Page 60 of We Are the Stars

I head for my bed, jumping up onto my preferred side and fluffing the pillows behind me. I watch as she inspects all the odds and ends on my desk. A pencil sharpener, even though I only use pens. A sticky note, even though I don’t like anything sticky. One of those USB powered coffee cup warmers that I only put my tea on. And finally, a photograph—of a family that isn’t mine but instead the one that came in the frame.

I see her pause at it, and I know she wants to question why I don’t have one of Ma up. I don’t have pictures of her up around the house to remind me of her—I have the stars for that.

I grab my chest in dramatics. “Only for the sake of higher education.”

“How valiant.”

“That’s me, valiant.”

She gives me a sheepish grin. “You’re a good man, Carsen. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“I give myself credit where it’s due.”

“And it’s not here?”

“You want to see something cool?” I ask, changing the subject.

The tilt of her head tells me she doesn’t appreciate the tactic the way I do, but she lets it slide. “How cool?”

“Scale of one to ten?” She nods. “A solid twenty.”

Her brows rise, already impressed. “Twenty?”

“Yep.”

“Big promise to fill. Can you deliver?”

“I’ll do my best.” And that’s all I can promise.

I point to the side of the bed I’m not occupying. “You, there,” I instruct. She doesn’t move. “This is not a ploy to advance our sex life—though I do think we need to discuss that further—but it’s part of the surprise.”

“Fine, but if you try to touch my butt…”

“You’ll what? Enjoy it?”

Sighing, she relents. “Probably.”

Elliott hoists herself up into my ginormous panel bed. I laugh, because she looks adorable swallowed up by my fluffed-up navy comforter and the horde of pillows I sleep with.

“It’s damn comfy. Not sure if it’s a solid twenty though.”

“You thought I wanted to show you how comfortable my bed is?”

She shrugs. “Got something else up your sleeve?”

“You know, I do, actually.” I pick up the remote from my bedside table and say, “Prepare to be amazed.”

I click the on button and the room ignites in color.

“Holy… How!” She spins my way. “How is this even possible?”

I crawl to the bottom of the bed and motion her my way. She follows.

“Projector. It cost a good chunk of change to have it professionally installed into the bed, but damn was it worth it.”

“It’s…so damn beautiful, Carsen.”

I push my messy comforter off the bed and we lie down on our backs to watch the stars on the ceiling. Our hands brush, and she threads our fingers together.

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