Breaking Stars

by J. Sterling

  “You don’t look like you’re having a breakdown. But I did hear about what that boy did to you. I’m so sorry for that.” She reached out and squeezed my hand before pulling away.

  My heart pounded and I swallowed hard. “Thanks. It’s okay.”

  “It’s not okay,” she said. “That sort of behavior is never okay. And from what I’ve seen of you, you don’t seem like the type of girl to deserve it. Not that any girl deserves that sort of thing, I reckon.”

  I looked away, fighting to keep my eyes from watering. “Yeah, well, this isn’t even really about Colin. It’s about…” I paused, shaking my head from side to side as my breaths came out in a rush. “It’s about everything else.”

  “I can’t imagine what it must be like for you.” Her tone conveyed a sort of compassion that I rarely heard when people talked about me.

  “I don’t want to complain, because I know I have an amazing life and I get to do things that most people only dream about.” I was over-explaining, but I couldn’t stop myself. Mrs. Montgomery was so warm and understanding, she reminded me of my mom, and I found myself opening up. “But sometimes things just aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. You know?”

  “I can’t say that I do. At least, not from your perspective.”

  I stopped myself from laughing at her blunt honesty. I’d been so used to people constantly agreeing with everything I said and saying the things they thought I wanted to hear, that her words were refreshing, to say the least.

  “I just wanted to do something normal, and everyone in my life told me that I couldn’t.”

  She glanced around at her surroundings as if seeing them for the first time. “Well, hon, this town right here is about as normal as you’re gonna get. And I can’t imagine what it would be like to be told what you can and can’t do all the time.”

  “Like I said, Mrs. Montgomery, I really don’t want to complain. Thank you for listening. And for letting me stay here.” I’d already felt more at home and peace than I had since the news of Colin’s cheating broke, but I wasn’t ready to give my whole story to someone who could sell it in two seconds if the opportunity presented itself.

  “It’s no trouble, dear. No trouble at all. But I’m here if you need to talk about anything. Okay?” She smiled and then turned back toward the dough, lifting it and pressing it into a waiting pie plate, then crimping the top edges carefully.

  “Thank you. That means a lot.” Swallowing the rest of my tea, I dabbed the corners of my mouth with my finger, wondering if I could truly trust her or not.

  “Now it’s my turn to ask you for something. If you don’t mind, that is.” Her blue eyes pinned mine, and I couldn’t help but notice they were the same shade of blue as her son’s.

  “Of course not.”

  “Have patience with him. That’s all I ask of you,” she said, then let out a light laugh.

  “Um, okay?” I practically choked on the words as they left my lips. “Your son’s not my biggest fan.”

  “You never know. Lightning could strike.” She grinned and hummed a tune as she put the finishing touches on her pie.

  Confused and unsure how our conversation had turned in this direction, I pushed through the screen door and sat down in one of the rockers on the covered porch. Birds flew through trees I didn’t recognize, and a breeze gently lifted my hair. The air was sticky and humid, but I didn’t mind it as the sun started to set. I found if I listened real hard, I could hear the sound of water splashing in the distance.

  Being here for a couple of days wouldn’t be the worst thing that had ever happened to me. I could definitely handle this.

  I’m Such a Dick

  Tatum

  I took off after showing Paige to her room; I had to get the hell out of there. Being near her, around her, surrounded by her scent and her long legs, it was all too much. My mind refused to think straight in her presence, and my dick completely took over all rational thought. All I could think about was pulling her against me and having my way with her. The pure physical attraction I felt toward the girl was off the freaking charts.

  I wanted to kiss her¸ touch her, and make her moan my name all night long. Why the hell I wanted to do that, I wasn’t quite sure, to be honest. Of course she was gorgeous, but I’d seen gorgeous girls before. It wasn’t just that. Paige exuded a sense of innocence that I wanted to corrupt.

  Shit.

  Why does everything I say always make me sound like such a dick?

  I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I was intrigued by her innocence, a complete sincerity that I would refuse to believe if I hadn’t witnessed it myself. Paige Lockwood’s personality screamed “I’m a good girl,” and that pulled me to her like a moth to a flame. Stupid analogy, but call me a moth.

  I’d pretty much sworn off women after my ex-girlfriend dumped me for dropping out of college and moving back home. At the time she’d broken my heart, and I had stupidly convinced myself that I’d never get over her. It was funny the shit you believed when you were blindsided by love. Or what you thought was love when you were just a kid.

  Looking back, I could see that what Brina and I shared wasn’t real love. At least, not the kind that was worth a shit. I probably would have jumped in front of a train for that girl if she’d asked me to. Good thing it never came to that. My misplaced loyalty sometimes astounded me.

  I drove to the shop and switched out my Chevy for the tow truck, then made my way to Paige’s broken-down car all alone on the highway. I had to admit it was a nice-looking ride, and I wouldn’t mind taking it for a spin when it was fixed. We don’t get too many foreign cars in our town, and I’d never pass up the opportunity to drive one. Maybe I really shouldn’t have acted like such an asshole to her. I’m betting she’d never let me drive it now.

  Hitching the front of the car to the rig, I lifted the front end and made sure it was securely fastened to the truck before I cautiously towed it back into town. After pulling into the garage, lowering the car to the floor, and detaching the equipment, I started to close the shop’s garage door.

  “Hey, Tatum. Nice car,” Brina’s voice called out from behind me. I turned around to see her and her best friend, Celeste, stopped in the middle of the street, watching me.

  I shrugged. “Thanks. It’s not mine. Obviously,” I added for emphasis. Brina had expected that my football scholarship would lead to big things for me…for us. And when it didn’t, she was quick to opt out of our so-called relationship. I kissed my scholarship, college degree, and girlfriend good-bye all in the same week. It had been a really shitty week.

  “That’s too bad. So, whose is it? No one I know has a BMW,” she asked, prying for information that was none of her business.

  Little did she know that the last thing I planned on telling big-mouthed Brina was that Paige Lockwood’s car broke down and she was staying at my house. That news would spread like wildfire, and the whole town would show up on Mama’s front porch by dinner.

  “Just a tourist. Got a flat,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant so she’d take the hint and go away.

  “That’s not exciting at all.” She pouted, tucking her hair behind her ear, and I wished she could see me rolling my eyes from where she was.

  “I gotta go. ’Bye, Celeste.” I purposely didn’t say Brina’s name, silently wishing she’d leave this town—and me—behind already. But I’d always liked Celeste. After Brina dumped me and shattered my heart, my pride, and my ego, Celeste had always been the one to say that I could do better, that Brina didn’t deserve me. I’d always appreciated that, even if I never believed her.

  “’Bye, Tatum.” Celeste smiled before whispering something to Brina, who then emphatically shook her head. “Coming to the kegger tomorrow night?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t think so.”

  “Tatum, you have to join the land of the living sometime,” Celeste complained, her bright red hair blowing in the breeze as she and Brina climbed into her car.

  She was
right, but my thoughts instantly went to Paige. I didn’t want to leave her alone, and I sure as shit didn’t want to bring her to something like that. I tried to imagine a Hollywood actress sitting on the tailgate of my truck while people blew shit up and acted like idiots.

  Celeste leaned outside her open window. “Just think about it. Please. It will be fun. Like old times,” she said before she revved her engine.

  Old times were exactly the problem. I didn’t get excited to hang out with everyone who never found their way out of this town. It used to be the thing to do when we were in high school, but high school was a long time ago. And I was over it.

  “We’ll see,” I said noncommittally and they drove off, their hands waving good-bye in the air above the open Jeep Wrangler, its soft top stowed for the summer.

  Locking the large garage door, I walked into the office and turned on the computer. I had to wait ages for it to start up and connect to the Internet, something I’d grown used to doing when it came to anything in my hometown. Life was slower-paced here, but I wasn’t in any rush.

  Paige’s long tanned legs, brown hair, and her bright blue eyes filled my thoughts as my pants grew tight. I shifted in my seat, forcing my thoughts to her blown-to-bits tire sitting in my garage to calm myself down. Scanning my tire contact’s information, I shot him an e-mail telling him what I needed so he’d get the request first thing in the morning.

  Then I scanned the entertainment headlines, searching for any recent news on Paige. I wasn’t sure what the hell had gotten into me, but even as that thought crossed my mind, I continued to search for any information on her. Typing her name into the search bar, I pressed Enter.

  Numerous reports of her leaving town showed up immediately, including a press release and an official statement from her management team. I found a few articles on her dipshit ex-boyfriend, Colin, and his feeble attempt at saying it all was a misunderstanding and there was no wrongdoing on his part. The reporter asked if he’d talked to Paige, and he said they were “working things out.” Not only did I find that hard to believe, but I found myself getting pissed off at the very notion of it. This guy didn’t deserve her, that much I knew, and as long as I was around, there would be no working it out between them.

  I smacked my palm against my head. What was I thinking? What the hell did I care? I didn’t know this girl. All I knew was that she was seriously hot and I liked looking at her. Irritated, I switched off the computer without another glance and stormed out of the office, locking it all up behind me as I left. My stomach growled, and I prayed I hadn’t missed supper completely. I hopped into my truck and headed toward home.

  Where Paige was.

  Paige.

  Damn it, I needed to stop thinking about her, stop thinking about anything that had to do with her. She’d be gone soon, and the last thing I needed was to get all caught up in someone who had no intention of staying, much less a freaking actress from California.

  Reaching Out

  Paige

  After dinner, Tatum’s mom insisted on cleaning up, explaining that was how a bed and breakfast worked. She wouldn’t let me help with anything. Tatum had shown up during the middle of our meal, his mood even worse than before, if that was possible. His mom offered to fix him a plate, but he rudely waved her off without even a glance in our direction and did it himself.

  When he took the seat farthest away from me at the table, I suddenly wondered where his dad was and why they didn’t come in from the shop together. When I asked, the table grew silent except for the clang of Mrs. Montgomery’s fork as she dropped it onto her plate. Tatum’s jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists, and I wondered what I’d said wrong.

  As Tatum’s face paled, his mom reached for her dropped fork. “Tatum’s daddy died a few years back.”

  Drawing deep on my acting skills to hide my shock, I offered a meek apology. Tatum jumped up and stormed away from the table, then dropped his dishes into the sink with a crash before he rushed outside. The screen door slammed behind him, and the sound of his boots stomping back and forth as he paced across the wood-planked front porch drifted through the open windows.

  “I’m so sorry,” I offered again.

  Mrs. Montgomery leaned forward and whispered, “Not you, it’s him, remember?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, not truly believing her words. “Do you think I should try to talk to him?”

  “It’s worth a shot,” she said, giving me a sad smile.

  I rose from the table slowly, unsure of how to handle this situation or him. The screen door squeaked as I pushed through it. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed his silhouette as he sat on a porch step, his head in his hands.

  “Tatum,” I said softly, trying not to scare him off.

  “Go away.”

  His sharp tone and rejection cut straight through me. I lowered my head and reached back for the door. Before stepping inside, I turned in his direction and said, “I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I didn’t know. It must be really hard, and I bet you miss him a lot.”

  Without waiting for a response, I headed back inside and down the hall toward my room. Regret filled me as I realized that no matter what I did, it seemed like I couldn’t do right by Tatum. An internal battled waged in my head about whether it was all my fault. I wanted to yell at myself and determine why I cared so much, but I knew the answer. Simply put, I was that kind of person. I cared about others, no matter who they were or where they came from. I didn’t find joy in causing others pain, and my curiosity had hurt Tatum.

  After getting ready for bed and changing into my pajamas, I plopped onto the top of the bed and let my mind drift for a while. Realizing that I didn’t have to wake up early the next morning and drive, I almost felt panicked. I couldn’t remember the last time I had no plans or obligations.

  I fought the urge to call Quinn or my mom, not really understanding why I was fighting it to begin with. Maybe I should send them a quick e-mail?

  “Mrs. Montgomery?” I opened my bedroom door and yelled toward the kitchen.

  “Call me Emily, Paige. Really.”

  “I can’t do it,” I yelled again and she laughed.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you have a computer I can borrow? I’d like to send my mom and best friend an e-mail letting them know I’m okay.” I suddenly wished I’d brought my own laptop, but not being able to get online whenever I wanted was a blessing. Having no readily available Internet access meant that I didn’t have to avoid looking at all the gossip sites and reading about my life as if I weren’t the one living it. I knew for a fact that I didn’t want to see what was currently being said about me.

  She popped her head around the corner, curiosity alight on her face. “Not using your cell phone?”

  “I don’t want to be tracked, and I can’t trust that my agent wouldn’t do exactly that. I’d really hate for them to show up when I just got here.”

  Mrs. Montgomery shook her head. “Your life is so crazy, I can’t even imagine. The computer’s in the back house with Tatum. Go on and head back there.”

  I leaned back in surprise. “Tatum lives back there?”

  “Oh dear, I thought you knew.”

  “Maybe I’ll just use it tomorrow after he leaves for work.” The idea of seeing Tatum again after I’d just upset him didn’t appeal to me. “I’m sure I’m the last person he wants to see right now,” I mumbled, knowing that I couldn’t bear to face him again after he’d just told me to go away.

  His mom shook her head. “Don’t be silly. Go on back there. I’m sorry about his behavior earlier. Losing his daddy hit him real hard.” She tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It hit us both hard.”

  “I’m really sorry for bringing that up. I feel so bad.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn’t know.”

  Still not sure this was the best idea, I pushed myself off the bed and made my way to the converted barn behind the main house. Knocking on the
front door, I waited nervously for Tatum to open it. When he did, he stood silently in the doorway, shirtless, his hair wet, and I had to force my jaw to stay closed. Good Lord, this man’s body could cause drool fests worldwide. Tatum Montgomery was a fine specimen of a man, and despite his unfriendliness and gruff personality, he made me all hot and bothered.

  When I realized that I was staring instead of speaking, I looked up at his eyes, feeling the heat in my cheeks rise. “Your mom said I could use the computer, but I can come back tomorrow when you’re gone if you don’t want me around.” I had turned to walk away when a strong hand gripped my wrist and pulled me inside.

  “Come in,” Tatum said, his voice sounding defeated.

  I glanced down at where his hand held mine before tugging out of his grip. Part of me didn’t want to break the contact, my skin tingling at his touch. I figured I’d probably let him lead me around town like that all day if he wanted to. Apparently I turned stupid when it came to good-looking men. Colin had already proved that. I sighed to myself and walked through the door he held open.

  Once inside, I glanced around, amazed at how a barn could be converted into a guest house. It was adorable, with two bedrooms you could see from the living room, a bathroom, and a full-sized kitchen area. It was perfect.

  “You live here?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

  He nodded and led me toward a large desk near a window. “The password and stuff is here,” he said, pointing at the sticky note stuck to the top of the monitor. “If you need anything, just holler.”

  “Thank you,” I said before clicking the power button on and logging in. I wanted to e-mail my family and Quinn, but I didn’t want to see all the e-mails directed toward me. I hadn’t checked my voice mail or anything since I left that day; I’d gone on complete radio silence. And as much as I loved the idea of being cut off from everyone, I knew that eventually I’d have to pick up all the pieces I’d left scattered behind. I briefly wondered if this would be worth all the trouble in the end.