Page 107 of Just One Fake Date

There wassomething about watching a man do what he did best, knowing that he was doing it for you.

Shannyn was fascinated and impressed by Tyler. He knew when to walk away and let Paige worry about it. He knew when to taunt his sister. He knew when to sweeten their deal.

And all the while, his body language told his family that he was madly in love with Shannyn. He never stopped touching her. If his arm wasn’t around her waist, he was holding her hand. He kissed her temple and her fingertips, he bent to murmur to her like lovers do, he made her laugh and he periodically led her away from the others for a private moment. Shannyn was glad he was the one negotiating, because she was a hot mess within twenty minutes of their arrival.

All she could think about was getting Tyler naked.

Even she found his performance persuasive.

Shannyn also liked her sense that she and Tyler were working toward a common goal. It was kind of nice to not be alone against the world, to have a partner or someone to watch her back. It felt good to have someone she could count on—even if that wouldn’t last for long. As the afternoon progressed, Shannyn became more and more convinced to enjoy these few weeks with Tyler, and not worry about what happened after Katelyn’s wedding.

She’d made the rules: she could break them.

She and Tyler mingled, meeting family and chatting, but always circling back to Derek and Paige for another round.

The big issue for Derek was the cost of labor. They agreed the roof could be done on the first sunny weekend and that Aidan would help out. Shannyn was shocked when Tyler added to help, too.

“What do you know about roofing?” Paige demanded, giving his suit a disdainful survey.

“It can’t be rocket science,” Tyler countered.

“Heavy work, often in the sun, and repetitive.” Derek considered Tyler’s physique for a minute. “But in a way, you’ve probably trained for it. You have to wear a harness, but you’re on.” He calculated quickly. “Three of us, and an apprentice, if I can convince Paul to work a weekend, then we can get it done in two good days.”

“Isn’t Paul the guy who loves to eat?”

“He’s got the metabolism for it. He’s all of nineteen, too.”

Shannyn caught Tyler’s sidelong glance and understood what he meant. “I’ll cook lunches for you. Homemade meatball sandwiches.” She watched Derek’s eyes light. “Two kinds. Italian Saturday and banh mi Sunday.”

“That’s a game-changer,” Derek said. “Homemade lunch. Can you cook?”

Tyler lifted his hand as if the question was insulting. “Do your math,” he invited. “Shannyn needs another drink.” He led her back to the bar. “Are you sure you don’t want something stronger?”

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” she teased and he laughed.

“No. Stay sharp. We’re close.”

And they were. Shannyn could feel it, too.

By the time they left at six, the roof was booked for the next weekend, assuming the weather would be good. The cash outlay was only for the cost of the shingles. Derek was going to cover Paul’s wages for the job.

Shannyn was ecstatic. In fact, she couldn’t believe her luck. She might be able to get the porch rebuilt over the summer—she needed a carpenter for that, to reproduce the wooden details.

All because she’d teamed up with Tyler to make a deal.

Even if she owed him a story.

But the fact was that after meeting his family, Shannyn had to wonder whether the truth would change everything.

This was the good stuff.

Shannyn was clearly thrilled, just as she had been with the furniture the previous weekend, and Ty liked that he was at least partly responsible for her happiness. She was getting the roof she needed, just as planned. Her introduction to his family had gone well, except for that first awkward moment. She’d charmed Katelyn and Jared, discussing their work with them in a way Ty could only admire. He was glad he’d taken the pictures and shown them to her. He knew that Lauren liked her, too.

Overall, Ty felt a tremendous sense that all was right in his world, and that the future held extraordinary promise.

The sun was setting and the sky was awash in shades of blue and orange as they drove back to the city. The traffic was light and Manhattan was starting to glitter ahead of them, the lights coming on as darkness fell. The air between them was tinged with electricity and he wondered whether she’d accept an invitation for dinner.

Ty didn’t want this day to end.

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