“Damn, I bet you two are all kinds of freaky.”
Star playfully arched his eyebrows, smirking.
“Damn, thank gods I have a man, or I'd be jealous of you.”
“Speaking of which, will you ever tell me about him?”
Vivienne smiled and looked like a shy little girl having a first crush. It was adorable, in Star's opinion. She also seemed lost in thought but soon collected herself. “I'll tell you about him once we deal with the phone thing and you tell me how you know Thornton Miller,” she said in a businesslike tone and grabbed her phone, calling her assistant.
Star watched her work her magic, proud that she was his manager and fortunate that he knew another version of her from a previous life. “Your new phone will be here by the end of lunch,” she said, putting her phone away. “Now, tell me about that guy.”
Star sighed. “There's not much to tell. I told you that I almost signed with Equi-Noxx Entertainment.” Vivienne nodded. “Well, I was going to do it for him. I thought we had something special, but I realized I was going about things wrong, and he wasn't the man for me in the end.”
“I feel like you skirted around much of the information, but I got the important bits.” She smiled. “I knew there was a reason why I liked you. I'm glad you didn't sacrifice yourself for a man and especially one like him. He's using that Sundi girl, and when he's done with her, he will throw her to the side for something better.”
Star nodded, and he wanted to feel sorry for Sundi, but the events of his past dealings with her otherworld namesake played like a broken record in his thoughts. Throwing that thought aside, Star focused his attention on what he wanted from Vivienne. “Okay, tell me, who's your mystery guy?”
Vivienne gave him another dreamy smile, and it got even more nauseating when her phone rang, and Star happened to see the name on the screen before she answered, making his eyes widen in shock.
Dent “Hunny” Sparks.
“Hey, babe,” Vivienne said, and without thinking, Star blurted out simultaneously, “You’re dating Dent Sparks?”
Vivienne looked at Star with the phone still to her ear. “You know Dent? How?”
Star chuckled and stood. “It's a story for another time. Say hi to Dent for me. I'm going to head to the bathroom.”
Star shook his head. What a coincidence! The two people who cared for and protected him in his previous life were now dating. Looking over his shoulder at the bright smile on Vivienne's face, Star wished them nothing but happiness.
* * *
Star wasat the sink washing his hands and heard someone enter the bathroom but ignored their presence. They had nothing to do with him. Turning off the faucet, he reached for a towel and froze when he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye.
“How did you get past the host?” He grabbed the towel and turned to face Thornton as he dried his hands. Star was trying to put on a brave front, but he was still somewhat afraid of the other man, even if he wasn’t the same one from his past.
“I slipped in while Sundi argued with the manager.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his familiar cold eyes. “You look good, and I gotta say you’re doing well for yourself, all without my help.”
“Why are you here, Thornton? Shouldn’t you be out there taking care of your client?”
“I’m not worried about Sundi. She can take care of herself.”
“So, it still doesn’t explain why you’re in here?”
“Why did you leave me, Star?” he asked instead.
“Because it’s what I had to do. We meant nothing to each other, Thornton. Our goals and desires aren’t the same.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? We made plans; you and I were going to conquer Hollywood together.”
“At what cost? Whose life would be sacrificed for the success we both wanted—no, not we. Make that you! Because I saw a future where neither one of us came out the winner.”
Star angrily threw the towel into the basket. He felt a renewed strength he had lost when dealing with Thornton. It didn’t matter which life he was living. He could tell the two versions of him thought the same. Before, he’d been afraid to speak his mind because of retaliation from the other man, but now he didn’t care. There wasn't a reason to be scared. Thornton did not have dominion over his actions any longer.
“I know you were using me to get into Equi-Noxx, and foolishly, I went along with it because I thought it would benefit me as well. But the future of us being together, happy and in love, is not what you want. Tell me I'm lying.”
“Star, it's not that easy,” Thornton stated.
“The fuck it's not. I’m not, nor was I ever, the prize you wanted in the end. You value money and fame more than anything else. I want love and to spend my life with someone unafraid to be themselves. And I want kids, something you might not want. You probably think they’d hold you back.” Star recalled Thornton had said those words in the previous life. In fact, he hated kids. “I doubt you will ever find what you're looking for. I will say it one more time. You and I have nothing to do with each other. Stay out of my life, and I will do the same with you.”
