“You might be a great singer,” Thad said, “but you’re crap at making apologies.”
Olivia could only grovel for so long. “I’m a soprano. Sopranos aren’t supposed to apologize.”
Thad actually laughed.
“Truce?” The Diva said, hoping for the best even though she knew she didn’t deserve it.
“I’ll think about it.”
The cab turned down a one-way street and pulled up in front of a seedy-looking bar with a neon cactus flickering in the window.
“While you’re thinking...” she said, “…would you mind lending me cab fare to get back to the hotel?”
“I might,” he said. “Or… I have a better idea. Come in with me. I doubt the guys have ever met an opera singer.”
“Go into that awful bar?”
“Not what you’re used to, I’m sure, but mingling with the commoners might be good for you.”
“Another time.”
“Really?” The quarterback’s eyes narrowed. “You think all it takes is a couple of ‘I’m sorrys’ to make up for character assassination? Words are cheap.”
She gave him her steadiest gaze. “This is payback, right?
“Oh, yeah.”
“I’m barefoot,” she pointed out with a certain degree of desperation.
He regarded her with silky animosity. “I wouldn’t have thought of it otherwise. If there’s too much broken glass, I’ll carry you over it.”
“You want revenge this much?”
“Hey, I said I’d carry you, didn’t I? But never mind. I know you don’t have the guts.”
She laughed in his face. A big, theatrical “Ha!” that came straight from her diaphragm. “You don’t think I have the guts? I’ve been booed at LaScala!”
“They booed you?”
“Sooner or later it happens to everyone who sings there. Callas, Fleming, Pavarotti.” She reached for the cab’s door handle, stepped out onto the dirty pavement, and turned to gaze down at him. “I gave them the finger and finished the performance.”
He didn’t move. “I think I might be having second thoughts.”
“Afraid to be seen with me?”
“I’m afraid of you in general.”
“You’re not the first.” She marched toward the flickering neon cactus.

I hope you enjoyed this small excerpt from WHEN STARS COLLIDE. If you haven’t yet met Chicago Stars quarterback Thad Owens and opera superstar Olivia Shore you might not know how hard it is for a Diva to apologize, but she’s determined to give it her best. Want to know more? Here you go!



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Yes, I’m working on a new book but I’m not quite ready yet to talk about it.

Happy reading,

Susan Elizabeth Phillips