Page 66 of Stars Collide

“And like I told you before, I’m here for you if there’s anything you want to talk through.” Anna paused, then pulled Eden in for another hug. “I also just wanted to say congrats again for coming out to yourself and to me. It’s such a huge step, and I hope it helps you embrace your authentic self.”

“I never thought of it like that,” Eden murmured. “Coming out to myself, that is, but that part was really hard.”

“It’s a big deal, and I’m so proud of you.”

Footsteps echoed down the hall outside, and Eden pulled back, casting an anxious glance toward the door. They both exhaled in relief when whoever it was kept walking, but there was a lingering tension in Eden now, the fear of getting caught.

If only they could take some time together away from the frantic pace of the tour. Time to explore what was happening between them. Time they didn’t have.

Anna searched for a change of topic, something to lighten the mood. “I have an important question for you before we watch another episode ofHow to Get Away with Murderlater.”

Eden gave her an inquiring look.

“Do you have a crush on anyone on the show? Like, do you swoon for the ladies in your favorite TV shows the way I do?”

Eden’s cheeks immediately darkened, which was an answer in and of itself. She ducked her head. “I, um, I always prefer the female characters. I just didn’t know why.”

Anna grinned. “So who? Annalise? Laurel? Eve? Just wait until you meet Tegan ...”

“Annalise for sure,” Eden said. “I mean, Viola Davis is impossible to look away from whenever she’s on my screen.”

“Agreed,” Anna said.

“But also ... Bonnie.” Eden looked somewhere between embarrassed and euphoric to be sharing her TV crushes with Anna.

“Ooh, Bonnie,” Anna said. “Interesting choice. If you ask me, she gets even hotter in later seasons ... and also more complicated.”

“Guess I’d better keep watching, then.” Eden turned to face her, her gaze searching Anna’s face. “The break’s soon.”

“Yeah.” Anna swallowed at the reminder that they were about to spend an entire week apart. “I’m really going to miss this ... you ... us.”

“Come to Vermont with me,” Eden said in a rush.

“What?”

“Come with me for the break.” Eden’s fingers gripped Anna’s and squeezed. “My house has two guest rooms, unless ... well, we can figure it out when we get there, right? But we’ll have time to relax and figure things out away from the chaos of the tour.”

Anna couldn’t stop smiling, because this was the answer to everything she hadn’t known how to ask for. “Yes. God, yes.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Can’t quite get used to seeing you drive a car.”

Eden smirked. “You’ll see me do a lot of things you’re not used to while we’re in Vermont.”

Anna made a choking noise, and Eden realized belatedly how that sounded. Heat spread over her chest and onto her cheeks. She reached over to swat at Anna where she sat in the passenger seat of their rental car. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant hiking and cooking and normal-people things.”

“Looking forward to that too,” Anna told her with a goofy smile. “Should we stop for groceries before we get to the house?”

Eden gave her an exasperated look. “Have you even met me? Paris already had the basics stocked, but we can put together a list for whatever else we need to have delivered.”

“Grocery delivery,” Anna said with a laugh. “Got it.”

“Good.”

“So you don’t go out, even here?” Anna asked after a few seconds of silence.

“You’re not actually surprised, are you? After what happened in Chicago?”