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

  “Duty calls,” she said, holding up her phone.

  “Josie, wait,” Colin said as she turned to leave his room.

  She paused and looked directly into his eyes. “Yes?”

  “I…” He swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. “I…appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

  “I’m pretty sure you’re the one doing all the favors,” she said, hoping he missed the crack in her voice. “I’m the one who should thank you for playing the role of my fiancé. With my family, I know it hasn’t been an easy job.”

  “It’s been my pleasure,” Colin said. “And it hasn’t been a job. Truly, I’ve enjoyed being with you.”

  Josie’s chest tightened as attraction pulled at her with the force of a neodymium magnet, making it nearly impossible to stay away from him. Did she dare tell him that she didn’t want this to end? That she was in love with him? Not Colin Wilde, the British rock star or the upcoming country music star, but the Colin with a big heart and the determination to never give up.

  Her phone buzzed, reminding her that she still had a job do other than playing the role of Colin’s pretend girlfriend. “I’ll see you bright and early for the interview.”

  “Right.” His dark brows pulled together. “That reminds me, I suppose I better tell my Gran about our pretend engagement before she hears it on the telly.”

  “Will she be angry?” Josie asked softly.

  “She will when she finds out it isn’t real.” His penetrating eyes seared right through her. “Gran would wholeheartedly approve of you, Josie Sinclair.”

  Tension vibrated between them as if the universe was waiting on bated breath for them to divulge their feelings. She almost told him the truth. Then her phone buzzed several times in a row.

  “You better take care of Mrs. Dalton’s needs,” Colin said softly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  The spell broken, Josie nodded her head and turned to leave. The door was slightly ajar as she pulled it open and stepped into the hallway. A lingering scent she couldn’t quite put her finger on hung in the air. It wasn’t unpleasant but brought on an unpleasant feeling, making her feel slightly nauseous. A soft click made her whirl around and stare at Scarlet’s room. That’s when it all came together. The scent was Ford’s cologne, and he’d apparently just gone inside her stepsister’s room.

  Eww. She couldn’t even imagine being closed up in a room with someone as slimy as Ford Foster, let alone spending the night with him. Josie thought about knocking on Scarlet’s door to confirm her suspicions but knew it was pointless. Monica turned a blind eye to her daughter’s indiscretions. She always had and probably always would.

  Grateful she had a job to keep her mind occupied, Josie slipped into her room and got to work.

  The next morning, Colin and Josie stood behind the camera crew, waiting for their cue from the director. Kelsey Maxwell, the reporter from Nashville Informed, was wrapping up the interview with Scarlet. Any second now, she would invite Scarlet to introduce Josie and her fiancé. At least that was the plan.

  Earlier, Scarlet and Monica were still miffed with Josie and didn’t want either her or Colin to be part of the interview. Josie couldn’t let that happen, so she’d let it slip to the reporter that Colin Wilde was her fiancé. She knew Kelsey wouldn’t pass up the opportunity for an exclusive on the former British lead singer for Wild Card, and she’d been right.

  Monica looked like she wanted to strangle Josie with her bare hands. Scarlet looked like she was about to pitch another hissy fit but clamped her mouth shut when Ford came in, wearing a big smile that was like a flashing warning sign about impending danger. As soon as he whispered something to Monica and Scarlet, the two women changed their attitude about excluding Colin from the interview. Josie noted their consent didn’t include her name. She wasn’t overly concerned since ignoring her was their usual MO. Still, Ford was far too happy with himself, which meant he was up to no good.

  “I understand you have a special guest for your wedding?” Kelsey asked Scarlet. She’d dropped hints throughout the interview to the audience about the secret guest star fans across the world have been anxious to hear from.

  “That’s right, Kelsey,” Scarlet said with a soft laugh. “I do have a special guest.” Her lips curved into a sultry smile as she leaned in close like she was whispering a secret. Scarlet’s dramatic pause made Josie wish she could cover Colin’s eyes. Her stepsister wore a clingy red dress with a scooped neckline revealing enough of her surgically enhanced bosom the network might have to put a viewer discretion warning for audiences with small children. “I have a very handsome guest that will have all the ladies fanning themselves,” Scarlet said, waving her hand in front of her face.

  “Did you hear that, ladies?” Kelsey said into the camera. “It’s about to get hot in here.”

  Josie felt Colin stiffen beside her. She glanced at him and saw the muscle in his jaw tighten as he shifted on his feet. She wanted to talk to him, but everyone was ordered to remain quiet or be escorted from the premises.

  “Cut,” the director called. “Let’s roll the next segment.”

  While everyone scrambled into place, Tanya, the director’s assistant, moved in front of them and addressed Colin. “Okay, Mr. Wilde, let’s get you mic’d up,” she said, motioning one of the sound techs to follow her order while she consulted her iPad.

  “Ms. Sinclair needs one too,” Tanya said while Colin was led over to the couch to sit by Scarlet.

  Josie held still while the same sound tech tried finding a place for the mic pack, so it wasn’t visible. There had been two choices of clothing for her to wear, but Monica had nixed the first outfit. It was a white blazer paired with a royal blue silky camisole, designer jeans and a beautiful pair of royal blue strappy heels that made her legs look incredible. Monica didn’t want the white jacket competing with Scarlet’s red dress. Josie was wearing a silky black jumpsuit that made her look shorter than usual.

  Tipping her head to the side, Josie had a perfect view of Colin as he talked with the reporter. He looked so good and not at all nervous. Josie hoped she didn’t blow the interview because of nerves. She wasn’t used to being in the limelight, especially with her stepsister nearby.

  Ford crossed the floor to talk with Tanya, blocking Josie’s view of Colin. She knew immediately that Ford’s evil plan was unfolding before her eyes when he grinned that white-toothed smile and looked triumphantly at Josie.

  Josie’s stomach curdled like sour milk as Tanya briskly ordered for the sound tech to remove the mic from her.

  “What’s going on?” Josie asked, wishing Colin was standing next to her. Although he was just across the room, he seemed millions of miles away from her.

  “Change of plans,” Tanya answered without looking at Josie. “We just want Mr. Wilde and Ms. Graham for this final segment.”

  Final segment? Scarlet was supposed to perform an original song she’d supposedly written for the final segment. Since her stepsister had yet to compose one song without the help of a ghostwriter, Josie doubted she’d actually written the song.

  “I don’t understand,” Josie said, feeling isolated without the mic pack attached to her. Like without it, she had no voice. “I thought Miss Maxwell wanted to interview Colin and me together?”

  “I don’t have time to explain, Ms. Sinclair,” Tanya said, tapping on her iPad. “Perhaps you can take it up with Mr. Foster.” The woman’s heels clicked against the hardwood floor as she left Josie behind and approached the cameraman.

  Feeling like she was suffocating, Josie lifted her chin to open her airway and told herself not to cry as she watched Scarlet lean in and whisper in Colin’s ear. The color drained from his face, and he started to shake his head until Scarlet said something else to him that made him go as still as a statue.

  Satisfied, Scarlet’s eyes flickered to Josie, her lips curling into a vicious smile before she wrapped her hand around Colin’s forearm and settled back against the couch. Colin
looked stricken with guilt when he finally met Josie’s gaze. She didn’t know what was about to go down but figured it wasn’t in her favor.

  “It’s okay,” Josie mouthed to Colin, forcing her lips into a smile. Still looking pensive and unsure, he finally nodded his head when Josie gave him the thumbs up and mouthed, “You’ve got this.”

  Ford’s unpleasant cologne wafted in front of Josie’s nose, alerting her of his presence. “I’m doin’ you a favor,” he said, his hot breath smelling like liquor. “I’d hate for your fraudulent arrangement with Colin to be announced on national television.”

  Dread filled Josie as her stomach bottomed out. How had Ford found out that she and Colin weren’t really engaged? Swallowing back the bile creeping up her throat, Josie straightened her shoulders. “I don’t think I’m the fraud here.”

  Ford chuckled darkly. “Sweetheart, I know all about the ruse you and your so-called fiancé have been playing.” He leaned down close to her ear. “The show’s over, and I’m the one calling all the shots now.”

  “Quiet on the set,” the director called out. “And roll camera.”

  Time seemed to stand still as everything unfolded, and Kelsey asked Colin about where he’d been hiding out. Josie was proud of him for answering truthfully. He kept it brief, focusing on his success with sobriety and his desire to make a comeback in country music. Kelsey loved hearing about Colin’s grandmother and the influence she had on his decision to venture into a different genre. Scarlet chimed in like she’d been by Colin’s side the whole time, encouraging him as if she were his girlfriend.

  “I know that both of you have significant others,” Kelsey said, clearly omitting the word engaged from her sentence. “How do they feel about the two of you collaborating as a duo to release your new song?”

  Duo? New song? Josie was so confused as Scarlet answered the question. “We’re lucky to have such great support.” She looked at Colin with adoration. “I guess now is a good time to announce that my fiancé and I have decided to postpone our wedding.” Scarlet smiled into the camera as she cuddled close to Colin. “It’s such an exciting time right now and so busy that we want to wait until things settle down before we make any wedding plans.”

  Everything about that sentence alluded to Scarlet making wedding plans with Colin. Josie felt sick inside, knowing Ford was probably behind all of this. The man valued fame and fortune over his relationship with Scarlet.

  A confused look crossed Colin’s face, but Kelsey was already moving onto the next subject. “Speaking of your new song,” Kelsey said with sparkling eyes. “I understand y’all are debuting it tonight for an exclusive audience?”

  Josie sucked in a quick breath when Scarlet gave all the details of the benefit concert being held at Gracie’s Haven and what an honor it was to perform for such a good cause. “Chase Nichols, a local celebrity, will also be performing with his former band Chasing Dreams.”

  Ford wrapped an arm around Josie’s shoulders as if to remind her he was still there. It took everything inside Josie not to elbow him in the gut as she quietly shimmied out from under his arm. He snickered just low enough for Josie to hear as Kelsey asked the viewers of Nashville Informed to stay tuned for the exclusive performance of Colin Wilde and Scarlet Graham.

  “And that’s a wrap,” the director said once he called for the cameraman to stop filming. Immediately, the crew began loading up their equipment. The director hollered out instructions to reconvene at Gracie’s Haven in an hour for pre-filming at the new location.

  Colin stood up, removed his mic pack, and headed straight for Josie. A smug looking Scarlet followed behind him with Tanya giving them both a call time a couple of hours before the concert started.

  “That went extremely well, don’t you think?” Scarlet said to Colin.

  Ignoring her, Colin took Josie by the hand. “We need to talk.”

  “We need to practice,” Scarlet said, wrapping her fingers around Colin’s arm. “I’m still not sure about the harmony on the final verse.” She sang the final stanza of Colin’s new song, her voice sounding like screeching eels to Josie.

  “How?” Colin said in a strangled voice. “I just wrote it last night.”

  “I warned you that you don’t want me as your enemy,” Ford said darkly. “Let’s head to the den, and I’ll explain everything and what’s going to happen this evening.”

  Josie was too numb to argue. Still holding Colin’s hand, they followed Monica and Scarlet down the hall with Ford trailing behind them as if making sure they didn’t make a run for it.

  Entering her father’s study, she wasn’t surprised to find him absent. He’d been gone all morning long. Not that he’d do anything about it anyway. Josie had stopped trusting him a long time ago.

  “Have a seat,” Ford said as he opened up the laptop sitting on the desk. “It’s showtime.”

  Chapter 20

  Colin

  Colin felt like his life was spinning out of control as he watched a recording of him singing his song “Rescued” to Josie last night. Good. That meant he had proof he was the one who wrote it. Although Josie sat next to him, clutching his hand tight enough to cut off the circulation, Colin couldn’t look at her. Not when it was obvious to anyone viewing the video, he was in love with her.

  The song ended, and he cringed when the footage included him asking Josie if she liked the song. He sounded like a needy child, seeking approval from an indifferent parent. The video continued, playing out like a bad sitcom as he and Josie discussed their fake engagement. The only benefit to come from all of this was it gave Colin hope that Josie might be in love with him too. Both of them were just too scared to come out and say it. Now it was too late.

  “May I have a copy of that?” Colin asked in a cheeky voice that belied the underlying fear that everything he’d worked so hard for was about to be taken away from him. “I’ll need it when I file the copyright for ‘Rescued.’”

  The flash of Ford’s white teeth was anything but friendly. “I think I’ll hang onto it,” he said, moving to the wet bar to pour himself a drink. Colin fully expected the craving for the amber liquid to hit him. It was usually worse when he felt out of control. As if knowing what was going on in his head, Josie squeezed his hand. The feel of her next to him was like a forcefield, shielding him from his vice. Colin rubbed his thumb across her skin and felt the same calming effects as he did when touching the sobriety coin in his pocket.

  “Here’s how it’s going down,” Ford said after nearly draining the contents of the glass with one swallow. “We need to send a demo of ‘Rescued’ to the Phillip-Chase record label by two this afternoon.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve only got a couple of hours to cut it and get it to their people before y’all sing it live.”

  “No,” Colin said. “It’s not a duet.”

  Ford narrowed his eyes. “It is now.” He tipped his head back and finished off the drink, slamming his glass down on the bar. “If you don’t cooperate, then Scarlet will be cutting the demo as a solo.”

  Fury burned hot inside Colin’s chest as he let go of Josie’s hand and stood up, staring Ford down. Colin couldn’t do it. He was not going to sell out to someone just like his father.

  Josie popped up out of her seat. “He’ll do it,” she said before Colin had a chance to refute Ford’s stipulations. “But only if Colin gets full credit for writing the song.”

  “Absolutely not,” Monica said. “This is Scarlet’s time to shine.”

  Josie snorted a laugh and turned on her stepmother. “If I have to hear that stupid phrase one more time, I’m going public with every dirty little detail of every stunt you and Scarlet ever pulled since the Miss Mitchel Creek pageant six years ago.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Monica hissed.

  “Try me,” Josie said. “Remember, Mr. Vincent?”

  Colin saw fear flicker in both Monica and Scarlet’s eyes.

  “Imagine what all the voters for The New Voice of Country Music will do
when they find out Scarlet Graham exchanged sexual favors with a married man to get her grades changed for the pageant?” Josie said in a low voice.

  “You can’t prove anything,” Monica said. She wet her lips and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Besides, no one will believe a liar who faked her engagement. Don’t think I won’t be sharing that little detail.”

  “Go ahead,” Josie said with a derisive laugh. “I’m confident that people will find it much more charming than the scandal y’all tried burying. I’m sure it won’t take much to resurrect that whole mess with a few phone calls to Mrs. Vincent.”

  “Mother!” Scarlet cried out. “Do something!”

  “Enough,” Ford snapped. “Fine. Colin will get full credit for the song.”

  “We want it in writing,” Josie said.

  Tired of being silent, Colin clasped Josie’s hand. “I need a minute with my fiancée.”

  “She’s not your fiancée,” Scarlet said as if that was the most important fact.

  Colin held up Josie’s left hand. “This ring proves differently.” Not waiting for permission, he pulled Josie to a corner as far away as they could get without vacating the room.

  “I’m sorry,” Josie whispered. “This is all my fault.”

  “Stop,” Colin said a little too harshly. Shoving a hand through his hair, he let out a shaky breath. “Sorry, I’m not angry with you, but it’s absolute rubbish to believe this is your fault.”

  Her blue eyes shimmered with moisture. “I don’t agree, but now isn’t the time to argue.”

  “I’m not singing with her,” Colin said, cutting right to the heart of the matter. “I’ll figure out a way to prove the song is mine.”

  “You don’t have time.” Josie placed her hand on his forearm, her warmth making Colin wish he could pull her close and forget all about everything else. “And you can’t miss out on this chance to sing for both Phillip Jacobs and Chase Nichols,” she said, tightening her grip. “Not only that, but you’ll get television coverage from Nashville Informed.”