Page 10 of Tempting Me

Then she’s gone, and I’m left standing there.

What is with the people in this town right now?

First Miles is being weird with Quinn, and now Brooke with Dutton. Sure, I don’t know Dutton very well. I only know the work side of him, and yeah, it’s only two people, but two people who play a very active role in my life.

Damn.

Is it the coffee?

I hold the cup up as if I can see through it and then chuckle to myself.

Maybe I just need to get a life.

I let myself out the back door of the bakery. It would be weird that I’m doing that, but since my older brother is engaged to Brooke’s best friend, who used to own the bakery, it’s not.

I head toward Hudson’s Bar’s back door. Again, my brother owns the bar, so it's not that weird.

I wave to his kitchen staff as I walk through, and as soon as I open the door to the main bar, Hudson looks up and smiles. I wave and then my gaze snags on Grace, who is just leaving with a take-out bag in hand.

Seems we both have a busy night ahead of us.

Dating isn’t the worst idea, and Grace has her life together, which is nice. She runs her family's lodge with her siblings, and they do well for themselves. Dating another like-minded motivated individual sounds like something I could get on board with. She’s smart, driven, lives on her own, andis only a couple of years younger than me. She’s perfect on paper.

I sigh and take a seat at the bar. I’ll order a burger to go so I can get back to work.

My gaze drifts to Grace once more as she walks by the front window.

Suddenly, Shay comes into view. She looks panicked.

I can’t help but grin.

Karma is a good friend right now.

And a good friend is exactly what I’d need from the person I’m dating.

So, that means Grace is out.

The door opens, and Shay walks in.

Our eyes meet, and I groan while she glares.

Looks like I won't be ordering a burger after all, because there’s no way I’m sticking around for whatever mood Shay is dishing up.

She may be one of the prettiest women I’ve ever set my eyes on, but I don’t have the time or the energy for a woman like her.

CHAPTER THREE

SHAY

Girls’ night is the best night.

Especially right now. I need help, and these women are the only ones who know my secret and have kept it. Hell, our friendship as a whole is basically a secret. It has been since the day I walked into B’s Bakery and overheard Sadie planning the layout for Sips and Stories, her bookstore that is attached to Hudson’s Bar.

That was almost a year ago this fall, and all it took was the mention of one Meghan Quinn book that we all loved a little too much and we agreed to a secret night to talk about it. Now, that one night has turned into meeting as much as we can with our schedules to talk about whatever we are reading. Turns out, we all find a way to read multiple books a week, and I love it. Small town or big city, readers are everywhere.

I’d headed to Hudson’s Bar last night hoping to get advice, but Luca was there and so was Miles and so was—well, way too many people who might gossip.

The last thing I need is any word of who I’m seen in town with getting back to my parents.