The Loneliest Stars || EDITING

Chapter 1

With a groan and a string of several despicable curses, Gabe rummaged around his bed for the device making the incessant noise. It was his cell.

He peered at the name through his bleary-hangover vision. Ella. His sister-in-law who also happened to be his boss. He debated letting it ring out - but being the stubborn creature she was, she'd probably turn up on his doorstep; lest she was there already.

He panicked slightly, he'd come home with somebody last night - he peered around the room - Rachel...Regina or Gina had clearly let herself out before he had woken up. He sighed, relieved.

"Ella."

"Gabriel." She chirped with an unnatural amount of energy.

"It's summer. I don't answer to you for at least another week." Gabe grumbled.

"Yes, that's why I'm calling as your sister-in-law. I need a favour."

"No." Gabe snapped, lying back down and pulling the covers over him. His head was spinning from one too many last night.

"You don't even know what I'm going to ask." Ella insisted her voice becoming higher and higher.

"It doesn't matter. I know it's going to put me out."

"Well that's generally how favors work, Gabe."

"Yeah and I also have a choice saying no. Bye, Ella."

"I can and will take this out on your football budget." Ella interjected before he could end the call.

"You know I've fought against dictators like you." Gabe shot back dryly, only half-meaning the insult. Ella was a couple of notches scarier than Saddam Hussein and only because she hid it well under a veneer of Southern charm.

"Now that I have your attention. I need you to collect one of our exchange teachers from the airport tomorrow."

This exchange programme had been Ella's pet project all of last year. She had called endless faculty meetings about it, planning every little detail to perfection. If she was calling him at the last minute to do her a favour something must have seriously gone wrong, but he was too afraid to ask. Ella's rants were legendary and he didn't have the wherewithal to be at the receiving end of one right now.

He supposed he could her help out a little - her determination and similar adoption of high school football as a pet project had seen their school district cough up the money for a football team; that he was now the head coach of. Two years in, and he was making great progress in building the team up to something their town could be proud of.

"When?" Gabe asked begrudgingly.

"11 in the morning, so you have plenty of time to get over your hangover." Ella said sweetly as if it made the inconvenience of driving into Austin's morning traffic any better.

"Also, don't forget you're coming over for dinner tonight." Ella added hurriedly, knowing that she was pushing her luck with him.

"Bye, Ella." Gabe ended the call, eager not to be roped into any more favors.

Rolling out of bed in the late afternoon, Gabe was still annoyed Ella had roused him from sleep so early in the morning. He had trouble getting back to sleep and had loitered in bed nursing a headache.

He took a quick shower and dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. He was going to run by the store to get a bottle of wine before he went to his sister-in-law's house that she shared with her husband, two daughters and countless pets.

He pulled up into the driveway of the family home, the door was unlocked and he let himself in, a running blur colliding into his legs so quick his knees almost buckled.