Dumbstruck (Starstruck Love Stories)

1. Chapter One

Chapter One

June

I t is a perfectly normal reaction to hide from an attractive man when he walks into your store and not at all pathetic.

Okay, so I dont actually know if hes attractive because I only saw half his features before I hid behind the front counter. Hes wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses, which immediately made me think of all those superhero movies where that is the go-to disguise for the insanely attractive heroes when theyre trying to lie low. Maybe thats the reason I got so spookedI dont like people who think they have to hide.

The irony of that

Moving slowly, I poke my head over the top of the counter where Ive been hiding ever since the guy walked into my hardware store. Hes at the back with another guy, the pair of them perusing the power tools. Still wearing the sunglasses despite being indoors. Yeah, hes definitely hiding, and a niggling feeling in my belly tells me I know why.

Laketown, a place too small and sleepy for visitors except when we host the countys summer carnival (which wont happen for a few more months), has been plagued the last week by a film crew. You might think it would be exciting to have them here, a way to put our little town on the map, but most peopleme includedwould rather be left alone. The movie will bring nothing but trouble when it puts Laketown on the metaphorical map.

Exhibit A is at the back of my store. Based on this guys jawline and fit physique, hes most likely Jonah James, the movies male lead.

I dont generally pay attention to movies, and I wouldnt have cared who was in this one if it wasnt an adaptation of my friend Hanks book. I happen to be a major fan of his books, so when they announced the cast for the adaptation, I had to be sure Jonah was a good fit for the character, Logan. Hes got the right look, but I have yet to pass judgment on his acting skills. Ive been meaning to wander over to watch when they film in town, but I havent had the chance yet.

The guy in the hat looks over in my direction, and I duck back down, hoping he didnt see me. He might be a regular customer, but if thats Jonah James standing in my aisle, this could turn ugly. From the little I read about him on the internet, hes not the kind of guy we want wandering around town. Hes the lose-thousands-while-gambling type who probably thinks his money and fame mean he can do no wrong.

Hello? Whether its the hat guy or his friend, the man who speaks has a smooth and clear voice, which annoyingly sparks a thread of attraction through my chest. Please let it be the other guy . I dont need to be attracted to a celebrity. Or anyone. Is anyone here?

If I stay silent, maybe theyll leave? I cant imagine what an actor would need from a hardware store anyway.

Maybe theyre in the back? a different voice says, this one gruff and broad. It seems to better fit the other guy, who has tree trunks for limbs. The handsome one is also nice and muscular, but not to the extent of his buddy.

Personally, I prefer the more toned look over bulging muscles. My ex was a gym rat with two goals in life: to get as big as he possibly could and to keep me controlled with the threat of overpowering me. He was a winner for sure. Im smart enough to know not every strong guy is going to be like himI appreciate a good set of muscles as much as the next galbut theres a limit to what I find appealing, thanks to the jerk I left long after I should have.

Hello? the smooth voice says again, suddenly much closer.

I tense, holding my breath. Im a big girl, and I should help these guys with whatever they need and send them on their way, but at this point Ill look like Im not fully right in my mind if I pop up and act like I wasnt hiding. Great business practice, June .

Ahem.

My head shoots up, and I stare at the sunglasses that reflect my terrified expression. The guy is leaning over the counter and looking down at me with his lips twisted up in an amused smile. Uh. I have nothing I can say that will explain why Im sitting on the floor.

His smile grows. You okay down there?

Just act normal, June. I, uh, its my lunch break. Well that was a stupid response. No one eats lunch on the floor.

As if reading my thoughts, the guy turns his head to look at his big friend, who has joined him, then says, Do you always spend your lunch break on the floor?

I scramble to my feet and straighten the apron Im wearing. Maybe. What can I help you with?

He purses his lips, a dimple forming on one cheek as he fights his growing smile. I still cant see his eyes, but Im certain hes Jonah James. And he is stupidly attractive. Its almost criminal. Is your lunch break over? I dont want to interrupt.

My stomach gurgles, loudly enough that the bigger guy furrows his brow, and I sigh. My already flimsy excuse is dead now. Im happy to help. What are you looking for today?

A set of Allen wrenches, the guy with trunks for arms says, leaning one of those massive arms on the counter and making me take a half step back. I dont mean to, but his build reminds me of my ex, and instinct can be hard to suppress.

My ex only hit me once, but it was enough to make me wary.

You have metric, he continues, but I need an imperial set if you have them.

The other guythe pretty one in the hatseems to be staring at me, making it difficult to think straight as I process what Im being told. Imperial? Oh, um, unfortunately Im out. Theyve been on backorder for a couple of months, and no one usually I shouldnt finish that sentence. No one usually buys things like that from me. People in Laketown already have most of the tools they need, so they only come to me for things like nails and replacement bits for their drills. When I bought this place a couple of years ago, when I moved to town, I thought maybe it was rundown because the previous owner was too old for upkeep. It turns out he just didnt have much business.

The only reason Ill be in the black this month is because the film crew blew through here when they arrived and purchased a bunch of stuff to build their sets. It might be annoying to have them clogging up Main Street to film, but at least they added to my bank account.

I said the same thing to that film crew, I add, shifting my gaze to the pretty boy and trying to judge his reaction.

He smiles broadly; its practically blinding. Film crew? That sounds fun.

He has to be Jonah. Guys as pretty as him dont come to places like Laketown for fun. And if hes Jonah James, that means hes an overpaid celebrity with a sense of entitlement that will render him completely obnoxious if I have to talk to him much longer. Fine, I dont know if hell be obnoxious, but I cant imagine anyone with his level of fame will be anything but cocky and self-absorbed.

Putting my hands into my apron pockets so I can clench them into fists without the men seeing, I try to offer a neutral smile. Yeah, theyre filming some sort of mystery, but most of us cant wait for them to leave. I wait for any sign of offensehe gives me nothingthen turn back to the big one. What are you working on? There might be a close enough metric wrench to get the job done, though youll want to make sure you dont strip the bolt.

His smile is far less dazzling than his friends, but its kind. Trailer door, he says with a shrug. But yeah, Im sure there will be one close enough. The door keeps sticking, so Im trying to figure out where the problem is.

Ah, I dont know enough about trailers to help you, but if the metric set doesnt work, you can return it. I gesture to the wrenches hanging near the back, glad that Ive managed to sound civil despite my growing irritation.

The only trailers in town belong to the production crew. Theres a slight chance these guys are passing through and have a camping trailer or something similar, but I doubt it. Why else would Pretty Boy still be wearing his sunglasses? I assume he doesnt want to be recognized in a place so far beneath him.

As the tree-limbed one heads back to the shelf to grab a set of wrenches, I study the other and ask, Is it too bright in here?

That gets a chuckle out of him, and he leans on the counter, putting himself obnoxiously close to me. He smells as good as he looks, and I hate that a part of me wants to close the gap between us even more. Ive spent the last couple of years burying the part of me that takes an interest in anyone, but somehow this actor is digging it right back up with that charming smile. I take it youre not a fan of the movie crew? he asks in that smooth voice of his. Its such a clear, deep voice that it makes me shiver. Have they been a problem?

Even though people in town like to complain, the film crew havent been problematic as far as Im aware, other than disrupting the quiet status quo. But I roll my eyes anyway as I take the wrench set from the big guy and ring him up, glad for an excuse to put some distance between me and Pretty Boy even though were still talking. We like things to stay quiet here. If the movie does well, people will start flocking to Laketown.

You think one movie could have that much influence?

I think there are enough fans of the book that theyll be coming in droves if the movie is good.

He rubs his jaw thoughtfully. And what if the movie is bad?

Then I pity the actors who ruined a well-loved story.

Laughing, he stands up straight and claps a hand on his friends shoulder. Then wed better hope the movie is good. Thanks for your help. Maybe Ill see you aroundJune.

As they head out, I glance down at the nametag pinned to my apron, wishing I had forgotten it this once. The last thing I need is a stuck-up movie star with a beautiful face taking notice of me. Not likely, I say with a shrug and make a mental note to avoid the set whenever possible. Good luck with your, uh, trailer.

Pretty Boy pauses at the door and looks back, using a finger to pull his sunglasses down and give me a good view of his golden-brown eyes. Thanks, he says brightly and offers a smile so beautiful that I get weak in the knees.

Definitely Jonah James, and with the way my heart starts pounding in my chest after he leaves, I might have a problem on my hands. Its one thing to be attracted to a handsome guy; its another thing entirely to be drawn to a movie star who will only be in town for a few weeks.

I turned off my heart when I left my ex two years ago, and somehowseriously, how?Jonahs smile just sparked it back to life.