Page 80 of Show Off

I look at Lana once they’re out of earshot. “Wow.”

“I know, right?” She grins as we start walking again. “It feels pretty good to blurt out the truth. Much easier, right?”

“Mostly.” I study her from the corner of my eye. “You put concealer on the love bite. How did they know?”

There’s a bounce in her step as she strides beside me. “In the whole time you’ve lived at Juniper Ridge, have you ever gone for a morning walk with a woman?”

“No.” I don’t have to ponder that too long.

“Well, there you go.” She stops to help Mouse scratch an itch beside her collar. “I’m not exactly in the habit of taking Saturday morning strolls with guys. Plus, there’s the glow.”

“Glow?” I glance at myself in case I missed something.

“The post sex glow.” She shrugs and keeps walking. “We both have it.”

“Huh.” We continue on the path, pausing to wave to more community members. Some I recognize from Juniper Ridge social events, and others from the restaurant. It’s nice, this small-town vibe. Much different from how I grew up, but the same in some ways.

“I guess we’ve both spent most of our lives being recognized wherever we go,” I say. “Not so different from here.”

She cocks her head. “You’re comparing small-town life to being famous?”

“Kinda, yeah.” I’m honestly just rambling, but Lana looks like she’s considering it.

“It’s a solid point.” The thoughtfulness in her smile squeezes my heart. “The Judsons fled Hollywood looking for small-town anonymity, and instead we made a place where everyone knows each other.”

“In a good way, though.” I never thought I’d like that part. “You’ve even got a book club, huh?”

“It’s new. This is only our second meeting.” Her hand brushes mine as she moves to make room for a family cycling the path toward the lodge. “It’s one of those things I always wanted to do.”

“Like car sex?”

“Kinda.” She shrugs a little sheepishly. “It’s hard to have a normal social life in Tinseltown, but here it’s just so natural.”

“What are you reading?”

“Last month wasCrying in H-Mart—the one I told you about in the car?” When I nod, she continues. “Now we’re doingThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.”

“Didn’t they make a movie of that?”

“Yeah, the book’s been out a while.” She shrugs again. “I never had a chance to read it before.”

“Guess it’s your season for getting to do things you’ve had on your list.”

She looks up at me and grins. “I guess so.”

Before I can ask more about her book club, Cooper comes loping around the corner. He’s flanked by Police Chief Amy Lovelin, who looks poised to give birth at any moment.

“Ha!” Cooper stops walking and turns to his wife. “See?”

Amy assesses us, cop eyes missing nothing. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Told you.” Cooper holds out his hand to his wife. “Pay up.”

With a sigh that doesn’t sound very exasperated, she fishes in her pocket. “Let the record show, I didn’t make that bet when I was of sound mind.” Amy sounds like a cop, but she’s blushing a little as she hands twenty bucks to her husband.

“Keep it.” Cooper curls her fingers back around the bill as he bends to kiss her. “And for the record,” he murmurs between kisses, “being naked doesn’t mean you’re not of sound mind.”

Amy’s blush grows deeper as her hair falls over her face. “It does when you’re?—”

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