Page 20 of Strictly Pretend

My throat tightens. “Any luck with those?” I ask, nodding at the pile of books he’s still inventorying. A glance at them tells me we won’t find much worth selling in there. If we make anywhere near our money back it’ll be a miracle. But I can’t help but admire his dedication. The way he and Grandma loved each other has spoiled me for anything else.

“Not in this one. But there’s a big yard sale up in Cooperstown this weekend. Apparently the whole town is joining in. I might head up there and do a little browsing.”

Yard sales I can cope with. Mostly because people price things cheap, just wanting to get rid of whatever is cluttering up their garages. But also because I can give Grandpa a cash limit. Most yard sales don’t take cards, thank goodness.

“Oh, we have a customer,” he says, brightening up. He closes the tattered leather cover of the book he’s looking at and stands, brushing himself down. For a man who wore only tie dye with his hair down to his shoulder blades in his youth, he’s become dapper in his old age. He’s wearing a pair of dark jeans and a tweed jacket, along with a white shirt and a red bowtie.

The door opens and my stomach immediately drops.

Brooks Salinger strides in, looking completely business like in a designer suit. A French navy this time, but still exquisitely cut. He’s not wearing a tie, though. Just a single-breasted two-button jacket over a white shirt, unbuttoned at the neck.

I immediately jump up. Mostly because I just lied Granddad to that our lease problem is solved. And I really don’t want him getting involved in this. “Grandad, why don’t you make us a drink, I can handle the customer?”

“Emma.” Brooks gives me an unsmiling nod.

“Oh, you know each other?” Granddad ignores my pleas for drinks and smiles broadly at Brooks. “Are you a regular customer? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

Brooks’ eyes meet mine and I feel that little jolt inside me. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over how attractive this man is. I don’t like it one bit. Being attracted to the man who’s trying to steal the shop you love away from you isn’t exactly the thing of epic romances.

“I’m not a customer.” Brooks brings his attention back to Granddad, and my throat feels tight. Granddad doesn’t need this hassle. If he finds out that Salinger Estates hasn’t given up it’ll shoot his blood pressure to unpalatable levels.

“Brooks is a friend,” I say quickly, ignoring the way Brooks’ eyebrow lifts. “Remember that wedding I went to last year? We met there.”

Brooks says nothing, but I can feel the heat of his stare on my face.

“The one where you split up with Will?” Granddad looks confused.

I didn’t give Granddad the dirty details of that either. I just told him Will and I had talked and decided we wanted different things.

“Um, yes. Brooks helped me out.” I turn to look at him. Brooks has this interested look on his face. Like he’s watching amovie with a twist and trying to work out where it’s going. “How are you?” I say, keeping my voice artificially light.

“I’m fine, Emma. How are you?” he asks, deadpan.

“Good, superb. I expect you’ve come about the wedding,” I say, trying to get control of the conversation because I feel like I’m teetering on the edge of a cliff.

“The wedding…” He runs the pad of his thumb along his jaw. Dear lord, he has a nice jawline.

“Cassie and Derek’s. Do you know them?” I widen my eyes, willing him to just play along.

“Of course I do. I used to go to school with Derek.”

I don’t know if he’s lying or telling the truth. This is what happens when you weave a web of falsehoods. You get stuck in them.

“Are you going to the wedding?” he asks, as though he’s suddenly very interested.

“No.” I shake my head. “Too busy.”

“Of course you’re not too busy,” Granddad interjects. Damn, I’d forgotten he was there for a minute.

“You should go to your friend’s wedding,” Grandad adds. “Both of you should.”

Horror washes through me. “No, it’s fine, I…”

“That’s why I’m here, actually,” Brooks says, lifting a brow. “To ask if you’d come as my date.”

What. The. Hell?

I give him a death stare, and for the first time he smiles at me.

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