Page 135 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

“I’m sorry, honeypot.”

I work up to the final hard question. “Did they recastLimited Fate? I wanted those two to get their breakout roles.”

“Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. Desdemona told the director that Gayle was typecast and Jason wasn’t available. She insisted you were too green to understand how the biz works.”

So I lost my job for nothing. “Who did she bring in?”

“Nobody. We’re no longer casting that project.”

“But we had the contract.”

“Desdemona canceled it. Drake Underwood is artsy and low budget, so she felt it was no great loss.”

“But the Oscar buzz.”

“That and a buck will get you a dollar-store medal.”

He’s right. I got caught up in it. I lost my head. I could see that script on-screen, and Jason and Gayle playing the roles.

But that’s not how Hollywood works.

Now, Desdemona blackballing me,that’show this town operates.

Zachery’s behavior, too, for that matter. Whatever gets things done.

“I think it’s time for me to go home,” I say.

“Where you currently have electricity, I hope,” Jester says.

“No, I mean to Alabama. This is no town for the banished, not when I’m borderline destitute. Maybe I’ll be like Dorothy and find out there’s no place like the farm.”

Jester frowns. “Don’t let that daddy of yours crush your dreams.”

“I won’t let him.”

“You’re tough. You can stand up to him.”

“I will.” I hope.

Jester taps the desk. “You could still do it, you know.”

“Do what?”

“The fortune teller plan. You’re heading home. Summer’s not over. Go get your meet-cute. Maybe something magical will happen.”

I shake my head. “I think that ship has sailed.”

His hand covers mine. “Just keep your options open. Eyes on the prize. Not that you need a man. Nobody needs a man. We’re pretty useless.”

My memory flashes to Zachery pressing me against the floral wallpaper. “You boys have your good points.”

One of his fuzzy white eyebrows lifts. “Oh, to know what flashed through Baby Girl’s head.”

This makes me smile. “If only.”

“If you go the south route, stop at Cara’s Caramel Coffee Shop outside of Fort Worth, Texas. It’s right off the interstate. They make an iced espresso with caramel drizzle that you’ll simply die for. That shop was made for you.”

“Send me the Google pin, and I’ll be sure to stop. Who knows. Maybe I’ll meet my caramel-drizzle counterpart, and we can waltz across Texas.” I don’t believe it for a minute, but I want to leave Jester happy.

---