Page 88 of The Purest Fake

“That doesn’t sound like much fun. How would you like to grab a bite to eat?”

I nod. “That sounds nice. Where are you thinking?”

“There’s a place right on the boardwalk I’ve been to a few times. It’s casual, and the food is fantastic.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“It’s only a few blocks from here, if you’re okay with walking.”

“Sure. We might as well take advantage of the lack of humidity. Let me throw this in my car first,” I say, holding up my bag. Opening the door, I grab some cash from the inside pocket and then toss the bag onto the driver’s seat. I hipcheck the door shut and move over, joining Cooper.

“All set?” he asks.

“Yep.”

He wraps his hand around mine, as if it’s completely natural now to do so. And I guess it kind of is. After all, any time we’re together like this, our hands tend to be joined.

We start strolling along the sidewalk. “Thanks again for having me on your podcast. I had a great time.”

“I did too. I’m glad you agreed to do it. You were a natural, by the way. The listeners are sure to love you.”

“Well, that’s because you’re such a good host. You made me comfortable.” He gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

“I can’t wait to see the viewer numbers. This might be my highest viewed episode yet,” I say, stealing a glance at him. The late afternoon sun casts a warm glow on him, making his dark-blond hair look golden and his blue irises stand out even more.

“I hope it lives up to your expectations,” he says.

I smile. “I have no doubt it will.”

We cross the street, heading toward the boardwalk. My stomach rumbles, reminding me how hungry I am. A gentle breeze stirs my hair, and I drag in a deep breath of the fresh air. God, I love everything about living near the ocean.

“This is the place up here.” He tips his chin to the left toward a restaurant with an enclosed patio with a yellow awning. We seat ourselves on the ocean side.

“This is cute. I’ve never been here,” I say.

“Cassie and I found it by accident.”

A waitress drops off glasses of water and menus, telling us she’ll be back in a few minutes.

“What do you recommend?” I ask.

“I’ve only had their breakfast and a burger but both were delicious.”

“Decisions, decisions.” I drum my fingernails on the table as I peruse the options. “I think I’ll go with the fish tacos,” I announce, setting my menu aside.

“Good choice,” Cooper says with a smile. “I’m leaning toward the bacon cheeseburger.”

When the waitress returns, we place our orders and hand back the menus. As she walks away, I turn my attention back to Cooper. “Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?”

“I need to be at the stadium for a meeting at eight in the morning, but I should be done by ten. Aside from that, I’m free.”

“How would you feel about taking a drive to Williamsburg with me? I’ve never been and I want to check it out.”

“I’m game.”

“I can meet you in the stadium parking lot and we can leave from there.”

He smiles. “Sounds like fun.”

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