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

disapproved of their marriage. Real life Romeo and Juliet, except they lived to have three kids. The only thing that separated them was a car accident. You can’t tell me that some stupid American class differences are stronger than that.”

He was impossible. That sort of romance, what his parents sounded like they had had, was one in a million. Alicia had no illusions that she would ever be that lucky.

“I don’t believe in soul mates,” she said.

“Nor do I. But I do believe in the kind of compatibility that can make two people want to work through their differences.”

“And you think we have the potential for that?”

“I do. The question is, do you?”

She thought for a long moment. She wanted to say yes. Wanted to so badly it hurt inside her. Colin made things so easy.

She didn’t trust easy.

“I don’t know. I’ve never believed in happily ever after. I’ve never seen it.”

“Do you need to see it before you believe in it?”

“You’re asking me to take a leap of faith?”

“I guess I am.”

The fatigue that Alicia had felt since the end of the workshop threatened to swamp her. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. “I don’t know. I can’t think straight right now.”

She heard him move toward her, one large, warm hand settling gently on her shoulder. She didn’t dare reopen her eyes for fear she would break down, and his next words seemed to come from all around her.

“I won’t pressure you. But will you at least consider it? Consider us?”

Her eyes were dry and hot. She wanted to run to the other side of the world, and she wanted to wrap herself around him at the same time. “I will try.”

“Can I call you in a few days?”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t…just don’t.” Something hollow and dark opened in the pit of her belly. “Don’t call. I can’t promise anything. I know myself too well. Try to forget about me.”

“Don’t ask for the impossible.”

Alicia’s eyes snapped open, and Colin reared back at whatever he saw in her eyes. “Then don’t ask the impossible of me.”

Chapter 19

The buzzing alarm penetrated Colin’s head like a drill. He groaned into his pillow, reaching a hand out to smack at the clock. His head was throbbing, and his mouth was dry and sour-tasting.

Monday.

Last night’s whiskey was not the genius move it had seemed at the time. Colin sat up and scrubbed at his gritty eyes with his fists. Pushing himself up off the mattress with a grunt, he swung his feet to the floor and stomped to the bathroom. He gulped down a glass of water and a couple of aspirin while he waited for the shower to warm up, cursing his stupidity.

This was going to be one hell of a long day.

He could feel his dehydrated body absorb the water he had drunk as he stepped into the shower spray. Grabbing the shampoo, he scrubbed his hair. It was long enough to snarl a little around his fingers, and Colin made a mental note to go in for a cut.

Alicia had seemed to like it shaggy, but there was no guarantee that he would ever see her again. He had spent the latter part of last week and the entire weekend waiting for a call, a text, a knock at the front door.

Nothing.

He had to assume that her promise to consider taking that leap of faith would end in her deciding for the option she felt was safer. And if she was going to protect herself, he was going to have to as well. That meant not getting his hopes up.

After he shaved and dressed, Colin headed downstairs, fetching the Post from his doorstep on the way to the coffee maker. Sipping, he settled in and began to scan the day’s news. A small feature in the Style section caught his eye, a piece on a certain television show that was about to start filming on location in D.C. Knowing he shouldn’t, Colin read, his heart constricting.

The article wasn’t anything that would have even interested him a month ago. Just a puff piece on the show, noting the critical and popular expectations the show had, given its stars and writing team, and some casting news.

Alicia was mistakenly identified as a “local” actress, which made Colin’s jaw clench, wishing it were really true.

“Here’s your trailer.” The production assistant indicated a door that had a card with her name on it to Alicia. Her role was big enough that it merited a share of a “triple banger” trailer, consisting of three private rooms for three different actors, each with an en-suite bathroom. This was a step up from all the television she had previously done, where her dressing room had been one of five tiny cubicles in a “honeywagon” with the bathroom in its own separate trailer.

“Thanks,” she said as she opened the door, but the PA was already turning away, talking into her headset. Alicia rolled her eyes and entered her new little home away from home. The furniture was comfortable and neutral, with no distracting colors or strange details. Putting her bag down on a beige armchair, she leafed through the new script pages that the PA had handed to her.

Exterior: Day, The Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery.

Alicia’s hand flew up to her mouth, memories of that afternoon with Colin flooding through her. Shoulders rigid, she made herself breathe deeply.

The last few days had been a slog of rebuilding her usual life. Doing things on her own, taking care of everything herself. She should feel better by now. She should feel whole.

Instead, she kept thinking about the promise she made to Colin. The promise to think about the two of them and if they could have a future.

But how could they have a future with their differences? Her brain, traitor that it was, handed her own words back to her.

But when you let your guard down…you’re kind. You listen. You don’t assume.

Her treacherous mind continued