Page 23 of A Summer of Stars

Interviewer:So you’re saying that your divorce with Luna Aldridge was the cause for your break. Did things end amicably?

Evans:No, not at all, actually. I loved Luna, she was the love of my life. But this sport was a priority of hers at the end of the day.

Interviewer:Was it not for you?

Evans:Of course it was—I understood that more than anyone. But I hadn’t expected it to become the rift in our relationship. She was a perfectionist. She became obsessed with winning and ultimately made it part of our marriage. It was toxic—she was toxic. I remember her screaming at me one night because she hadn’t won.[Evans takes a choked-up breath.]There was no more love in our relationship.

He preferred lying to make himself feel better rather than admitting to his absence and infidelity. And somehow, he almost convinced me it was my fault.

But then a recording of my sharp screams and curse words directed at Jeremiah during our call was released. And the whole world came after me.

“What do you want, Jeremiah?” I asked, avoiding Cecilia’s and Coach’s stares.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually dating this actor,” Jeremiah scoffed.

I exhaled, picking up my racket, and bounced a ball off the ground.

“I don’t remember that being a concern of yours,” I responded coldly.

“No one is going to believe this shit, it’s—”

“Is this why you called me? Really? To give me a lecture on relationships?”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “Luna, I’ve tried apologizing for everything, that’s not fair.”

“That’s not fair?”

“I made a mistake with that interview, I was upset, I waspissed.I was losingmy wife,” he pleaded. I tried my best not to shudder. I had hundreds of voicemails and letters exactly like this one. Meaningless apologies that poked at my heart.

“We’re not together, and that’syour fault. Do not put the blame on me for your actions.”

“People aren’t going to believe this stunt. Do you really think this will work? You’d never date some arrogant actor.”

“Well, I married an arrogant tennis player, and look where that got me,” I argued. “Don’t call me again, or I’m calling my lawyer.”

“Kieran Alexander Attends Charleston Open After Being Seen with Luna Aldridge Week Before”

—The Celebrity Source

“HAS NARI BEENsending you these?” Franny asked from the passenger seat, turning his phone to me.

I switched my gaze to his phone, but the text was too small. “Just read it to me,” I said, reverting my focus to the road.

One two-hour flight from JFK to CHS with my brother—“Assistant!” he corrected—Nari, and a security detail, and a fifteen-minute drive in a rental car separate from everyone else to the Charleston Open, just to see Luna Aldridge.

This was not my idea, and I could’ve sworn it wasn’t in the calendar.

“Don’t act like you planned on reading the calendar,” Nari had said yesterday. I closed my mouth.

I was supposed to have anotherthree daysuntil I had to see Aldridge again. Looked like I’d have to speed up my voodoo doll rituals.

“It’s smart to have you at a match to support her now that she’s playing again. If she wins this, she’ll win the whole tournament. It will make the two of you seem like friends,” Nari explained.

I exhaled. This was my last weekend before the press tour. Then Aldridge and interviews would consume my schedule for four months. And now I had to hop on a flight to sit in the sun for two hours, only to return to New York the next day. This relationship was single-handedly going to kill the planet.

But I wasn’t going to be the first to throw a fit, so I got on the plane.

Franny cleared his throat, and then opened his mouth, imitating a journalist. “‘Has Actor Kieran Alexander Finally Met His Match?’ ‘HasSaving September’s Kieran Alexander Found Love in His Personal—’”