When the Stars Lead to You Read online

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 by Ronica Davis

  Cover photo © Guille Faingold/Stocksy.com. Cover design by Marcie Lawrence.

  Cover copyright © 2019 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Little, Brown and Company

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  First Edition: November 2019

  Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

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  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Davis, Ronni, author.

  Title: When the stars lead to you / Ronni Davis.

  Description: First edition. | New York ; Boston : Little, Brown Young Readers, 2019. | Summary: After Ashton broke Devon’s heart, she focused on preparing for her future as an astrophysicist but Ashton’s appearance on the first day of her senior year forces her to revisit their magical summer together.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018057312 | ISBN 9780316490702 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780316490696 (pbk.) | ISBN 9780316490689 (ebk.)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Love—Fiction. | High schools—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction. | Depression, Mental—Fiction. | Racially mixed people—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.D3837 Whe 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018057312

  ISBNs: 978-0-316-49070-2 (hardcover), 978-0-316-49068-9 (ebook)

  E3-20190924-JV-NF-ORI

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  BEFORE

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  -Then-

  SUPERNOVA

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  SHINE

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  NEBULA

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  NOW

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  Discover More

  To Mommy

  for teaching me to love books

  and

  to Ms. Wheeler

  for encouraging me to write them

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  BEFORE

  -Then-

  YOU’D THINK SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO STUDY THE STARS would know better than to wish on them. There was no logical reason for me to put so much hope in exploding balls of hydrogen and helium, especially since they were millions of light-years away. But it didn’t matter. Every single night, I turned my head toward the sky, closed my eyes, and dreamed.

  Like right now, sitting on the beach during the summer solstice, watching Arcturus rise. The red giant, twenty-five times bigger than the sun, burning brighter than every star in the northern hemisphere, both awed and terrified me. But it also somehow comforted me. Made me feel safe. So I gave him one simple wish: that I’d have the best summer ever.

  My cousin Stephanie and her family lived at the beach year-round. Her parents owned one of the souvenir shops and a restaurant here. It was just a few hours’ drive north from my hometown, so I visited every year while my parents did non-church-affiliated (they really wanted everyone to know that part) missionary work in Honduras. If they knew the things Stephanie and I got up to (boys! parties! kissing!), they probably wouldn’t have been so quick to let me go every summer.

  I loved these quiet nights before the tourists took over. The tide rolling in, the cool Atlantic waves splashing over my ankles and making me shiver. Pretty soon, they’d be splashing over my knees, then my thighs. I buried my toes in the sand. I liked the way it tickled when the surf carried the grains from under my feet. And I loved the stars scattering all over the sky like diamonds against blue velvet.

  This was the dream life.

  “Yo, Devon,” Stephanie called. “Come here. I want you to meet someone.”

  And then there was reality.

  My cousin fancied herself a matchmaker, but she had no clue about the type of guys I liked. I barely had a clue about the type of guys I liked, because I got attracted to so many different kinds. Tall and skinny with pale skin, dark hair, and hazel eyes. Dark-brown skin, deep brown eyes, and locs. Tan skin, dimples, blue eyes, and blond hair.

  Two things I did know: He had to be kind, and he had to be a gentleman.

  Because honestly? I was sick of kissing a guy only to have him dragging my hand to his pants ten seconds later.

  The firelight threw shadows over Stephanie’s silvery-blond hair, making her look almost unearthly. Two boys stood with her, both in silhouette, both holding plastic red cups.

  “Devon! Get your booty over here,” she commanded.

  I groaned, but I trudged over anyway. “Hey, Steph.”

  “About time.” She thrust a red cup into my hand, then threw her arm around me and grinned. Her cheeks were already flushed, her breath warm and boozy. “This is Todd and his cousin Ashton.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Todd said. Polite, but clearly way more interested in Stephanie. I couldn’t even blame him. She was adorable; short and curvy with dark-green eyes and a tiny button nose. Completely opposite of Todd, the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, with piercing blue eyes and jet-black hair. They looked good standing together.

  Then I turned to Ashton.

  Sweet six-pound, five-ounce baby Jesus.

  It’s so clichéd, but there was a reason those clichés existed.

  Ashton.

  Was.

>   Gorgeous. With a capital G.

  I had never, ever seen anyone like him. Straight nose, wide mouth, full lips that were slightly pouty. Impossibly clear skin with the tiniest hint of sunburn coloring his cheeks. His short bronze-colored hair was wavy and thick, and my fingers tingled with longing to get tangled up in it. Everything on his face was in proportion, and yet he wasn’t shiny-perfect. His ears stuck out a little too much and he was a little too skinny. But that was okay. I didn’t mind thin guys. Plus, there was something different about Ashton. A stillness—major contrast to the whooping and hollering around us. And his eyes. So intense. So mysterious. A deep, deep brown that invited me to dive in and get lost.

  So I got lost.

  Falling, falling, spinning somewhere I’d never been before, but a place I knew I wanted to be. I tried not to stare, but he was staring at me. The world melted away, leaving only me and him and the crashing waves.

  “Hey,” he said with a gentle smile. His teeth were perfectly white and straight, the result of either amazing genetics or thousands of dollars of orthodontia. With his track record so far, I was betting on the former.

  “Hi,” I said breathlessly. Breathlessly. I was breathless. What was going on?

  “So… Devon?”

  “Yes,” I managed to get out. Seriously? His voice was smooth with a touch of gravel, like how velvet would sound if you rubbed it against the grain. Oh my God. Chills. Everywhere.

  “I’m Ashton. Nice to meet you.”

  I had a weakness for perfect handshakes, and Ashton’s was just right. Not so hard it crushed my hand, but not one of those limp noodle ones, either.

  “Todd and I are going to get refills,” Stephanie said, finally breaking Ashton’s hold on me. Yeah… forgot she was even there. “You guys want?”

  “I’m good.” Ashton raised his cup, which was almost full.

  He was still looking at me.

  “So am I,” I said.

  I was still looking at him.

  “We’ll leave you to it,” Stephanie said, then she and Todd were gone.

  I raised my eyebrow when Ashton poured his beer into the sand. He blinked at me and blushed.

  “I don’t drink,” he explained. “Your cousin poured it for me, and I didn’t want to be rude.”

  “No worries.” I shrugged and poured my own beer into the sand. “I don’t drink much, either. She never remembers that.”

  His eyes scanned the entire length of my body, then met mine head-on. This boy was so checking me out… and I could tell by the way his lips parted that he liked what he saw. I’m sure I was looking at him the same way. Because oh yes, I definitely liked what I saw. He must have had terrible-smelling feet or something because there was no way this guy was this perfect.

  “So, Devon,” he said again. “Hi.”

  I grinned. “Hi.”

  He covered his eyes and scrunched up his nose. “Oh my God. We did this already.” He peeked at me through his fingers. “Sorry.”

  Adorable. “Your first time here?”

  He shook his head. “My family first brought me when I was five, but I barely remember it. So I have no idea what people do around here. Besides the obvious stuff, I mean.”

  I shrugged. “Not much, to be honest. I like to walk on the boardwalk or go swimming. Lots of parties, if you’re into that sort of thing.”

  “More into video games or taking pictures,” he said. “Sometimes I go horseback riding.”

  “You have a horse?”

  “His name’s Leander. I’ve had him since I was eleven. So, five years.”

  Ashton was sixteen. Like me.

  He pulled out his phone and started scrolling. Really? Minus ten points for that. I hated when people couldn’t stay off their phones for five stinking minutes. Weren’t we having a conversation?

  But then he said, “This is him,” and held his phone out to me. Immediate guilt for going off in my head.

  “He’s incredible. Is he an Arabian?”

  Ashton smiled at his phone. “Yeah. He’s great. Do you have a horse?”

  “I like them. But no.”

  “Oh. That’s too bad.” He dropped the phone into one of the pockets on his cargo shorts.

  “Plus, my cousin says I keep to myself too much,” I said. “I have a best friend… but if I had a horse I’d never hang out with people.” I buried my pink toenails in the sand. “She likes to tease me.”

  He looked perplexed. “Why?”

  “Why do I keep to myself or why does Steph tease me?”

  “Both.”

  “I’m a big nerd. It’s why she’s always introducing me to people.”

  His gaze was steady. “I’m glad she introduced us.”

  I shivered all over. “Me too.”

  He looked down at the sand, then caught my eye again. “Do you wanna come with me to get some ice cream?”

  A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through my entire being. “I’d love to.”

  His face broke into a slow grin that made me want to melt right into the sand. Then I grinned. We stood there grinning at each other like goofballs until my stomach growled.

  Laughing, he held out his hand. “Come on, let’s go handle that monster.”

  I let my fingers intertwine with his.

  My summer was already looking promising.

  -Then-

  THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER SEASON—ONCE THE tourists were good and ingratiated—was always epic. You couldn’t walk two feet without bumping into a rip-roaring party. But pick the wrong one and it could ruin your entire summer. Too much beer, people vomiting at your feet, hooking up with the wrong person, STDs. Terrible decisions all around.

  Lucky for us, Stephanie always managed to find the right parties. The ones on private beaches with a full bar instead of just a keg. The ones with actual DJs instead of someone’s random playlist that always had a Chicago song on it for some reason. The ones where the hosts actually served food like hamburgers and crudités instead of just chips… or nothing at all.

  Tonight, we strolled—fashionably late—into an enormous beach house blasting music so loudly the wicker furniture jumped to the beat. There were people everywhere, not that we could see them very well. The only lighting came from the twinkle lights and LED candles and a fancy show from the DJ booth.

  “You made it!” Tall, Dark, and Handsome was back, pulling Stephanie and me into a group hug. He was damp, smelling like chlorine. Cold droplets from his hair dripped onto my back, making me shiver.

  “We made it,” Stephanie said, then turned to me. “You remember Todd?”

  “Of course I remember,” I said. But I remembered his cousin more. Had it just been last night that we met?

  “This is my buddy Justin’s place, but I’m the official host. Because Justin’s a bitch-ass bitch who doesn’t even have a fake ID.” Todd turned to me. “Make yourself at home, help yourself to anything.” To Stephanie, he said, “You come with me.”

  And great. Now I was alone.

  The best and worst part about tourist season was that the faces changed constantly. Meeting new people was always cool. And if a hookup was disappointing, chances were high I’d never see the dude again. Bad because if you did find someone you liked hanging out with, they’d likely be gone in a week. Then you’d have to start all over.

  But I loved the possibilities. Anything that happened could be life changing. And tonight, everyone was new.

  I grabbed a soda and wandered around, letting the beats soak into my bones and make my body sway. Sweat dripped down my neck as the house heated up from the warm bodies getting caught up in the music.

  I made my way out to the pool, where the air was only slightly cooler. A heat wave had kicked off this morning, and the humidity soaked my hair and made the curls shrink into tight spirals. I pulled my hair up into a big pouf, letting the slight sea breeze cool my back.

  I was watching a game of beer pong gear up when a voice came from behind me. “You are here.” My heart sped
up at the sound of the low, gravelly rumble that had played nonstop in my brain for the last twenty-four hours.

  I whirled around and there he was. An oasis in the midst of noise, sweat, and cigarettes. “Hi.”

  Ashton smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I thought Todd was bullshitting me. So when you said you were busy tonight… it was this?”

  “I never said anything. Steph hijacked my phone, telling me something about making you wait three days.” Even though she hadn’t made Todd wait three days. But whatever. No way was I going to admit to Ashton that I kinda hoped I’d run into him here.

  He frowned and shook his head. “I don’t get those rules. Seems like if you want to see someone, just see them.”

  My knees weakened. “You wanted to see me again?”

  His gaze was solemn. “Wasn’t it obvious?”

  “Ashton!” A girl popped up beside him and shook out her long blond hair. “I can’t believe you’re actually here!”

  He gave her a closemouthed smile. “Here I am.”

  “You should come sit with me.” She licked her pink glossy lips. “Over there.”

  She didn’t even acknowledge my presence.

  “I’m good.” Ashton stroked my thumb, sending flutters clear up my arm.

  With hard eyes, the blonde gave me a once-over that almost canceled the goose bumps from Ashton’s touch. Then she turned back to him, all warmth and smiles. “Next time.”

  My skin prickled as she sauntered off. Then I glanced at Ashton. “Who’s she?”

  “I met her yesterday. I think she’s staying a couple houses down from us.”

  “Do girls always act like that around you?”

  “You were going to make me wait three days.”

  I tilted my head. “Would you have waited?”

  He looked me up and down, then his gaze met mine head-on. “Without question.”

  Holy shit.

  We sat on a patio love seat and watched guys toss girls into the pool. People stumbled in and out of the hot tub, holding red cups full of God knows what.

  “The people-watching.” Ashton shook his head.

  “I know.”

  He leaned back and stretched, slipping his arm around my shoulders. I laughed so hard I almost dropped my soda. “Seriously?”