Stars On Fire Read online

  STARS ON FIRE

  STARS #1

  E. L. TODD

  Hartwick Publishing

  Stars on Fire

  Copyright © 2019 by E. L. Todd

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  This book is a work of fiction. The idea came to me, and I hoped you might find it fun and sexy…and different. However, I’m not well-versed in the space program and the details provided here are for entertainment purposes only, not meant to be a guide on how to be an astronaut. If I had that guide, I’d be up in space myself right now.

  Hope you enjoy it!

  -E. L. Todd

  1

  CHARLOTTE

  VICTOR WAS one of the best men I knew.

  Always calm. Always patient. Even in the most stressful situations, he remained completely calm. His heart beat at a slower rate than the rest of us, and as a result, his tolerance for bullshit was exceptionally high.

  I only saw him lose his temper once—when he punched my ex-husband in the face.

  With the remote in hand, he frantically hit the buttons and scrolled through the guide, trying to find the right news channel that would be covering such an important event. “NBC? Fox? Which is it?”

  “Uh…” Stacy scrolled through her phone. “I’m not sure…”

  He didn’t say a word, but he turned red in the face. The vein in his forehead started pounding. “Shit, maybe we should call my mom… Wait. Found it.” He hit the numbers, and the screen changed. News anchors spoke over the video of the blue sky as the camera panned over the Atlantic Ocean.

  “Astronauts Captain Neil Crimson and Patrick Douglass are returning to Earth after a three-month mission to the moon and the International Space Station. Their capsule has penetrated the stratosphere and will be landing in the Atlantic Ocean at any moment.” The image of the news anchor could be seen in the corner, sitting at his desk with a pile of papers and an oversized mug of coffee.

  Victor’s entire composition was reduced to a tight frame and an uncomfortable position. He leaned forward with his hands clasped tightly together as if he feared something would go wrong on his brother’s reentry into the atmosphere.

  All Stacy could do to comfort her husband was place her hand on his back. “It’ll be alright…”

  Victor didn’t acknowledge her words or take his eyes off the screen, as if he would miss something important if he dropped his concentration for even an instant.

  Stacy and I had been best friends for years, and usually, when a girlfriend got into a serious relationship, the friendship started to fall apart. But in my case, she married the most amazing man in the world…and now all three of us were friends. Victor was perfect for her. He tolerated her flaws and loved her more with each passing day. I was happy for my best friend for finding her Prince Charming.

  I hadn’t found mine.

  The capsule became visible on the screen, streaking across the sky as it aimed for the Atlantic Ocean. Traveling at speeds that couldn’t be replicated with current technology, it torpedoed into the ocean and disappeared.

  Rescue boats immediately moved in to retrieve the two astronauts from the capsule.

  Stacy kept looking at Victor, studying his tense demeanor. “Your brother is a pro, Victor. He’ll be fine.”

  Victor took a deep breath and sighed. “You never know. He has one of the most dangerous professions in the world. Anything can go wrong and at any time…and that’s fucking terrifying.”

  The capsule door was opened, and the astronauts were pulled from the capsule. Their space helmets were removed, and they were assisted by the men on the boats as they got reacquainted with the pull of gravity once they had to stand on their own.

  The newscaster spoke again. “We just received reports from NASA that both Captain Neil Crimson and Patrick Douglass are alright. They’ll be transported to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for evaluation before they return to their homes.”

  Victor continued to stare at the screen, watching his brother step off the capsule and onto the rescue boat that was ready to take him back to the mainland. The camera was zoomed out so far that specific features were difficult to make out, but he was definitely smiling.

  Stacy continued to rub his back. “Neil is back on Earth in one piece. You can calm down now.”

  Victor finally tore his gaze away from the screen and grabbed his phone. “I should call my mom. She’s gonna be hysterical.” He took his phone and stepped into the other room to make the call.

  Now that Victor was gone, Stacy allowed herself to feel the tension her husband had just displayed. She’d put on a brave face for him, but now she was herself again. She could always be herself in front of me. “I’m glad he made it back. Victor gets so worked up about it.”

  I’d known for a long time that Victor’s brother was an astronaut. It came up at every dinner party and social event. There were only five hundred people who had ever been to space and even fewer who had been to the moon—so it was a big deal. Unfortunately, I’d never met the famous man, not even at their wedding. He was stationed on the moon at the time and couldn’t attend the ceremony. “I can only imagine…” I scooted to the spot directly beside her on the couch. “At least he’s here now. How long will he stick around?”

  “No idea. You never know with him. When he gets back to Houston, we’re having a little get together for him. You should come.”

  Stacy was practically my sister, and Victor was my brother because I adored him so much. It was crazy to think I’d never met this man who was so important to both of them. “That’d be great. I’ve never met an astronaut before.”

  She chuckled. “Most people haven’t.”

  “He must be a brainiac.”

  “Oh my god, he’s so brilliant. Sometimes I can’t believe that he and Victor are related.”

  “Victor is smart,” I said defensively.

  “Of course,” she countered. “But Neil is like…Einstein-smart.”

  I’d never met anyone with that kind of brilliance, so I imagined a quiet and pretentious man who couldn’t relate to the average population. He was probably egotistical and judgmental. But it would still be cool to meet an astronaut, regardless of his personality. “Then it’ll be interesting to meet him.”

  “Yeah, he’s great. Victor knows his brother is the favorite in the family, and he’s totally fine with it…because Neil is his favorite too.”

  IN A BLACK DRESS with silver heels, I pinned the fake diamond earrings to my lobes then walked out my door. When Victor contacted the restaurant and asked to hold a private event there for his brother, the manager had no problem accommodating him. On top of that, they didn’t even charge anything to rent the space.

  Pays to be famous, I guess.

  I took a cab from my apartment to the restaurant then walked inside. There were a few dozen people there, most of whom I didn’t know. Sports was on the TVs on mute, and the restaurant was cleared out so everyone had room to stand at the high-top tables and enjoy their cocktails.

  I’d been divorced for six months, but it still felt strange to go out without my wedding ring.

  I hadn’t given it back to him yet.

  I knew he wanted it back, even though he would never ask for it. It would make him seem like a bigger jerk than he already was. He was somewhat delicate about certain topics despite the fact that he had no problem breaking my heart.

  I stopped thinking about my ex-husband and searched for Stacy and Victor.

  They were standing near the
bar, chatting with a couple of friends. Stacy had gorgeous blond hair, and Victor had dark hair and tanned skin. They were a beautiful couple…and they would make beautiful children someday.

  I stopped by the bar and ordered a drink then joined their circle. “Hey, that dress is so cute.”

  “Thank you.” She propped her hand on her hip and posed. “It’s yours.”

  “No wonder why it’s so cute.”

  She laughed then hugged me. “I’m so glad you could make it. A lot of Neil’s friends from school and work are here. Maybe you’ll meet someone.”

  I wasn’t eager to jump back into the dating world. Six months was plenty of time to get over a divorce, but I still struggled to let go of the past…maybe because our breakup was so traumatic. The idea of having any kind of emotional relationship felt repulsive. I’d been on dates with a couple of guys and had a few flings, but they were just about sex…which was all I was interested in at the moment. “I’m not looking, but thanks.” I moved to Victor next and hugged him. “So, where’s the man of the hour?”

  “Should be here any minute.” Victor usually wore a stony expression that was hard to read. With brown eyes the color of earth and a light shadow across his jaw, he seemed unhappy most of the time. But when he looked at me, his eyes lit up with fondness, like I was a little sister to him. “He’s usually late for everything.”

  “Literally.” Stacy drank her cosmopolitan. “He had a launch a couple of years ago, and he was somehow late to that. How are you late for your own launch to the moon?”

  “What was his reason?” I asked.

  Victor shrugged. “He had a hot date the night before? No idea.”

  The main doors opened, and everyone erupted in cheers. Clapping and whistles filled the space and echoed off the stone walls, creating a cacophony. It reminded me of the moment when the captain of the football team ran onto the field and everyone in the stands cheered.

  People stepped in front of me to get a better look at him, so I had to maneuver until I could finally see the guy.

  He wore dark jeans and black shoes, and a blue NASA jacket covered his muscular frame. It was a jacket I’d only seen in the movies or on the news, but he was wearing one that very moment.

  As I felt the energy from around the room, I started to understand that I was truly in the presence of someone extraordinary.

  Because he was so young.

  Based on looks alone, he didn’t seem like he could be a day over thirty. With a square jaw, beautiful cheekbones, and deep brown eyes that were somehow bright at the same time, he looked nothing like what I imagined. I’d pictured a scrawny man with glasses, someone who spent more time in the lab than at the gym. That wasn’t the case with this man at all. He was tall, strong, fit…and hot.

  Super hot.

  He smiled as the clapping grew louder, seeming truly affected by the love he received from everyone in that room. He went to the first person he could reach and started shaking hands and hugging people.

  The applause and cheers died away.

  With a drink in my hand, I continued to stare at Neil. He carried himself with perfect posture, his shoulders wide and his stomach tight. He had a charming smile, the kind a politician wore at every public event. He was hypnotizing. “Stacy, you never mentioned your brother-in-law is the sexiest man on the planet.”

  “Well, I think Victor is the sexiest man on the planet, so that’s probably why I didn’t say that. But yeah…I know he’s hot.” She held her glass as she stood close to me, almost a foot taller than me.

  “I didn’t realize an astronaut could be so young.”

  “I told you, he’s a genius. There must have been something in the water when his mom was pregnant, because she made a super baby. He’s got looks and brains. Impressive.”

  Victor joined our conversation. “I’ve got looks and brains too.”

  “I know, honey.” She hooked her arm through his and kissed him on the cheek. “I definitely got the better brother…but this is the first time Charlotte has ever seen him, and I think she’s a little surprised.”

  Victor watched his brother walk around the room and speak with everyone who’d shown up to see him. “Yeah…he is pretty hot. It takes some time to get used to.”

  IT TOOK twenty minutes before Neil reached Victor. When he finally looked at his brother, his diplomatic smile faded away, and he wore a softer look, like the affection he felt for his family was much deeper than what he felt for everyone else in that room. “You look good, brother.”

  “I look better than you,” Victor teased. “I didn’t just crash-land to Earth a week ago.”

  Neil gripped him by the shoulder and chuckled. “Yeah, we came in pretty hard. I slept for thirty-six hours when I finally got to bed.” After sharing another look, he pulled Victor into his chest and hugged him. He clapped him on the back and held him for a long time. They were the same height, both over six feet.

  Victor held on for a long time and closed his eyes, treasuring the reunion with his brother.

  It was emotional to watch.

  Neil held on for a while longer and plastered a smile on his face when he pulled away. “I think there’s a game on tomorrow night. We should get together and watch it. You know, catch up.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Neil moved to Stacy next. With affection in his eyes, he looked at her. “You’ve been taking care of my brother while I’ve been gone?”

  “He’s mostly been taking care of me,” she said. “But I think that’s how he likes it.”

  “Yeah. I’m sure he does.” He pulled her in for a hug and squeezed her tight. It was sincere affection, not a casual hug that meant nothing to him. Not only was he charismatic and kind, but he was endearing too.

  When he pulled away, Stacy introduced me. “I can’t believe the two of you have never met. Neil, this is my best friend, Charlotte.”

  Neil moved in front of me and studied me for a brief second. His eyes took me in, his smile fading away and his gaze turning serious. Time seemed to slow down as we stared at each other, like this meeting was borderline awkward and intense.

  When he was this close, I could really appreciate his good looks. He had slightly tanned skin, like he hadn’t been up in the blackness of space for who knows how long. His brown eyes reminded me of freshly tilled soil out in the pastures, and that square jaw looked like it could have been ripped off Clint Eastwood’s face and plastered onto his. He had a shadow of hair along his jaw just the way his brother did. Both men had incredible genes, but this man was distinctly beautiful. He was masculine in every way imaginable, from the way his muscles stretched the fabric of his jacket so well to the way his jeans fit low on his hips but tight on his ass.

  He finally extended his hand to me. “Any friend of Stacy and Vic is a friend of mine. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Pretty boys were on every street corner, but this man was something else. I refused to melt into a puddle on the floor just because he was a handsome man, and I refused to be intimidated by someone just because they were astronomically successful. I took his hand with a firm grip. “The pleasure is all mine. Ever since I met Victor, he’s been calm and pragmatic. Even when Stacy and I do crazy stuff, he keeps his cool. But when he watched you fall out of the sky, he was a wreck. He adores you.”

  He kept my hand in his as his eyes softened. That charming smile slowly faded away as he soaked in my words all the way down to his core. “Never knew my brother had feelings.”

  “He does—for you.”

  2

  CHARLOTTE

  STACY SPOKE OVER THE PHONE. “The game is on tonight, and I made nachos. Want to come over?”

  I was sitting on the couch, and as if Torpedo could read my mind, he looked up from the ground and stared at me with those puppy eyes. He was smarter than people gave him credit for because he seemed to understand I usually left the house after I got off the phone. He gave a slight whine like he was begging me to stay. “I don’t think Torpe
do wants me to go anywhere.” He was a black Lab, my best friend that snuggled with me every single night. When Cameron and I divorced, he was one of the only things I demanded to keep.

  “He hogs you way too much.”

  “Come on, he’s like my kid…” The second I mentioned children, my throat closed up and I felt the hot tears start all the way in my chest. People thought sobs started behind your eyes, but they actually originated from a much deeper place. I only knew that because I’d spent so much time crying these last few months.

  Stacy picked up on my change of mood, even over the phone. “Then bring him with you.”

  “I know you don’t want a dog in your apartment.”

  “We don’t mind. He’s a good boy.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course. See you soon, alright? Oh, and Neil is gonna be here too.”

  The sexy astronaut. “I hope you aren’t trying to set me up with your brother-in-law.” In theory, it was a match made in heaven. If we ever did get married, Stacy and I would be sisters by marriage.

  “No,” she said with a laugh. “Neil is a wonderful guy, but he’s not your type.”

  I wondered what she meant by that, but I didn’t ask because it didn’t matter. “Torpedo and I will be there soon.”

  “ROLL OVER.” Vic held up a dog treat as he sat on the couch.

  Torpedo lay on the ground, his eyes locked on the food that made him salivate all over the rug. With his head up high and his eyes focused on the prize, he listened to every command so he could fill his belly with the treat.

  “Roll over.” Vic made the motion with his hand. “Come on, buddy.”

  Torpedo finally did it, his big belly making it difficult to maneuver.

  “Awesome.” Vic tossed him the treat.

  Torpedo picked up the treat shaped like a bone and carried it to his favorite place on the rug to enjoy it. The sound of his teeth cracking through the substance was audible, even over the sound of the TV. A commercial came on and ended the first quarter.