When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) Read online

  I begin to worry that Xander’s not going to say anything as we throw away our trash and head outside to the waiting taxi line. We start for the first taxi and the driver hops out to help with the luggage.

  “Shoot,” Xander says, patting his pockets. “I left my phone.”

  “You left your phone?” I repeat, like really? That’s the best you could come up with?

  Cade looks over at Xander in disbelief. “Seriously, dude?”

  Xander’s shoulders sag. “You got me, that was a lie.” I gasp. He has to be kidding me. He can’t tell— “Thea told me she wanted to go to the observation deck at the Stratosphere before we left and I promised I’d take her. You know I don’t like to break promises.”

  “Our flight leaves in two hours,” Cade warns. “Couldn’t you have done this yesterday?”

  Xander shrugs. “There wasn’t any time.”

  You know, because we were too busy getting drunk, married, and fucking like rabbits. Logistics, though.

  Cade sighs. “I suppose we can go.”

  Xander shakes his head. “Maybe you should go on ahead? That way—on the off chance we’d miss the flight, you don’t. I’m sure Rae would be upset if she didn’t get to see you soon.”

  Cade purses his lips and his eyes narrow in thought. I expect him to argue but instead he shrugs. “You’re right,” Cade agrees. “Keep an eye on her.” He points a warning finger at Xander.

  Despite the fact that I’m nineteen—almost twenty—Cade still treats me like I’m a little girl. He’s always been the protective type and while it can be annoying, I know he does it from the best place in his heart.

  “And try,” he pleads, “to not miss the flight.”

  Xander salutes him. “I’ll do my best.”

  The two of us wheel our bags to the sidewalk and watch as Cade gets in the taxi and leaves.

  “Stage one, complete,” Xander chimes.

  “What’s stage two?” I ask.

  His dark eyes squint from the bright Vegas sun and he looks toward all the buildings on the strip. “Finding the church.”

  We leave our bags at the front desk, much to the irritation of the receptionist. She only agreed because Xander sweet-talked her while I stood off to the side trying not to roll my eyes.

  Xander and I grab one of the waiting taxis and ask to be taken to the nearest church. It seems to be the best place to start considering neither of us knows the exact one where the deed was done. After talking about it, we were able to piece together enough about the interior that we’ll know when we find it.

  The taxi parks in front of a tan-stoned building with a huge sign out front that says: Viva Las Vegas. Themed weddings. Themed rooms.

  Xander and I exchange a look before sliding out of the car and into the heat.

  “Wait here,” Xander orders the driver. When he huffs in irritation, Xander adds, “Keep the meter running.”

  It doesn’t take long for Xander and me to run in and determine that this isn’t the chapel we got married in. It also only took the Elvis impersonator a few seconds to openly hit on me. It was gross, but the warning growl from Xander for the man to stay away made it worth it.

  We stop at three more places and none of them are the one.

  But the fourth looks promising. The outside is white, and it’s built more like a traditional church with a steeple. It looks nothing like the gaudy and gimmicky places we’ve already checked.

  Xander glances at me, and I know he feels it too—this place is where it happened.

  I slide out of the back of the car and Xander takes my hand. I don’t know if it’s because he thinks I need the support or he needs it. Either way, I don’t let go.

  We head for the small white chapel and bits and pieces of last night flash through my memory.

  Our laughter trickled into the air, and I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck, and kissed him. There was no fear or hesitation. I kissed him like I’d been doing it forever.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, sweeping his lips over mine.

  “Yes,” I breathed, my mind foggy from him more than the alcohol.

  His hands slithered to my waist and his thumbs rested on my bare skin at the space where my tank top had ridden up.

  “You want to call me your husband?” he asked. His eyes were clear, happy, and wondering—like he couldn’t believe this was happening any more than I could.

  “More than anything.”

  He kissed me deeply, stealing my breath, and then we hurried into the chapel.

  I glance up at Xander and wonder if he remembers too. His eyes betray nothing, though.

  We enter into a foyer with white walls, tile floors, and beams crossing the ceiling. It has a Mediterranean feel to it that seems at odds with the gimmicky glamour of most places in Vegas.

  Xander and I stroll further into the building and through an archway that opens up into a room with simple white chairs facing an altar. The building seems to be vacant but there’s a door to our right and Xander starts for it. Before we make it, it swings open, and a white-haired man appears. He removes his glasses and grins at us.

  “Ah, the young lovers. I’m surprised to see you. I figured you two would be locked away for the next week.” I blush at what he implies. “It’s rare to see such young, true love in Sin City.” I nearly choke at that last bit.

  Pain flashes across Xander’s face as he looks at me and my stomach takes a tumble out of my body. I don’t understand why he wants to stay married to me. It makes no sense. He just graduated from college and has his whole life ahead of him. I don’t know why he’d want to be tied down with a wife. With me.

  The man smiles, waiting for one of us to say something. Since Xander has paled and looks like he’s about to choke on his own tongue, I let go of his hand and step in front of him so I now stand closest to the man.

  “We came to see if there’s any way we can undo what we did.” The man’s lips quirk like he’s fighting not to laugh. “We can’t stay married,” I say, hating the way my hands shake and clasping them together so hopefully neither of them notices. “This was a mistake.” Even though I can’t see Xander, I know that word hurt him, and I instantly regret saying it.

  The man frowns. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you. Everything was done according to guidelines. According to the law, you’re married.”

  I gulp. “Sir—”

  He holds up a hand to stop me. “I understand the lure Las Vegas can have on people. Believe me, I see everything and it’s why I usually refuse to perform impromptu weddings. I don’t marry people to make money like these other fools.” He flicks a finger to encompass the strip. “People come here to get married for real. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that out of all the chapels on the strip you were drawn here. I promise you this, I wouldn’t have performed the ceremony if I hadn’t seen something in the two of you. Something special. Hold onto that and don’t let go. It’s rare.”

  He starts to move around me, and I grab his arm. I open my mouth to say … I don’t know what I want to say—my mind is completely blank once I absorb his last words.

  He pats my hand. “What’s done is done.”

  And then he’s gone.

  I look to Xander—expecting to see a smug smile—but he looks nearly as confused as I am.

  “Well—” I toss my hands in the air “—what do we do now?”

  Forget Cade, the thought of telling my parents that I went to Vegas and ended up married … I might as well dig my own grave in the backyard and save them the trouble.

  Xander shakes his head, like he’s clearing away his thoughts. “Would it really be so bad?” he asks softly, looking at me from beneath his thick, dark lashes. “Being married to me, I mean?”

  I swallow thickly. “No,” I admit, and don’t miss the flare of desire in his eyes. “But we can’t—”

  He holds up a hand, urging me to be quiet. “Make me a deal.”

  “What kind of deal?” I hedge, look
ing at him skeptically.

  “Give me the summer,” he pleads. “Give me the summer to prove that this is more than some stupid mistake,” he grates on the word, “and if at the end of the summer you still want a divorce then I’ll sign whatever you want me to.”

  “And if I don’t want a divorce?”

  He grins. “Then we’ll tell everyone that we’re together and married.”

  “What if you decide you want a divorce? What if you decide I’m not right for you?”

  His eyes narrow. “Trust me, that isn’t happening.”

  “How do you know?”

  He looks away and a muscle in his jaw twitches. “I just know.” I let out a sigh, knowing that’s all the answer I’m going to get from him. “Do we have a deal?”

  I bite my lip. Three months. It feels like forever right now, but in reality, three months isn’t that much time. I know I can hold out for three months. It doesn’t matter how sinfully good-looking he is, or ridiculously sweet; at the end of three months I will get that divorce.

  “Deal,” I say. Before I can blink he takes my face between his mammoth hands and kisses me. I’m breathless when he releases me. “What was that for?” I gasp.

  He grins. “Most people shake hands to seal a deal. I figure since you’re my wife, we should seal ours with a kiss.”

  I give him the finger and turn sharply, leaving him behind as I exit the chapel. His laughter echoes behind me, and despite my anger, I smile.

  Something tells me the next three months are going to be interesting.

  We make it to the airport and through security just in time. Cade already stands in line to board the plane and gives us an incredulous look, like he can’t believe we cut it that close.

  Xander and I step into the back of the line and slowly make our way toward the lady to hand her our boarding passes. She smiles and says a few words and then we’re on the ramp to board the plane.

  Xander takes my carry-on bag from me and places it into the overhead compartment. I give him a grateful smile before taking my seat. I’m going to be stuck on the plane, sitting between Xander and Cade. Lovely. Thank God it’s only a two-hour flight from Las Vegas to Denver. Then, we have a forty-five-minute drive home, but Rae will be picking us up so at least Cade will be distracted.

  Xander pulls out his phone and puts his earbuds in, effectively cutting off any sort of conversation I might have with him. Granted, there’s not much I can say with my brother right beside us. It’s weird, how one day has completely shattered our dynamic. I’ve known him forever, and never had a shortage of normal things to talk about, but now everything in my head comes back to us.

  I can’t believe I agreed to give him the summer to convince me to stay married to him. There’s no way in hell that I will, but I’ll have to endure the whole three months as his wife. Working with him, coming home to the same house, and all the while keeping this a secret from the ones we love. Knowing Xander, he’d probably be fine with telling everyone what happened, but me …? I can’t. I don’t want my family knowing that the first time I was granted any real amount of freedom I ended up married.

  Beside me, Cade rubs his hands over his face.

  “Tired?” I ask.

  “Yes,” he answers, swiveling his head toward me. His brown hair falls over his forehead, shielding his blue eyes. “I shouldn’t have gone out last night.”

  I shrug. “You headed back to the hotel before Xander and me.” And thank God for that.

  “What time did you guys head back? Xander did make sure you got back safe, right?” His eyes flare with anger, and I know he’d go off if he thought Xander had left me alone in the middle of Vegas. With an overprotective big brother, and his equally overprotective best friend, it’s safe to say I’d never gotten into too much trouble. Except for, you know, when said best friend and I ran off and got married.

  “Don’t worry, he took me back to my room and tucked me in safe and sound.”

  More like fucked me into the bed all night long.

  “Good.” He nods. “I worry about you.”

  “I know you do.” I pat his hand. “But you don’t need to. I can take care of myself. I’m tougher than you give me credit for.”

  He chuckles. “You and Rae both.”

  He settles into the seat again and I know he’s done talking.

  The plane goes to take off and Xander ever-so-slightly grazes his fingers against the side of my knee. He knows I hate take-off and landing. He’s so incredibly in tune with me. He always has been.

  I jolt awake as the plane touches down on the runway.

  Xander flashes me a worried look.

  “I’m okay,” I pant, out of breath like I’ve been running.

  He raises a brow in disbelief and winds the earbud wires around his phone. Beside me, Cade looks ready to jump out of the damn plane. I know he’s missed Rae and can’t wait to see her. I love that he has that and with someone I call my friend. They both deserve all the happiness in the world.

  And don’t you?

  My eyes flicker to Xander with the thought. I swallow past the lump in my throat as the plane taxis in.

  When it finally stops, we let the cabin empty out before grabbing our overhead bags and heading out.

  We’re all silent as we make our way through the airport and to baggage claim. Cade leads the way, and Xander and I fall in behind him. That’s the way it’s always been. Cade leading the way, forging ahead.

  I glance at Xander, and his dark brows are drawn together as if he’s deep in thought. He’s always been that way. A thinker. He’s smarter than a lot of people give him credit for.

  We grab our bags and head for the exit. All the while, Cade types furiously on his phone, most likely letting Rae know we’re on our way out.

  I nearly jump out of my skin at the feel of Xander’s hand on my arm, stopping me. Cade continues on, oblivious.

  I look up at Xander, and his eyes flick from Cade’s retreating figure down to me.

  “What?” I prompt when he doesn’t say anything.

  He clears his throat. “I want you to know this doesn’t change anything.” I raise a brow, confused as to where he’s going with this. He blows out a heavy breath. “You and me,” he elaborates. “Us being married, it doesn’t change who we are. We’ve always been friends. I don’t want you to think you can’t talk to me.”

  I nod and admit, “I don’t want to lose you.”

  And I’m terrified that in three months when I tell you I still want the divorce you’ll leave me for good.

  He nods. “That’s all I wanted to say.”

  Somehow, I doubt that, but I let him off the hook. Cade waits for us by the sliding glass doors.

  “Jesus Christ, you guys are slow,” he groans when we finally get there. “Rae’s outside.”

  “You could’ve gone on out,” I tell him as we step out into the sunlight. Thankfully, it’s not as hot here as Vegas, but the humidity is a killer.

  “Yeah, and then have you guys get lost?” He shakes his head.

  I glance at Xander, both of us suppressing a laugh. “Yeah,” Xander chortles, “because we don’t know what your Jeep or girlfriend or you looks like.”

  Cade flips us off while we laugh.

  When we spot the Jeep with Rae waiting outside of it, my big, burly, bear of a brother grins like a kid on Christmas and flat-out sprints for her. He scoops her up into his arms and spins her around while her giggles carry through the wind to us. It’s nice to hear her laugh. Last August, when we were first assigned as roommates, she was so moody and quiet. She recently filled me in on what happened to her a year before coming to college and I completely understand why she was so closed off and cold. I would be too if I’d gone through something like that.

  But now that girl is merely a shadow. The Rae she is now smiles, laughs, and cracks jokes. She’s practically a whole new person, but I know this is the real Rae.

  While Cade and Rae are lost in each other, Xander and I sidle up to
the car and load our bags into the back. By the time we’re done, they’ve managed to break apart, but they’re both sporting the lusty eyes that make me gag.

  “How was your trip?” Rae asks.

  “Exciting,” Xander answers.

  Cade snorts. “If you call sitting in a room all day listening to a guy drone on and on about blueprints then, yeah, exciting.”

  Rae laughs, her hand pressing against his chest as she smiles at him. “But you guys stayed the weekend. Surely that part was fun?”

  Cade shrugs. “It would’ve been better if you were there.”

  I mock-gag. “Stop,” I whine. “I can’t take it.”

  Cade chuckles, his hand sliding to Rae’s waist, and nuzzles her neck. “Let’s go home.”

  Those three words are the best thing I’ve heard all day, and I can’t get in the car fast enough. Xander gets in beside me and we’re silent the whole drive home, but Rae and Cade don’t notice since they never shut up. But I notice the silence, and there’s been too much of it between us today, and despite what Xander said about not wanting this marriage to change things between us, I can’t help but feel, and know in my gut, that it’s changed everything.

  We get home, and almost immediately, Cade and Rae leave. After a week apart, they want alone time and they can’t really get that with two roommates, which leaves me alone in the house with my husband. How fucking weird is that?

  Xander and I part ways in the hallway, but immediately bump into each other considering we share a Jack and Jill bathroom. We each unpack our bags in silence, and I swear I can feel each second ticking off in my head.

  I put my toothbrush in the holder, right next to his, and look up at him. He’s so incredibly tall that I have to tilt my head back to really look at him and I’m by no means short.

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I say, “This is ridiculous.”

  “Glad you agree.” He sets his aftershave on the counter.

  “I don’t know what to say.” My hands fall to my sides, shoulders sagging in defeat. “And you know that’s unusual for me.” I laugh but it sounds forced. “We said this wouldn’t change things, but look at us. It already has.” I frown.