Page 35 of Shy Girls Can’t Date Celebrities (Shy Girls Sweet Romances #6)

The adrenaline hits me, and I shiver as Wyatt greets the hyped crowd.

I really thought he might shy away from all this.

I remember all those late night phone calls where he’d need a pep talk to film the next day’s episode of Talent Quest. It made sense he’d be scared of the limelight when he’s suffering from short-term amnesia.

But he clearly loves this. And now, with the thought of his memory coming back, he’s ecstatic.

There’s nothing more I want than him being one-hundred percent healthy.

Ugh . I just got the old Wyatt back and I’m terrified of losing him.

He’s already intoxicated by the fame, and I don’t have the stomach to follow him into the spotlight.

My stomach cramps as I slink out of the store.

I shimmy myself behind the security and want to hurl as Wyatt listens to his fans gush about how much they love him.

This isn’t anything new. I’ve seen footage of these interactions online.

My heart melts for him, knowing his music and his performances have moved people.

I want everyone to experience his talent. But...

The dry heaves won’t stop.

“We heard you had some kind of memory loss,” says one girl in the crowd.

“Yeah, is it true?” another girl asks. “Did you forget that you’re famous?”

The question makes Wyatt smile and he murmurs a laugh. “I’ll tell ya,” he says, scribbling his name on a piece of paper, “after being cooped up in, in a hospital room for weeks, th-th-this all sure feels new to me.”

The crowd is circling him and I swear they’re sucking up all the oxygen in the street.

Gah . Is something tied around my throat?

Ouch . I’m being strangled from the inside out.

I press my sweaty palms against the wall behind me, propping myself up before I mutate into a ghostly white puddle on the pavement.

One girl collapses in tears. “Oh my gosh,” she wails at Wyatt. “I can’t believe you’ve been so sick. I hate this. It’s not fair. I never want you to be sick!”

“Hey, hey,” Wyatt coos, rubbing the girl’s shoulder. “I’m good. See? Don’t cry. I’m okay.”

The girl sniffs hard and smiles as tears streak her face. “I just love you so much,” she sobs. “I don’t ever want you to be hurt. I’d full-on die.”

Wyatt recoils. “No, no you won’t.”

She smears wet mascara across her cheeks. “Yes, I will.”

“I’m so glad you enjoy my music, but no one’s dying over me.”

The crowd pushes in tighter and I gasp for air. I trip backwards, as the shopfront wall ends, leaving nothing for me to lean on. I shrink, hunching forward and hugging my cramping belly. A rush of girls race into the crowd, knocking into me so hard I almost fall forward.

“We need you to finish your movie,” another girl blurts. “I need to see it, like, yesterday.”

Wyatt turns to this girl. “You like the movies better than the music?”

She shrinks under his eye contact. “Umm, yeah. I mean, I replay your first album, like, everyday, but I live for the movies.”

Wyatt tilts his head thoughtfully. “Huh.”

I stumble backward, teary-eyed and shaken from the mass of voices and lack of space. I keep moving backward, feeling my heart being ripped away from the guy of my dreams.

“Okay, everybody,” one of the security guards says in a no-nonsense tone, “time to back it up. You’ve occupied enough of Wyatt’s time.”

A collective “ Aww ,” whines from the group.

Wyatt waves to them as he ducks behind his security. “Thank you so much for reaching out to me. This was really fun.”

Local police officers join the scene, and the crowd disperses as Wyatt and his security make their way toward me, three shop fronts away.

Wyatt moves with a spring in his step. “What a rush.”

I quickly wipe under my eyes and blink a few times before he can take me in.

“Maybe I should stop giving Lexy the brush off and actually do something to publicly address my fans,” he says, his gaze off to the side as his thoughts carry him away. “That was such a rush. Like, addictively good.”

“That’s so good to hear.”

Wyatt catches the tremor in my tone, and his eyes finally meet mine. “Crap. You’re not okay.”

“What? No, I’m... ”

He cuts me off, pulling me into his arms with a tight embrace. “I’m sorry. I sh-shouldn’t have left you.”

“You were excited,” I mumble into his shoulder. “It’s so good to see you so alive.”

“But you’re scared.”

“I have you.” I pull my arms around him, pressing my fingers into his back. “As long as I get to be with you, everything will be okay.”

He strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head. “You’re ev-everything to me, Josie. I promise to get you to safety before ever doing that again.”

“It’s okay,” I whisper. “It wasn’t planned. I get it.”

He pulls his arms away and tilts his head to view my face. “We should’ve gone out the back. You were sh-shaken up when it was just t-two girls in a store. I’m a dang idiot.”

I caress his face. “Don’t do that to yourself. You were excited. I didn’t want to take that away from you.” I suck in a breath. “Your memory. Did anything come back to you?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. It all felt new. But...” He bites his lip as he thinks on it. “It felt normal, if that makes sense. Like, comfortable. Like, I’d done it before. Does that make sense?”

I lift onto my tippy toes and squeal in delight. “That’s amazing. So, in a way, something did come back to you.”

He grins. “I guess.”

I lean in and kiss him. “This makes it all worth it.”

His eyebrow raises. “ All worth it? I think we could do without any Josie panic attacks. Don’t you?”

I bite the inside of my cheek, lowering onto my heels like a limp balloon. “Yeah, I agree.”

“Let me make this up to you.” He smooths his hands against the sides of my face. “You’re looking fab, so why don’t we turn this into a real date and find a nice restaurant? ”

“I could go for something to eat. Why don’t we check out the restaurants back to the hotel?” I suggest. “Randall said they had some of the best food.”

Wyatt winces. “The hotel? I don’t want to risk running into Erika and the other suits. This is supposed to be our day away from them, remember?”

I sigh. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“We’ll just get a nice, quiet table in a cozy corner,” he says, hooking an arm around my shoulders. “What do you say? We’ll find somewhere romantic.”

I shiver in delight. “Romantic?”

“Sure,” he beams. “I want to spoil you, and this is our first time out as an official couple.”

“Well, okay. If we find somewhere not too overcrowded, it sounds good to me.”

He wiggles his eyebrows. “Just good?”

I giggle and peck his cheek. “It sounds stupendous.”

He laughs. “Now that’s a top tier word.”

“Sir,” one of the security guards pipes up. “If you want to dine somewhere your fans won’t bother you, there’s an Italian restaurant up the block you and the Circle 8 crew like.”

“How do you know the fans won’t be there?” Wyatt asks.

The security guard smirks. “They’re priced out.”

I wince. “Can we afford it?”

“Like I said,” the security guard replies, “the Circle 8 crew are regulars. All the bills go straight on the account.”

Wyatt wriggles his eyebrows. “What do you say, Joze? Wanna get spoiled?”

I hesitate to smile. “We aren’t just taking advantage?”

“C’mon,” Wyatt coaxes. “You just went through hell. Why not take advantage of the fame perks you’ll actually enjoy? ”

I look over my shoulder at where the fans had flocked. I really don’t want to wait around for round two.

With a shrug, I reply, “Why not?”

Security takes us to the restaurant, and inside I’m immediately relaxed by the soft piano music, cozy lighting, and lack of wandering eyes ogling my boyfriend.

My boyfriend .

Still can’t get enough of that.

“Do you have a reservation?” the hostess asks the couple in front of us.

“No,” the man says. “We were hoping you’d have room to fit us in.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the hostess replies. “We are booked solid. I can offer you a seat at the bar.”

As the couple in front weighs up their option of a bar stool or leaving the premises, Wyatt gives me an uneasy look.

“Oops,” he mutters. “Looks like we walked into the wrong place.”

As the couple in front of us turn and leave, Wyatt gestures at the door, signaling for us to follow them out.

“Oh, Mr. Hayes,” the hostess says, stopping us in our tracks. “Welcome back.”

“Oh, umm, hi,” Wyatt says with a wave.

She beckons us over. “Would you like to dine with us today?”

“We were hoping to, but you’re booked...”

“Give me one moment,” the hostess cuts in. “I’ll have a server get your table ready.”

Wyatt and I share bewildered glances.

The hostess nods at Wyatt’s security. “I can give you gentlemen a space at the rear of the dining room.”

The security nods in approval.

The hostess has a server show us to a table for two, where security can keep tabs on us. After we’re seated and handed menus, we thank the server who gives us a few moments to look things over.

Wyatt lowers his menu. “I didn’t take any notice of prices in the clothing store, but have you seen the ones here? Cha-ching .”

“What are you worried about, Mr. Hollywood?”

“Hey, it’s just a bit different from getting burgers back home,” Wyatt jokes. “That’s all I’m saying.”

“I know. I’m trying to act like I belong.” I clear my throat and put on a phony posh accent. “Ah, yes. Forty dollars for a salad. That seems right.”

Wyatt snorts a laugh, composing himself as a server approaches our table.

“Hello, my name is Diana, and I’ll be your server today,” she says, hands clasped in front of the waist. “My management would like to welcome you back to our establishment by comping your bill today. Please, order to your heart’s content.

It’s a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Hayes, and your companion as well. ”

My chin drops as I look at Wyatt with wonder.

“Oh, thanks, but we can...”

Diana demurely waves a hand. “No need, Mr. Hayes. You’re our valued guest. We’re glad you’re on the road to recovery and want to celebrate this with you. Now, may I start with your drinks?”