Page 45 of When Stars Fall

I release one of her hands and put my arm around her waist, tugging her close. “I want you tobehappy.”

She stares at our joined hands and makes no move to step away. “I’m content.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“I know. But being happy with someone means they can make me sad too.” Tension crackles between us. We’re so close my breath stirs her hair.

A buzzing noise interrupts the silence. I curse the vibration in my pocket.Ignore it.

She steps back as though she’s come out of a trance. “It’s getting late,” she says. “You should call for that ride.”

I remove my phone from my pocket and see my home number. “Sorry,” I say to Ellie. “I’ll be a minute. I need to take this.” With a grimace, I head into the kitchen and press Talk.

Chapter Eighteen

Ellie

Present Day

While Wyatt is in the kitchen, I turn on my regular phone. I ignore the messages, voice mails, and other nonsense I’ll be forced to deal with eventually. My PR can handle the bulk of the storm.

I scroll through my contacts, searching for Calshae’s number. There she is. I send a text asking her to collect Wyatt if she’s available.

Slouched into the couch, I wait for her reply. My skin hums from standing so close to Wyatt, from touching him. Any time I come near something similar with anyone else, I cut the relationship short. Tell myself I no longer crave the intensity. But that isn’t it. I fear the kind of love Wyatt inspires. Once you realize its power, you either seek the sensation like an addict or run like hell whenever that emotion appears. I’m a runner; Wyatt is a seeker.

Calshae sends a thumbs-up emoji, and I sigh with relief. He needs to leave before I cave in an epic manner. Haven does not need to wake up tomorrow morning to find her father slept over. If he kissed me, he could ask for anything, and I’d give it.

I wander into the kitchen to tell Wyatt Calshae is on her way.

“I pay people to do those things,” Wyatt says. “Have someone do it. If it’s too hard for you to manage with Jamal, ask Camila to take over.”

I stand in the doorway and frown. Jamal? He sees me and looks flustered.

“Look, I gotta go. You understand where I am.” He listens for a moment and then sighs. “I know, I know. It’s fine. It’s fine. I’ll see you in a few days, okay?”

He hangs up and slips the phone into his pocket.

“I texted Calshae. She’s on her way.”

He leans against the island and watches me, not bothering to explain his conversation. While he doesn’t owe me the information, I want the details, even if I don’t deserve them. His stare means he’s calculating something. “What’s up for tomorrow?”

“If we can’t agree on how a relationship will work, it’s best if we let whatever this once was go.” Last time I compromised about everything, but I’m not a young, naive girl in love anymore.

“There might be movement on my end about where we live. I have something I’ll need to check, but location isn’t a deal breaker for me.”

“You’re willing to say anything. Anything to get me to say yes.”

“So?” He shrugs.

“Once I say yes, I’m worried you’ll change the playing field. Suddenly LA needs to be a compromise. Your social media accounts are for fun, maybe a drink or two socially . . .” I picture the younger Wyatt, who had no boundaries. The security intercom buzzer goes, and I walk over and press it. “Yeah, Freddie?”

“Calshae Simmons says she’s here to get Wyatt?”

Thank God the island is small. “He’ll be out in a minute,” I say. “Tell her I said thanks for coming.”

“Tomorrow, Ellie,” he reminds me.

“It’s a busy day.” Only a partial lie. I could rearrange most of my commitments, but I haven’t yet. I open the side door.

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