Falling Star (Combustible Book 2) Read online

  Kyle melted. “Anytime, Blaze. You’re always welcome here.”

  He took Trent’s hand and pulled him around the house.

  Trent waved over his shoulder with a laugh. “See ya later.”

  On the street, Trent turned to Blaze and gave him a crooked smile. “You’re lucky Kyle likes you.”

  Blaze blushed. “I did like Ella said. I’m Cherish’s friend.”

  Trent nodded. “Remember that.”

  The boy’s gaze wandered to Ella’s house. His followed. He could see the light on upstairs in the bedroom, and scooped Blaze up into his arms before Trent gave into temptation to attempt a peek at Ella.

  Squealing with excitement, Blaze squeaked out, “Can we watch the newest Midnight Daughter movie?”

  Trent grinned. It didn’t matter what Raven Star was in, he wanted to see it. The woman could act, and she was hot, and man, he loved to watch her. He could admit to a slight obsession with the movie star, but it wasn’t as if she’d ever go for a fireman in a small town.

  “Promise not to tell Nana and Pop?” Trent asked with a grin.

  “I swear!”

  “Then it’s movie night.” He scooped Blaze over his shoulder and checked the street before running across and up the steps. At the door, he set Blaze down.

  “You get the movie going, and I’ll get everything else.”

  Blaze nodded in typical seven-year-old enthusiasm.

  Once inside, Trent pointed at the closet. “Grab a couple blankets and pillows. I have a feeling we’re camping out on the couch.”

  “Yay,” Blaze kicked off his shoes and charged upstairs, no doubt to change into comfy clothes.

  Laughing, Trent made root beer floats and popcorn that he placed on the coffee table before joining Blaze upstairs. The boy was already in pajamas, brushing his teeth.

  Around the toothbrush, he mumbled, “I av it eady.”

  Trent laughed. “Good man. Let me change, and I’ll be down in a minute.”

  He pulled on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt before heading downstairs and stretching his legs out on the long side of the couch.

  Blaze hit play and grabbed the floats, handing Trent one. “Thank you. You’re the best.”

  He grinned over at Blaze. “Anything for my best bud.”

  Ten minutes into the movie, Blaze bounced off the couch, hitting the pause button for a close-up of Raven Star. “Look who it is!” He pointed at the screen.

  Trent was looking, all right. A gorgeous brunette super-spy. “You got a crush too?”

  “Huh? No.” Blaze shook his head and pointed again. “Look at her.”

  “Okay.” He stared extra hard at the TV. “I’m looking.”

  “That’s Ella, from across the street.”

  Trent laughed out loud. He couldn’t imagine the skittish woman being a world-famous actress.

  “Those are Ella’s,” Blaze pointed at her stunning eyes, brought out by shadowy makeup.

  “Um, kid, we may need to have your vision checked. She may look a little like Ella, but that woman has black hair, no glasses in sight, and she’s probably working on her next movie.”

  Blaze shook his head, pointing again. “It’s her.”

  “Why would a big famous actress want to come hang out with us in this little town?”

  “Mila grew up with her.”

  He snorted. “Her name is Ella. Not Raven.”

  Blaze trudged back to the couch and flopped down. “That’s her face. Exactly.”

  “Like Ella said, we all have doppelgangers, kiddo. Look, Ella is a bit on the pale side with freckles splashed across her cheeks. Raven is a bit darker. It’s not her.”

  “If you say so. I still think she’s Raven Star.”

  Trent laughed. “You want to watch the movie now?”

  “Yeah.” Blaze pouted

  Trent sat back, and pressed play, reaching over to ruffle Blaze’s hair. “It’s not her.”

  “It is,” Blaze answered.

  Rolling his eyes, Trent dragged the popcorn between them and stretched out to enjoy the movie.

  Chapter 8

  Trent waved as his parents drove away with Blaze. That boy meant the world to him. He couldn’t understand how his sister could be so selfish and put herself first every damned time. Almost four months since Tina went to rehab, and she was still there while her boy suffered.

  Thinking about Tina never got Trent anywhere. He needed a distraction and he’d noticed the perfect one walking out her door when his parents came to pick up Blaze. Dressed in workout gear, she must have been headed out for a run.

  Trent hurried to catch up with the mysterious beauty. At least, he knew why she looked familiar. He’d spent plenty of time watching Raven Star in the movies. She did have some resemblance… and those same unusual blue-green eyes.

  Ella had already set a brisk pace. It took considerable effort to catch her. Trent couldn’t help wondering if she was trying to avoid him, or running from something in her past. Sometimes pushing himself to physical exhaustion was the only way to clear his mind.

  Damn, he was curious about her motivation. Instead of asking, he planned to play by Mila’s rules and take Ella’s hint about being friends.

  She tensed as he neared, then picked up her pace before he could catch up.

  “Hey, Ella. It’s me, Trent,” he called out, hoping she wasn’t wearing earbuds.

  She slowed and glanced back. “Sorry. Paranoid, I guess.”

  “Didn’t mean to scare you.” Finally, he caught up and offered her a warm smile. “Mind if I join you?”

  A smirk pulled one side of her lips. “Can you keep up?”

  “That a challenge?”

  Nodding, Ella kicked it up a gear. He managed to match her speed, but he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to keep up the pace.

  “What, are you a marathon runner?” he teased.

  Ella glanced over with a smirk. “I’ve placed in a few.”

  His mouth dropped open, but he pushed himself harder to keep up. “Impressive. And here I was kidding.”

  “You know your way around, right?” Her tone had taken on a flirty tone.

  He nodded, curious where she was going.

  “Then show me around.”

  “You got it.”

  For an hour, he toured her through town. She never slowed, faltered, or stumbled. Shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but running had never been a favorite pastime. With her, he honestly enjoyed the exertion. He led her back to their street and slowed the last few blocks.

  Ella stayed with him. She smiled over at him. “Hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  “Tell me where, and I’ll take you to breakfast. Then maybe you can show me where the gym is. If you aren’t busy this morning.”

  “Let me take you to breakfast, and it’s a deal.”

  Her brow arched. “Deal. I need a quick shower first.”

  “Shower?” he teased. “How long we talking? I said I was starving.” Admittedly, he worried she’d take forever like most women he knew.

  Laughing, she backed toward the door. “Ten minutes. Better be outside or I’ll grab Mila and go without you.”

  He held back a snort. Ten minutes to be showered and out the door? Only time he managed that was at the firehouse when the bell went off mid-shower. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll be out first.”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “We’ll see about that.” Then she disappeared.

  He wasted no time rushing inside and stripping as he ran up the stairs and into the shower. Just in case, she was really ready in ten, he didn’t want to look like an ass for doubting her.

  With a couple minutes to spare, he shut off the water and toweled off in time for his phone to ring.

  He hit speaker and headed into the bedroom to grab the first clothes he could find. “What’s up?”

  “Be careful with Ella,” Mila said softly.

  Trent couldn’t help laughing. “I ran with her. We’re going to breakfast. The
n she wants me to take her to the gym. All things I would do with the guys. I’m not hitting on her.”

  “You want to, though.”

  He sucked in a breath and let it out. “Fine, yes. You have my word. Unless she invites it, I’m not going there. But how the hell do you know we went running?”

  “I was outside with Cherish,” she answered sheepishly.

  “For the record, I’m getting to know her without asking questions she’s not ready to answer. I already learned she runs marathons.”

  Now she sounded amused, “Yeah, she has. And won.”

  His brows shot up. “She said she placed, not won.”

  “She won at least three of them.”

  “Holy shit. No wonder I nearly killed myself trying to find her limits.”

  Mila laughed this time. “Sorry, I’m just worried about how she’s adjusting to a new place. Kyle said you’re worried about her. Which gains you a few points.”

  He sighed. “What the hell did I do to make you doubt me this damned much?”

  She sighed. “You haven’t. Which is why I’m lifting my leave Ella alone policy. As long as you take things at her pace.”

  “Please, Mila, stop worrying so much. I’m not an asshole, I just want to get to know her. Okay?”

  “Sorry.”

  Shaking his head, he asked, “Can I get dressed now? She challenged me to a ten-minute shower and I don’t want to look like an ass when I don’t meet her outside.”

  Mila’s tone lightened. “For the record, I think you’ll be good for her… when she’s ready.”

  “I’m not taking anything anywhere right now. Believe it or not, I want to be her friend first. Especially since I know something happened in her past to make her skittish. I want to ease that fear, not make it worse.”

  “Go on then. She won’t take ten minutes. Not to go for breakfast.”

  * * * *

  Showered and dressed, Ella headed across the street with two minutes to spare. She settled against the rail and waited patiently. Ringing the bell was tempting, but she was early.

  A moment later, Trent came through the door and smiled. “I wasn’t sure you’d be that fast. Most women—”

  She held up a finger, shaking her head with a smirk. “Don’t start that most-women-bullshit with me. I’m just me, and I needed to rinse off so I didn’t stink.”

  He grinned. “You’re right, and I should know better than to assume. Not all women are alike. I’m sorry.”

  “No need for apologies.”

  “All right.”

  Her eyes sparkled, her mouth quirking in a sexy smile. “So where are we going?”

  “A great little diner that happens to be down the road. You mind walking?”

  “Not at all.”

  He locked the door and headed for the street with her beside him. “How long before you open your shop?”

  She shrugged. “Depends on how fast I can get everything organized. This is a new venture, so I’m not rushing. I want to do it right.”

  “So, you just decide you’re going to do something, and you do it, don’t you?”

  She grinned. “Pretty much. Life got too hectic where I was, so I decided to start a simpler one here.”

  “I hope you find that. I like your company.”

  Her stomach fluttered, but she had to ask one important question. “I have a philosophical question.” Her hands trembled as she waited for his nod. “How much do you think the past shapes a person?”

  One corner of Trent’s mouth lifted. “Some events can affect people more than others. However, everyone has the ability to change, if they can find the strength.” Sadness clouded his pale blue eyes as he looked away. He was silent so long, she nudged him.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” Ella asked.

  “Sorry. Just thinking about my sister.”

  “Sorry. Mila said she’s in rehab. I can’t imagine it’s easy for her to leave her boy behind.”

  He let out a bitter laugh. “In the beginning, I sympathized with her about that. But this isn’t the first, and won’t likely be the last time.” Pushing his fingers through his hair, he shrugged. “I don’t know what to expect from her anymore.”

  Ella’s head tipped to the side. “But you believe people can change?”

  “Yeah. My sister’s not the best example.” Trent opened the door. He smiled as Ella walked by, and he followed her in. “My dad struggled with alcoholism when I was in high school. He realized how badly he hurt our family and changed.”

  “Then there’s still hope.”

  “Always hope. Took him some years. He got there. I’m hoping Tina does too before she winds up getting herself killed… or loses her son’s faith in her.” She couldn’t find any hope in his eyes.

  Ella looked away. “I feel like a jerk asking about stuff like that when I don’t want to talk about my own past.”

  A smirk crossed his lips. “Ask. I’ll tell you if I don’t want to answer.”

  “Why is your sister in rehab?”

  A middle-aged woman came over to their booth with a pair of menus. “Who’s your friend, Trent?”

  “Ella Cross, meet Verna. She makes the best cobblers around.”

  “Cobbler?” Ella perked up. She didn’t eat sweets often, but she missed her grandmother’s delightful peach or berry ones.

  “You’re going to eat breakfast first, aren’t you?” Trent asked.

  “Oh, yeah. I’m starved. I’ll order the dessert after a real meal.” She looked down at her menu.

  Verna cleared her throat. “Something to drink while you look?”

  “Coffee, please. Some water too,” Ella asked, raising her head with a smile.

  “Be right back.” Verna winked at Trent before ducking behind the counter.

  Trent nodded at the menu. “Go ahead, find what you want. I’ll tell you the rest while we wait for our food.”

  “If it’s hard, you don’t have to.”

  Trent licked his lips, glancing down at the table as he shifted in his seat. A second later, it dawned on her what she’d implied. Heat infused her cheeks as he slowly met her gaze with a sexy smirk.

  God, he’s temptation incarnate.

  Ella quickly redirected, “What are you having?”

  “Country fried steak and eggs.” His mouth tipped in a sexy smirk. “You?”

  Her smile quirked. “Eggs Benedict. Haven’t had it in forever.” Guilt trickled through her. “My grandmother used to make it for me. Fresh, homemade Hollandaise sauce. It was the best.”

  “Did you lose her?”

  “A few years ago. Heart attack.” Ella looked down at her hands that were folded on the table. “I miss her.”

  “Sorry. That has to be difficult.”

  “It was. Work kept me away from my family. I didn’t get to see her very often.” Ella looked out the window and let out a breath.

  He couldn’t resist reaching over to take her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “Not your fault.” Blinking, she turned toward him again with a sad smile. “Sorry.”

  Verna chose that moment to come back to the table. He took his hand away when Verna cleared her throat before asking Ella for her order.

  * * * *

  Once they were alone, Trent took a breath and shifted the focus to him, hoping to relieve the guilt she obviously felt. “I was on duty the day my sister’s house burned down. We got there and neither Tina nor Blaze was outside. I rushed in and found the little guy trying to pull his mom to the door while the fire raged around them.”

  Her gaze intensified. “But you got them out, right?”

  “I did. She’d overdosed on meth. With Blaze there. She swears she’d been clean for months. But her dealer was there, demanding money. They think he set the house on fire. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

  “And you’re mad because she endangered your nephew?”

  “Yeah, her own son. I don’t understand. Her little boy was in the house when this all went down. He only hea
rd yelling and banging, then smelled smoke and risked his life trying to save her.”

  This time, it was Ella who reached over to squeeze his hand but didn’t keep contact for long. “Have you talked to her? Maybe listened to what she had to say?”

  “I tried, but she won’t take responsibility.”

  Ella frowned, then asked, “How long has she been in rehab?”

  “Almost four months this time. Mom and Dad say she’s come a long way. She’s choosing to stay, but Blaze feels like she doesn’t love him anymore.” Trent scrubbed both hands over his short hair. “I don’t get it.”

  “Maybe she wants to be clean this time, for good. Addiction is a scary thing. I’ve watched friends battle it. Sometimes they can just quit, and some have to shut themselves off from everyone to find their strength.”

  “That what you’re doing?”

  She dipped her head slowly. “Not because of addiction.”

  He reached out and ran his fingers over the burn scar covering her wrist. “Someone do this to you?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Someone you knew?”

  She turned away again. “No. But I really don’t want to think about that right now. I can’t yet.”

  “Hey, Ella, look at me.”

  She did, reluctantly. “What?” she snapped.

  “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer. You spoke of your grandmother, so I thought maybe the rules were changing.” He shrugged one shoulder, a sheepish smile brightened on his face. He hadn’t meant to venture into her past, but curiosity got the best of him.

  Sighing, she nodded. “It’s okay.”

  It wasn’t though. He couldn’t help worrying about who lurked in her past. Something scared her enough to make her run. “Just one thing. Are you in trouble now? Something the cops could keep an eye on?”

  “No. If it came down to that, then I’d talk. Right now, no one knows where I am, but Mila. My brother doesn’t even know.”

  “A brother?”

  She rolled those beautiful eyes. “Yeah, I have a brother.”

  “Not close to him?”

  “It’s not that. He’s too wrapped up in my old world. I wanted to disappear and find myself again. Somewhere along the way, I lost who I was.”