Page 3 of Shy Girls Can’t Date Celebrities (Shy Girls Sweet Romances #6)

I breathe out, trying to reconcile the amount of adrenaline pumping through my body. “Wow. One hour with Wyatt would be more than enough time for me. I can’t wait to soak every second.”

Dad smiles. “I’m glad you’re so happy, darling. Just remember to keep your wits about you.”

I huff. “Yes, Dad. Can you now stop being Mr. Doom-and-gloom?”

“I have to admit,” Dad says, “I’ve been glued to my phone, waiting for updates about Wyatt.”

“What the heck is happening?” a small voice calls from the top of the stairs .

We turn to see Casey and Callum in their matching striped pajamas.

Dad turns to them. “Josie’s going on a trip. She’ll be gone by the time you get to school in the morning.”

“What?” they blurt at once, hurrying down the stairs.

“ Daniel ,” Mom grouches. “Did you have to fire them up?”

“They have to know,” he reasons.

“Where are you going?” Casey asks as she and Callum invade my personal space.

“Umm,” I falter. “Cherry Beach?”

Callum’s face screws up. “Where’s that?”

“A four hour flight away,” Dad answers.

“You’re going on a plane?” Casey asks. “Why can’t we go?”

Mom gets between the twins, clutching both their shoulders. “Because Josie has a very important meeting. Your father and I aren’t going either.”

“I want to go,” Callum whines. “This isn’t fair.”

“I’ll have to call the Marshalls to pick the twins up earlier for the car pool,” Mom says to Dad.

“What?” Callum whines. “We have to leave the house earlier tomorrow morning?”

Casey crosses her arms, pouting. “This sucks.”

I bend my knees and look the twins in the eyes. “Guys, I’m going to visit Wyatt Hayes.”

“The guy on your wall?” Callum asks.

I nod with enthusiasm.

Casey blows a raspberry. “Why the heck would he want to see you? Sounds like a scam.”

When I stand and roll my eyes, Dad can’t help laughing at the comment.

“The mini skeptic, here.” I sigh. “Guys, I told you. Wyatt and I were friends. He even played with you guys in the treehouse. ”

“That boy in your polaroids looks nothing like the guy in the movies,” Casey says, arms still locked across her torso.

Mom chuckles with exhaustion. “It’s the same boy. Now, you two, move it back upstairs. I’ll get you tucked back into bed.”

“We need another story,” Callum says, staring me down.

“I need to pack,” I protest.

Casey glares at me. “You’re leaving us. We’re owed another story.”

Mission accomplished. Crater-sized headache.

“Mom, I’ll take them upstairs. I have a quick story I can read.”

“No, a long one,” the twins whine in unison.

“Oh my gosh,” I say in exhaustion. “Would you two just get your butts upstairs?”

The twins hightail it upstairs, and Mom and Dad move into the living room, discussing the enormity of our recent phone call.

As I move upstairs, the adrenaline resurfaces mixed with a heavy serve of ick. I’m beyond excited to see Wyatt, but my excitement feels obscene, considering how he’s struggling. My knees weaken on every step up, and my stomach cramps.

Is he excited to see me? Is he scared? Does he remember everything from the past, or is his memory patchy?

My heart works overtime, and I force myself to level out my breathing. Getting worked up won’t help Wyatt. I need to settle these nerves so I don’t freak him out. They want me there to help his recovery.

A smile tingles on my lips.

Oh my gosh.

I actually get to see Wyatt tomorrow.

I don’t think this will ever sink in.

Hurriedly, I text Kylie. “Wyatt’s manager just called and said Wyatt wants to see me. They’re arranging a flight.”

“Josie!” the twins yell from their bedroom.

“Coming!” I yell back, opening the Docs app on my phone .

It is super cute the twins love hearing the short stories I write. Callum is always delighted by anything he hears, but Casey is a harsh critic. She definitely helps me tweak and perfect my story plots. But when I need an ego boost, I bring Callum over to my laptop in secret.

I have a new story that’s only a page and a half long.

I can already hear Casey telling me to beef it out, but right now, I just need to get to the end so I can pack my bag.

The story has some spooky elements, which has Callum pulling his bed covers up to his chin.

Casey sits on edge, listening to every word.

When I drop the cliffhanger ending, They both lie stiff as a board and speechless.

Ahhhh .

Peace at last.

“Guys, I’ll be home soon, I promise,” I whisper, moving to the doorway. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” they reply in unison.

My heart swells as I leave for my bedroom. Okay, sometimes they’re not complete devils.

Before I get to my bedroom door, the front doorbell rings. Jitters course through my body, picturing Erika or her assistant at our front door. Could they possibly be here to pick me up already?

Oh crap. Was Dad right? Was it some kind of elaborate scam?

I slowly descend the stairs as Mom moves toward the front door.

“Who the heck is coming here this late?” Mom asks. She opens the door and her demeanor softens. “Oh, Kylie, Parker, hi.”

I hurry to the first floor landing as my best friend and her boyfriend enter our home.

“Oh my gosh.” I gasp, pulling Kylie into a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“This is huge,” Kylie blurts into my ear. “How did you expect us not to come right over? ”

I pull out of the hug. “But weren’t you two on a date?”

“Are you kidding?” Parker says excitedly. “We have too many questions to wait for text message replies.”

“I don’t know if I have many answers,” I say, leading them upstairs and toward my bedroom. “This has all come out of the blue.”

“Whoa,” Parker puffs, jolting back as he takes in my bedroom. “Someone’s obsessed.”

Kylie laughs and elbows his ribs. “What did you expect? I told you, she’s a superfan.”

“Not stalker vibes at all,” Parker mutters.

I click my tongue, folding my clothes. “I’m not a stalker.”

“Well, something’s off,” Parker says, walking into my bedroom and gesturing at the pictures on the wall. “You’ve pasted your face over the girl in his arms.”

My jaw rocks as I look at the body of the popstar Portia with my face covering hers.

“There’s nothing wrong with fantasy,” Kylie defends.

“Don’t you think it’d freak him out if he saw all of this?” Parker asks.

I cringe. “He’d never see this.”

Parker wriggles his eyebrows. “What if you hit it off and he wants to visit your home?”

Kylie gasps. “Oh my gosh, what if Wyatt Hayes comes back to Victoria Falls?”

I shiver. “Why are you guys trying to freak me out?”

Kylie wraps an arm around me. “Sorry, Josie. This is just so surreal. You’re leaving on a private plane to visit a celebrity. Our minds are running wild.”

“I just don’t need speculation right now,” I say with a sigh. “I need to focus on Wyatt and what his condition actually means. He’s forgotten his life, but he remembers me. I need to take this one step at a time. ”

Kylie grins. “You know, we’re gonna need pictures.”

I giggle, thinking about being close to Wyatt again. “I’m not going to immediately ask for a selfie.”

“Yeah, but you’re walking into glitz and glamor,” she replies. “We need to see it all.”

“He’s still in the hospital, or clinic, whatever it’s called,” I reason. “It’s not like I’m going to a red carpet event.”

Parker smirks. “Didn’t you text Kylie something about a presidential suite? Sounds pretty swanky to me.”

I cup a hand over my mouth as a flood of giggles spill out. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“You never lost faith in seeing him again,” Kylie whispers with wonder in her eyes. “Now you’re getting your wish.”

My heart sinks as I frown at her. “But I never wanted it like this. I’d do anything to reverse his pain.”

Parker grins. “Maybe seeing you is just what the doctor ordered.”

There’s a knock on my opened bedroom door. I view Dad as he looks at Parker. “We have a no boys in the bedroom rule.”

Parker lifts his hands in surrender.

“Dad, he’s Kylie’s boyfriend, not mine.”

“We should get going anyway,” Kylie says and pulls me into another hug. “Best of luck with everything tomorrow.”

I squeeze her, needing all the good luck I can get. “Thank you.”

“And, remember, photos, please?” Parker says, backing out of my bedroom.

I giggle, blushing, as Kylie follows Parker out. “I’ll try.”

Kylie sighs, looking me up and down in my Wyatt-clad bedroom. “I really hope it goes well. Give him our best. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling; forgetting a huge chunk of his life.”

“Thanks,” I reply. “I really have no idea what I’ll be walking into.”

“Wyatt remembers you,” Dad says gently. “You just keep your guard up around this management team.”

I click my tongue and clutch my elbows. “Yes, Mr. Skeptical.”