Starlight Love

by Kat Bellemore

  Leanne laughed and shook her head, then motioned for him to put his phone away. “Haven’t you learned by now that that thing is useless here?” She pulled out a piece of paper and leaned over the front desk, making quick sketches with her pen. She extended it toward him. “Here’s a map, but basically, you go straight down this road, turn left, then stop when you see a building that says Diner. I drew some landmarks on the map. You can walk there in twenty minutes or take the bike that’s in the garage and get there in ten. It’s brand new, never been ridden before.”

  Eli still had a lot to do and several store owners he needed to speak with, but it was already getting late, and putting it off until tomorrow sounded nicer. “I think I’ll walk. Thanks for the recommendation.” He grabbed his jacket from the floor where he’d tossed it halfway into the repair, then headed out.

  Eli’s steps were slow as he took in the palm trees and the brightly colored shops set against the background of the ocean. Since arriving in the small town, he had been questioning his decision to produce his own movie—missing being able to just show up on set and have everything taken care of—but he wasn’t questioning his decision to come to Starlight Ridge. Everything about it was slow, and beautiful, and perfect. Exactly what had been missing from his life. Except he couldn’t even enjoy it because he was so busy with the technical details of bringing Leanne’s story to life.

  There was one shop in particular that was integral to the story—Starlight Chocolate Confections. And Eli had yet to secure the location. In Leanne’s story, Benjamin’s love interest, Katrina, was the owner of a small chocolate shop, and Leanne had undoubtedly had her own town’s chocolate shop in mind when she had written it. If Eli wasn’t able to secure permission to film there, it was possible that Leanne could rewrite Katrina’s scenes. If all else failed, she could be the owner of a bed and breakfast and they could film at Leanne’s place. But there was something intrinsically charming about a chocolate shop, and Leanne had written the characters in her screenplay so vividly that Eli couldn’t imagine Katrina as anything other than the chocolate-obsessed and strong-willed yet sweet and quick-witted woman he’d come to know as he’d pored over the script.

  Eli had stopped by the store twice already, and curiously enough, it had been closed both times. He wondered how the shop stayed in business with how little the owner seemed to be there. When Eli had left to purchase the hinges for Leanne’s door, he had intended to step in and speak with the chocolate-shop owner at the same time, but a sign on the door had once again stated that she’d gone out.

  Hopefully he’d have better luck tomorrow.

  Eli reached the boardwalk, then turned left onto a narrow path that paralleled the road leading away from town, per Leanne’s instructions. As he walked, trees towered over him, obstructing his view of the ocean, but he could still hear the waves and the cries of seagulls. They would definitely need to use this stretch of road in the scene when Benjamin first comes to town, feeling as lost and troubled as Eli had felt when he’d first reached the small town of Starlight Ridge.

  As beautiful as the road was, after a few minutes, Eli began wondering if he was even walking in the right direction. It didn’t seem a likely place to have a restaurant. Not if they wanted customers, anyway.

  Eli pulled out the hasty map that Leanne had drawn for him. Following the path with his finger, he saw that she had indeed drawn landmarks. The boardwalk, and then trees. And more trees.

  Some help she was.

  He supposed that probably meant he was going the right way, though.

  As he moved to fold the paper and slip it back into his pocket, a voice startled him. “It looks like you are lost, Eli Hunt.”

  He whipped around and saw a woman standing behind him. She looked to be about a decade older than him and wore a bright pink jacket that could probably be seen for the next five miles.

  When he didn’t respond right away, she tried again. “You looking for the diner?”

  “Yes,” he said, finding his voice. He was used to people following him, photographing him, even attacking him. But this woman seemed to only want to help and maybe have a pleasant conversation. “I have a map, but I’ve already been walking a few minutes longer than I’d expected.”

  “Only because you’ve been walking at a snail’s pace.” Heat rushed into Eli’s cheeks, and the woman smiled. “There isn’t anything wrong with enjoying the view.” She extended a hand. “May I see the map?”

  Eli handed it to her. One glance and the woman was laughing, the crow’s feet around her eyes deepening. She handed the piece of paper back.

  “No wonder you didn’t know if you were in the right place. May I ask who disliked you enough to draw a map like that?”

  Eli didn’t know how to respond—he wasn’t used to people speaking to him like that. Like he was…normal. He also wasn’t used to feeling embarrassment like he was now. The people who usually surrounded him tried to protect him from that, especially if there was a chance photographers could be in the area.

  The woman looked at him expectantly, prompting him to answer.

  “Leanne. Warner. Her parents own the—”

  “Starlight Bed and Breakfast,” the woman finished for him. “I’ll need to have a word with Leanne when I see her in the morning. She shouldn’t be sending poor unsuspecting men wandering all over town.”

  She must have sensed his confusion, because she added, “I’m Jessie. I deliver the pastries you’ve undoubtedly been enjoying each morning, and I occasionally cook dinner there as well.” She nodded in the direction they had been traveling. “I’ll walk with you. It’s not much further, just a bit hidden from the road.” Jessie resumed walking down the road, as if Eli had already agreed to be her companion, and he felt he had no choice but to follow. He didn’t mind, though. Eli enjoyed her easy manner, and having company was nice.

  “Why is the diner out here in the middle of nowhere?” Eli asked her. “Don’t restaurants and businesses want people to actually be able to find them? It’s all about location, location, location, right?”

  Jessie’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “Sure, in the big city. But when Lars’ parents passed away and left him their cabin twenty years ago, he already had a home in town and didn’t want to move all the way out here, so he decided to turn it into a diner. Funny thing is, the diner was so successful, he ended up moving out here anyway so he could keep up with everything.” She steered toward the right, and sure enough, a cabin emerged just a moment later. It had a large sign out front that read Diner.

  It fit right in with the small-town aura that he’d been surrounded by, and come to expect, since his arrival. Everything was simple and to the point, and didn’t bother with extravagance. You need to go to the medical clinic? Find the sign that says Clinic with a red cross beneath it. Need a hammer? Go to the store that says Hardware over it.

  Bicycles were parked in a neat line along one side of the diner, with only one car parked in a designated dirt lot.

  “I hear they have fish tacos that are to die for,” Eli said as they approached the front door. “World famous.”

  Jessie grinned. “Everything in Starlight Ridge is world famous. But you’re right, you can’t go wrong with their fish tacos. You’ll want to get a plate of their world-famous fries to go with them.”

  Eli held the door open for Jessie, and when he walked in after her, he saw that every booth was filled. A burly man stood behind a counter, tattoos up and down his arms, and he was handing a bag to a customer—an attractive woman who was laughing at something the man had said. The man must be Lars. Eli hadn’t met the woman yet. He’d have remembered if he had. When she turned, food in hand, their gazes met for a brief moment. Her eyes were bright, a mixture of brown and green, and she moved with the same easy manner he had noticed in Jessie.

  The woman didn’t seem to recognize Eli and instead breezed past him, moving in next to Jessie, who had stopped to talk to someone in one of the booths.

  Eli wat
ched as the woman greeted Jessie with a hug. There was something about her that pulled him in—made him want to introduce himself. Maybe it was the confident way she held herself, or the way she used her free hand to gesture wildly as she spoke, laughing as she did so, like the world she lived in was the most exciting place imaginable. And it made Eli want to be a part of it.

  But something held him back. Eli had never had a problem going up and introducing himself to women, and he didn’t understand the hesitancy. There was just something about her that made him feel shy.

  By the time he had mustered up the courage, the woman had left, the front door swinging shut behind her.

  Jessie rejoined him and Eli asked, “Who was that?” He nodded toward the window, where he could see the woman swinging herself onto an old bike, the bag of purchased food dangling from one handlebar.

  Jessie glanced in the direction Eli had indicated. “Oh, that’s Adeline. She owns Starlight Chocolate Confections.” She then moved to the front counter. “Mind if I go first?”

  “No, go ahead,” Eli said, distracted, as he watched Adeline push off and begin biking up the road. It was then that a few of the diner patrons realized who he was, and they began pulling their phones out and snapping pictures. It was another thirty minutes of talking with fans before he was finally able to order his world-famous fish tacos and fries.

  The time passed in a blur of smiles and autographs. He couldn’t stop thinking about the chocolate-shop owner and how he really needed to talk to her. This time, it had nothing to do with physical attraction. Eli had a large contract in his briefcase with Adeline’s name on it, and he needed to get her to sign it. Eli had a deadline looming in front of him, and Adeline was one of the missing pieces.

  It was something he needed to remedy, and fast.

  5

  Adeline stood in front of her shop, her arms folded across her chest. A breeze picked up, whipping her hair around her face, and she retrieved a hair elastic from her front pocket. As she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, she watched as large white trucks rolled in. They had already parked several trailers at the edge of town, next to the beach. She frowned and went back inside. It was just as she had feared. Hollywood was taking over.

  Apparently Eli was going to be living in one of those white trailers, having somehow negotiated permission to park on what was now Eli Hunt’s own personal beachside property. It was amazing what a lot of money could do.

  And the town was thrilled about it.

  Even with the dropping temperatures—it was the first week of November and already colder than it should be—the beach and boardwalk were filled with people, all hoping to get a glimpse of Eli Hunt. He’d been in town for nearly a month, but the novelty hadn’t managed to wear off yet. Maybe once they started shooting the movie.

  Not expecting any more customers for the day—people were too busy watching Hollywood’s invasion—Adeline settled in behind the counter and absently flipped through a magazine, its pages spread over the counter in front of her. A large picture of Eli Hunt stared up at her. Everyone in town who had met him said he was as wonderful as the magazines made him sound, but she had her doubts. The one she was currently reading was an old copy from Patty’s medical clinic that the doctor had insisted Adeline borrow. Said it was very educational. It was all about how Eli Hunt juggled life as a method actor with his family life.

  According to the article, he was able to separate the two with very little problem. But Adeline had heard about the man’s recent divorce, so she doubted the article was very reliable. According to his wife, he’d be gone for months at a time with no contact, no phone calls, nothing. His wife had tired of only being married a third of the year and finally left him.

  It was a story that Adeline was all too familiar with, and she didn’t blame the woman one bit.

  The door to Adeline’s shop opened abruptly, and Leanne held the door for Isaac, who clumsily rolled in. They were arguing, their voices raised.

  “I read your script, and there was not a single mime in it.”

  Leanne released an exasperated sigh. “And like I told you, it went through multiple revisions while I was in LA. You read an old version.”

  “But why mimes?” Isaac asked. “Were you mad at me at the time?”

  Leanne shook her head and glanced at Adeline with a look that said, Men, am I right? “I’m going to need a double shot of chile chocolate, Addie. Things around the bed and breakfast have been…stressful.”

  “Enough said. Two boxes of chile chocolate coming right up.”

  “It was to add a humorous element,” Leanne said, turning back to Isaac. “The mime interrupts a very serious moment, and Benjamin just can’t get the mime to leave them alone.”

  “I understand. And that sounds delightful. It does,” Isaac said. “But that means there is going to be a mime somewhere in Starlight Ridge. I won’t know when, or where, but I will run into him. And then I’ll have to start driving to the city to see my therapist again.”

  Leanne looked like she was trying to be sympathetic, but when she approached the counter to pay for the chocolate, Adeline could tell she was trying not to laugh. ‘Thanks. Oh, I better buy a third box. Sorry.”

  “A third box?” Adeline asked as she grabbed another from below the counter. “Who’s that one for? Or have I created a chile chocolate addiction for you two?”

  “I wish, but sadly, no. It’s for Eli. He’ll be here in a moment. He was just finishing up with Caleb at the scuba shop.”

  Adeline nearly dropped the box she was placing in the bag with the others. “What?”

  Leanne took the box from Adeline. “Yeah, I thought I told you. The heroine in my script owns a chocolate shop.”

  Oh. She hadn’t known that, and it contradicted her friend’s claims that she hadn’t based any of her characters on the good people of Starlight Ridge.

  “So…Eli Hunt wants to film in front of my store?” Adeline asked, and immediately wished she could take it back. She didn’t want to know the answer and started straightening boxes that didn’t need straightening, just to give herself something to do.

  “No, he wants to film inside your store. This is where he meets his love interest. The movie is named after the chocolate shop.” Leanne acted like it was just another day in Starlight Ridge, though it was anything but. Eli Hunt was already taking over the town. The last thing Adeline needed was the hotshot movie star taking over her store.

  “Amaretto,” Adeline mumbled, remembering how lovely Jessie had thought the movie title was. She should have known it had something to do with chocolate. The Italian liqueur was used in desserts, including truffles, because of the nice almond flavor it had. “And so, Eli Hunt will only be spending like, what, one day filming here?” Adeline knew she probably sounded like an idiot, but she was still having a hard time wrapping her head around all this. She’d thought they’d mostly be filming outside, like beach scenes and that kind of thing. Maybe she’d have to see Eli Hunt in passing, but she’d never thought he’d have any use for her store.

  Leanne laughed. “A day? More like a couple of weeks.”

  Fourteen days.

  Adeline felt the blood drain from her face, but no one else seemed to notice.

  Leanne placed the third box of chocolates onto the counter. “Will you give this one to Eli? We have to run, wedding plans and all that.” She took the bag that held the other two boxes.

  “How are those coming?” Adeline asked.

  Neither Isaac nor Leanne answered, both sharing a look that was difficult to interpret. Adeline suddenly feared for the couple.

  “You are still getting married, right?”

  “Oh, we are definitely getting married,” they said simultaneously. And from the secret smiles they both shared at that moment, there was no doubt that the two were madly in love.

  “The thing is,” Isaac said, “I was hoping for something a little smaller—just close family and friends, you know.”

  “So, the entir
e town,” Adeline said with a smirk.

  “Yeah. Exactly. But Leanne wants to get married…like actually married…as they are shooting a wedding scene for the movie.”

  Adeline glanced between the two. “Whoa. Seriously?”

  Isaac continued. “Apparently, the main dude crashes a wedding of people he doesn’t even know. And that would be us. After we say ‘I do,’ Eli Hunt would come barreling in, looking for his girlfriend. And then instead of us making out up there and making everyone uncomfortable, everyone’s attention, including ours, would have to be on Eli, because we’re still shooting for the movie, right?”

  “I keep telling him that we can cut right after Eli comes in, do the rest of our wedding, and then continue with the filming the next day,” Leanne said. “I mean, we’re going to have to do multiple takes anyway; just the first one would be our real wedding. And Eli already said he’s cool with it. In fact, he said that one of the crew members is an ordained minister and can officiate.”

  They both looked to Adeline, their gazes pressing her to choose a side. She didn’t want to; this should be something they worked out between themselves. “That’s…” She meant to say that it was a cool idea, but that they should figure out all the details before deciding on either choice. Doing the small wedding would probably mean having to wait until shooting was complete. But the movie wedding wouldn’t be as intimate.

  Instead, it came out as, “That’s…interesting.” Adeline usually tried to hide her disdain for anything Hollywood, but this time she didn’t quite manage it.

  “You don’t like the idea?” Leanne asked, looking stunned, and maybe even a little hurt.

  Isaac sported a wide grin.

  “No, I love it. It’s very unique,” Adeline hurriedly said, trying to backpedal. “It just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

  “Oh, come on,” Isaac said, throwing his arms in the air, though he was laughing at the same time. “What is with all you women being starstruck? You’d even go so far as wanting Eli Hunt to crash your wedding.”