Page 34 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

A long moment passed before she gave Hank a final pat and stood, as if she was about to head inside.

He should have leashed Hank, said a polite goodbye, and walked away. But that damned memory lingered. Reminding him of everything they’d talked about and how much they had in common.

I always have a book with me.

“Read any good books lately?” he blurted.

Something indecipherable flashed across her features as her eyes went wide and a pink flush spread up her neck.

His brows raised. “Wow, whatever it is, I definitely need to check it out.”

Her expression wiped clean. “It’s nothing.”

“No way—now I’m intrigued. You have to tell me.” He had to know what put that look on her face. “I once read a book that involved mutant hedgehogs in space, so it’ll be hard to shock me.”

She folded her arms and scrunched her nose, regarding him for a long moment. Finally, she said, “Promise you won’t make a thing out of it?”

“I promise,” he said, even though he had no idea if he’d keep it.

“I sort of got you a book.”

She . . . what? “What?”

“God, this sounds ridiculous.” She shook her head, rubbing at her forehead. “Honestly, I’d completely forgotten about it, but I came across it during the move. I bought it months ago when I was still living in Lincoln. I was at a bookstore, and something caught my eye that made me think of you and something we talked about ... um, the night we met. I bought it just in case I ever ran into you.”

“Really?” He took in a long breath as a light pressure settled on his chest. “What was it?”

Her lashes brushed her lightly freckled cheek as she looked down. “I, um ... I have it here. But I’m not sure I should give it to you.”

“Why not? It’s just a book.”

“I don’t know. If I had a boyfriend, I wouldn’t want another woman giving him a gift.”

She had a point. “Right. Good call.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

He slid his hands into his pockets and smiled, hoping to ease the concern wrinkling her forehead. “No big deal. But can I at least see it?”

“You just said . . . ?”

“I just want to look at it. I’m curious what subject would make a virtual stranger think of me. I’ll give it back.”

Their gazes collided, and she searched his face for what seemed like forever. She chewed on her lower lip. “I guess that would be okay. But you can’t keep it.”

“Deal.”

He dropped onto the grass beside Hank while she slipped inside the building. He’d half convinced himself to get up and leave—because what was he doing?—when she returned with a large hardcover book. She handed it to him and sat down facing him. He caught a whiff of citrus that he hadn’t noticed earlier as he regarded the cover.

The Big Book of Pies. He flipped open the cover and noticed a bright-pink sticky note jutting from the top, marking a page about halfway through. He felt Elliott’s gaze on him as he went there.

As soon as he processed what he was looking at, he barked out a laugh. Hank lifted his head and eyed him warily while Elliott just grinned, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.

Once he had his breath back, he handed the book back to her. “This doesn’t prove anything.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “It’s a recipe for cheesecake.” She held it up so the cover was visible. “In a book ofpies.”

“The author clearly didn’t do their research.”

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