Page 10 of Read Between the Stars (Turn it Up Spinoff)

“She’s really creative; always doing art projects and making little gifts for me.”

“That’s incredible,” I return, trying not to show that I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster that won’t stop dropping. “So is there some importance behind the star?”

“Um, no,” she shrugs playfully. “She has a whole collection of charms, and I think she just chose this one randomly. Guess she thought I’d like it.”

Randomly. That seems to make this coincidence even more intense.

“It’s cool that you wore it to your brother’s wedding.”

“Oh, I never take this one off. Some of her masterpieces are just too special.”

I’m enchanted by the look in her eyes and the heart in her voice when she talks about her child. And the way she’s looking at me. I’m at a loss for words for the rest of the dance.

“Well, I’m glad you made it here for Melanie,” she says as the song starts to fade, snapping me out of la la land.

“So am I,” I absently agree as I study her face. I feel a strange sense of longing inside me to extend the song so I can talk to her a few more minutes. It’s like back when I led something resembling a normal life and I’d see a trailer for a movie I really wanted to see, or kept driving past a new restaurant I really wanted to try. I find myself unsatisfied with the few pieces of information she’s given me and I want the whole story. It’s been so long since I’ve had such a feeling. It’s foreign and strange to me to the point that it feels eerie.

“Well, thank you for the dance.” The sudden absence of Kasey’s hands as she drops them from my body jolts me back to the moment. My arms suddenly feel empty as she steps back, and I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I stuff them in my pockets.

“Thank you,” I politely nod at her before she gives me another warm smile and turns to walk off the dance floor where she’s immediately pulled into a cheerful conversation with a group of other ladies. She seems perfectly at ease with the dance being over and gabbing with other guests while I stand here like a tool. Speaking of which, I should probably move myself off the dance floor instead of just standing in the middle of it, alone. I turn and start to mosey back to the tables until a sudden realization halts me in my path. I just spent five minutes dancing and talking with a woman in my arms, and not once did I stop to compare her to Jamie.

Chapter Four

Kasey

“Come on Luna, time for breakfast,”I pat what I assume is her bottom under the luxurious puffy white hotel comforter.

“Idon’twannamomuggghhhhmmppphh,” she answers incoherently from under the covers, doing her daily morning impression of Ozzy Osbourne. A morning person, she is not.

“Luna, come on. Uncle Matt and Aunt Melanie are coming back to have breakfast with everybody before they leave on their honeymoon.”

And I need coffee, dammit.

“Mooommmm… nooooo…” the wad of comforter says.

“There’s probably going to be French toast! Come on! Let’s go!” I urge, trying to sound enthusiastic. Trying and failing miserably, because I haven’t had my cuppa Joe yet.

“Mmmmph…” comes a grunt/whine from under the covers and I’ve had it.

“Luna Rene! Up!” I shout.

“Moooommm!”

“No!” I yank the comforter off of her to find her huddled in a ball with her eyes squeezed shut. Too bad her mouth isn’t doing the same.

“Mom! Don’t!” she shrieks at me.

“No!” I hold up my finger. “No more of this! Do as you’re told! Now get up and get dressed, and quit being an ever-living pain in my rear!”

“Ugghh!” the little fart grunts as she sits up.

“Whatever, get dressed,” I grumble back.

“Why do I have to dress up again?” she whines a few moments later as she sits on the corner of the bed while I gather her hair up in a newly groomed ponytail. This child is chapping my ass with her grouchy morning attitude.

“Because it’s a nice breakfast,” I sigh as I secure her hair with elastic hair tie. “Now pick a bow,” I command, holding our hair accessory bag out to her. She reaches in and selects the purple one which is no surprise; I take it from her and arrange it around the base of her ponytail to hide the hair tie.

Downstairs, we find our seats at one of the family tables, and coffee and orange juice are brought out immediately, thank the heavens. We sit with my mom while Matt and Melanie make the rounds, saying ‘thank you’ to everyone that came.

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