Home Matters (A Ripple Effect Romance Novella, Book 1) Read Online Free

Two’s jacked-up again.”
    Throwing a fistful of papers in the air, the director yelled a string of unsavory expletives followed by, “Don’t just stand there. Fix the blasted thing. And before next Christmas, if it’s not too much trouble.”
    An instant of silence filled the studio before everyone flew into action. Doing what exactly, Olivia wasn’t sure, but suddenly the room was a hub of activity, a school of minnows invaded by a shark.
    Not sure what she should do while she waited, Olivia turned to the man at her side. An audible gasp blew through her lips at seeing the very last person she’d expected. He had that mystified look on his face again, like he was seeing something—or someone—he couldn’t make sense of.
    “You.” She wiggled a finger in his general direction. “You’re that creepy janitor who was eavesdropping on me in the ladies’ room,” she accused. “What are you doing here?”
    He raised his hands in surrender. “Janitor?” He shook his head. “No, Peaches. Try Lead Contractor,” he corrected, then waited while Olivia considered the possibility.
    Messy brown hair, wide-set blue eyes, full lips and a capable build all brought actor Chris Pine springing to mind. Except this man’s face was thinner and nowhere near as striking. And now that she was looking, really looking, she could see that if you slapped a backwards ball cap on his head, and sprinkled him with sawdust, he could possibly be the construction guy she mostly ignored while watching Home Matters at home.
    He pointed to the show’s logo on his shirt then motioned around the studio. “ Home Matters . Ringing any bells?”
    Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. “Then why were you holding a plunger… and in the ladies’ room?”
    “The plunger was on the floor. I picked it up after almost tripping over it. And I wasn’t in the ladies’ room.” He motioned to her. “ You were in the men’s room.”
    Olivia rolled her eyes. “That’s absurd,” she snorted. “I would never…”
    He sent her an indulgent look. “Actually, it happens all the time around here. Nervous, aspiring starlets, brains full of caviar dreams while their stomachs ache from too much fasting, get turned around and end up in the wrong place. ” He held a hand out. “Name’s Pete, by the way.”
    She didn’t want to, but she reached out a cautious hand and took his. “Olivia Pembroke,” she offered. The instant his chapped fingers closed firmly around hers, a sense of warmth advanced up her arm, lighting a glow to her heart. Not sparks like when she and William had touched, but more like the feeling she got when returning home after an extended absence. Nice, reassuring even, but disturbing when emitted from the likes of this man.
    Jerking her hand away, she rolled her fingers into a fist to squelch the sensation.
    Pete scratched the scruff on his chin. “Olivia Pembroke,” he repeated, as if giving her name some serious thought. “Sounds like a character from a Jane Austen movie.”
    Olivia responded with a dour look. “You a fan of classic romance films?”
    Pete shrugged off her comment. “I have three older sisters,” he said, his eyes studying her from head to foot. “Except, the more I’m getting to know you, with that fiery disposition and those Bambi eyes, you’re reminding me more of a feisty little Disney fairy than a demure lady of class.” He lifted his thick eyebrows, curious. “Is that your real name, or some sort of made-up stage name?”
    Just because a girl had a heart-shaped face, turned-up nose, and bow mouth, didn’t make it okay for people to tease her about resembling any sort of cute little pixie. She hated when people made the connection. He was really starting to annoy her, which was obviously what he intended, so she refused to allow him the satisfaction of knowing just how much.
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but both.” She idly examined her manicure. “My momma named me Olivia because she