Page 10 of When Stars Collide (Chicago Stars 9)

She tried to relax, but not even the evocative harmonies of the man who’d been one of the world’s greatest jazz pianists could soothe her. Something about the unflinching way Owens had looked at her made her uneasy. More than uneasy. “You don’t know me, lady, and you don’t know a damn thing about my character.” But she did know his character!

Didn’t she?

She couldn’t stand the uncertainty. She turned off the music and reached for her phone. Alyssa picked up her call on the second ring.

The two of them had once been close, but now that her former roommate was immersed in motherhood, they’d drifted apart, and it had been at least a year since they’d spoken. “Hey, famous lady!” Alyssa said. “I’ve missed you. Hunter, get down from there! Jesus . . . That kid . . . Honest to God, Olivia, don’t ever have kids. I’ve been to the emergency room twice with him just this month. Do you have any idea how many things a three-year-old can stick up his nose?”

As Alyssa detailed the exact objects Hunter had stashed in his nasal cavity, Olivia remembered how Alyssa’s irreverent humor used to make her laugh.

“So what’s up with you?” Alyssa said. “Ready to tackle Tosca yet?”

Olivia’s mezzo-soprano wasn’t well suited for that role, but Alyssa had never had more than a rudimentary grasp of opera. “A temporary gig,” Olivia said. “I signed on to promote Marchand watches.”

“Marchand? Tell me you’re giving out free samples.”

“Unfortunately not. Also . . .” She gripped the phone tighter. “There are two of us on the road together promoting the brand. I’m traveling with Thad Owens.”

“The football player? That’s hysterical.”

An icicle slithered down Olivia’s spine. “‘Hysterical’?”

“The soprano and the quarterback. What a combination, right? Is he still hot? That man was gorgeous.”

Olivia shot to her feet, dread pooling in her stomach. “Alyssa, I’m talking about Thad Owens. The football player who tried to rape you.”

Alyssa laughed. “God, Olivia. You knew that was bogus. Remember? I told you all about it.”

“You didn’t tell me any such thing!” Olivia exclaimed. “You said he backed you into the bedroom. Pinned you down. You came home crying. And you talked about it for weeks afterward.”

“I only cried because Kent walked in on us, and I only talked about it when he was around. Remember how suspicious he was. I can’t believe you’ve forgotten.” She pulled the phone away. “Hunter, stop it! Give me that!” She readjusted the phone. “Anyway . . . So I met Thad at a party just when Kent and I were getting serious. Kent went off to shoot pool or something, and Thad and I started talking. One thing led to another, and we were making out. Then Kent walked in on us, and I needed to come up with an excuse quick. I told you all that.”

“You didn’t tell me anything!” Olivia felt sick. “I tried to get you to go to the police.”

“Oh, yeah . . . Now I remember. I was afraid if I told you the truth, you’d tell Kent. You were always the righteous one.” Water ran in the background. “Here, Hunter. Have a drink.” The water shut off. “Can you believe I walked away from a chance at a relationship with Thad Owens because I didn’t want a loser like Kent to dump me?”

Olivia sank back down on the side of the bed and dug her hand into the mattress. “The only loser, Alyssa, is you.”

“What are you getting so upset about? It’s not like I accused him or anything.”

“You did accuse him. To me.”

“Did you say something to him?”

“Oh, yes. I said a lot.”

“Shit.”

“Shit, indeed.” In her rush to judgment against Thad Owens, Olivia had forgotten that Alyssa could be both self-centered and manipulative. That was exactly why Rachel had never liked her. Olivia should have trusted her best friend’s opinion. She pressed her hand to her stomach. “False accusations have consequences, Alyssa. They make real rape victims afraid to speak out because they don’t think anyone will believe them.”

“Ease up, okay? Stop being so judgy.”

Olivia’s voice shook. “Wrong is wrong, and lying like you did is a betrayal of every woman who’s been assaulted.”

“Jesus, Olivia. You’re making too big a deal out of this. You always did think you were better than anybody else.”

“Good-bye, Alyssa. And lose my number.”

“Hey, you’re the one who called me.”

---