“I only have five dollars,” I admit with a sigh as I fold my hands together on the counter, trying to look saintly. What would Fräulein Maria do? Think like a nun! “Really, has anyone ever told you how touchy your gas pumps are? I was being so careful—so careful—to land exactly on five dollars. It squeaked past, though, right on to $5.03. But I don’t have $5.03. Do you like breath mints? I have a breath mint.”
“Are you for real, lady?” the kid behind the counter wonders, squinting his eyes under a tuft of hair that almost covers them.
“She’s with me,” a deep voice says behind me. “Just ring us up together.”
My gaze swings to the right where I lock eyes with my hero. Repair shop Ethan. He has dirt on his shirt again and this time he actually has a smudge of something across his well-defined cheekbone.
No one should look that good with dirt on their face.
I don’t think Maria would acquiesce to letting a random stranger pay for her petroleum products. But neither would she run around in a frou-frou princess dress, nor frolic the countryside with glitter in her larger-than-life hair. In my defense, though, she didn’t have a handsome repairman following her around trying to fling a whirling dervish out of whirl all the time.
About Overture and a Prince
(Acts of Charity Series, Book One, by Christina Coryell)
Charity Pfeiffer knows acting will never be much more than a hobby, but that doesn’t mean she can’t take it seriously. When she prepares for a role, she even goes as far as imitating her character in real life. It’s the least she can do for her off-Broadway audience. Off-off-Broadway, really.
Okay, more like off-Tulsa.
Being cast as Maria in The Sound of Music shouldn’t take too much pretending. Love of music is a huge part of Charity’s life. She already spends most of her time trying to raise her two children alone. And as far as the nun business…well, she hasn’t had a date in ages, so it’s not much of a stretch.
Car trouble isn’t in the script, though. When Charity meets the mechanic who works at the end of the block, Ethan Foster does more than just throw a wrench in her plans. He encourages her to step out of character and embrace being authentic for a change.
No dress rehearsal could have prepared her for this real-life drama. If she’s still waiting for a callback when opening night comes, will the play go on as planned?
From Christina:
After writing a couple more serious books, it seemed like a fun idea to write about a quirky theatre heroine. Extra bonus because each play she takes on can spark a whole new set of character traits.
About Christina Coryell
Christina Coryell writes real-life contemporary fiction, mingling honesty with humor and characters who could be friends. A resident of small-town southwest Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two children, she does most of her writing in unorthodox places and with lots of noise in the background. She’s known the songs of The Sound of Music since she was a girl listening to the album on a record player, and she might have had a doll that she named Julie Andrews.
Read Overture and a Prince in Whispers of Love! Pre-order now for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and iBooks.
