Page 58 of A Summer of Stars

“Does your mom bake a lot?”

“She did.” She nodded, quieter now.

Did. I went to apologize, wondering what conversation I just forced her to stumble down. I had no idea.

“It’s okay. I don’t get to talk about her much,” she said.

“Not even with your brother?”

Surprised I remembered, her eyes held me. “No… He and my father are busy. And honestly, I think it hurts them to talk about her.”

“That makes sense. But that doesn’t mean you should have to talk about her any less to protect them. Your needs matter too.” Her lips parted but paused. “What?” I asked.

“Nothing, I just… that sounds like something she would’ve said, that’s all.” She gave me a soft smile.

I didn’t know what to say. Emotion flooded the back of my throat. “I’m sorry,” I started.

“No,no, gosh, don’t be. She was always shameless. Bold. Spoke her mind. I never had to guess what she was thinking because it’d come right out. I loved that about her. I guess you two have something in common.” She laughed, as if she was picturing exactly that. I wanted to hold the image close, wrap it in a napkin like a chocolate from a diner, and put it in my pocket.

“Are you admitting to loving something about me, Luna Aldridge?” I asked, hoping to get another glimpse of her laugh.

“That depends how shameless you are, Kieran Alexander. What were you holding back from saying when you saw my dress?” Her gaze flitted across my face, testing me. It unraveled me right there. It loosened a forever existing knot in my sternum and soared toward her, trying to grab on.

Words don’t exist to describe how you look.

Thankfully, the scene of the ballroom ahead cut me off, dragging her attention elsewhere.

“Source Reveals Details of the Lavish Weekend Away Kieran Alexander Shared with Girlfriend”

—Page ONE

THE HALLWAY OPENEDinto a grand ballroom, the shape of a full moon. Glass windows stood like unified soldiers. Pairs of guests danced in unison, dresses swaying while their male partners talked their ears off.

“Time to dance,” she acknowledged.

We walked to the center of the room as the next song began. Carefully, I laid my left hand on her back and wrapped my other over her hand, trying not to think about how delicate her fingers felt. The same hands that choked a tennis racket. Once her torso pressed against mine and her stare focused over my shoulder, we were off.

One foot following the next, the music guided us all in a symphony of daring notes. Her hand would press into my shoulder as we spun, the candle flames blurring. She quickly curled her fingers in as we returned to a steady sway.

It was easier to think about the steps of the dance than try to ignore her frequent glances. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“No, nothing.” She paused, the pools of her dark eyes darting to my face.

“When did we start pulling punches, Aldridge?” I asked.

Refusing to shy away, she asked, “Do you have a new movie coming up?”

“Not until January, why?”

“I assumed that was the reason for the new look. You never explained it.”

“I just needed a change. Something new. I couldn’t let you keep upstaging me at these events.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Are you aware of how much you roll your eyes? You’re probably on the verge of damaging your eye sockets at this point.”

“I don’t roll my eyes that often.”