Page 116 of Just One Fake Date

Maybe he believed her surrender was inevitable.

Tyler pivoted and left the kitchen, walking out of her house and back toward his car. He paused for a moment beside the car, giving her one of those slow surveys as if he wanted to memorize the sight of her. That look sent heat through Shannyn, as well as a yearning for more, far more than she’d already had with him. She knew she could have taken a step toward him and Tyler would have met her halfway, but reminded herself that it was foolish to wish for the moon.

She closed the door and locked it, leaning back against it and fighting unexpected tears. She was right and she knew it, so why did it feel wrong to let Tyler drive away?

Because she’d given him what he’d said he wanted. She’d admitted that she knew he was a nice guy. And he hadn’t disappeared. He’d offered her a chance for more.

Shannyn bit her lip, wondering if she had the nerve to take Tyler’s dare.

Then she did the only reasonable thing: she called and asked Kirsten for advice.

It was shapingup to be another endless week and Ty knew that was only because there was no prospect of him seeing Shannyn before the weekend. She didn’t call Sunday night, the way he’d hoped, and she didn’t call on Monday. He halfway thought she might meet him in the street after work on Monday, but there was no sign of her. He looked. He worked on the books for F5F that evening, then prowled his apartment until he could swim alone.

There was a ray of sunshine when his phone rang Tuesday morning just as he was walking to work.

Shannyn.

“I’m in,” she said when he answered and Tyler grinned at her jubilant tone. “I’ve decided I’ll take your challenge, with Kirsten’s encouragement. Are you still up for it?”

“Of course.”

“And so today, I plan to use my superpowers for good.”

“What has thrifting to do with anything?”

“Are you still planning to help on Saturday?”

“Of course, I am.” Ty’s smile faded. “I gave my word...”

“I thought so,” she said, triumphant. “And I’m going to bet that you do not own either overalls or work boots.”

Ty glanced down the street, wondering where she was. He had a definite suspicion that she might be closer than Brooklyn, and that vastly improved his mood. “You would be right about that,” he agreed.

“Aidan says you’ll need a baseball hat and a bunch of T-shirts but you’ve probably got that covered, all with nice F5F logos on them.”

“You’re right about that, too. Does that make me predictable?”

“Not nearly!” she said and his smile widened. “Since Tuesdays are my lucky day for thrifting, I thought I’d help you out, all in the spirit of partnership.”

“The thrift shops on East 23rd,” Ty guessed, remembering.

“Tell me your sizes, please, and I’ll have a hunt. If I find anything, maybe you could try things on at lunch. Especially the boots.”

“Wait a minute. Used boots?”

Shannyn laughed. “Actually, shoes are one of the best scores. A lot of them are there because people bought them, then didn’t like the fit. It’s amazing how many unworn shoes are just waiting to be taken home at bargain prices.”

Ty was amazed. “Okay. I didn’t think of that.”

“Come on. You’re the man with the plans,” she teased.

Ty took a chance. “I always did have plans and they always worked, until you.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I try to plan for all eventualities, but you turn the best plans inside out and me upside down. It’s the ultimate challenge.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment. “I don’t need to be fixed,” she said then, her tone a little defensive.

---