Page 34 of Falling Like Stars

“Thanks to your woman,” I say.

“I counted three peeps who need to spend the night,” J.J. says. “Serena and Victor and our good buddy Emil who is already snoring on your couch. Everyone else is accounted for. Oh, except your special guest.”

“He’s a good dude, that Zach,” Edison says. “I thought he’d be a prick, but he’s…not.”

J.J. pats his chest. “My man has a way with words.”

“Thank you for everything.” I hug J.J. tight. “You’re the best.”

“Happy birthday, babe,” she says against my shoulder. “You deserve good things. Remember that.”

That’s debatable, but I love my friend for saying it. When they’ve gone, I glance around my place. The damage is minimal—mostly glasses and napkins. Emil is snoring on the couch, but Victor and Serena are nowhere to be seen. I peek into the guest room and sure enough, my friends are passed out on the bed.

“Shit. That means…”

I head down the hall to my bedroom. Zach Butler is on my bed, sitting propped against the headboard. He indicates the antique TV across the room that is currently being used as a table.

“The only show on is Gray.”

I lean in the doorway, arms crossed, biting back a smile. “Do the American people know you’re a tremendous goofball?”

“It’s my best-kept secret.” He shoots me a rueful smile. “I know what this looks like. Here I am, invading your private space yet again. One could surmise I’m going for a personal record.”

“One could surmise.”

“In my defense, the room you provided for me is ocupado.”

“I noticed.”

I shut the door behind me and sit on the edge of the bed. My bed, currently ocupado by the world’s biggest movie star.

“What time is it?” he asks.

“A little after one a.m.”

“Gerald will be here in two hours.” Zach rubs his eyes tiredly. “Can you put up with me for two more hours?”

“I’ll do my best.” I nudge his shoulder. “You mind?”

He smiles and scoots over to give me room. “I love that you don’t give a shit about the fact that I have a…what did you call it? An incredible job.”

I’m sitting up while Zach settles himself on his stomach, half his face smooshed against a pillow.

“You heard all that, eh?” I ask, mentally scrolling through my convo with Dana and praying I didn’t say anything too…real.

Zach nods. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but that woman had a lot of ideas about you and me.”

“She doesn’t know how to mind her own business and doesn’t want to.”

“Mm. So, Rowan.”

“So, Zach.”

“I liked that you said I should take my mother to the Oscars. I don’t want to go at all—it’s interrupting the Alaska movie, but both my manager and my agent will kill me if I skip it.”

“Sounds like a first-world problem to me.”

Zach laughs. “Isn’t it? I’m such a douche.”

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