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

you don’t watch award shows,” I said to Randall trying to deflect Jaxson’s sour disposition.

“That’s right,” he agreed. “But if you remember correctly, I admitted to watching them to silently curse the competitors in my category.”

I chuckled at the memory. That was back when I was trying to get Randall to meet Annie, so he could see how awesome she was.

Annie slapped Randall in the arm.

“I’ve never been to The Oscars. This guy better buy me a sparkly dress and show me off on the red carpet.”

Randall gazed lovingly at Annie, all dopey talk as they rubbed noses together.

Alrighty then. I cleared my throat. “Hey, did anybody get a look at Jennifer’s new car? I didn’t get the chance.”

Annie and Randall shook their heads.

“I did,” said Jaxson.

Annie eyed me.

“Is it nice?” I asked.

“Yeah, of course it is.” He shrugged. “It’s a Porsche.”

“Who could have given her such a gift, I wonder?” said Annie in an obvious way.

Jax didn’t take the bait. Instead, he opted to gather his things off a nearby table, turning his back to us.

“How do you know it’s a gift, Annie?” I said slowly and loudly. Also, overly obvious.

“Well, Emma,” Annie said, matching my volume. “One can only guess.”

“Hmmm. I think whoever did give it to her must really fancy her. What do you think, Jaxson?”

“It was a gift,” he said simply. Annie’s eyebrows jutted up, and she sought my reaction, mouthing the word Jaxifer. I narrowed my eyes on her as if to say, No way Jose.

But Jaxson added, “She told me as much.”

“Did she tell you who it was?” Annie and I asked at the same moment.

“No.”

“Whoever it was, that was rather generous,” Annie suggested.

“And impractical,” Jax replied icily. “The insurance and gas mileage alone will set her finances back. It was a self-serving, flashy gift.”

I threw Annie my own eyebrow wag and whispered, “I told you so.”

I knew it couldn’t have been Jaxson, and the thought he’d fancy Jennifer was simply ludicrous. But Annie shrugged smugly, and once she knew both men were out of earshot, she whispered, “Said like a jealous lover if you ask me.”

Oh, brother. She could imagine things however she wished, but I wasn’t biting. I was more concerned about what Jax was going through. He didn’t appear happy at all. I’d seen him stressed over a project, I’d been with him through family issues, professional setbacks, and disappointments. But I’d never seen him so bereft of spirit.

He left before I had a chance to say goodbye. I wasn’t sure what I would have said to him—obviously it was out of the question to bring up our fake kiss. Not like it felt fake at all. I supposed that’s why it bothered me so much. There was a line we’d drawn in our friendship a long time ago and it wasn’t up to me to blur it now.

As I drove home, I took advantage of the quiet ride to process the Bedlam of the past few weeks. So many thoughts bulldozed through my head. My surprise and unexpected delight about Beth and Will’s relationship, how Beth was perfect for the role of Isabelle and was cast aside because of an oversight in Jennifer’s contract. Then there was Harriet, and how Elton stomped all over her happily ever after. What a cad and a player he was. It made my blood boil. And how Stella was watching me make mistake after mistake, likely shaking her head at my idiocy. What could she mean by all that guru codswallop? I just wanted to go back to sleep and hope things got better in the morning. Never mind that it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

When I arrived home, Rosario was in the best mood I’d seen her in a long time, dancing as she mopped the floor.

“What’s got into you, sunshine?” I asked.

She took out her Bluetooth earbuds and grinned. “Señora tell me to pack her bag.”

“What do you mean, pack her bag? Her suitcase?”

Rosario nodded enthusiastically and replaced her earbuds, wiggling her hips in a way I never could. It was no secret Rosario disliked Mum, but she could at least try to hide her glee.

I found Mum in her room, stuffing as much as she could into her carry-on.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving? I would have taken you shopping on Rodeo Drive. I thought we’d have more time for those things.”

Mum came over to me and held my shoulders. “I know you were busy, and I completely understand you didn’t have time for your mother.”

“Thanks for the guilt trip.”

“You’re welcome. Besides, I already went to the shops on Rodeo. I bought you this.”

She reached under the bed and retrieved a robin egg blue bag with Tiffany and Co. written on the side in all caps.

“Oh, and your agent called.”

Only Mum could present me with a luxe gift and rattle off my phone messages to me in the same breath.

“He called on the landline?” Didn’t the guy believe in mobile phones?

“I called him, but no matter. Open your gift.”

I stared at the bag suspiciously. “Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to placate me?”

“If you must know, I simply called him to ask why you haven’t had any endorsement deals in a while.”

“Oh, okay. Not weird at all. Are you going to call my kindergarten teacher next and ask when it’s my turn for show and tell?”

Mum had just brought helicopter parenting to a whole new level.

“Don’t you want to know what he said?”

“Do I have a choice?”

She grinned like the Cheshire cat. “He said he just so happens to have a deal in the works. What a coincidence.”

Riiiight.

“I suppose this Tiffany bag has something to do with the endorsement deal.”

“Sadly, no. But a girl can wish.”

Or in this case, a meddling mother can wish.

“It’s just a present because I love you. Can’t I buy my favourite daughter a diamond choker?”

Favourite daughter. Pshth. Like I’d fall for that.

“You bought the same exact thing for Bella, didn’t you?”

“What if I