(after the) #happilyeverafter

Chapter 18: StarBurn

What? I wrinkled my nose, attention distracted from my bear claw. Who was Zara, and WHAT WAS THIS SHOW being talked about???? My skin prickled apprehensively...is it just me, or are there WAY TOO MANY SHOWS already taking place under each others' feet this season????

"THE CREATIVE PROCESS...TAKES SO MUCH ENERGY, YOU KNOW? SO HUNGRY THIS MORNING...TOTALLY JAZZED....CAN'T WAIT TO GET GOING I FEEL SO JUICED ABOUT THIS DO YOU FEEL AS GOOD ABOUT THIS AS I DO?" RoKay ended the pause and demanded at top volume. She was heaping a plate high with fruits, doughnuts and protein bars, the hotel's complimentary breakfast items, then processed to the head table. Razza unctuously pulled out a chair for her and she plunked down importantly. "AND I SO TOTALLY FEEL THE CHEMISTRY ALREADY, BETWEEN US, I MEAN, BETWEEN ZARA AND EXAN, DON'T YOU?" She had turned her gaze earnestly toward Razza, who was staring besotted at her over his own empty plate. I could see the milk white shine of his teeth peeking out from his dark curly beard.

Oh good gracious, what was this already????

Feeling my head start to throb, I got up and started winding between tables to where Vince was still standing at the breakfast counter, trying to make a decision between a sugar dusted blueberry muffin and an energy bar.

"VINCE" I murmured urgently, plucking at his unfortunate maroon suit coat, trying not to wince at the deplorable, pill texture. What, did the man actually dredge up his horrible fashion statements from thrift stores???

"Elsie!" That grin was indefatigable, even before breakfast. "So where's your camera?" His eyes strayed behind me, brow knitting.

"You want to produce me, you're going to have to try harder than that," I informed him loftily. "But that isn't the issue here--Vince, WHAT IS THIS SHOW RoKay is bellowing about???" I gestured to her table, where she and Razza had their heads bent over the breakfast menu, perusing options.

"Oh the show?" Vince perked, recovering from his momentary disappointment that I had successfully eluded his camera tail. His grey eyes lit up with a reverent gleam. "Wow. Elsie. What a woman. Didn't know they made them like that anymore. Little long in the tooth for my usual taste, but--"

"Vince!" I shook his shoulder, trying to dislodge the glassy film that had come over his expression. "I don't care your latest hookup--not my business--I'm talking about THIS SHOW that RoKay is TRUMPETING ABOUT all across the dining hall!"

"Ah. Yes." Vince collected himself, shaking his head. "Originally she was going with the title 'SpinorSpace' but we came to the conclusion that might be a little obscure for most of the uneducated viewing public, so we're floating 'StarBurn' as the working title--"

"Wait, wait, slow down," I swayed, massaging my suddenly bursting forehead. "We? Who? What show? How, and when, did all this start?"

"Here, come have a seat, I'll pitch it," Vince placed a rather smarmy arm across the small of my back, his new car/pipe scent washing over me and ushered me over to a small table near a window. I was too overwhelmed to resist as he pulled out a chair and motioned one of the waitstaff to bring us coffee.

"This had better be good," I croaked, watching the waiter deftly pour a dark steaming stream of gratefully strong brew into my thick porcelain cup.

"Oh it's a total winner, all the way around," Vince was cranking out another of his cheshire grins at the waiter. "We'll have the southwestern omelets, extra bacon, a side of horseradish for me." He ordered.

I let my tired head fall into my hands. "But I don't understand--when did all this happen? Sometime last night? I was there, till almost ten--"

"Yeah, it was all very spontaneous, one of those inspired evenings," Vince threw himself back into his chair and gazed, energized, out the window at the snow capped mountains stabbing into the swollen, low grey clouds swathing the sky this morning. "Good god. Maybe it's this place--this air--don't know when I've been this charged--"