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

Will’s ears turned bright red. I could tell he was looking around for the other guys.

Beth held up her palms in protest. “Oh no! I’m not drinking that Kool Aid.”

Will cleared his throat. “Where’s Jaxson?”

“He went to get some cake,” I assured him. “He’ll be right back.”

He tapped his thumb on the table and nodded. They’d developed something of a close friendship since Beth re-joined the Field of Hearts cast. It was perfect timing after she worked on that indie film with the Frerrars Brothers. When filming for Field of Hearts wrapped up, Will would often hang out with Jax in the editing room. They took to spending lots of time together. Something that pleased me more than anything since Beth meant the world to me. It was the new dynamic in our lives.

Will shook his head in wonder. “I still can’t believe he gave Karaoke Unplugged to Martín as a wedding gift,” he said, taking a pull from his drink.

“It wasn’t a gift,” I replied. “Roberto earned it.”

There was no denying the impact Roberto Martínez had on that club. So much profit was made in the first year, Jaxson was able to invest in his own production company. Donwell Pictures. He considered that payment enough and turned the keys over to Martín.

Randall and Jaxson returned shortly with as much cake as they could carry.

“We got three of every flavour, so we don’t have to get back up,” Randall said. I grabbed the nearest slice of chocolate raspberry.

“You didn’t happen to find Pinky while you were up?” I asked Jaxson. “I haven’t seen her since she joined the Spanish Brigade.

“Oh, I don’t think we’ll see her again tonight,” said Beth, wagging her brows. “That was some clever matchmaking on your part, Emma.”

Jaxson scowled at me in warning. “Emma, you promised.”

“It wasn’t me, I swear.” All eyes were fixed on me. But I was out of the matchmaking business for good. “Besides, Mama’s got a brand-new bag.”

Jaxson face palmed. “Oh, please, no.”

“What’s the new thing, then?” asked Beth. Everyone groaned, making her sorry she brought it up.

I grinned, remembering the satisfaction of a successful flash mob, the elated feeling of a job well done and knowing I did my part in creating a happy memory for Harriet and Martín.

“Epic marriage proposals,” I replied, sitting up a little straighter.

Beth wrinkled her brows. She didn’t get it.

“What’s wrong with a simple marriage proposal on the beach?” Jaxson challenged. “Something private and intimate?”

I spun the ring on my finger, remembering how Stella and Mum had been planning our engagement before Jax and I realized we loved each other romantically. Surely, Jax had to admit there was nothing private in that transaction.

“Nothing wrong with that, my love.” I leaned as well as I could with the bulge between us and kissed my husband. He relaxed his arms and wrapped his hands around the new Knightly kicking away inside me. His whole face brightened as he felt her little feet tap away at his touch. With widened eyes, he gasped and was stunned into speechlessness. I rather liked that look on Jaxson. Total surrender. Complete surprise. Unflagging joy.

After all, surprises are always much more fun than secrets…

Turn the page to join Georgia Darcy as she endures sleet, snow, and a handsome stranger to make it to California on time for Will and Beth’s wedding in

Driving Miss Darcy

1

Georgia

As I stepped out of the cab and skipped into La Guardia Airport a smile spread over my features at the prospect of five and a half blissful hours of in-flight entertainment eating a microwaved meal on a tiny tray. My friends at Juilliard thought I was crazy.

My dorm mate would say, “Georgia, you better bring a butt pillow.” and “Make sure you chew gum to pop your ears.”

She didn’t care for planes.

But I really did love the solitude of sitting in a bucket seat, virtually undisturbed at thirty-eight thousand feet in the sky. I loved the prospect of traveling somewhere—even somewhere familiar—with the distinction of having woken up in a place thousands of miles away. When I traveled, I was someone who did things.

I could get into any kind of travel, really. If my movie star brother wasn’t so annoyingly protective, I’d be all over the world satisfying my wanderlust with jaunts across Europe on romantic trains, or hiking to the tippy top of Machu Picchu. But today’s trip was a trip home for Christmas. To a house my mother lovingly named Pemberley—because who doesn’t name houses? Granted, the house was the size of a shopping mall, so maybe that was her saucy sense of humor shining through.

My flight from cold, sludgy New York City to bright, breezy Los Angeles (with a connection in Chicago) would get me home just in time to wrap my Amazon orders and put them under the tree but also to attend my brother Will’s wedding. He’d been with his girlfriend Beth almost a year.

The idea of a Christmas Day wedding would seem ludicrous to most people. But the holidays held something special for my brother and his bride, so who was I to warn them about all the potential stress? After all, what was the most major holiday on the planet to a high-profile Hollywood wedding? Santa Claus who? Will Darcy and Beth Bennet were getting married.

La Guardia was massive, but I wheeled my little carry-on bag through the terminal, spreading Yuletide cheer with each springy step as I made progress toward my gate. I envisioned magic Christmas dust sprinkling from my smiles and gleeful greetings as the TSA guards eyed me suspiciously. How dare I hum Sleigh Bells whilst passing though the security check? But I wasn’t about to let those Scrooges cool my imaginary peppermint hot chocolate. No sir. I may have studied Piano Concerto No 23 while school was in session, but Jingle Bell Rock was my jam.

Speaking of music, I fell asleep with my music app