Page 10 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

I peer into the bright light of my fridge. It’s filled with perfectly arranged meal preps from my two chefs: one for fitness, one for taste. “Where will you go?”

“The lady said to return to the land of my birth, take it slow, and meet people. I’m going to do it.”

“You’re going back to Alabama?”

“Yes. A road trip. If I go slow, only driving a few hours a day, I can stretch it out to two weeks. Or more, if I find someone along the way and I stay in his town.”

I pluck out a bottle of water and slam the fridge door. I already want to punch this hypothetical Midwest yokel in the jaw. “Will you take off work? Desdemona relies on you when she’s gone.”

“My laptop works just as well at a hotel as it does in the office. I’ll even take that tapestry with me, the one I use in my Zoom calls. I’ll hang it behind me for anything using a camera. As long as you and Jester cover for me, she’ll never know I’m not in LA.”

She’s thought this through. And fast. We talked to that fortune teller only, what, six hours ago?

I return to my bedroom. Time for confessions. “Kelsey, I don’t think you should believe that woman—”

“Why not? Zach, she was exactly right. My faith is turning to dust. And if it does, will I even be able to cast romantic leads? This could solve everything. I need to get out of LA. Find people more like how I grew up.”

“Dairy farmers?” I know all about Kelsey’s family. Four brothers and sisters. All with chores. A completely different life.

“No. I don’t want that. I left it behind, remember? But something slower than here. More authentic.”

“I don’t like the idea of you driving all by yourself.”

“I’ll be fine. I used to toss hay bales on a pitchfork!”

I picture that, only with Kelsey in Daisy Dukes. Damn. I have to shake it off. “You haven’t done any of that lately.”

“I’ve driven across the country lots of times. I just won’t be slamming through it in three days.”

She really intends to do this.

I have to tell her about the fortune teller.

But she goes right on. “I can feel it, Zach. This is the shake-up I need. I’m so grateful that I talked to her. It was weird, sure, but it’s like my tarot deck.”

“You have a tarot deck?”

“See, you don’t know everything about me.”

Obviously not. “How is it like a tarot deck?”

“It tells me what I already know deep down but have refused to acknowledge: I’m stuck here. Chained to a dictator boss and surrounded by people with agendas.”

“People in Alabama have agendas.”

“Not like Hollywood agendas.”

Well, that’s true.

Kelsey sighs. “I’m going. I want to get Jason and Gayle handled. Then I’m hitting the road for a while.”

My confession withers. There’s no point. It probably wouldn’t matter anyway. “It’s nearly dawn.”

“It is. Get some sleep, Zach. I’ll text you later. If you talk to Desdemona before I do, see if you can warm her up to my idea. Really push what a find Jason was at the party, how brilliant she was to notice him. Then I’ll come in behind you with my pairing.”

“Anything for you, Kelsey.” And I mean it.

“I know! You’re the best!” Her voice is almost a squeak, which happens when she’s tired. “Later, Zach attack!” She ends the call.

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