Page 36 of Her Cowboy Blind Date

“For sure.” It was nice having Alice around to hang out with during their breaks. Especially now she and Sam were on the gossip radar.

Alice headed over to the seating area where groups of extras congregated.

The heat in Becky’s face cooled back to normal temperature. If she kept blushing at the mention of Sam and the Main Street mishap, the town would have them married by Easter.

She walked around to backstage, doing her best to avoid eye contact with anyone who might ask intrusive questions. Mrs. Alleghany had good intentions, but her penchant for salivating over juicy gossip was well known in Gilead. At least the stories about her and Sam would soon become old news, just as soon as someone else caught Mrs. Alleghany’s attention.

Becky spotted Sam in their prop area beside the stage, chatting with one of the actors. She should check in and find out what needed to be done before the first act.

She hesitated. Alice had homed in on the truth. There was something going on between her and Sam. Something that wasn’t a fake relationship. They’d almost kissed last weekend.

But it didn’t matter if people talked, or didn’t talk, about them. Today they had a job to do. She waved at Sam, snagging his attention and he signaled for her to come on over. The actor had his back facing her. Today had started well, despite Mrs. Alleghany’s gossip. Another sore feet day was on the cards, but it would be worth it to see the actors perform the full dress rehearsal.

“Hey, Sam.” She smiled and played it cool. The town gossips didn’t need any more fuel to burn.

His smile lit up his eyes, a deep blue that matched his shirt. “Becky. Have you met Miles? He’s our new Judas.”

She turned to Miles. Her smile faltered. Her face heated. Her heart pounded. No. She must be mistaken.

Miles’s gaze locked on hers. The slight widening of his eyes was the only indication he’d recognized her. “Nice to meet you. Becky.”

“Same.” Oh boy. That voice. The way he’d spoken her name confirmed her fears. She wrenched her gaze away from Miles’s familiar face and glanced over Sam’s shoulder. “I’ll visit the restroom. Be back soon.”

“No worries,” Sam said.

She took slow and even steps, resisting the temptation to run. What was Logan Miles doing in Gilead? His long brown hair and hipster beard was a good disguise. In his recent action movies, he’d sported shorter blond hair and no beard. His blue eyes were the same, but he was leaner in build. His costume and disguise would fool people who’d never met the famous Hollywood actor in person. Becky wasn’t one of those people.

She joined the restroom line, happy it was a long line. She needed thinking time. Time to regain her composure. Logan Miles was a connection to Jarrod and her past that could unravel her plans to continue hiding in Gilead. Only a small group of trusted friends and family back home knew her exact location. She’d shut down all her social media accounts, telling the world she was taking a year off to travel and explore the world.

Breath in. Breathe out. Don’t panic.

The mantra she repeated, interspersed with desperate prayers. Out of all the Hollywood actors, why was Logan Miles the one who’d landed in Gilead? Australia was a large country, and Logan had only filmed one movie there. Becky wasn’t an actor and wasn’t involved in the film industry. No one should make the connection and guess she’d met Logan before he arrived in Gilead.

She returned to her usual position at the side of the stage, thankful Logan had gone someplace else. Miles. She had to think of him as Miles and call him Miles. He must have his own reasons for hiding his identity.

The rehearsal started. Becky was glad the crew expected her to watch from the wings. Less chance of falling into an awkward group conversation with Logan Miles. She could keep to herself, focus on the performance, and forget that her past had caught up with her like a terrifying tornado tearing through town.

Logan Miles was a true talent. His voice was unrecognizable as he embraced the role of Judas and made it his own. They took a break for lunch, and Logan disappeared.

She ate her lunch in the break area with Alice and her friends from the cast. Their lunch chatter included comments on how Miles was reclusive and didn’t mingle with anyone. Becky nodded and kept her mouth shut.

With time to spare after she finished her lunch, she made her excuses and found a seat in a cozy corner of the backstage area.

Sam pulled up chair beside her. “You’re quiet today.”

Ugh. He’d noticed something was off. “I’m a bit tired. Stayed up late last night to get a head start on an assignment.” That was the truth. She’d felt like having two coffees this morning.

“How’s school going?” Concern infused his voice.

“Good.” She stared into his eyes and blocked out the backstage activity buzzing around them. “I’m keeping up and planning how to manage my studies around the play.”

“It’s a juggling act.” He paused, his knee close to hers. “I’m guessing you’ve heard the gossip about us.”

She nodded. “It’s not unexpected.” If only gossip was her biggest problem. She resisted the temptation to place her hand on his knee. He was solid and steady, like a lighthouse on a headland. She was thrashing around in the ocean in an inflatable lifeboat, feeling like her world was topsy-turvy and at risk of falling apart.

“I’m sorry it’s bothering you.”

Her heart skipped ahead to a new up-tempo beat. Sam was a sweet guy. He was concerned about her feelings. “I’ll be okay.”

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