My Online Crush Swore He Wasn't the Idol, Then His Song Sang My Secrets novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Peach Festival

A flash went off at the back of the house.

It lit the whole Juniper white for half a second.

Jay turned his face away and put his back to it, all in one move.

The flash went off again.

"Stay here," I said.

I jumped off the front of the stage and ran up the aisle.

Brynn was in the lobby by the concession stand, looking at her phone screen.

She didn't run.

She didn't even look up.

"You were in the booth," I said. "The whole time?"

"I left my good scarf up there after the show. Lucky me." She turned the screen toward me. "Look. You're very photogenic."

It was me on the painted porch, in the white work light.

My hair down. My face tipped up.

A man's back, a man's dark hair, a man's hand on my jaw.

No face.

"That could be anybody," I said.

"It could be. So here's the deal." She put the phone in her pocket. "Closing night. The benefit. Two hundred and forty seats and the bank man in row B. I play Rose."

"No."

"I'm not done. If I play Rose, this picture stays on my phone forever. If I don't, it goes to the tabloid tonight with your full name. 'Local girl in secret romance with Jasper Larkspur's mystery man.' They'll be here by Monday. So will that manager of his."

I felt sick.

"You know about Hal."

"He tips well." She smiled. "Think about it. You have until rehearsal."

She walked out the front doors and let them swing.

When I went back in, the stage was empty.

The work lights were still on.

The pencil was still lying on the painted porch where he'd put it.

My phone buzzed.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't be there when she came back. Are you okay?"

"She got your back. Not your face."

"Then she has nothing."

"She has me."

Sunday afternoon, the cast met on the Juniper stage for notes.

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