Moonlighting with the British Rock Star: A Georgia Moon Romance Read online

  Chapter 14

  Colin

  Colin’s heart pounded against his ribcage as he rubbed his thumb along the ridge of Josie’s ring. The feel of her hand centered him, helping him stay calm. It was clear no one wanted him to steal the spotlight, but he could see both Ford and Scarlet were taking Josie’s words into consideration. Monica, however, still eyed him shrewdly, measuring what he could do for her daughter. “All right,” Monica said. “I suppose we can discuss it further.”

  He couldn’t believe it. Josie’s plan may actually work. She was brilliant, and he’d never wanted to kiss a woman more than he did right now.

  Monica’s sister knocked on the wall before stepping into the room. “Excuse me, y’all,” Charlotte said, “but I need a headcount for supper.”

  “You may set the table for six,” Monica said with a regal tone only the Royal Family should use. “Eight if you and Bethany plan to eat with us.”

  “How thoughtful of you,” Charlotte said through narrowed eyes.

  “Actually,” Josie said, “Colin and I won’t be here for supper.”

  They wouldn’t? Not that he was complaining. Her family was a bit much, but something smelled delicious, and he was hungry for more than just a kiss.

  “And why not?” Monica asked, clearly affronted she hadn’t been consulted or given permission.

  “I promised Colin a tour of Mitchel Creek before everything gets crazy,” Josie said. “We’ll just pick something up while we’re out.”

  “What if someone sees you together?” Monica asked. “We still haven’t decided what to do about your engagement.”

  Josie stared her stepmother down. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it,” she said, holding up her left hand. The diamond winked under the lights as Josie wiggled her finger. “It’s official. I’m engaged to Colin.”

  Monica’s face hardened like stone. “How convenient.”

  “You know, now that I think about it,” Josie said, “a lot of people recognized him in Savannah. They wanted selfies to post on social media and even asked for his autograph.” She looked at her stepsister. “I’m sure that happens to Scarlet all the time and boosts her online presence.”

  Colin looked down at his feet, so no one caught the smirk on his face. She was exaggerating, but the hungry look he’d caught in Scarlet’s eyes proved Josie’s ploy was still at work.

  “Yes,” Scarlet said with a tight smile. “I get that a lot.”

  “Maybe Colin should wear a hat for disguise?” Josie mused. “That might have to be our first stop.” She pressed against his side and lifted her face to look up at him. “Ready to go, babe?”

  Babe? He grinned and gave in to the impulse to kiss her. He kept it sweet and short, but it still sent a shockwave of heat through him. He edged back, and Josie’s eyes fluttered open to look at him. Something he couldn’t define flickered in her blue gaze as a shy smile emerged on her lips.

  “Now I’m ready,” he said in a husky voice. Tugging on her hand, he led her across the room. “Cheers,” he said to the group before he and Josie slipped out of the room.

  Once they were out of earshot, Josie let go of his hand and looked up at him through lowered lashes. “I hope you’re okay with going out, but I really need to get out of here before I implode.”

  “It’s quite alright with me,” he said, looking down the hall to make sure no one had followed them out. “They’re an intense lot.”

  “Sorry to break it to you,” she said, punching him lightly in the arm. “But that was nothing compared to what they’re capable of.”

  Although she was going for a shot of irony, he saw the pain etched in her features. A protective desire welled inside him, making him wish he could spirit her away to spend some time with him and Gran in Sussex.

  “Thank you for what you did back there,” he said, tempted to wrap a hand around her waist and pull her in for a hug and maybe another kiss. “You were brilliant.” He still couldn’t believe what she’d just done for him. He should hire her as his manager. Unlike his father, he knew she’d never steal his money. His heart, however, was another matter entirely. If he wasn’t careful, Josie Sinclair would steal his heart. He couldn’t afford to lose his heart any more than he could afford to lose his life savings.

  “Scarlet isn’t as popular as her mother likes to think. Having your name linked to hers will help her.” Josie tucked a dark curl behind one ear and bit down on her bottom lip. “I didn’t plan on them announcing our engagement. Sorry about that.” She shrugged. “Honestly, I doubt Monica will really let that happen. She wants your name associated with Scarlet’s, not mine.”

  They heard Ford and Scarlet arguing. Colin strained to listen, but Josie grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the front door. “We better leave before they lock us in,” she said, urging him to follow her.

  “Is that a possibility?” he asked as they quickly crossed the foyer to the front door.

  “Anything’s possible at Hillside Mania,” she said wryly.

  Reaching out for the door handle, Colin chuckled, appreciating her sense of humor even more now that he’d met her family.

  “Excuse me,” Charlotte called out to them before they escaped the house. “Can I ask y’all for a favor?”

  “Sure,” Josie said.

  Before the woman made her request, Colin noticed a cute little girl trailing behind Charlotte. She had dark auburn hair, striking green eyes, and a smattering of freckles across her nose. She was carrying a doll that looked very similar to her.

  “Hey, Miss Bethany,” Josie said, waving at the little girl. “Is that a new doll you have?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I got her for my birthday last week.” The little girl grinned and held up the doll. “Her name is Melody.”

  “She’s beautiful,” Josie said. “And looks just like you.”

  “Thank you,” Bethany said, hugging the doll to her chest.

  Charlotte moved next to her daughter and smiled at Josie. “Hey, is there any chance you could stop by the youth center on your way downtown?” she asked, smoothing a hand down the length of her daughter’s hair. “I promised Pastor Dave and his wife Rachel that I’d bring Valentine sugar cookies for the after-school activity, but I’ve got too much to do and won’t make it.”

  “Mama, you promised I could go decorate cookies with Miss Rachel,” Bethany said, her lower lip quivering. Her tiny voice sounded dejected rather than demanding or whiny. “Aunt Monica won’t ever let you leave.”

  The smile on Charlotte’s face faltered, and she didn’t deny the accusation. “I’m sorry, sweetie,” she said. “But I saved some cookies that we can decorate later.”

  “That’s what you always say,” Bethany said.

  “We could take her to the youth center,” Josie said. “I’d love to say hey to Pastor Dave and his wife.”

  “Really?” Bethany asked, her green eyes lighting up. Colin suspected the little girl needed to get out of this house as much as Josie did. “Can I go with Miss Josie, Mama? Pretty please?”

  Charlotte hesitated and looked at Josie. “I don’t want to bother y’all.”

  “It’s no bother.” Josie nudged Colin in the arm.

  “No bother at all,” Colin said.

  “All right, young miss,” Charlotte said, crouching down to look at her daughter. “You mind your manners and listen to everything Mr. Colin and Miss Josie tell you, okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Bethany said, surprising Colin when she stepped forward and took his hand.

  Colin smiled down at the little girl. “Ready to go, love?”

  “You talk funny?” Bethany said. “But you’re a lot nicer than Mr. Ford. Are you gonna marry Miss Josie?”

  Colin almost said he wished he could marry Josie when he remembered everyone else already believed he was. “That’s the plan,” he answered.

  As if on cue, Ford started shouting again, throwing in several curse words. “Y’all better get goin’,” Charlotte said, her eyes
widening. “I’ll meet you out by the car with the cookies and Bethany’s booster seat.”

  Colin nodded his head, cringing when he heard more shouting. Closing the door, he and Bethany kept pace with Josie as she hurried down the front steps and raced to the Land Rover. It was like she couldn’t get away fast enough. Colin didn’t blame her. He felt the same way.

  Charlotte met them at the car a moment later and handed the cookies to Josie. “Thank you again for taking Bethany with you,” she said, opening the door to install the booster seat in the backseat. “I really appreciate it.”

  “It’s our pleasure,” Josie said as Bethany climbed onto her booster seat. “Are you sure you don’t want to come along?”

  “I wish,” Charlotte said with a wry laugh. “But you know how Monica is.”

  “Yes,” Josie said, glancing toward the house. “I do.”

  Colin heard the raw pain in Josie’s voice. He wanted to reach out and take her hand to comfort her. That’s what a real boyfriend would do. He moved toward her just as she turned and buckled Bethany’s seat. “Is this right?” she asked, moving out of the way so Charlotte could check out the seatbelt placement.

  “Perfect.” Charlotte kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Be a good girl.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Josie climbed into the driver’s seat, so Colin took the passenger seat as Charlotte closed the door firmly and stepped back from the vehicle.

  “Hey, Bethany,” Josie said as she pulled out of the driveway. “Knock-knock?”

  “Who’s there?” Bethany replied with a giggle.

  “Radio.”

  “Radio who?” Bethany asked.

  “Radio not, let’s get out of here.”

  The little girl let out a peal of laughter before immediately launching into a knock-knock joke of her own. Colin settled into his seat, enjoying the levity not found in the Sinclair household. Hillside Mania indeed. No wonder Josie had given the name to the maddening home. Colin hadn’t been there longer than thirty minutes and already felt the suffocating need to vacate the premise.

  The knock-knock jokes continued for a few more minutes, mostly from Bethany. Her jokes weren’t as clever, but she still laughed heartily after each one. As cute as it was, Colin wondered how much longer this would go on. He’d hoped to talk with Josie a little more before returning back to face her family.

  “All right,” Josie said after Bethany told the same joke over again. “It’s Mr. Colin’s turn.”

  “Me?” Colin asked. “I’m afraid I don’t know any knock-knock jokes.” At least not any he would repeat in front of Josie and Bethany.

  “Seriously?” Josie shot him a mischievous smile. “Not even one?”

  “Sorry,” he said. “I’m not as clever as the pair of you are.”

  “Not sure how clever I am,” Josie said in a low voice when Bethany chimed in with another joke. “This could go on for a while.”

  After Bethany repeated another joke, Josie pointed out the beautiful antebellum home she’d called the Mitchel Creek Plantation. “Tell Mr. Colin how pretty the house looks at Christmas time,” she said, slowing down as they passed by the historic site.

  “It’s so pretty,” Bethany said. Colin studied the lovely structure as Bethany told him all about her school tour during the holidays, and the shenanigans one of her classmates pulled by sliding down the banister.

  The diversion worked. As they drove through Mitchel Creek’s quaint Main Street, Bethany continued talking about Billy Ray, the infamous banister-sliding-trouble-maker, and how he always liked to tease her.

  Colin didn’t bother telling the little girl the lad was probably smitten with her, and teasing was the only way he knew how to convey his feelings. He’d used similar tactics when he was a boy. Actually, he still was using the same method. He liked teasing Josie, getting her to loosen up and smile.

  “Wow, I wasn’t expecting quite so many people to be here,” Josie said when they arrived at the youth center a few minutes later. The car park was nearly filled, but Josie found an empty parking space near the playground.

  “Neither was I,” Colin said, his voice revealing his sudden bout of anxiety. What if someone recognized him? He knew he couldn’t keep hiding. Not if he wanted to launch his solo career. Still, he wasn’t sure about how to market himself without a manager. How could he trust anyone after what his father had done to him? That’s why he wanted to work with Chase Nichols so badly. His reputation was impeccable. Colin had one shot, and he didn’t want to do anything to ruin his chances while in the man’s hometown.

  Josie opened her door and came around to help Bethany out. Knowing he was acting ridiculous, Colin took a deep breath and got out of the car. What did he think was going to happen? There would be an open bar inside, and he’d forget everything and go off the rails?

  “You don’t have to go in if you don’t want to,” Josie said, concern filling her blue eyes.

  Colin slipped his hand into his pocket to find his sobriety coin. “It’s fine,” he said as he rubbed his thumb over the familiar ridges of the number four. It reminded him of how far he’d come and where he wanted to go.

  “You sure?” she asked while Bethany crouched down to tie her shoe.

  “Quite.” Needing to lighten the mood, he leaned in close enough to catch the clean scent of her hair. “Knock-knock?” he asked in a low voice.

  Josie inhaled quickly before she answered a breathless, “Who’s there?”

  Her nearness made his skin buzz with awareness. It wasn’t wise to be this close to her mouth, so Colin eased back and gave her a teasing smile. “All-go.”

  “All-go who?”

  “All-go anywhere with you.”

  She laughed, and it was exactly what he needed to relax. Colin grinned, but he wasn’t really joking. The thing was, he probably would go anywhere with Josie if she asked.

  Chapter 15

  Josie

  Josie was grateful Colin made her laugh. For a moment there, she thought he was going to kiss her. Not that she didn’t like kissing the man. It’s just why would he kiss her if no one but a seven-year-old was here to witness it?

  “Don’t forget Mama’s cookies,” Bethany said as stood up and reached for Colin’s hand. Josie envied the little girl’s ease at touching the British rock star. Even though she felt like they were becoming friends, he still made breathing difficult if he got too close to her.

  “Thanks,” Josie said, quickly unlocking the car to retrieve the box of cookies. It felt good to have something to hold onto. “Ready?” she asked.

  “Yeah!” Bethany said, tugging on Colin’s hand and leading him toward the door.

  As they walked, Bethany began another litany of her last visit to the youth center during her Christmas break. Listening to her talk brought back fond memories of Josie spending time here after school. Of course, that was when her mother was alive. After she passed away, Josie only came sporadically and then not at all once Scarlet and Monica came into the picture.

  Colin laughed at something Bethany said. Josie loved hearing him laugh. He was so different than she’d ever imagined. So much more down to earth. It made her question if he’d change once he became famous again. Whether he believed in himself or not, Josie knew it was only a matter of time before he was back up on the stage. It would put him out of her league and right into her stepsister’s elite circle.

  The thought of Scarlet and him singing together made her stomach churn. It was a good reminder that their relationship was only temporary. Once this week was over, they would go their separate ways.

  “Coming, love?” Colin asked when Josie lagged behind them. Butterflies unfurled their wings at the term of endearment, fluttering to life even though it didn’t mean he was in love with her.

  “Yes.” She picked up the pace and caught up to them as the doors to the youth center automatically slid open.

  A volunteer took the box of cookies from Josie as Bethany let go of Colin’s hand and pointed to
the gymnasium. “Everyone’s in there,” she said, looking like she was about to bolt on them. The last thing Josie wanted was to lose the little girl.

  “You need to stick close to us, so we don’t get lost,” Josie said, holding out her hand.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Bethany said, reluctantly taking her hand.

  Colin held out his hand, a sexy smirk crossing his handsome face. “I don’t want to get lost either.”

  Those obnoxious butterflies started going crazy again as Josie placed her palm against his heated skin. It didn’t matter how many times she touched him, each time sent her heart skittering. His thumb caressed the top of her hand as their eyes locked, and awareness crackled in the air like a Georgia lightning storm. Josie wished she knew if he was feeling the same kind of vibes or if it was all one-sided.

  “Excuse me?” Bethany said. “Can we go yet, or are y’all just gonna keep staring at each other?”

  The comment broke the spell, making Josie and Colin laugh. “Let’s go, sweetie,” Josie said.

  “Yes,” Colin teased. “I can always stare at Miss Josie later on.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before Bethany pulled her toward the large cultural hall.

  Once inside, Bethany headed toward a line of children waiting to get their faces painted. As they crossed the room, Josie took in her surroundings. It was set up like an indoor mini-fair with a variety of booths, including a few stores from downtown Mitchel Creek.

  The scent of chocolate wafted on the air as they passed by a booth from Josie’s favorite candy store. A Little Sugar was known for its homemade fudge, and they featured a limited-edition flavor for each month. Josie’s favorite was the candy cane flavor during December. February’s white chocolate fudge with cherries was a close second.

  Josie had tried making the specialty dessert after her mom died, but it never turned out quite right. She always bought a small block of the sugary confection each year in memory of her mama. Since she hadn’t come home for Christmas, she had missed her chance to get the candy cane fudge.