Hometown Star

chapter Fourteen

The following day, Star finished up at Evan Jenson’s, seeing to the last minute details. Evan seemed good with everything Vivienne suggested. He loved the deep greens and beiges of the color scheme. He loved how the designer had managed to bring the outdoors in, layering different textures, selecting an eclectic assortment of textiles.

Star left Evan’s place satisfied that the filming of his home restoration would go smoothly. She was free to leave Alaska now. Her part of the show was done. A week from Monday the crew would come up, ready to roll, and she’d be home, enjoying her new condo.

Star waited for the feeling of satisfaction to come, but oddly, her emotions were mixed. A part of her hated to leave Brandi, and another part of her wasn’t done with Cade yet. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t just walk away from him. Cade stirred something inside her, brought to life a spark that she wanted to fan into a flame, an inferno of, well, lust. Was this desire, the one sensation that had always managed to elude her?

The thought troubled Star as she cruised down the highway, the road a wide open runway. There wasn’t another car in sight. At home, negotiating I–5 took a master’s in defensive driving. As she drove she marveled at the slow, almost comatose pace of life here. Alaska had been fun for a while, but she needed the stimulation of the city, needed the energy, she even needed the traffic.

Star didn’t bother with her turn signal and pulled into Patsy’s driveway. Right away, she spotted the note pinned to the front door. Star turned off the ignition, left the car, and removed the note.

Trudy’s in labor. Where are you, Destiny? I have guests coming and I need you. Cade

Trudy was in labor? Where was her mother?

Afraid she knew the answer to Cade’s question; Star let herself into the mobile home and walked straight to the bedroom. The bed had been stripped, the sheets in a wad on the floor. Destiny’s hot pink suitcases were gone. Back in the kitchen, Star found another note. Quickly, she scanned the paper. Her mother was gone, to Canada, with John. Gone. Without so much as a goodbye.

Star wondered if her mother had even bothered to say goodbye to Brandi. Disappointment filled Star’s chest, the pain almost unbearable, yet all too familiar. Why was her mother such a coward? Once again Destiny had left Star to pick up the pieces. Obviously, her mother hadn’t bothered to quit her job with the O’Briens.

With a heavy heart, Star headed for Cade’s. A part of her didn’t want to clean up her mother’s mess, but the more responsible side of her said she had to pitch in, help fill the void her mother’s departure had left behind.

Two minutes later Star pulled into Cade’s driveway. She exited the car and walked quickly to the door, knocked once, and let herself in.

Brad came out of the kitchen, Emma behind him.

“How’s Trudy?” Star asked.

Emma, seeing Star, broke free, running straight for her. She flung her little arms around Star’s legs.

“Water came out of Trudy.” Emma tilted her head back to look at Star, her eyes wide. “She’s hurt.”

“Hurt?” Star looked to Brad for confirmation while stroking the top of Emma’s head.

“She’s in labor,” Brad confirmed, suddenly looking more mature than his sixteen years. “Uncle Ron took her to the hospital.”

“Where’s your dad?”

“In the kitchen,” Brad said.

Star started forward, pausing to unwrap Emma from her legs. Star squatted in front of the little girl. “Sweetie, it’s okay. Water was supposed to come out of Trudy. It just means the baby is ready to be born.”

“Really?” Emma asked with a sniff.

“Really,” Star confirmed with a smile. She stood and held her hand out to Emma. “Now come on, let’s go and find your dad.”

Together, Brad, Emma, and Star went into the kitchen. Cade stood at the counter, chopping carrots.

“Hey,” she said.

He glanced up, the wrinkles in his forehead easing into relief. “Star. You heard about Trudy?”

“Yes, what can I do to help?”

Brad and Emma each took a barstool at the counter.

“Find your mother and get her here,” Cade said, slapping Brad’s hand away as he snagged a carrot slice. “She’s not answering her phone. I’ve got a plane to meet. I need her here.”

“No can do,” Star said. “She’s gone. She left for Anchorage. She’s going with John to Canada.”

“What?” Cade set the knife down with a thud. “I guess I’m not surprised.”

“I’m sorry,” Star offered.

“Are you okay?” Cade’s tender tone was nearly her undoing. She hadn’t expected his compassion. In fact, she’d expected the opposite, anger.

His soft inquiry brought both Emma and Brad’s eyes to her.

Suddenly uncomfortable, Star said, “I’ll be fine. I’m used to my mother letting me down. You’re not. Look, let me go and pick up the guests.”

Cade walked to her, took her hand, his fingers warm and strong. “That would be great, Star.”

“I’ll help out tonight,” she said, wanting to make things right.

“Are you sure?” Cade asked. “You don’t have to fill in for Destiny. It’s not your fault she’s irresponsible.”

“I know that,” Star said. “I wish I understood her better, you know? How can she walk away, without any thought to the consequences? What kind of person does that?”

“I don’t know,” Cade replied with a sad shake of his head.

“I don’t know why I feel so betrayed,” Star said. “It’s not like this is the first time she’s abandoned me. I feel so bad for Brandi. She’s going to take the news of Mom’s departure hard.”

“I’m sorry,” Cade said, squeezing her fingers. “More than you know. I wish I could take away your pain.”

His sweet words brought a smile to Star’s lips. “What time is the plane due?”

“Now. Seward airport. I was about to take off.”

“How many guests?” she asked, the business side of herself taking over.

“Two. Brad,” Cade said. “Get the itinerary for Star. All the info’s on it, flight number, guest names, etc.”

“Okay.” Brad slid from the bar stool and left the room.

“Can I ride along, Star?” Emma asked. “I can make you feel better.”

The little girl’s concern touched Star’s heart. “That’s sweet, Em,” Star said.

“No,” Cade cut in. “I need you to go out back and find Finn. You can make Star feel better later.”

“Aw, okay.” Emma stuck her lower lip out. Her feet dragged on her way to the back door.

Brad returned with the itinerary. Star took it from him, noting the guests’ names, Hank Crawford and Jack Taylor. She glanced at the flight plan. The men were from Texas.

“Okay,” Star said. “I’m on my way.”

“Take the van.” Cade removed the keys from a hook near the back door and tossed them to her.

Star caught the keys.

“Thanks, Star,” Cade said, his tone warm.

“No problem.”

Star backed the van out of the driveway. When she reached the airport, the plane was there. She was so busy looking for Cade’s guests that she was caught totally unaware when a woman said, “How did you know I was coming?”

Star whirled around at the familiar French accent.

Vivienne stood on the tarmac, her smile wide.

* * *

For a small town, Seward was proving to be a hotbed of activity. Star never expected to find Vivienne at the airport and she had a million questions for the designer, all of which had to wait. Vivienne, needing to freshen up, had gone up to her room—a room she was lucky Cade had available, along with Cade’s other guests.

At loose ends, Cade had suggested Star go out back and relax in the hammock while he finished getting dinner ready. Thinking some time in the hammock sounded wonderful, she’d headed outside.

Star rolled into the hammock, her eyes on the sky. White, fluffy clouds drifted by.

“What’cha doin’?” Finn asked.

The twins walked up, looking a little worse for wear. Finn’s white shirt had a red stain on it, and his knees were filthy. Emma’s pigtails had unraveled, and her face held the remains of what Star hoped was chocolate ice cream.

“I’m daydreaming,” Star said.

“What’s that?” Emma asked, rubbing her eyes.

“It means I’m letting my mind wander where it wants to go. It’s a time to think about nothing or to think about your wildest dreams.”

“Can we play?” Emma asked.

“Sure, I guess,” Star said.

Emma started to climb in the hammock. Star held on, making room for the little girl. Finn went around to the other side and got in, too.

For a few seconds the hammock swung madly, but then it settled down to a slight sway.

Emma snuggled against Star, throwing her little arm across Star’s stomach. Finn, all boy, stayed on his back, his eyes trained on the sky.

“This feels good,” Star said. The hammock rocked beneath them. “A little down time is good.”

“What’s down time?” Emma asked, her eyes on Star.

“You know,” Star said. “Time to relax.”

“Are you still sad about your mother, Star?” Emma asked. “I still get sad about my mother sometimes.”

“Of course you do.” Star took Emma’s hand, knowing the little girl’s ache for her mother was a million times worse than her own.

Emma’s fingers tightened around Star’s. “What are you going to dream about, Star?”

“I don’t know,” Star said, but Cade popped into her head. She didn’t allow herself to daydream about him. What good would it do? Sex. Yes, she’d definitely daydream about sex with Cade, if the kids weren’t here. No, for now her daydreams needed to be G–rated. “I’m dreaming about my new condo.”

Finn shifted beside her. “What’s a condo?”

“It’s like a house. It’s where I live. I just moved in and I haven’t been home to enjoy it in a long time.”

“I don’t want you to go, Star,” Emma said resolutely.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Star said, rubbing the little girl’s arm. “But it’s time for me to go home.”

“Will you come back to visit?” Emma asked.

“Of course. Brandi, Bud, and Will are here.” Thinking about leaving brought a funny ache to Star’s chest. “You guys are here.”

Emma nodded, happy with Star’s answer.

“What will you daydream about, Em?” Star asked.

“Ponies, and Snowbell, and chocolate milk.”

Star grinned. “Wow. How about you, Finn?”

“My bird trap,” Finn said. “I built it today.”

“And I helped,” Emma chimed in.

“Did you catch one?” Star asked.

“Not yet.” Finn looked at her. “But I will. I put some breadcrumbs in the trap. If a bird goes inside, the box will fall and trap it.”

“What will you do with the bird if you catch it?” Star asked.

“It will be our pet,” Emma said, her eyes all dreamy.

Star prayed they wouldn’t catch anything. She didn’t have the heart to tell the twins that wild birds didn’t make good pets.

Finn leaned more fully against her right side; Emma cuddled against her left side, their little bodies soft and heavy. Star closed her eyes and relaxed. She could hear the sound of silverware clinking together as Cade got things ready for the evening meal. The high whine of a hairdryer came from the upstairs bathroom window. Probably Vivienne.

Exhaustion claimed Star and it suddenly felt like she hadn’t slept in days. Emma burrowed more securely against her. Star’s fingers smoothed the little girl’s hair. On her other side, she could feel the rise and fall of Finn’s chest.

Star drifted off. The slap of the screen door woke her, followed by Brad saying, “Dad, the stove timer’s going off.”

Star opened her eyes to find Cade watching her. How long had he been standing there beside the hammock? Instantly self–conscious, Star tried to sit up, but the kids held her in place.

“Don’t move,” Cade said softly. “I want to remember you like this.”

Star didn’t want him to remember her like this, like she was a mother. This wasn’t her at all, and this wasn’t the image she wanted him to have of her. She moved again, and woke Emma. The little girl sat up, nearly dumping them all out of the hammock.

“Hey,” Finn cried, grabbing onto a handful of Star’s shirt to keep from falling.

The blissful moment with the kids shattered. Cade lifted Emma out of the hammock. Finn jumped out, and then Cade reached for Star, pulling her up.

“Go wash up for dinner,” Cade said to the kids, his hands still on Star’s arms. “Hands and faces. Change your shirts, and comb your hair.”

“Aw, heck,” Finn grumbled on the way to his house, Emma right behind him.

“I fell asleep,” Star said. “I guess the past couple of nights are catching up with me.”

“You look good with my kids, Star,” Cade said his hands still on her arms. “They really like you.”

“I like them, too,” Star said. “I never said I didn’t like kids. I just don’t want any of my own.”

Cade’s hands slid down her arms, and he took her hands in his. “Okay. I respect that. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll take you any way I can get you, Star White.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Mmmm,” he murmured, his fingers playing against hers. “I’m glad.”

Star smiled up at him.

“Thanks for helping out tonight.” He let go of one of her hands, and still holding the other one, they started toward the house. “I owe you, and I think I know just how to repay you.”

His words held a sexy, seductive edge.

Star’s stomach rippled with desire. “Is that so?”

“Count on it.”

The promise and heat in his stare almost made Star forget they had to get through the evening meal before they could be alone. Her nerve endings crackled, as if they’d been electrically charged—just looking at Cade sent pleasure through her clear to her toes.

More than ever she wanted one more night with Cade, one more chance to see if she really was capable of letting go and enjoying sex. One more chance with Cade before she left him and Alaska behind.