Counting Stars
Prologue
Shooting Star 1
The air was rather warm for December, but then again it was Texas. I checked the time for what must have been the 30th time. Jamie was supposed to pick me up before dinner, but I wasn’t excited for it. It was a week before Christmas and my stomach was in knots. The family holiday party was in a few days and I knew he was going to invite me, but there’s no way I could attend. The door to my parent’s house rang and I waved to them a quick goodbye, while pushing our 3 dogs out of the way so I could escape. It probably seemed so weird that I lived with my parents, but it was only when I was back for the holidays. He’d met my parents the last time I was home and I told them about my plan. Although they liked him they fully supported my decision. When I opened the door he looked great. His hair was slicked back and he wore a dark grey suit with a black shirt and black tie.
“Hey beautiful.” He smiled as he leaned down to kiss me.
“Hey babe.” I said kissing him back softly.
“I like that dress on you.” He complimented my hot red cocktail dress.
“Thank you.” I smiled as he opened the door to his Escalade for me.
He stepped around to the drivers side and we headed towards the restaurant. About halfway there he held my hand in his causing me to look at him.
“Why so affectionate today?” I asked looking at him.
“No reason. Why, do you not want me to be?” he questioned, almost hurt.
“No, no. “ I said squeezing his hand. It took about an hour getting to the restaurant in downtown Dallas. He led me in the dimly lit restaurant with a hand on my lower back. The host led us to the table he reserved in the back. He ordered some fancy champagne and looked over the menu. I was practically shaking and scared of how he’d react to what I had to say.
“Jamie..,,,” I started, still unsure of what to say even though I’d practiced over and over again in my head.
“Yeah?” he replied looking up at me through his thick lashes.
“I um…I think we should—we should break up. I’m never here and to be honest, I hate Dallas. You’re captain now and I just..I wish we could..I can’t do this Jamie.” I blurted out as the look on his face changed. He was pissed.
“What….are you serious right now?” he said with a hushed voice.
“I’m sorry. You know I hate it here. That’s why I left. Now you’re captain and..there’s nothing you can do about that, not like I’d ask you to anyway, but-” I said looking down at the napkin in my lap.
“So you’re really going to do this? Right before Christmas? My whole family is supposed to come down for the holiday party. They really wanted to see you again and-- I can’t believe this.” He said shaking his head.
“I love you Jamie.” I said putting my hand on his.
He looked from his champagne glass to me, his eyes were glassy with tears and he bit his lip.
“Yeah, I love you too.” He whispered.
“So you’re just going to go back there? Never talk to me again?” he asked desperately.
“I never said that. I can’t imagine never talking to you again. I know it’s onlt been a year, but I can’t just not talk to you.” He took a deep sigh and threw the napkin in his lap back on the table.
“I’m not hungry.” He said cocking his head towards the door. I followed slowly and focused on the clicking of my heels instead of the anger that flashed in his eyes. He apologized to the host and we waited for the valet to pull the car up for us.
“Babe,” I started as I put my hand on his. He quickly jerked away.
“I don’t want to hear it.” He said gritting his teeth. I’m not sure how fast he was going, but we were back at my parents house within a half hour. He pulled up and I started to get out. He pulled a large bag out of his backseat and led me to the front door.
“This is for you.” He said handing me the bag. I looked in and saw the Gucci lettering on the top.
“I can’t take this.” I said holding it out of him to take back.
“I’ve got no use for it. You can have it.” He crossed his arms.
“You can return it.” I said setting the bag on the ground between us.
“Do you want yours?” I asked, before he could tell me no I ran inside and got his gift from under my bed. My mother gave me an odd look but I just shook my head and found him in the same spot I left him in.
“Here” I smiled handing him the small box. He just stared at me. “It’s okay. Take it.” I said as he opened the box containing a gorgeous watch.
“It’s nice.” He said with a small smile.
“I love you.” I said wrapping my arms around his neck. He was tense at first, but slowly hugged me back. With his arms wrapped around me tightly He leaned into my neck.
“So you really hate this place more than you love me?” I asked so quietly I barely heard him.
“I’m sorry babe.” I said letting go of him to find tears in his eyes. He tried to coyly wipe them away before I leaned up and kissed him softly. He deepened the kiss, pulling me to him.
“Bye Alicia.” He said walking back to his truck.
“Bye Jamie.”
The air was rather warm for December, but then again it was Texas. I checked the time for what must have been the 30th time. Jamie was supposed to pick me up before dinner, but I wasn’t excited for it. It was a week before Christmas and my stomach was in knots. The family holiday party was in a few days and I knew he was going to invite me, but there’s no way I could attend. The door to my parent’s house rang and I waved to them a quick goodbye, while pushing our 3 dogs out of the way so I could escape. It probably seemed so weird that I lived with my parents, but it was only when I was back for the holidays. He’d met my parents the last time I was home and I told them about my plan. Although they liked him they fully supported my decision. When I opened the door he looked great. His hair was slicked back and he wore a dark grey suit with a black shirt and black tie.
“Hey beautiful.” He smiled as he leaned down to kiss me.
“Hey babe.” I said kissing him back softly.
“I like that dress on you.” He complimented my hot red cocktail dress.
“Thank you.” I smiled as he opened the door to his Escalade for me.
He stepped around to the drivers side and we headed towards the restaurant. About halfway there he held my hand in his causing me to look at him.
“Why so affectionate today?” I asked looking at him.
“No reason. Why, do you not want me to be?” he questioned, almost hurt.
“No, no. “ I said squeezing his hand. It took about an hour getting to the restaurant in downtown Dallas. He led me in the dimly lit restaurant with a hand on my lower back. The host led us to the table he reserved in the back. He ordered some fancy champagne and looked over the menu. I was practically shaking and scared of how he’d react to what I had to say.
“Jamie..,,,” I started, still unsure of what to say even though I’d practiced over and over again in my head.
“Yeah?” he replied looking up at me through his thick lashes.
“I um…I think we should—we should break up. I’m never here and to be honest, I hate Dallas. You’re captain now and I just..I wish we could..I can’t do this Jamie.” I blurted out as the look on his face changed. He was pissed.
“What….are you serious right now?” he said with a hushed voice.
“I’m sorry. You know I hate it here. That’s why I left. Now you’re captain and..there’s nothing you can do about that, not like I’d ask you to anyway, but-” I said looking down at the napkin in my lap.
“So you’re really going to do this? Right before Christmas? My whole family is supposed to come down for the holiday party. They really wanted to see you again and-- I can’t believe this.” He said shaking his head.
“I love you Jamie.” I said putting my hand on his.
He looked from his champagne glass to me, his eyes were glassy with tears and he bit his lip.
“Yeah, I love you too.” He whispered.
“So you’re just going to go back there? Never talk to me again?” he asked desperately.
“I never said that. I can’t imagine never talking to you again. I know it’s onlt been a year, but I can’t just not talk to you.” He took a deep sigh and threw the napkin in his lap back on the table.
“I’m not hungry.” He said cocking his head towards the door. I followed slowly and focused on the clicking of my heels instead of the anger that flashed in his eyes. He apologized to the host and we waited for the valet to pull the car up for us.
“Babe,” I started as I put my hand on his. He quickly jerked away.
“I don’t want to hear it.” He said gritting his teeth. I’m not sure how fast he was going, but we were back at my parents house within a half hour. He pulled up and I started to get out. He pulled a large bag out of his backseat and led me to the front door.
“This is for you.” He said handing me the bag. I looked in and saw the Gucci lettering on the top.
“I can’t take this.” I said holding it out of him to take back.
“I’ve got no use for it. You can have it.” He crossed his arms.
“You can return it.” I said setting the bag on the ground between us.
“Do you want yours?” I asked, before he could tell me no I ran inside and got his gift from under my bed. My mother gave me an odd look but I just shook my head and found him in the same spot I left him in.
“Here” I smiled handing him the small box. He just stared at me. “It’s okay. Take it.” I said as he opened the box containing a gorgeous watch.
“It’s nice.” He said with a small smile.
“I love you.” I said wrapping my arms around his neck. He was tense at first, but slowly hugged me back. With his arms wrapped around me tightly He leaned into my neck.
“So you really hate this place more than you love me?” I asked so quietly I barely heard him.
“I’m sorry babe.” I said letting go of him to find tears in his eyes. He tried to coyly wipe them away before I leaned up and kissed him softly. He deepened the kiss, pulling me to him.
“Bye Alicia.” He said walking back to his truck.
“Bye Jamie.”