Page 69 of Every Star that Shines

“Everything okay?”

Everything is most definitely not okay. I should be in Peace Crossing for the final dress rehearsal tonight. I should be there with Caleb, and Emma, and the rest of the kids. With people who care about me. With a man who was willing to overlook me breaking his heart to spend the rest of his life with me, who never made me feel like I was at fault for things I never did. And who forgave the mistakes I did make from the bottom of his heart, not the front of his too-perfect teeth.

She drew a breath and met Josh’s gaze. “Josh, I’m grateful to be back on the show. It’s a good opportunity, and I recognize that. I also think you’re a talented director. But you and I need to get something straight. We’re not going to be together. Ever. I’ve learned a lot in the last two months, and one of the biggest lessons is that I deserve better.”

He stared at her, his face stony. “You don’t mean what you just said.”

“I do.” Her heart thundered against her ribs, but she refused to look away.

“No, you don’t. You can’t. Because you wouldn’t say something like that to me and mean it. Not when I’m the guy who could fire you again in a heartbeat. And I don’t even need to tell you what I could do to your career. I’ve got connections too, you know.”

Her stomach clenched. What am I doing? She no longer believed Josh had the ability to ruin her career, but one thing she did know—Josh Rosenburg thought he could do whatever he wanted to people he perceived as weaker than him. After only two days of watching him making subtle come-ons and inappropriate comments to every semi-attractive woman on set, she wouldn’t be surprised if Kaitlyn had left. And if she were going to come out of this unscathed, she had to make sure he knew she wasn’t the wilting flower he had fired two months ago.

Under the table, she eased her phone out of her small purse and hit the record button she kept on her home screen for the dictation app she used to practice her lines into. “All I said is that I don’t want to date you. I think we could still work together just fine.”

He set down his fork and sat erect. “If you think you’re better than me, then I don’t see how.”

“I never said I thought—”

“No? What do you think I deserve better means, Delanie?”

“It means, I, uh . . .” How could she answer that without digging herself into a deeper hole? And after how she had treated Caleb two days ago, did she even believe that was true?

Josh snatched his napkin from his lap and dabbed at his mouth, then tossed it on the table. “You know what? Never mind. If you want to throw your career in the trash and light a match to it, that’s on you. Seems like that’s been your entire mission in life lately. I should have realized you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. I can’t believe I actually saw potential in you. Goes to show that even I make mistakes.”

Ice frosted Delanie’s spine. She felt naked on a stage while the world was throwing tomatoes—just like she had after she’d been cancelled. She opened her mouth to answer, but no words came.

Then a gentle voice she hadn’t heard before whispered to her heart.

Don’t believe the lie. Your worth doesn’t depend on this man’s opinion of you.

Faces of people who loved her and believed in her filled her mind. Marie. Desmond. Sandra. The kids in the play. Emma. Even her mom and dad.

Caleb.

And not a single one of them gave half a crabapple what Josh Rosenburg or anyone else thought about her.

“I never asked you to save me, Josh,” she heard herself say. She didn’t know where the words were coming from, but now that she had started, she couldn’t stop. “And somehow, I think you need me more than I need you. Fire me if you want, but you don’t have as much power as you think you do. And I’m sorry I ever let you have any power over me. Believe me when I say that it won’t happen again.”

He glared at her, his nostrils flaring. Then he set his jaw. “You’re done. I want you out of your motel room by tomorrow afternoon.”

She stared at him and swallowed.

“Fine.” She grabbed her purse from the back of her chair and stood. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Rosenburg. I wish you the best.”

He ignored her, instead picking up his cutlery and slicing off another bite of meat.

When she got to her car, she composed a brief text to Sandra and attached the recording. Then she tapped another text to Josh that read, A parting gift from your greatest mistake. She attached the recording, but before she hit send, she paused.

“No. I won’t stoop to his level.”

She hit delete and put the phone back in her purse. There were other ways to handle this.

As she drove away from the restaurant, she felt freer than she had in a long time. Cranking the music, she smiled and tapped the steering wheel to a pop song promising better days ahead. She didn’t know what she was going to do for work now. But she did know where she was going next.

She had a kids’ musical in Peace Crossing to direct.

And the love of her life to apologize to.

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