Love Among the Stars : A Matchmaker Romance

Love Among The Stars an entertaining love novel claerie kavanaugh Half Caff Press Love Among The Stars an entertaining love novel LOVE AMONG THE STARS Copyright © 2023 by Claerie Kavanaugh All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. For information contact: Claerie Kavanaugh Email: [email protected] Instagram: @claerie_writies_romance TikTok: @sapphic.love.and.books Facebook: @claerie_writies_romance http://www.claeriekavanaugh.com Cover design by Cath Grace Design Edited by Raven Heidrich First Edition: March 2023 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 CONTENTS DISCOVER MORE OF THE ENTERTAINING LOVE SERIES Preface Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven What’s next? Love Beneath the Stars: A Wedding Novella More in the Entertaining Love Series Once Upon a Love Story Love Among the Stars: A Matchmaker Romance Want LGBTQ-Friendly Books for your Kids? Thank You About the Author Learn More About the Author: Acknowledgments DISCOVER MORE OF THE ENTERTAINING LOVE SERIES Subscribe to my newsletter for behind-the-scenes access to Duet Rubato and the rest of my LGBTQ romances. • Director’s cut – a sneak peek at early versions of the book • Exclusive character cards, coloring pages, maps, and more • Early-bird access to my street team, upcoming romance novels • Peek into the lives of your favorite characters like never before • First glimpses at all my WIPs www.claeriekavanaugh.com Preface Jemma January 15 THE REPORTER'S SMILE IS MUCH TOO snake-like to be considered friendly. I cringe inwardly, crossing my legs and adjusting the bottom hem of my tight black cocktail dress. I almost wince but manage to mold my features into a smile. Beside me, Hayden, my costar, stiffens. I reach over and discreetly place a hand on his shoulder. Even though he’s three years older than me at twenty-six, this is his first time experiencing this level of mania right before a movie release, whereas I’ve been thrust into it from the minute the Tik-Tok announcement I received my dream role went viral. I’ve done more interviews in the last six months than I want to count. It's almost too easy to tell when a reporter is about to ask what they hope will be a juicy question to spill to all the gossip columns. Unlike my costar, though, I don’t let her conniving smile or that telltale spark in her eyes throw me off. If anything, as twisted as it may sound, it excites me. I knew exactly how to play this game. "So, Jem, tell us, this is your first big movie role. What's it like to be working alongside such amazing talent so early in your career?" I raise a brow and clasp my hands in front of me. That is not where I thought this would go, but I can roll with the punches. I bark a laugh and force my impossibly large smile to grow wider, stretching my lips to the limit until I feel like they might snap in half. “You know, it’s hard to believe only six short months ago, I was a regular girl filming monologues, song covers, and auditions in front of a blank wall in my bedroom. When I tried out for Anastasia, I would have bet my last dollar that my reel wouldn't end up anywhere except on the cutting room floor. Everyone and their cousin wanted this role. Not that I blame them. Who wouldn't want their breakout part to be with one of the biggest directors in all of Hollywood's history? Working with amazing people like Hayden?” I squeeze his shoulder a little harder, flashing a smile. “That’s just the icing on the cake. The reporter smirks and winks not so subtly at the cameraman behind us as she steps closer. I lean away from where I almost let my head rest on his arm. Rookie mistake. I shouldn’t have done that. “You know,” the reporter cups the microphone with both hands and sinks her weight into one hip. “There have been several rumors about you floating around tabloids lately. Care to set anything straight?” Ah, there it is. I wondered when we were going to get there. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Hayden’s dark brown complexion turn a few shades lighter than normal. I’ve seen this happen about a million times over. Everyone loves it when the on-screen OTP starts dating each other in real life. Problem with that, though, is that nine times out of ten, those couples are nothing more than a publicity stunt to make the stars look good. Especially if some of the reviews have been less than stellar. Thankfully, that’s not the case with my movie; most of the reviews haven’t even come out yet. But there is more than one way to skin a cat, so they say, and if the fans want a couple to be together, we’re together whether we like it or not. Even though I’m open about my bisexuality, he’s like a brother to me, and I could set the record straight here and now, but I wouldn’t put Hayden on the spot like that, let alone any of our production crew. Everyone worked hard on this project, and I’m not about to jeopardize it. Hayden clears his throat and glances at me. His warm hazel eyes are frantic. Ironic, considering he’s the one with more star power here. We talked about this beforehand, and I tried to strategize. Everyone knew this would come up, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but I suggested he take the lead because his name