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

I didn’t say I studied classical piano at Juilliard, or that just the night before I played a private concert for the Governor of New York and several senators. That was why I had to cut my trip so close to Christmas.

I scratched Reeses, trying to think of a way to change the subject before Wyatt could swallow that big chunk of chocolate.

“I have a dog back home. In California.”

His brows rose.

“Lady. She’s an English Cocker.”

Technically Lady was my brother’s dog but she was just as devoted to me. She was the best dog in the world. I ran my finger on Reeses’ snout. “I think Reeses will like her.”

Wyatt smiled, his teeth covered in chocolate. “If she’s as sweet as her human, he won’t be able to resist her.”

9

Georgia

I had a headache, there was a distinct jabby feeling in my back, and my neck was so stiff I thought my head would snap off. Ah, the joyous pleasure of sleeping in a car.

I’d dozed off after a long, easy conversation with Wyatt. He had a lot of fun stories growing up in a large family. He reminisced about summers spent entirely in swim trunks eating apricots straight from the tree. And about the rope swing his grandfather tied on the branch of a sturdy oak in their yard. How he’d swing and swing for hours pretending to be a superhero, pushing off from the trunk to spin in wide circles. It seemed like a beautifully simple childhood. So different from mine. A whole other planet than the stark realities of Tinseltown, growing up the daughter and sister of two huge film stars. The busy schedules, the endless train of people wanting this and that. Superficial friendships. Hired drivers to take me to school. The gold-digging stepmother who singlehandedly sent my dad to an early grave. And the only thing my brother and I had left of our parents—a giant mansion. The big, lonely prison for two when Will shut the world away to protect me.

I twisted the ring on my finger. One last feeble attempt of my brother to keep the big bad wolf away from his little sister.

“Rise and shine, Georgia Peach.”

I looked over to find Wyatt folding those Native American blankets on the hood of the Mustang.

“Don’t worry. I slept in the backseat. Your honor is intact, milady.”

“Okay. Thanks?” Funny, the thought never crossed my mind. I opened the car door and crawled out.

“Oh, and your brother called. I gave him an update and promised I’d get you home for Christmas. He didn’t say much. He’s a man of so few words.”

“Yeah well, consider it a blessing.”

Wyatt stepped towards me, inching ever so close. The only thing separating his body from mine was the car door. His eyes took me in, the disheveled mess I was, wild hair and morning breath included. I covered my mouth and stepped back.

“May I?” He inclined his head, holding out a hand for the blankets I used.

“Oh. Sure.” Derp. I handed him the blankets and he bounced back to his folding spot, whistling a happy working tune.

“Are you always this chipper in the morning?”

He flashed me a dazzling smile. “Ya know, I slept really well. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in forever. Maybe since I moved to New York.”

He went back to his folding, resuming his whistle song. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and twisted my neck around.

“You must have the most uncomfortable bed in the world if the backseat of a car is an improvement.”

“It’s the noise. I just never got used to it.”

He finished his folding and skipped along to the trunk to put them away. I went to the office where we’d left our bags, fished out my toothbrush and braved the scary bathroom, keeping the door cracked just a hair. Getting trapped in this bathroom was not the way I’d like to start my morning.

A short while later the mechanic arrived bearing two steamy coffee cups and a paper lunch bag. He had a rueful expression.

“My wife chewed me out last night.”

“Oh no,” I said. “Did you miss the pageant?”

“Oh, I got to the pageant on time. But later last night I told her about you guys staying here in the garage and she about flipped.”

Wyatt shoved his hands in his jeans. “Sorry, man. We didn’t mean to intrude—”

“She was so darn ticked off I didn’t invite you to stay at our house. I can’t figure her out. She practically carved me a new one the last time I had people over. I vowed never again. Then she pulls this guilt trip on me.”

“Well, she’ll be glad to learn Wyatt here slept like a baby, so no harm done.”

He pressed his lips together and nodded with a sense of relief. “I’ll let her know you said that.” He blew out a sigh. “Whew. Pregnancy hormones.”

Wyatt brightened at that. “Wow, another baby? I...I mean I saw the picture on your desk.”

“Yup. Number four and counting.”

“Awesome. I’m the oldest of six.”

The mechanic’s brows shot to his hairline. “Ya don’t say.”

Wyatt nodded proudly.

“Anyway,” the mechanic gave the paper bag and coffee cups to Wyatt. “My wife made you her famous breakfast burritos. Her secret is the kielbasa sausages.”

That sounded divine but I was definitely going on a pork fast after today.

“Thanks Claudio.” I gave him a little hug and went off to zip my new moccasins in my suitcase. I’d left a couple of Benjamins and a note in the trunk of the Mustang, making sure Wyatt packed his moccasins, too.

After we said goodbye at the bus station, Wyatt shook his head at me. “What gave you the idea his name was Claudio? Or even Franz for that matter?”

“Just a guess. I didn’t want to be rude and call him Hey You.”

“I told you it’s Al. His name patch, the sign on the auto shop, even the side of his truck says Al.”

I blinked at him. “I thought that was the name of the