Page 71 of If the Stars Align

I dip a fry in ketchup. “Well, the head ofmylitigation department did call me a ‘star researcher’ last week. Best in the firm, he said.”

“Of courseyou are,” Jeremy responds, as if to say this isn’t news to him.

“I guess that’s why I keep getting slammed with assignments,” I continue, sighing heavily.

“Well, it’ll pay off in the long run. You’ll be on the fast track to partner in no time.”

I shrug. “We’ll see.”

I have to take this litigation job one day at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed. So far I don’t hate it—but I also spend most of my time behind a computer, which is my comfort zone. At some point, they’re going to send me to court, and the mere idea makes me feel sick to my stomach.

“Here’s your vodka soda,” our waitress says as she places my drink in front of me. “Can I get you guys anything else right now?”

Jeremy and I exchange a glance.

“We’re good,” he says.

The waitress leaves and I take a sip of my drink.

That’s when I see him—Dex Oliver.

On the TV screen behind Jeremy.

“Oh no, not again,” I sigh out. I set my drink down and bury my forehead in my arms, which are crossed in front of me on the table. When I look up several seconds later, Jeremy’s staring at the screen behind him.

He turns to face me. “Sunny,” he says as gently as he’s capableof. “It’s been over a year.”

I lean back against the squeaky vinyl and shake my head. “I know. But how am I supposed to get over him when he’s literallyeverywhere? At the movies, on TV…on billboards, and magazines. He’s the breakout star of last summer’s highest-grossing movie, for fuck’s sake.”

Jeremy shifts forward in his seat. “And that’s why you ended things with him. Because you don’t want your life to be swallowed up by his fame.”

I put my head in my hands. “I guess.”

That, and the fact that I’m convinced I’m not good enough to be famous Dex Oliver’s girlfriend.

“Remember what that partner at your firm said—you’re a star too. You deserve much better than to live in someone else’s shadow.”

I bite my lip. “That’s really sweet…thank you.”

It’s the nicest thing Jeremy’s ever said to me.

I take another sip of my drink. “I know I have to move on. It’s just a lot easier said than done. I mean, how would you like it if you sawyourex half-naked on the cover of every entertainment magazine?”

He considers my question for half a second. “I wouldn’t care.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s bullshit. You and Anjali were together for years. Weren’t you guys talking about getting married?”

“You meanbeforeshe fucked that cardiology resident?”

I wince. “I’m sorry she hurt you. I guess it’s better to find out she’s a cheater now than when you’re married, though.”

Jeremy sighs. “It was six months ago. I’m over it. And honestly?I don’t think we would have ended up getting married anyway.”

“Really?”

“Nah. We weren’t as compatible as we could be. It just took us longer to realize because we were long-distance.”

I nod as I dip a pair of fries in ketchup.