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

idea, though. Was that why he left and took a piece of me with him? We were supposed to go to Australia together. At least that was my plan when I’d made the bet with Stella. A bet I so miserably lost. “Anyway, you better go back upstairs to your baby mama.”

He beamed. I could tell he would make an awesome dad.

“Actually, she’s asking for a peanut butter and cheddar sandwich.”

“Mmmm. Sounds yummy.” I took his hands, and we helped each other up. “Let’s all have one.”

As we made our sandwiches, my thoughts kept turning to Harriet. How Elton walked all over her, and I vowed not to push any more fellows her way. How when she told me she had a new love interest, I’d warned her not to act on it unless she was certain he felt the same. Surely Harriet was clever enough to realize Frank wasn’t the guy for her. Then again, love makes people irrational. I only hoped she’d take it well.

I paid her a visit the very next morning, hoping to deliver the news before Frank and Jennifer went public with the news all over the interwebs. She was unusually chipper, making me a cup of tea while I sat in her tiny kitchen. I realized then I’d never seen the inside of her apartment. It was cute, all decorated boho style with mismatched furnishings and sarongs draped over almost every surface for a splash of colour. Even her teacups were all mismatchy, each one with its own artsy character.

I decided to just get the words out. Quick and a little bit stingy. Like waxing. Her reaction was… surprising. She pressed her lips together and raised her brows, more like I’d just told her my shoes were knock-offs rather than delivering her bitter tidings.

“Hmmm.” She inclined her head in thought and smirked a little. “Let’s see if there’s any gossip about it on Twitter.”

“Wait.” I held her hand back from reaching for her mobile. “Are you sure you want to see that?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to see?” Her grin grew devilish. “How juicy is it?”

Blimey. She’d gone bonkers.

“Harriet, I know this is hard to hear right now, and it’s probably kind of cheesy, but this too will pass.”

“Okaaay.”

“And I’ll be here for you for as long as it takes to get over Frank.”

“Get over Frank?” She scrunched her nose.

“Well, yeah.”

A bubble of giggles overtook her. “Do you think I like Frank like… that? Oh, my.” She tried to contain herself by biting her lips but failed. “I hope I have better taste in men by now than to go for… Frank Churchill.” His name erupted from her lips on a wave of laughter. What on earth?

“Hang on now. You told me you liked Frank.”

“I never said that.”

“Yes, you did. I specifically remember that day at the pier you said ‘Sunday at the Oscars was so magical’ and you were developing feelings for someone.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t talking about Frank.” She scrunched her nose again, like even the thought of Frank offended her.

If not Frank, then who?

I stuttered, trying to piece it together. “Frank… he… he caught you when you fell off the stairs. And you had googley eyes. And you slow danced after that.”

She shrugged. “That doesn’t mean I’m attracted to him. Actually, I thought you two had a thing going on.”

“Me?”

She nodded emphatically. “You did go as his date.”

“Don’t be daft. I only went to the Oscars with Frank because Jaxson—”

No. No, no, no. This was all wrong. Surely she didn’t mean… But Jaxson left the Governor’s Ball early.

“Um, Harriet. This fellow you fancy. It’s not… Jaxson. Is it?”

She rolled her eyes lightheartedly. “Come on, Emma. You know Jax and I have a thing. He showed me off on the red carpet.”

What kind of personal torture was this? “Jax and I?” “A thing?” What sort of thing? I was getting nauseous and not in a cute way like Jennifer Fairfax. I swallowed it down.

“So, you and Jaxson. You’re a couple now or…”

“Well, not exactly. We text.”

“Text?”

She got all mushy while she basked in the memory of his ‘texts,’ and I could see actual cartoon hearts in her eyes. What sort of things was he texting to her? He didn’t even like emojis.

“He is such a gentleman. Soooo much better than Elton. Oh Emma, without your words of encouragement, I wouldn’t have even presumed, but you made me see my own beauty. I’m so happy.”

It was my fault. This was all sixes and sevens. I groaned.

“Are you okay?”

I took a breath. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding. How to put it out there?

“This ‘thing’ with you and Jaxson. Are you…” Oh bollocks. “…physical?”

A wash of pink overspread her face. “Nah. Like I said. He’s a gentleman.”

“What I mean is, has he…” I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Especially considering where his lips had been just the night before. Hint: On mine. His lips were on mine the night before.

“You mean have we kissed?” she supplied.

“Have you?” I blurted.

“Not yet.”

“Then how do you know he feels the same way about you? I mean… you don’t want history to repeat itself.”

“Awww. You’re so sweet to worry about me. But Jax isn’t anything like Elton. I’ve learned my lesson.”

“Oh?”

Harriet bit her bottom lip and leaned over the little table, setting her voice down low. It was secret time again. I was starting to hate secrets.

“I probably shouldn’t be telling you this yet, but Jaxson went to Australia. He told me he has something very particular to tell his parents.”

“Something very particular? What do you mean?”

“It’s me, Emma. He’s telling them about me. Eeep! Isn’t this wild?”

“Are you sure that’s what he meant?” I frowned.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be stoked.” A realization came over her. “You don’t think he’s leading me on, do you?”

No. That wasn’t his style. If Jaxson Knightly was anything, he was honourable.

“I think…” Oh, my cracking heart. “I think the last thing Jaxson would do is lead a girl on if he