Page 25 of The Billionaire Land Baron

Was she…trying to set him up? But Shelby put a hand on Jake’s chest as she introduced Gracie and Gracie’s eyes kept flicking over to Matt. Jake felt like he was in the middle of a crazy small-town love triangle. Matt liked Shelby. Gracie liked Matt. Jake was getting signals from Shelby, but maybe because of his insecurities, it was hard to know if she was just a flirt. Matt seemed to think she was upset. Was she not acting like herself?

Matt only nodded to Gracie, his eyes on Shelby still. The girls moved back to the dance floor and Jake stayed with Matt, hoping to avoid dancing altogether. Gracie and Shelby joined in the big group on the floor in a line dance that everyone seemed to already know.

Jake glanced at Matt, who was sipping his beer. “Hey, Matt—I don’t want to be...stepping on toes or something. With Shelby,” Jake said. He wanted to clear the air if that was even possible. Matt had been stiff and closed off to him since the mention of staying at Shelby’s place, where he’d seemed pretty friendly and open picking him up on the side of the road when Layla broke down.

Matt grunted. “Shelby’s grown.”

“Yeah, but people said she was your girl. I don’t know if—”

Matt turned a steely glance to him. “You believe everything you hear?”

“I believe what I see.” He swallowed. “And I see how you look at her.”

“Sort of like how you’ve been looking at her all day?”

Jake’s cheeks flushed again. Hopefully in the dark his traitorous skin wouldn’t be so visible.

“Look. I love Shelby. I have for a long time. She knows it and she doesn’t feel that way about me. It’s fine. I know someday she’ll choose someone else. Or realize that I’m what she’s missing.” Matt gave a small, bitter smile. “Either way, if she’s happy, I’m happy. She seems happy with you, but you’re leaving as soon as your car’s fixed. If you weren’t, though, and you made her happy, I wouldn’t stand in your way. I care about her happiness. Even if it’s not with me.”

Matt finished his beer and walked away, out into the crowd. Jake was relieved, because he didn’t know how to respond. The intensity of Matt’s feelings toward Shelby made his own feel like a schoolboy crush. Matt knew her and cared about her, even if that meant letting her go. Jake wanted as much of her as he could get, even knowing he was about to leave. It felt…selfish.

Jake took another swallow of his water. He shouldn’t have said yes to this. Everything about it felt wrong. The crowds, the noise, and the sinking sense that he didn’t deserve to be with Shelby. Yet when she called to him, he only hesitated for a moment.

“City!” she shouted. “Come dance with me!”

She held out a hand and he ignored the voice in his head telling him that it was selfish. He ignored the self-consciousness about dancing in public. He couldn’t say no to this woman. Shelby had tilted his axis. Whatever direction she went, that’s where he was going.

“I don’t know how to do this,” he said as she pulled him to the floor, where people were already moving to the music together.

“It’s easy! Follow me!” She shouted, pulling him next to her in the line at the back.

Jake tried. But he couldn’t keep up with the turns and the kicks and stomps and shuffles left and right. Instead he ran equally into Shelby and the people around him. He clenched his teeth and tried to stuff down the echo of jeers he could hear rattling around in his head, as though the kids he grew up with were standing in the sidelines, pointing and laughing.

After a humiliating minute or two, he tried to step away, feeling embarrassed and frustrated.

Shelby grabbed his arm. “Wait. You okay? It’s just dancing.”

He gritted his teeth. “Yeah. I don’t like dancing.”

She gazed up at him and he felt more exposed than he had on the dance floor. Because it seemed like she saw him. Really saw him. Even under the shadow from the cowboy hat, her honey eyes held a softness that made it hard for him to breathe. Jake looked away.

Her fingers traced his cheek, gently. The shock of the touch pulled his eyes back to hers and he covered her hand with his own, holding it to his face.

“It’s not just dancing, though, is it? I’m sorry, Jake. I was just trying to show you a good time. The way we do in Lucky. This is what I know. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“I shouldn’t be,” he said. “It’s stupid. I just...”

He wanted to tell her. How the spotlight made him feel exposed and vulnerable. How he felt haunted still by the bullying and insults he faced as a child. But he’d known her two days and it was crazy to think about saying all that right now.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” she said, her voice soft. Her hand pressed more firmly to his cheek.

A wave of emotion passed over him. It was likely just the stress and heat in the crowded room.

“Let’s go sit at the bar,” she said. “We can just watch.”

Shelby took his hand again, lacing his fingers through hers and pulling him back to the bar. Now Xander’s voice was the one ringing in his ears: Loosen up. Let go. Live a little.

“Shelby, wait.” She turned toward him. He searched for the words he wanted to say. “I can’t see your face with your hat on.”

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