’d collect her things and had her own date with the hot tub and Harrison in the hotel’s rooftop pool area. Stella seemed to float to the elevator with a tiny smile and faraway look in her eye. I sighed heavily, glad for her that Warren made her so head-over-heels happy while at the same time, feeling that familiar pinch of sadness that he’d moved on to greener pastures. I’d noticed the same look on Warren’s face a time or two since I’d heard him speaking on the phone to Stella while still in Denver. It always happened when he was texting, and though I never saw the messages, I was certain he had to be flirting with my sister. How else could they have gotten to know each other enough so well that they could coordinate a double date? Still, as the elevator descended, my heart hit against my ribcage at the thought of seeing Warren, even if he wasn’t mine.