Page 44 of All Stars Fall
He was sexy but good. Heck, the guy did interviews while holding puppies.
“Can’t I just share a nice meal with a nice person?”
I almost choked on my fry. “You don’t know me.”
“And you don’t know me,” he countered with narrowed eyes.
I opened my mouth then shut it and glared.
“That’s why we have the food.” He spread his arms wide. “Calories are supposed to make it easier.”
“And yet…” I laughed and took another swig of beer.
“And yet, most people don’t even eat because they feel like puking.” He gulped and then looked away. “And it may have something to do with having to clean up my image for the next album.”
“That—” I pointed a fry at him. “—makes total sense.” I grinned. “Maybe you should start doing volunteer work.”
The guy visibly paled.
“Or not.” I snickered.
“Music.” He said the word like it was sexy. No, he said it like it was actually dripping with sex. “It’s all I need.”
“Until you wake up alone,” I whispered under my breath.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m never alone.” He let out a laugh.
“I’m calling your bluff.”
His smile fell. “Don’t you scour the internet? See the magazines?”
“Yeah, but I don’t pay attention to that.” I leveled a serious stare on him. “And even if you do have some crazy fan girl in your bed every night, that doesn’t mean you’re never alone. Youcan be surrounded by millions of people, friends, family, fans—and still be lonely.”
I wasn’t sure where that came from.
Maybe the part inside of me that had always felt that way, like it didn’t quite fit, and that everyone else did back in Cunningham Falls.
Another reason to move to Seaside.
To find my place.
My destiny.
Drew was quiet as he stared down at his fries, and then he leaned back in his chair again, reached for his beer and downed it to the last drop. “Well, at least now I know why.”
“Why you’re lonely?” I asked, confused.
“Nah.” He flashed me a smile that seemed almost disappointed. “Why he likes you so much, why he’s so protective of you.”
“He barely knows me.” My mind flashed to the kiss, to the days spent with his kids getting to know him through them, dinners spent at his house. One week in, and I was ready to ask if I should just become their live-in nanny and pine after him for the rest of my life.
If that wasn’t crazy, I wasn’t sure what was.
“Maybe you should share more food with him,” Drew offered. “Wait, you’re already doing that. Don’t you make a killer pot roast?”
“Very funny.” I tilted my head at him, my eyes searching his expression. “I’m trying to figure out your angle here, and I keep coming up empty.”
“Maybe—” He gulped and licked his lips. “Maybe I just need a friend too.”
