Backstage Romance: An Austen-Inspired Romantic Comedy Box Set by Gigi Blume (ebook reader with highlighter txt) 📕

he was always concerned about his finances. The things he had said to me when he had dinner at my parents’ house. And Christmas. What did he mean when he said he was afraid of obscurity? At the time, I blamed it on the Darcys. But now, I knew better. If only I hadn’t been so blind, I could have prevented this. Lydia would be safe at home, and Will and I could…

No. There was no Will and me.

Lydia finished her story by saying she was dropped off in a field blindfolded, and Cole came to her rescue like a knight in shining armor.

“Okay, now tell me something happy.” She was so over The Adventures of Lydia and the Mob and was ready to change the subject. She reached out her hand to Jane. “I heard you got a callback in New York. Tell me about that.”

Jane looked warmly upon Lydia, braving it through the pain like a trooper. It was obvious to me that Jane didn’t want to draw attention to herself. She wouldn’t let anyone ask her about her audition since she returned. Maybe it wasn’t the happy news Lydia asked for. But she took Lydia’s hand and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Well,” she began. “New York is cold this time of year. But it’s pretty. Some Christmas decorations were still up when I arrived, so that was nice to see.” Then she turned to Nora. “It’s probably colder in Massachusetts.”

“Oh, yeah,” agreed Nora. “Manhattan is more temperate.”

“Especially,” I added, “if you have a special visitor to keep you warm.”

Jane shot me a knowing glare and went on at Lydia’s insistence.

“Just tell us about the audition already,” Lydia said with a wince at the pain in her ribs.

“The producers at The Majestic were so nice,” said Jane. “Everyone was, really.”

“Aaaand?”

“And,” Jane said, blushing and reigning in a silly grin, “I don’t know how to say it.”

“Just say it!” we all cried in unison.

“They offered me alternate Christine Daaé. I start right after Pirates closes.”

This was big news. Huge!

The congratulations poured forth from all of us in varied expressions and exclamations.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Holly.

“Now I’ll know someone famous,” said Nora.

“You’ll get to do those Instagram story takeovers,” said Lydia excitedly. “I’m going to totally follow you.”

Jane tried her best to answer all their questions and comments. Lydia and Holly could hardly contain their joy, Nora seemed impressed in her own mellow demeanor, and I couldn’t be prouder for my friend. Something inside me knew she’d get the job. I’d been expecting it. And I was so happy for her. Still, a small part of me mourned our friendship because no matter how much we vowed to keep in touch, it was about to change in a big way.

“Well, Beth,” Jane looked directly at me. “What do you think? Want to move to New York with me?”

“What?” How did this conversation get turned towards me? Oh yeah. That was so Jane. She loved to perform for a crowd as long as it was in a theatre, but she couldn’t handle too much personal attention. It was doubtful she’d do any Instagram story takeovers.

“You don’t have to answer right now,” she said. “Just think about it.”

“I don’t see what there would be to think about,” said Lydia. “Just do it. Like Nike.” Then she made the swoosh sound.

Actually, there was a lot to think about. My family. The lease on our apartment. William. Or not William. And when did I start calling him William?

At length, I said, “I’ll think about it. And congratulations. You’re made of star-stuff. You belong on Broadway.”

Tears formed in Jane’s eyes, and she reached over the bed and clamped her hand over mine. “Ditto.”

“All right,” exclaimed Lydia. “Enough sappy talk. Where’s my hot chocolate? Stella’s been gone forever.”

“I’ll find her,” said Jane, getting up to go. Holly joined her. “I’ll come with. Maybe they have muffins. Anybody want a muffin?”

I declined the offer. We hadn’t had dinner, so I hoped we could stop at Plant Power on the way home.

“Since we’re all getting up, I’m going to track down a nurse to see when you can go home,” said Nora.

The three of them were gone in a parade of yoga pants and messy buns. Watch out, Chula Vista Memorial, musical theatre girls were taking over.

“So,” I said, looking around at all the stuffed bears and balloons. “You got a moving van for all these presents?”

Her room was seriously filled with them. Huge flower arrangements, a bouquet of helium ‘Get Well Soon’ balloons, a giant teddy bear occupying a corner of the room. Somebody went to Costco.

She grinned as she swept her eyes over it all. “Isn’t it great? I should get abducted more often.”

“Not even funny,” I warned. “Were they having a sale at the gift shop?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. Most of it’s from Will.”

Hold the phone.

“Will?” I questioned. “Darcy?”

She nodded and scrolled through her phone. Holly had brought it for her, along with some other items.

My jaw almost fell off its hinges. “Why would Will Darcy buy you your own Hallmark store?”

She looked up from her phone and blinked at me with those blue doll eyes. “He was there when Cole rescued me,” she said plainly. Then she went back to her phone.

“He was there?” I cried. “In Mexico?”

Lydia’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh no,” she said. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. Just forget I said that.”

“I can’t forget you said that. It’s like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube.”

“Well, I don’t know why he was there. Just that he was.”

It floored me how Lydia could be so cavalier about this whole thing. She barely got out of there with her life. A guy we were all smitten with betrayed her. She was dumped in a field blindfolded. But whatever—a movie star came to her rescue and filled her room with get well wishes. So what?

My fingers itched to call Will. I had to know what his