How a Star Shines
A Pop Stars Romantic Comedy Book 2
Rachael Eliker
Blue Lily Publishers
Copyright © 2018 Rachael Eliker
Blue Lily Publishers
Cover Art by Victorine Lieske
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (recording, photocopying, mechanical, electronic, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the copyright owner. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law.
ISBN: 978-1-949876-02-4 (e-book)
ISBN: 978-1-949876-03-1 (print)
How a Star Shines
from the back cover
Superstar Kiki has it all…except someone to love.
Kiki Loveless is the queen of pop music and has done it all on her own, without a man’s help. So, when her record label hires a bodyguard, she’s determined to protect her independence by driving him away. She soon realizes that might be a challenge since her new bodyguard is Josh Coleman, a hunky former classmate who’s surprisingly persistent.
As much as she wants to hate having him around, she can’t. He helps navigate cringeworthy paparazzi photos, handle vain male co-stars, and hold back rabid crowds who would do anything to have a piece of Kiki.
When Kiki’s ex shows up, he makes it clear he’d love nothing more than to see Kiki fail—even if it means dragging Josh down, too. With so much at stake, Kiki must decide if keeping her spot at the top of the pop charts is more important than risking it all on love.
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Contents
How a Star Shines
Stay in Touch
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Thank You
About Rachael
Also by Rachael Eliker
Thank you, Jack, for always looking out for me and encouraging me to rock on in my own quiet way.
Chapter One
There’s no way to adequately describe the pleasant surge of adrenaline that pushed through my veins after each and every successful performance. As I rolled my drumsticks on the cymbals in the final climax for Ruby’s last song, I felt energized. I loved playing the drums—the way they could create an irresistible beat that people couldn’t help but sway to made me feel powerful. Plus, it was the perfect way to burn off the pre-show jitters and calm my quivering nerves before stepping into the spotlight. Hearing the roar of the crowd in return was just a bonus. Sure, they were clapping and cheering mostly for Ruby, but it only took a moment for me to make my way to the stage, tossing off my wig and doing a wardrobe change in the blink of an eye. When the crowd realized it was me—Kiki Loveless, star of the concert—they really went wild.
I walked through a wispy cloud of gray smoke that had accumulated from the fireworks that had been shot off and threw my wig and drumsticks offstage where the interns scrambled after them. One of the backup dancers tore off my simple black shift dress, leaving me with a black miniskirt and a shimmering purple top. I welcomed the breeze across my skin. Though only the sun’s rays were still clinging to the skyline above the outdoor arena, it had done little to temper the humid August weather in Florida. A shower was the first thing on my list to do when I closed up our final summer tour stop.
Two steps from the bottom, a microphone was thrust into my hands, and I took my position, striking a dramatic pose as a spotlight beamed down on me from above.
“Not so fast Ruby Hawkins!” I said into my microphone.
I was already panting slightly, and the familiar trickle of sweat dripped down between my shoulder blades. I had to resist shuddering. As uncomfortable, hot, and exhausting as a concert could be, the whole experience was oddly addicting. When the audience recognized it was me, the noise in the stadium doubled. Ruby was my opener and had really blossomed since I’d kicked down the door for her at Harper Music. I’d brought her to their attention by making a video of me lip-synching a song she’d written, and since I was pretty insistent on choosing her, I made a big deal about it. After all the money I’d made Harper Music, I had the right to be picky about some things.
My first choice, Monica Best, had left me high and dry when she’d had an episode involving her boyfriend and a burning car, and had since fallen off the face of the earth. Sure, Ruby had been my second choice, but I’d been immensely pleased with what she’d brought to each of our concerts. Sometimes, that meant a good laugh afterward in one of our dressing rooms. To say she was downright awkward and clumsy—especially in a pair of heels—could qualify as the understatement of the century.
I gracefully strode near the center of the stage next to where Ruby stood, and the faintest hint of amusement curved her lips, even though she was supposed to be glaring at me. It was all an act, of course, to set the tone for our duet before she exited, and I performed the main chunk of the concert. One of the male backup dancers flipped and twirled his way between us so we could use him as a prop. Our duet was about a love triangle between two fierce women and had been produced specifically for this tour. Of all Ruby’s musical abilities, she really had a gift for songwriting. She’d helped write the song, and fans had eaten up the dramatic, fun start to my set. Ruby linked arms with the dancer and started sashaying away with Raoul. Or was it Ricardo? I probably should have made a better effort at remembering his name since he’d been my date to a charity event a couple weeks ago. I tried but there were just so many names to remember.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I said, pulling the microphone close to my lips.
Ruby responded with an intense stare, momentarily crossing her eyes to try and get me to laugh. It’d almost worked the first time she’d pulled the trick in our stop at Atlanta, but I’d since prepared myself for her antics. I grit my teeth together and got into character.
“We’re gonna go have some fun,” Ruby answered.
“Fun?” I scoffed. “If that’s what he’s looking for, he’d better come with me.”
We launched into our duet, harmonizing perfectly, tugging Raoul back and forth as we danced, and relished the enthusiasm from the crowd. At the very end, Raoul disappeared through a trap door and we were both left empty-handed. Ruby and I held our poses momentarily before the lights darkened and Ruby slipped out of sight, and I finished up the evening.
Everything that night went off without a hitch, and that’s the way I preferred my concert
s. Wardrobe had created killer outfits that told their own story, the fireworks were right on cue, and the crowd was begging for more by the time I blew them a kiss and waved goodbye, then sank from view through the same trap door Raoul had used.
“Here you go, Ms. Loveless,” said one of the interns, opening a bottle of chilled spring water and handing me a clean towel to wipe my face with. “You were spectacular, as usual.”
“Do you all have to tell me that?” I asked point blank.
The cute blonde blinked a couple of times, struggling to figure out what to say, so I flashed her a quick smile before taking a swig of water.
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a little praise but honestly, every intern says the same thing. Like Mandy scripted it out for you or something.”
“Mr. Drake’s assistant?” the intern stammered.
“Yeah. Did she tell you that you have to say that to me?”
The intern’s face grew red, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. She didn’t know how to answer honestly without appearing ingenuine.
Swatting my hand in the air; I excused her. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not oblivious to people kissing up to me. Next time, go for authenticity. It’s all the rage nowadays.”
“I really am in awe of your stage presence,” the intern said softly.
I tipped my water bottle at her. “Now that I believe.”
I strolled away, taking another sip and letting the water slowly slide down my throat. I gave the gift of my smile and the occasional kiss on the cheek. Everyone I passed congratulated me on a job well done. I was the reason for them having a job, after all.
I caught sight of a middle-aged man with wavy, dark blond hair and a big camera on his shoulder, hovering close by. He’d been following the tour around at the last few stops so Harper Music could make a music video from the footage. Though all I wanted to do was crawl into a shower and let the sweat and makeup melt off of me, I still had to put on a performance, even backstage. Despite the tension headache that felt like it was threatening to implode my skull, I smiled and laughed and flirted as he followed me through the bustling stage crew and backup dancers.
I saw Harrison, the wardrobe intern scurry past, carrying an armful of my discarded outfits. He, most of all, was probably thrilled to be done with the tour. He’d spend countless hours fitting Ruby and me and our dancers into our outfits, hand stitching on loose buttons or sewing on lost sequins or fixing torn hemlines, then dry cleaning them after each concert. He did all that on top of running each mundane errand that was asked of him. He really did have a heart of gold. Reaching over to hug him, he had to bend his tall, lanky body over to my slightly-less-than-average height so I could wrap an arm around his neck.
“Thanks for fixing that seam on the red dress,” I said loudly, so it’d be picked up on the camera. Who knew if Mr. Drake, CEO of Harper Music, was also going to try and milk the footage for a documentary, too. “It was so much easier to perform in. I didn’t snag it once on my heels.”
Harrison blushed slightly—mostly reddening his ears. “Glad to hear. I’ll be sure to let wardrobe know that worked for you.”
“See you at the party back in New York then?”
He nodded. “Does Ruby know?”
I smiled sinisterly and put a finger to my lips to silence him. “She hasn’t got a clue.”
Harrison returned my grin with one of his own. “I love a good surprise.”
I spotted Raoul and went to thank him for being a good sport for Ruby and me. Tapping him on the shoulder, he turned around.
“Thanks so much for your help, Raoul,” I said, holding my arms out wide to give him a hug. “You’ve been fantastic this entire concert tour.”
“Ramiro.”
I cocked my head to the side, confused. “Excuse me?”
“My name. It’s not Raoul, it’s Ramiro.”
A blush spread across my face, but I forced my embarrassment back with a deep breath and a winning smile. “That’s right. I forget names sometimes. It’s like my brain has been fried in this heat.”
Ramiro looked hard, his dark eyes nearly boring holes through me. Putting his hands on his lean hips, he said, “I could understand you forgetting an intern who’s only around for six weeks at a time and who are told not to speak unless they’re spoken to, but I’ve been one of your dancers for the past three years. Three years. You’d think by now, you’d remember my name.”
His insolence took me aback. I huffed at him. “Excuse me for making a mistake, Ramiro”
“You even asked me to go as your plus one to that charity event! What, you needed someone to go with that would make you look good in the tabloids?”
“No. It’s just, sometimes, I’ve got a lot on my plate,” I snapped.
“Sure,” he scoffed. “It’s so difficult, what you do. Shake yourself on stage while lip-synching some forgettable autotuned song for a bunch of fickle teenage girls. It practically takes up as much brain space as rocket science, doesn’t it?”
My mouth fell open, and I felt my nails cutting into my palms as I balled them up into fists. “Did you forget who you’re talking to? Nobody speaks to me like that.”
“That’s what you think,” Ramiro said viciously. “It’s just because they all do it behind your back.”
My eyes jumped around the crowd of people that were standing nearby, pretending they weren’t listening but practically tripping over themselves to hear Ramiro give me a piece of his mind. They all looked away when our gazes met, and my stomach did a sickening flop in my gut. What Ramiro had said must’ve been rooted in at least some sort of truth. Since when had I become so loathed? I noticed the cameraman adjusting his focus and shooing people out of his line of sight. I groaned internally. This was going to be a mess to clean up if it was leaked.
“Since that’s how you feel, and it’s obvious you aren’t committed to this tour, you’re fired, Ramiro,” I declared with finality, lifting my chin so I could look down my most at him.
Ramiro shrugged. “Can’t fire someone who’s already quit. Good luck finding a dancer to work for you who’s half as good as me.”
Without another word, he strolled past, giving a high five to someone further down the hall as he left. In stunned silence, I swallowed, but my mouth was dry. I tried laughing for the camera, but it came out with not even an ounce of humor behind it.
“Turn it off,” I said softly to the cameraman.
“Mr. Drake told me not to stop filming—”
“I said turn it off!” I shrieked.
The man was twice my size but immediately acquiesced. That’s what I’d come to expect—unquestioned respect. The cameraman turned off the machine and dropped it from his shoulder. I glared at everyone around me: angry at Ramiro for embarrassing me, angry that my post-concert high had been crushed, angry that maybe Ramiro was right.
Rushing toward my dressing room, I hugged my arms around myself and stared at the floor as I marched. Several people asked if I was alright but jumped out of my way as I nearly plowed them over.
Ruby’s dressing room was right next to mine, and I stood in front of it, my hand ready to knock. Inside, I could hear two voices talking and laughing. Collin, her sickeningly handsome, perfect boyfriend had flown in to join her to celebrate the end of our American tour. As much as I wanted her company to rant and verbally rip Ramiro to shreds, at that moment, it even felt like Ruby was betraying me in her happiness. Not many people understood me for who I was as a person—not a famous diva with great pipes and a quirky personality—but just me. Add stardom to the mix and Ruby was one of the few people on earth who knew the burden of fame and was a confidant I could truly trust. A tiny, familiar emptiness bloomed in my core before I could suppress it. Being alone could have its advantages, but at the moment, I was having a difficult time naming any.
I walked across the hall to my dressing room, slammed the door behind me, and threw myself on the couch. For the first time in a long time, I let the tears
come.
Chapter Two
“Where is it that we’re going again?” Ruby asked.
She looked down with her clear blue eyes and studied me, trying to figure out what I was up to. I flashed a quick look to Collin, who walked on the opposite side of her, with his hand in hers. Though my mind was racing through the million different answers I could give her to keep her from guessing what Collin and I had planned, I kept my poker face glued in place.
I adjusted my tote on my shoulder and said simply, “You’ll have to wait and see. That’s what we meant by surprise.”
Stopping dead in her tracks, Ruby put her hands on her waist. “I think the last time you said you had a surprise for me, you tried to get me to drape an anaconda across my shoulders on our concert stop in Seattle.”
Collin stifled a laugh by feigning a cough and clearing his throat. Ruby raised an eyebrow, daring him to make fun of her and her absolute dread of snakes.
“Okay, first off, it was a ball python. Get your snakes right.”
“A minor detail,” Ruby answered. “They’re all the same, disgusting, slithering devils to me.”
“Secondly, how was I supposed to know you’re terrified of snakes?” I asked.
Ruby rolled her eyes and huffed, “Because Kiki, it’s perfectly natural to not want to wrap a slimy animal that could choke me to death in a matter of minutes around my neck.”
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