A Sky Full of Stars

by Samantha Chase

  Ian ran a hand over his graying hair, his smile still in place. “She came and talked to me first,” he began. “I was sitting on the front steps of my grandparents’ house reading, and she was walking by.” He smiled at the memory. “She stopped on the sidewalk and looked at me and asked what I was reading. It took me a minute to realize she was talking to me.”

  “What were you reading?”

  “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” Ian replied. “I used to love those stories.”

  “I remember you reading them to us when we were kids.”

  “You were the only one who was listening,” his father replied with a quiet laugh. “Quinn and Riley were reading comic books while Aidan and Hugh were arguing over sports.”

  “I used to love hearing you read them,” Owen admitted and then he stopped and thought. “Did Mom like those books? Is that why she came over and talked to you?”

  “I don’t think she liked Sherlock Holmes per se, but she enjoyed reading. She came and sat next to me, and we talked about books.”

  “It’s nice that you had that in common.”

  Ian shook his head. “Not really. We had very different views on books. Your mother was more interested in reading magazines—particularly the entertainment ones or the ones that were for women.” His smile grew. “She told me about all she had learned about makeup and clothes from reading magazines. I thought she was crazy. Beautiful…but crazy. I knew right away we had very little in common.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “We sat on the front porch for hours talking—mainly your mom,” he chuckled, “and her grandmother called for her to come in the house. I knew I had to do something—say something—to guarantee I’d see her again.”

  Owen leaned forward as if he were anxiously awaiting the meaning of life. “And?”

  “And I couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. She sat there smiling at me expectantly, and my mind was blank.”

  Again, Owen knew the feeling. “Well, you must have thought of something because you got married and had six kids,” he stated, hoping to move his father along in the story.

  “She was going to a party with her grandparents. Some sort of retirement party for one of their friends. She told me how much she didn’t want to go—how there weren’t going to be people there her age or that she knew—and she stood up and asked me to go with her.”

  “Wow. She asked you out first?”

  Ian nodded. “In my mind, she wasn’t asking me out on a date. She was asking me to go with her because she didn’t want to be the only young person there.”

  “Did you go?”

  “No.”

  Eyes wide, Owen sat there in stunned silence. “Why? Why wouldn’t you go?”

  “Because pretty girls didn’t ask boys like me out,” he said and then sighed. “At least it had been my experience up to that point. So she waved good-bye and said she’d see me around, and I watched her walk away.”

  “What were you thinking as you watched her?”

  “I thought…there goes…everything.”

  “Wow,” Owen said with a sigh, leaning back against the sofa.

  “Exactly. I felt sick to my stomach. I had laughed more in those few hours than I had in my entire senior year of high school. When she got to the front door of her grandmother’s house, she turned and waved to me again, but her smile was sad. Disappointed. And it made me feel even worse. Actually, I knew exactly how she felt because so many times I had been the one to get turned down. So I knew that sad smile well.”

  “Me too.”

  Ian reached over again and patted his son on the knee. “I’m sorry that you do. I know we all experience rejection, but for men like us who already lack confidence, it’s pretty devastating. I watched all your brothers deal with breakups and heartbreak, but…I never felt like they knew it at the same level that I did.” He shook his head. “Not that I wished it on them—or on you. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. And yet…there I was rejecting a beautiful girl because of my own insecurities.”

  “Did you talk to her the next day?”

  “Nope.”

  Now Owen knew the frustration his siblings felt when their dad told a story because right now, his father was killing him with this snail’s pace. “Dad—”

  “I got up off my duff and walked down the street right then and there,” Ian said with a grin. “She stood there in the doorway watching me—wary at first, and then she began to smile. Oh, she had the most beautiful smile!” He looked at Owen. “Right?”

  Owen agreed.

  “I walked right up to her and asked her to have dinner with me—to skip the party and go out with me instead.”

  “Please tell me she said yes.”

  “She did,” Ian said happily.

  “Wait…but you said you didn’t talk to her the next day.”

  “We couldn’t. Her grandmother grounded her for staying out all night with me, so we had to wait a few days before seeing each other again.”

  “All night? You and Mom stayed out all night? You were eighteen! How could she get grounded?”

  “Your mom was a year younger than me—but not really. She would turn eighteen the following month, but her grandmother was a bit old-fashioned, and it upset her that we stayed out all night. I think she used your mother’s age as an excuse.” Then he laughed. “Your great-grandmother never liked me much—particularly after that. But in the end, it all worked out.”

  “I never knew that about you two.”

  “Who? Me and your mother or me and your great-grandmother?” Ian teased, and when Owen rolled his eyes, he just laughed more. “Anyway, I am thankful every day that I chose to come out of my shell and take a chance. We didn’t get our happily ever after…but what we had during our time together was better than any fairy tale.” His voice became thick with emotion. “I sit here and watch all you kids finding your ways, finding your forever people, and it makes me so happy. You may think I’m crazy, but I talk to your mom about all of you all the time.”

  Tears stung Owen’s eyes. “You do?”

  “Absolutely. I know it probably seems crazy—after all, it’s not like she’s going to answer me—but it makes me feel good to talk to Lillian about how her kids are doing.” He turned his head away for a moment and then looked at Owen, his expression serious. “You were the one we worried about the most.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re like me.”

  “I think it’s my greatest trait,” Owen said, meaning it. “You’re the best man I know, Dad. I only hope someday I’m half the man you are.”

  “Son, you are more than twice the man I am,” Ian countered. “You’re brilliant and successful in your career, and you don’t shy away from things that make you uncomfortable.”

  What? Was he serious? “Dad…yes, I do. All the time! It’s why I’m here right now—because I’m hiding out!” Owen stood and paced the room, stepping around the pile of toys. “I may be willing to take on things with my job that I don’t love or that take me out of my comfort zone, but in my personal life? I’m a coward.”

  Ian studied his youngest son for a moment and then stood. “I’m thirsty. You want a beer?”

  The only time Owen drank beer was when he was home with his family. He followed Ian to the kitchen. “Sure.”

  Taking his time, Ian pulled out two bottles, opened them, and handed one to his son. Then he took a long pull of his before he spoke again. “What are you afraid of?”

  “You mean in general or with women specifically?”

  Ian leveled him with a glare.

  “Dad… She’s… Brooke is—”

  And right then Ian held up a hand to stop him. “She brings light into your world. She makes you smile and makes you stop taking yourself so seriously. She challenges you, and you see the world differently when you�
�re with her.”

  Owen nodded. “How did you know?”

  “Because that’s what your mother did for me.” He placed his beer down on the kitchen counter. “Every relationship comes with challenges, Owen. No two people are alike, and really, you shouldn’t be. When you’re with the right person, you make each other better. You…you enhance one another. Does that make sense?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Owen, look at our family. I mean look at the dynamics of all the relationships. I was shy; your mother was outgoing. Aidan hated changes of any kind, while Zoe’s entire life was about making changes. Quinn was a bit of a charismatic womanizer, while Anna was a homebody. Riley could charm the entire world except for Savannah. And your brother Hugh was the worst. That boy was so steeped in the routines he’d set up for himself that he had no idea how to handle someone like Aubrey! The yin and yang. The balance.”

  “You’ve seen Brooke, Dad. I mean…look at her. And then look at me. Are you honestly saying you see us working?”

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  Ugh. Why did he keep setting himself up for these conversations? “Dad, I’m a fairly nerdy guy. She used to compete in beauty pageants.”

  “Wow,” Ian murmured, reaching for his beer. Then he turned to walk out of the room.

  “Wow,” Owen repeated. “What do you mean…wow?”

  “I mean when did you become such a snob?”

  Owen’s eyes went wide. “Snob? I’m not… I’ve never… Why would you even say that?”

  “Because that’s exactly what you’re being! A snob! All those years you complained about people judging you by how you looked or how you talked or the subjects you studied, and yet here you are doing the exact same thing to Brooke.” He paused and took a drink. “I’m a little disappointed in you.”

  “I’m not—”

  “You are!” Ian cried out with exasperation. “You think because Brooke is a beautiful woman, she can’t be genuinely interested in you! What do looks have to do with it?”

  “I told you about her life…about her brother… Don’t you get it?”

  “I do, Owen. I think you’re the one who doesn’t. And for such a smart man, that makes you foolish.”

  “Hey!” Hadn’t Riley said something similar just days before?

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Ian snapped. “Hey!” And then he turned and walked from the room.

  “So what am I supposed to do?” Owen yelled after him. “Am I supposed to just pretend that I’m not concerned? Just…just forget what I know? I can’t do that!”

  Ian turned and looked at him. “You’re supposed to believe in yourself! For crying out loud, Owen, we’ve been telling you that for your entire life! The only one doubting you is you!”

  It was a tense and quiet few minutes as they both made their way back to the sofa to sit down. Owen’s mind was reeling. He was tired—exhausted really. His father—hell, everyone—was right. The only one with a problem with him…was him.

  And he had thrown away his…everything.

  When he looked over at his father, he saw him going through the box of toys again.

  “How do I get her back?” he asked quietly.

  Ian turned his head and looked at Owen, his smile growing. He reached into the box and pulled out one last thing. “I think this would probably do the trick to give you the confidence you need.”

  It was Superman’s cape.

  * * *

  Brooke stared at the reminder on her phone.

  Leave for Red Rock.

  Yeah, that was supposed to be the plan. Her airfare had already been paid for, as well as a three-night hotel stay. All of it was going to waste.

  Dammit.

  The alert was telling her that her flight was in six hours. She wished she had thought to go through her phone and cancel everything on her calendar about this trip. It was hard enough dealing with her breakup with Owen—she didn’t need her phone rubbing it in.

  Brooke sat on the bed, leaned against the pillows, and sighed. How the hell had things gone so wrong? It didn’t matter how many times she replayed her argument with Owen over and over in her head, she still couldn’t believe he could doubt her feelings for him.

  And surprisingly, he never came out and told her how he felt either.

  She had told him she loved him—and it hadn’t changed anything. Granted, she’d done it while screaming at him in the middle of an argument, but…still. For what it was worth, Brooke was glad she’d said it.

  Even if it was in anger.

  “Why would you even think someone as good as Owen would want you?” she muttered to herself. “There’s no way to shake this stupid perception people have of you, no matter what you do.”

  Her phone rang, and for a second, she thought it was Owen calling to tell her he was sorry and beg her forgiveness. She quickly reached over and grabbed the phone.

  Darcy.

  The last thing she wanted right now was to talk to any member of the Shaughnessy family, but she knew how persistent Darcy could be—she would only keep calling. Better to get it over with now.

  “Hey, Darcy!” she said, forcing the cheeriness into her tone.

  “Oh my God! Where are you? Is he okay?”

  “Um…what?” Brooke asked, instantly concerned.

  “Owen!” Darcy cried. “I swear I can’t get anyone on the line. I had a lousy connection with my dad, and none of my brothers are answering. Dad said Owen was sick at the hotel. Is he okay? Have you taken him to the doctor?”

  “I—”

  “I know he’s stubborn—it’s always the quiet ones, you know?—but tell him he has to go to the doctor. Especially with this big meteor shower thing going on.”

  “Darcy, I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not with Owen.”

  “You’re not?” Darcy asked, her tone going up in surprise.

  “Uh…no. I don’t even know where he is.”

  “He’s in Nevada. Dad said he left yesterday. I just assumed you’d be with him. Have you talked to him?”

  “Not in a few days,” Brooke said quietly, although her heart was racing. Owen was sick and alone? What was he doing in Nevada already? They were supposed to fly out today! The obvious answer was that he’d changed his flight, but it didn’t explain why he’d left earlier than he’d scheduled.

  “Are you guys okay? Did you have a fight?”

  Brooke sighed. This was definitely not a conversation she wanted to have. With anyone. “We broke up.”

  “Shut. Up.”

  That almost made her smile. “It’s the truth. Unfortunately.”

  “Wow… I’m sorry. Was it because he’s weird? It’s okay, you can tell me. We all think it at one time or another. Owen’s very intense and scary smart, and sometimes it comes off as weird.”

  “No!” Brooke cried, suddenly angry that a member of his own family would describe him that way. “He’s not weird! He’s never been weird! He’s brilliant and sweet and kind and…I love his intensity and the way his mind works! His intellect challenges me, and I hate how no one else seems to get that about him!” Then she muttered a curse and forced herself to calm down.

  “Damn, Brooke. Relax. I wasn’t saying it like it was a bad thing,” Darcy said. “So…if you think he’s so awesome, why’d you break up?”

  She gave Darcy the abbreviated version of their fight. “The thing is, just like you and everyone else will always look at Owen and think he’s a little weird, people are always going to look at me and think mean girl. I hate it. I hate it as much as he hates the label that’s stuck on him. But I can’t force him to see me differently. I can’t do anything more than I already have to prove I’m not that girl anymore or that I don’t see him as some sort of project.”

  “I know exactly how you feel.”

 
“You do?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  This was new information to Brooke. Not that she knew a whole lot about Darcy Shaughnessy, but everything she’d heard had been about how she was intimidating to her brothers, not to anyone else.

  “I know everyone teases me about being small and scary,” she began with a laugh. “But that’s just because I was the only girl in a houseful of men. I used to think it was fun getting bossy with them and saying things to freak them out to get my way. I guess I didn’t realize I was doing it at school and with my friends too.”

  “It sort of takes on a life of its own,” Brooke said.

  “Exactly! Anyway, part of the reason I wanted to go to school out of state when I graduated was because…well…I wanted a clean slate. I wanted to go someplace where nobody knew me. Where I wasn’t one of the Shaughnessys or where people didn’t know I had five older brothers or that I had a big mouth.”

  “Darce, to be fair, everyone’s kind of a jerk in high school—”

  “It didn’t matter. I was mean to a lot of people. I would use the threat of my brothers to get my way with people, while at home I was pushing them all away for always being in my business.” She paused for a moment. “So besides being a mean girl in school, I was a complete brat at home.”

  “Oh yeah…been there. Done that. Except without the five older brothers. But I was horrible to Neal just the same. You at least still have all your brothers and they didn’t take your actions to heart. I’ll never…” She couldn’t finish the statement. It didn’t matter how much time had gone by, the pain was never going to lessen.

  “Hey,” Darcy said softly, “I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling. I know I’m lucky my brothers all care and that they love me but…the thing is…I’m not very close with any of them either. We all joke and laugh, and we’re happy when we’re together, but…I’m still an outcast in a lot of ways.”

  “It’s probably because you’re so much younger.”

  “That has a lot to do with it, but at the same time…I haven’t got anything in common with them. It kind of sucks.”