In the Stars Read online

  I open my eyes when I sense that I am being watched. Josh is now coherent and awake, staring at me from his pillow. He stretches with a groan. “That him?”

  “Yeah. We’re going to meet up at noon. I just, I don’t know, I need to talk to him and get some actual answers. This is getting ridiculous.”

  Josh nods and then says slowly, measuring every word, “Have you ever thought about what kind of a person Drew is to be cheating on his fiancée with you?”

  “What?” His words cut like knives and I sit up in bed. I face Josh and hug my legs. “I’m not cheating on his fiancée with him.”

  I am, actually. I know how betrayed I would feel if my fiancé kissed another girl. Sure, we haven’t slept together, even though I bet Drew would have gone all the way if I’d let him. But we’ve kissed. He’s complimented me and checked me out and all kind of things that a happily monogamous man would not do. And even though I know this bitter fact, it is worse hearing the cold, hard truth from a friend who I admire more than I’ve ever let on.

  “Well, be careful. Men who cheat on their wives will cheat on their girlfriends and so forth. It says something about a person’s character. Dishonesty of any kind will seep into your blood like lead poisoning and destroy your life. Don’t become something you don’t want to become.”

  I try to be angry but I know he’s telling the truth. I climb out of bed and grab a change of clothes from my suitcase. “I’m going to go shower.”

  “Don’t be mad, Charley. You know I’m right,” he calls at my retreating back. I close the door in an attempt to block out the world, crank the shower up as hot as my body will tolerate and climb out of my nightclothes.

  Three hours later I have arrived at Starbucks. I’m wearing jeans and a nice princess-style shirt from Suzy Shier, with my Old Navy windbreaker overtop. I don’t see Drew anywhere and, assuming that he will be late as usual, order a peppermint hot chocolate and a cheese Danish. I have just sat down at a lone table off to the side of the register when Drew walks in. He looks incredible, like the way I’ve always pictured Tom Cruise would look with darker hair. He smiles at the barista and then looks over at me.

  “Charley, my girl!” I stand up to give him a hug, but he leans in too far and gives me a kiss. So much for taking it slow. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

  “I didn’t know what you wanted, so I didn’t order for you,” I apologize. I actually didn’t order him anything because I don’t have an extra dollar to my name, but I wouldn’t admit that for the life of me. Drew shakes off my excuse and sits down.

  “I don’t need anything. They served a huge luncheon after the rehearsal. Sylvia’s parents know how to throw a party, believe me. Shrimp and crab cakes and all kinds of fancy appetizers that have weird French names. I am stuffed.” He eyes my hot chocolate. “Although, that smells delicious. Mind if I have a sip?” Without waiting for my permission, he reaches over for my drink. Then he leans back into the chair and strokes my ankle with his foot.

  “How was the rehearsal?”

  “Oh, it was fine, but I don’t want to talk about that.” He rolls his eyes and places my hot chocolate back in front of me.

  “Did you talk to your fiancée?”

  “About what? About you? No, no, the time wasn’t right. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I do,” I state firmly. My conversation with Josh this morning has been on my mind. After I got out of the shower he and I talked. Our discussion did nothing to alleviate my guilt so I came up with a little speech, an ultimatum, as it were, to use on Drew. I practiced it over and over, repeated it in the mirror and under my breath as I walked here. I only hope it comes out the way I planned.

  I begin. “Look, I feel as if we are cheating on your fiancée. We need to draw a line. Either we are just friends with no kissing or holding hands and we part ways with a handshake and email each other once a year at Christmas, or you postpone the wedding and give us a shot, see if we are meant to be.”

  Drew appraises me with hooded eyes. “You have always been a passionate little vixen, haven’t you,” he declares. His words are teasing and light as he stares at my face. “That’s one of the reasons I loved you. Everything is black and white, there is never any grey with you.”

  “That’s because what’s right will always be right and wrong will always be wrong,” I say. “People and their actions may sometimes be grey, but there is no middle ground when it comes to morals and human decency.”

  Drew nods his head and reaches for my hand under the table. “You’re right, of course. Here’s how I see it. You and I had a good thing once, why not again. Convince me that I should call off my wedding and I will. So, for today, I am single, I am all yours.”

  “Really?” Single for a day? Am I touched? Offended? He’s giving me a chance. A one-time opportunity to prove that we are meant to be. My hand shakes as I sip the rapidly cooling hot chocolate. The clock is ticking. We have roughly twenty-four hours before his wedding. I have my work cut out for me. I push the nagging sense of guilt down. He’s not unattached and pretending he is won’t make it so, but this is all I got. Take it or leave it and I choose to take it. Reluctantly I nod. “All right.”

  He leans forward and kisses me across the crumbs from my Danish. “Since you agree, let’s make a day of it. There is a gorgeous park not far from here. Why don’t we wander over there, maybe check out the ocean towards evening. I know the perfect place for a little skinny dipping.” He winks at me. “I have a bachelor’s party at nine that my best man is throwing for me, but I know we can get a lot done before then.”

  I wish I didn’t feel so slutty for agreeing to this “single for a day” plan. But, it’s my future at stake. If I don’t show him what he’s missing, he’ll never get up the nerve to ditch his fiancée before the altar.

  I take one last gulp of my barely-warm hot chocolate and we stand. Drew takes my hand in his with our fingers interlocking and we exit the café. I know in my heart that nobody cares, that we are merely another anonymous couple in a busy metropolitan tourist destination, but I still see non-existent accusations of betrayal in people’s eyes as we pass.

  “How’s your blonde friend? She still kicking around?” Drew asks when we stop at a street corner and wait for the light to turn green.

  “Heather? She’s doing great. She’s a model now, full-fledged in pageants and whatnot. I am still roommates with her. She actually told me to tell you hi if I ran into you out here.”

  Drew seems to be stuck on the first part of what I said. “A model, eh? She was pretty smoking hot, wasn’t she? Not surprising that she’s a model now. Does she work for La Senza or something?”

  “Not yet, but I’m sure she’ll make it big someday. She has a lot of drive.”

  He nods and grins at me. “I remember when the three of us went to that concert in the Commonwealth Stadium together. Who was playing, Paul Brandt and Terri Clark?”

  “Kenny Chesney and Terri Clark,” I correct.

  “Yeah, that’s right.” The light turns green and we cross the street. “I got so high that night. And then the cops had that checkpoint set up on the way home. Oh man, they smelled the weed and had us all get out of the car.”

  “I tried to forget about that.”

  “You never used drugs, I remember that.” Drew looks at me as though I have spouted green alien antennae.

  “Nope, I’ve never had a desire to lose control of my body and mind the way so many of our friends did. That night with the police was horrible. I had to beg them to let us off with just a warning. I was so afraid that my mom would find out and jump to conclusions.”

  “Yeah, your mom, she was fun,” Drew chuckles and tucks my hair behind my ear to keep it from blowing in my eyes. “I don’t think she ever liked me much. Didn’t want her brainiac daughter settling for me, did she?”
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br />   “Not true,” I protest. “She was fond of you, and the more she got to know you the more she liked you. You have to admit, though, you didn’t make the best first impression when you came to visit and rear-ended my neighbor’s car.”

  Drew throws his head back and guffaws loudly. “Oh, I thought she was going to have a conniption. But I won her over with the box of chocolates, didn’t I? Bernard Callebaut is the key to women’s forgiveness.”

  “My mom doesn’t eat chocolate,” I giggle, remembering her expression. “She has this strict regime of no chocolate, no caffeine whatsoever. I ended up eating the whole box myself and my mom was still mad at you.”

  “Huh. No wonder all I got for Christmas that year from her was a five-dollar American Eagle clearance shirt,” Drew reflects. “Speaking of driving mishaps, remember how I tried to park in the Dean of Psychology’s parking stall? You were so scared we’d get in trouble.”

  “You were there for about five minutes before she had you towed. And again the next day when you showed up in her spot again. At least she had a good laugh over it when she learned it was you, instead of suspending you or something.”

  Now feeling comfortable and at ease, I have no problem getting lost in nostalgic memories with him. We had some crazy times, there is no denying that. He brought out a side of me that I never dreamed I had. We were wild, adventurous, living on the edge. We did what we wanted, stayed up all night, slept all day and still managed to pull off good grades. Or at least, I did. It’s funny how now, looking back and remembering the dumb things we did, it’s like we are both silly twenty-year-olds again, afraid of nothing, ready to conquer the world.

  We reach the entrance to Beacon Hill Park and I gape at the picturesque view. There are waterfalls and a gorgeous stone bridge, majestic trees that drape their branches down toward the earth. I also spot the cutest totem poles I’ve ever seen and I drag Drew toward them. Finally an excuse to snap a picture with him that I can send to Heather! She’s been waiting so patiently and I definitely owe her something,

  “We have to get a picture with this!” I pull my phone out of my pocket. I unlock the screen and, before I open the camera application, I notice I have two unread text messages. I glance at them quickly before opening my camera app.

  The first is from Heather. Josh told me you KISSED Drew!??! OMG this is HUGE! I need details! You are so going to get the guy! Xoxo PS—Josh isn’t nearly as good at spilling information as you are. I had to PRY everything from him! It was like pulling teeth! Love you!

  Heather would definitely approve of what I’m doing right now. I open the second one, this one from Josh.

  Sorry I lectured you this morning. No hard feelings, ok? Just want you to be happy. I’ll see you tonight when you get in. Maybe we can go find some Chinese food if you’re hungry?

  I don’t think Josh has ever apologized for lecturing me before, especially when he’s clearly in the right. I read it again, puzzled. What’s he playing at, saying he wants me to be happy? Maybe he’s actually coming around and now realizes that Drew and I are soul mates. Perhaps the stars are aligning in our favor.

  Drew takes the phone from me and swivels the screen until he finds the camera. “Stop reading messages and take the bloody picture,” he growls in mock outrage.

  I wrinkle my nose at him and then we squish together in front of the base of the totem pole. Drew holds my phone out at arm’s length, snaps the picture and then hands it to me for my approval. I stare at our huge faces with a tiny bit of colorful totem pole peeking through from behind us. With the exception of our haircuts, we look just like we did five years ago. It’s as if no time has passed.

  Drew puts his arms around me and pulls me in for a kiss. For the first time, I kiss him back without reservation. This is my time. His engagement is on pause. I can do this.

  “Why did you break up with me?” I murmur between kisses. Drew presses his mouth back on mine and hugs me closer. “And please don’t say that I broke up with you because we both know that’s not true.”

  “I was stupid,” he says while his lips press lightly down from my lips all the way to my throat and toward the nape of my neck. “I don’t know how else to answer that.” We both fall silent, caught up in the heat of the moment. My head is spinning and it’s hard to breathe.

  We are inevitable.

  “Do you regret it? Did you think about me much since then? I’ve thought about you a lot. I missed you,” I admit. “I wasn’t able to trust other guys because I was afraid they’d toss me away like you did. I don’t think a single day has gone by when I haven’t thought of you, at least in passing.”

  My breathing is short and I don’t want to pause our passion, but I have to know. It’s scary to voice my feelings. I wish I could read his mind right now like Spock in Star Trek by placing my hand on his head and knowing exactly what is going on.

  “Wow, well, geez, Charley, I missed you too, sure I did. I can’t, you know, say it as good as you can, that’s all.”

  “Did you love me?” Five years ago he had told me a few times, had said those magic words that make a woman feel like a queen. Once it was when we were studying together and everything was quiet, and out of nowhere he had looked up and said it, his green eyes locked with mine. But then, three weeks later we were over and he was out of my life. Now, after years of second guessing, I really need to hear it again.

  “I know you’re figuring everything out right now and whatnot. I’m not asking if you still love me today because it’s been a long time. Feelings are never immediate. But looking back, did you honestly love me back when we were together?”

  Drew’s face softens and he places his hands on my shoulders. “Charley, I can sincerely say that I loved you then and part of me has never stopped loving you to this day.” He seals his sentiment with a brief kiss.

  He loves me.

  He sounds sincere. I nod and as if on cue and being led by some invisible hand of providence, we turn and walk toward the stone bridge. I loop my arm through his and it is a serendipitous moment. Cool air, children playing on a nearby playground, laughter floating on the breeze. Nothing could ruin this moment, when out of nowhere, a shrill voice behind us shrieks.

  “Oh my God, Drew? Drew Adams? It is you! But who the hell is she?”

  Moment officially ruined.

  A filthy mouth will not utter decent language.

  —Chinese Proverb

  Chapter Seventeen

  Drew and I spin around. His reaction is standard panic mode. He drops my arm like it has turned into a poisonous serpent, straightens his shirt, tucks at his pants, shoves a hand in his front pocket and plasters a cool, “who me?” expression on his face. I have no idea what to do or who these women are. I place my hands in my windbreaker pockets and step to the right, away from Drew, whose current body language is screaming at me to back off.

  Three girls about my age storm toward us. One is tall and thin with ebony skin and hair smoothed against her head with hundreds of tiny cornrows. She is wearing the most glamorous over-the-knee hooker-style boots, the type that you only see celebrities wear but never anyone in real life. The second one is also tall, slightly overweight but carries herself with the confidence of a woman everyone adores. Her pleasant, round face is confused, forehead wrinkled, as if she knows what’s going on and yet doesn’t want to believe it. The final girl, trailing a few yards behind, has pale skin with freckles and long, wavy ginger hair that reflects the afternoon sun. She looks a bit younger than the first two, a bit more innocent, although her clothes alone could pay my rent for a good four months.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” Drew whispers to me. “Just play along. Don’t say anything stupid. Shit. That’s Sylvia’s sister and a couple of her bridesmaids. I can’t believe this. They were supposed to be going to a bridal shower bachelorette thing this afternoon.” He mutters a few stron
ger profanities that make me wince inwardly before plastering a huge, innocent and welcoming smile onto his handsome face.

  “Belle! Monica! Jenna! I was just showing my cousin how lucky we are on the Island to have a park this amazing. Crazy meeting you guys here. What are you up to this afternoon?”

  Apparently I’m the cousin. I smile in a winsome, cousinly way and hold out my hand to them. The dark girl gives me a suspicious look and shakes my hand, very firmly, I might add. In fact, I am a little worried that she might crush a few fingers but force myself not to flinch.

  “I’m Jenna, Sylvia’s best friend.” She lets go of my hand and I shove it back into my pocket.

  “I’m Charley,” I say.

  Drew glares at me. I guess I should have come up with a code name or something, but I didn’t think of it until it was too late. I try to make it more believable. “Charley, uh, Adams. I’m Drew’s cousin on his dad’s side.” Drew’s glare lessens slightly. “I just got into town and was catching up with Drew here.” The lies flow out of me. This is why I’m a good lawyer.

  The other two girls introduce themselves. Sylvia’s red-haired sister, Monica, comes across as very shy; I get the sense that she just sits back and takes life as it comes. After introducing herself, she wanders off toward the totem pole, looking up at the many layers of eagles, beavers and other animals etched into the wood.

  Belle is the bigger girl, and her enthusiasm makes up for the hostility that Jenna displays.

  She gives me an animated hug and says, “Well, welcome to Victoria, Charley. I’m glad we get to meet you before the wedding tomorrow. I love this place. Beacon Hill is the most beautiful park in the world. Have you guys been to the petting zoo? Oh goodness, I can’t remember the last time I was there. It’s been years, but you two should check it out. They have all these baby goats. I just love goats!” Belle bubbles over with excitement.