Page 46 of The Billionaire Land Baron

“Cupcake delivery!” A bright and familiar voice called out.

Jake closed his eyes briefly. Shelby. He couldn’t seem to escape her. The curse of a small town.

She waltzed into the garage, blinking into the dark interior. She wore an apron from the diner and carried a white cardboard bakery box.

Slim jumped up and took the box from her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Marry me,” he said.

“Still a no,” Shelby said. “But enjoy the cupcakes. Who’s paying today?”

“I think Jake’s got this covered,” Greg said with a smile.

“Jake?” She looked confused to see him there, sitting with the other men. “What are you doing in here?”

“Just checking on my car,” he said, pointing. She stared over at the covered shape as he pulled out his wallet. “How much for the cupcakes?”

“Oh, um...” Shelby didn’t meet his eyes.

“Forty dollars,” Slim said. Aiden chuckled and Jake knew they were messing with him. Even upscale bakeries didn’t charge that much in Chicago for a dozen. But he didn’t argue and handed Shelby two twenties.

“Thanks,” she said, looking down at the money. She was obviously debating about whether to take it or not. Jake closed her fingers around it and nodded before he sat back down.

“These are delicious,” Greg said. “I could eat these daily.”

“You basically do,” Shelby said. She turned to Jake. “Hey, can I see your car?”

Jake set down his beer can. “You want to see her?”

“Her?” A smile played on her lips. “Does she have a name too? I bet you’re one of those guys who names your cars.”

“Her name is Layla,” Slim said, lifting a beer can to Jake as though to say you’re welcome.

Shelby laughed. “Of course you named your fancy car after an Eric Clapton song. Now let’s see her.”

Jake got up and began pulling the cover off his car. Slim grabbed the other side of the cover so they could lift it smoothly off her exterior. Shelby stared, then moved reverently forward to run her hands along Layla’s curves.

“This is some car,” she said. “I can see now why you named her. No judgment.”

“Well, to be fair, you name alligators.”

“Just the one,” she said. “Wow, Jake.”

“That’s a two hundred-thousand-dollar car,” Greg said.

“Three. Three-hundred thousand,” Slim said. When everyone looked at him, he shrugged. “I googled it.”

The air went still for a moment. Jake watched Shelby’s face. His car cost more than the amount she was getting for her whole property. If he was thinking it, she probably was too.

She lifted her hand from the car. “I’ve got to get back to the diner,” she said. “See y’all later.”

“Shelby, wait!” Jake jogged after her into the sunlight.

She spun to face him. He couldn’t read the expression on her face. “Yeah?”

There were so many things Jake really wanted to say. Instead, he thought of Xan and said, “I won’t be able to pick you up after the mayor’s house. I really don’t know how long I’ll be there. Can Matt or someone give you a ride home?”

Shelby gave him a long look, like she wanted to say something, but then shook her head slightly. “No problem. See ya.”

Jake resisted the urge to run after her. He wanted to tell her everything. He should have the night before, when he hadn’t gotten a direct order from Xan not to. That directive was a blessing and a curse, really. Xan telling him not to say anything saved him and gave him an excuse, but it kept the lie alive between him and Shelby. And with each hour, it seemed like that lie grew. Maybe she couldn’t feel it yet, but when she did, it would be so much larger than it would have been yesterday.

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