Page 117 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

“How interesting. And you can do this from anywhere?”

“Sure. Most auditions are done via self-tape now. When a director asks for a certain type of role to be filled, say a young mother down on her luck, in her thirties, maybe a certain ethnic profile, I find someone who fits the part.”

She leans forward. “Are there roles for grumpy old women?”

This is something you can almost never escape. I think most everyone, somewhere deep inside, once had a passing dream of being a movie star. “Sometimes, there are.”

She sets down her cup and leans back. “This is the most interesting thing to ever happen in Glass. Hollywood, right here at the homestead!”

This is going far better than I thought. I’m already racking my brain for any projects where I can get her on the set as an extra. I’d have to get her in the system. She’d have to travel. It might be best if I used my home address for her.

“Kelsey, what are your intentions here? Gina tells me that your booking ended yesterday.”

“That was because of the tea. This day was blocked off, but we were happy to stay. I’ll make sure Gina gets us back in the system so we pay properly.”

Grandmama waves her hand at that. “No, I mean when are you leaving? I’m sure a week isn’t long enough to leave my grandson with a broken heart, but will that happen? You toy with a young man in that designer dress and then head back to your real life?”

I glance down at the shimmery Givenchy.

“Did you think an old lady from a rural town wouldn’t recognize a high-end dress when she saw it?”

“No, I—”

“Is it amusing to be around the simple folk with your high-and-mighty Beverly Hills audacity?”

I recognize a hole when I’m in it. I maintain my upright pose, hands in my lap.

Grandmama doesn’t relent. “Can you explain yourself?”

I can only reach for the truth. “I tried dating in the city, and the men are too ... too everything. I wanted to find someone more authentic.”

Grandmama sits back against the sofa. “Oh. I see. And do you think you’ve found it in Randy?”

“Maybe. It seems good so far. Ask me in a month?”

“And will you be here in a month?”

“I hope so.”

She clasps her wrinkled fingers, adorned with several large gemstone rings, in her satiny lap. “All right, then. Do check in with meeach Sunday and let me know how things are going. Randy is not used to girls like you. He might be a mite gauche. Allow me to direct him when he goes awry. I have some pull with my boys. And tell him to fix the blasted water heater. It goes out every summer. I’m surprised you haven’t complained about the cold. It shows some grit.”

She picks up her teacup for a sip, grimaces, and sets it back down. “Go find my daughter-in-law and tell her to make the tea stronger. It’s like drinking warm sugar water.”

I stand up. “I will. Thank you, Grandmama. Nice meeting you, Grandmama.”

She waves me on and I get the heck out of Dodge.

I know to quit when I’m ahead.

Chapter 38

ZACHERYRIDESAWAY

When the Christmas tea is over, I scavenge for leftovers in the overstuffed fridge downstairs. There’s everything my fitness trainer would hate: pie, cake, tiny sandwiches stuffed with mayonnaise mixtures and cheese.

I may have to take up firewood chopping to stay in shape. There isn’t a gym for fifty miles.

Speaking of axes, the one I buried in the wood out back is gone. There’s no telling if they know I did it, or if they think Kelsey gave it a go.

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