While Peli was focusing the stream on the folks on stage, Wyatt checked in with Jon, his other crewmate, who sat in front of two computer screens, overseeing the commentary flow online in response to the livestream. Jon gave him the thumbs-up, then lifted his thumb higher again, indicating that the conversation flow was up and climbing higher. All good news. Folks were staying with him.
Wyatt scanned the crowd to wave to Chey, only to see her seat was empty. Tory waved at him instead, then made the “raise the roof ” motion with her hands, which made him laugh. He felt a tug on the back of his shirt and turned, right into a lip-smacking kiss from Chey.
“Seriously, I hope you have some free time later, because . . .” She kissed him again, then grinned. “Let’s just say when you are on, you are so very, very on.”
Wyatt checked on Peli, made sure she was still working the stage presentation, then tugged Chey more fully backstage and showed her his idea of being on.
“Yeah, now you’re just showing off,” she said a little breathlessly when he let her go again.
“Something tells me you’ll keep up just fine.”
She laughed. “Wow, this is all really exciting.” She looked around backstage, waved to Dom and gave a thumbs-up to Jon. Then she angled herself so she could look out to the stage and waved to Peli, who gave a thumbs-up with her free hand, while keeping the camera on Grant, who was talking about their plan for Firefly and the town. “How is the stream going?”
Chey had met the crew earlier that day during the walk-through. Wyatt had explained the whole process to her and she’d been sincerely interested in how it all worked.
“Are people staying on even though you’re not in some exotic place?”
“Staying,” he said, “and growing.”
She smiled, delighted. “That’s great!”
He nodded. “And don’t sell Blue Hollow Falls short. This is a slice of life most don’t see, so it’s just as unique and interesting as some exotic setting. With the history of the place, with the mill, and the greenhouse—I’m so glad Bailey mentioned that—the lake and wilderness area. It’s all right in the same pocket.” His smile was a bit sheepish. “I guess I wasn’t giving my homeland enough credit all these years.”
“Well, your homeland is happy to have you back and showing it off a bit.”
He pulled her close again. “I might have kind of sort of let Reed Planet know that I might be kind of sort of more than friends with a certain someone who introduced me to this mountain paradise.”
“You did?” Chey said, with mock disdain. “Who is she and where can I find her?”
Wyatt kissed her again, more softly this time, but more intently, then held her gaze when he lifted his head. “Right here.”
Chey smiled, and he saw all the things he wanted to see, all the things he was feeling himself, in those beautiful brown eyes.
“I’ve never once mentioned anyone in my life, other than my crew. So folks are going to be a little curious.” He made a “wee bit” motion with his finger and thumb.
Chey frowned. “Wait, are you saying you want me to be on—”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. I just thought you should know. Speculation will be rampant.” He grinned. “Fortunately, it’s not like they’re all here.”
She gestured to the crowd. “Oh, I’d say the population on your planet has grown substantially today.”
He laughed, then tugged her back into his arms. “Yeah, but they already know who that special someone is.” He leaned in and whispered, “I recall someone going full on PDA with me at a breakfast meeting earlier this week.”
“Right,” she said, with a soft smile. “That.”
“Gosh, you two are as ridiculously adorable as Bailey said you’d be,” came a voice with a distinct Irish lilt just behind them. “And I hate to interrupt, truly I do, but I’m quite late and want to make sure we’re all set up.”
Wyatt and Chey turned to find Pippa MacMillan—now Pippa Brogan, Seth’s newly wedded wife, standing behind them. Bailey and Jake had ducked backstage again as well and were walking up behind her.
Pippa placed her hands over her flat abdomen. “I’m afraid the mornings haven’t been too kind to me of late.”
Chey looked from Pippa’s hands to her face, her own lighting up. “Are you saying you’re—?”
Pippa’s face split in a wide grin as she nodded. “I am,” she said, then hurried to add, “but you can’t tell anyone.”
Chey hopped over and gave her a delicate but sincere hug. Wyatt was happy for Pippa and Seth, and happier still to see Chey turning in to a hugger before his very eyes.
“Seth and I want to wait until I’m a bit further along before we make a big to-do of it. That’s why I couldn’t make the meeting earlier this week. Mornings are a beast, I’m afraid. So sorry. But I’m happy I can contribute today.” She lifted the fiddle she held in one hand.
“I knew it!” came a whisper behind Pippa, and she turned to see Jake, who was holding a mandolin and bow, and Bailey, who was looking smugly triumphant. Bailey stuck her hand in front of Jake’s face, palm up. “Pay up.”
“How did you even know?” Jake asked, still looking stunned. “How could you possibly know? Did you tell her?” he asked Pippa.
Pippa, delighted, shook her head.
“I breed animals for a living,” Bailey said, giving him a pitying look. “I know things.” She wiggled her fingers and Jake dug into the pocket of his jeans and fished out a five-dollar bill.
They both turned to Pippa. “I promise, not a word,” Bailey said, and made a zipping motion with her fingers over her lips.
“Your secret is safe with us,” Jake agreed.
Pippa just laughed. “I don’t know why I thought I could keep anything a secret in Blue Hollow Falls.”
Wyatt had spoken to Seth about maybe adding in a brief performance after the presentation, to build on what he’d hoped would be the positive vibes of the meeting at Lavender Blue. He’d talked with Pippa over the phone, but this was his first time meeting her. She was petite, with an infectious smile, but nothing about her personality was delicate. He’d liked her from their first conversation and had been so gratified to discover that since the breakfast meeting, she and Seth had been looking into the work he’d been doing. They’d asked if maybe they could put heads together to see if there was any way Pippa could help, either in the US or in the UK, with her fans.
It was exciting, first hearing from Grant Harper, and now a world-famous Irish folk singer jumping on board Reed Planet with her inestimable help. New opportunities would come from this, and it was invigorating to think about.
He felt Chey slide her hand into his and tried not to think about how he was going to make all these new opportunities work with his plan to keep this woman by his side, and also be by hers. That plan was still a work in progress.
He got a signal from Dom that Peli was coming to him and stepped back on stage to engage with the livestream and watch as Bryan and Grant finished up their presentation.
“Blue is the new green,” Wyatt told the camera. “Am I right?” Peli panned to the crowd as they cheered the conclusion of the presentation, then swung back to him. Wyatt crossed the stage and shook hands with Grant and Bryan, then took Vivi’s hand and knelt as he kissed the back of it, which sent everyone into a new round of cheers and applause.