Method Acting: An opposites attract, found family romance (Center Stage Book 2) by Adele Buck (web based ebook reader txt) 📕

But the production was over. Everyone always went their own ways when shows were done. Why should Kathleen and Wendy be different from anybody else in Alicia’s life?

Alicia sat on the sofa and opened up her iPad. Oh, goody. An e-mail from Susan. The universe, fickle thing that it was, seemed to be saying, “You wanted a friend? Here. This is what you deserve.” She opened it.

To: Alicia Johnson

From: Susan Vernon

Subject: All Good Things Must Come to an End

Hey Sweetie—

Great to hear from you. Yes, the show is getting a New York run, but I’ve decided to move on. It was a great part, but I want a new challenge. And also, not to deal with the nonstop drama that is the Paul and Cath show.

Alicia shook her head. Yeah, her not staying with the cast was definitely not her decision. But leave it to Susan to spin—or outright lie—about a thing so it looked like it was her idea.

I’ll be glad to be back in New York, though. When are you returning to civilization? Too bad the rich lobbyist didn’t pan out.

Alicia almost snorted when she read that. How much had changed in just a few weeks.

She was contemplating her response when a tap at the front door startled her. Standing, she rubbed her hands on her shorts and walked over to peer through the peephole. Unlocking the door and opening it, she leaned on the jamb, trying for an outward cool that she didn’t feel inside.

“Colin.”

His hair was disheveled, as if he had just run his fingers through it. His expression was exasperated.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” he said, then stopped, looking at the ground. “No,” he said, looking at her again. “I do know. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Alicia felt a flutter in her stomach. She swallowed hard, trying to tamp the feeling down. “Well, you dropped me off about an hour ago. I’d like to think you couldn’t forget me that fast. I’d worry that you’d suffered a head injury.”

The exasperated expression remained, but it was lightened by a humorous glint in his eyes. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

The flutter intensified. “I…guess you’d better come in, then.” She stepped away from the door and waved him inside. His height, the breadth of his shoulders…he seemed to fill up the little space, even in his distracted state.

“Sit,” she said. “You’re making me nervous.”

“That wasn’t my intention.” Colin sank to the sofa and passed a hand across his face, the roughness of his unshaven skin rasping audibly against his fingertips. “Honestly, I probably shouldn’t have come. It was just…I went home, tried to work, couldn’t concentrate. I was restless and went for a walk. I ended up here.”

Alicia shifted her weight, still at a loss for words, and folded her arms across her chest.

Colin took a deep breath and rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his eyes. “I don’t know what to tell you except that you have gotten under my skin. You’re smart and lovely and maddening and defensive, and you challenge me in ways I didn’t know I needed or wanted challenging.”

She continued to look at him, eyes scanning his face, coming to a decision.

“I’m intruding. This was a mistake. I should go.” He started to push himself to his feet.

“No.” Her voice was quiet, but she uncrossed her arms, extending one hand, encouraging him to stay seated. “No. It’s okay. Let me get you a glass of water.” She moved to the kitchen and filled a glass from the tap. Returning and handing it to him, she walked out again, this time to the bedroom.

Puzzled, Colin sipped the water and put the glass down on the coffee table.

When she returned, her steps were slow. She had something in her hand—a postcard or a photograph, he couldn’t tell. Folding herself into the opposite corner of the couch, she looked at the paper—it was a photograph, he could see that now.

“You were more right than you knew about my performance,” she said, handing him the picture. He took it, but didn’t look at it immediately. Her eyes held his in a steady gaze. “More right than I knew either. I didn’t like to think about it until you brought it up.”

Baffled, he looked at the photo. A faded group shot. A family, it seemed, from the resemblances on display. A large family. His gaze found Alicia at once. She was instantly recognizable, though much younger, and her wheat-blond hair was Rapunzel-long. She stared ahead, her expression serious, not quite looking into the camera lens, but somewhere beyond the photographer.

Then he registered the toddler on her lap. Boy or girl, it was impossible to tell at that age. The child’s clothes were faded but clean, and Alicia’s arms were curled protectively, hands curving around the baby’s rounded belly. Hers?

“My baby sister Gracie,” she said as if she could read his thoughts. “My Juliet, you might say.”

Pulling her bare feet up onto the couch, Alicia wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. Colin looked from the photograph to her face, then back to the picture.

“I raised her. At least for a few years.” Alicia’s voice sounded like it was coming from far away. “Mom was…well, she got pregnant way too fast after Gracie. Then lost that one. It wasn’t the first time that happened.”

Colin set the picture on the table, then reached a hand out toward her. She looked at it, her expression blank for a few moments, then placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her over to him, turning her body so her back was cradled against his chest.

“Mom was pretty sick and weak for a long time. And also probably depressed, though I didn’t know anything about that at the time. Dad didn’t seem to care, just went around expecting the house to operate like it always had. And Gracie…she needed someone. She needed me. And when