The Stars Between Us

Seven years ago, Kim Gallagher and Malcolm Brooks had a fleeting but memorable encounter when they both were in Carbondale, IL to watch the full solar eclipse, they an astronomy hobbyist and an astronomy grad school student at a local college, respectively. The fleeting nature was due to they being with their respective significant other at the time, but so fleeting that they didn't even mention to the other his/her name, which has only made their short time together that day more in their thoughts over time. Not knowing what happened to the other, the two again unknown to the other and both single will be in Carbondale at the same time for yet another full solar eclipse, albeit this one on a different trajectory than the one seven years ago. Having recently returned to work at a local Chicago news station following a divorce and a five year stint as a stay-at-home mom, Kim, a copywriter, has been assigned by the station producer Pete Whitaker to cover the eclipse at her request in wanting to be a reporter, he only agreeing as there was no other on-air reporter available. That reluctance is because of the disaster that was her one and only other on-air assignment when she froze on camera. Accompanying her are capable cameraperson and her best friend Claire Reynolds, and field producer Reed Harris, Pete's nephew, on his first assignment, he, unwarranted, full of chutzpah about his abilities and knowledge about the work required in the role. Malcolm, now an Astronomy professor at an Arizona college, has brought with him as a last minute replacement as his assistant his friend Travis Wesley, a Film professor at the college. While Claire and Travis quickly meet and fall for the other while in Carbondale, Kim and Malcolm, still not knowing the other is there, have a series of near misses as they deal with their own problems, Kim to prove herself as an on-air reporter while dealing with Reed, they a potent pair (not in a good way), and Malcolm in trying to do his research while finding venues to have his book manuscript read by someone in the know. Beyond Claire, Travis and Reed, what happens with Kim and Malcolm is affected by others in Carbondale: preeminent Astronomer Dr. Stanley Longford; pompous reporter Steve Harvard with a rival St. Louis news station; and Meredith, one of Malcolm's adoring former students. The question becomes if the stars are in alignment for Kim and Malcolm, both individually and together as a couple.