Page 42 of The Billionaire Land Baron

“Not him. Daisy. She’s the one to watch for.”

“So…not a gator,” Jake said.

Matt snorted.

“Nope. Daisy’s a woman,” Shelby said.

“Woman seems too kind,” Gracie said. “I’d use another name.”

“Is Daisy more Buchanan or Duke?” Jake asked.

Shelby burst out laughing. She loved how easy it was for him to dispel the thunderclouds from between her eyes. There was no one she could talk to around town who would get literary or pop culture references like this. Much less mix them together. This small thing made her happier than it should.

“Definitely a Buchanan,” Shelby said. “Watch your back. But she looks like a Duke. So again—watch your back.”

“I’m a Daisy if I do,” Jake said, and Shelby burst into laughter again.

Gracielynn and Matt exchanged a look, like they were trying to figure out what they were missing.

“What language are you even speaking?” Matt said. “Is this English? What are you talking about?”

Shelby rolled her eyes. “That’s a quote from Tombstone, dummy. Your favorite movie, right? Daisy Buchanan is from The Great Gatsby and Daisy Duke from Dukes of Hazard, obviously.”

“Huh,” Matt said. His expression looked dark. Shelby could see Gracielynn staring at him with concern on her face. Too bad Matt didn’t notice. Shelby sighed.

“I’ll be careful,” Jake said. “But I’ve got to run. Want me to pick you up at the diner and bring you home after, Shelby?”

“Sure,” she said. “That will keep Matt from having to make another trip out to the house.”

Matt nodded, his jaw tight. Shelby tried not to look sorry or concerned. She knew it probably hurt to see her letting Jake take his place, but that would only help give him the distance she knew he needed. They both needed. “I’m off,” Matt said. “Got a job with my dad.”

“Bye, Matt!” Gracielynn said.

Matt waved a hand and walked across the street, not looking back. Jake started to follow, but Shelby grabbed his hand. She looked intently at him and spoke in a low voice. “Don’t let Daisy get her claws in you. Especially if she knows you’ve got money. That’s all she cares about.”

He nodded. And when she tried to take her hand back, he held on and squeezed it gently. Shelby felt the touch move like a current through her body. The thought of letting Jake go to the mayor’s house with Daisy filled her with an unfamiliar feeling. Jealousy. That’s what that was. Boy, was it an ugly feeling.

“Don’t worry about me,” Jake said. “No one else is getting their claws in me.”

No one else? Did that mean someone already did? Was it her?

Suddenly shy, Shelby nodded as Jake dropped her hand. Part of her wanted to run after him as he walked over to Matt’s Jeep and got behind the wheel. Instead she watched as he drove away.

“Where’d you go?” Gracielynn said, waving a hand in front of Shelby’s face. “I asked if you were ready to head on.”

“Sorry. Sure, let’s go,” Shelby said.

Once in the car, Gracie fiddled with the radio for a few minutes, then switched it off and stared at Shelby when they got to a stoplight.

“Okay, what’s going on? Obviously, something is going on with you and Jake. And something’s up with Matt, probably because of it. I thought I was your best friend and you haven’t told me squat. I had to find out about your house from my mom who heard it from Beatrice at the store who heard it from that loudmouth, Wanda. Remember you can talk to me, Shel.”

“I’m sorry,” Shelby said. “So much happened the last few days, and I haven’t really done a good job of handling it or talking about it. You’re my best friend, Gracie. And I think I need some best-friend advice.”

“I’m all ears, girl. Shoot.”

Shelby fought for the right words and found everything lacking. “I really like Jake.”

“I can see that,” Gracie said with a grin. “Actually, I’ve NEVER seen you act like this. It’s adorable.”

---