Page 50 of Just One Fake Date

“Thus far.” He paused, then continued in a tight voice. “Shannyn, we need to make this work. I’m trying to help you with the roof...”

“No,” she said, interrupting him. “You are helping me to further your own agenda. You’re trying to corral me into doing what you want me to do, which is not the same thing as being nice. I told you that.”

“You said you needed a roof!”

“I do.”

“You said we could make a new deal.”

“I did, but you just keep pushing into new territory. It’s too much. It’s too far. You keep adding items to the list. Dinner. Next there will be the rehearsal dinner and the brunch the next day, driving together both ways, two nights at the hotel, lots more sex. It’s like this yawning pit of commitment.”

“A yawning pit of commitment,” he echoed. “Thanks for that. Just FYI, it’s not how I would describe the potential of two nights together in a nice hotel.”

Shannyn refused to be flattered.

“Don’t forget the bridal shower,” he added when she didn’t say anything.

“What bridal shower?”

“Next Sunday at my aunt’s.”

Now Shannyn was the exasperated one. “Tyler! I don’t want our lives entangled like this. That’s not the deal. Let’s go back to the original agreement and stick to the terms.”

He exhaled. “We can’t do that.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Shannyn.” Tyler spoke with a conviction that was persuasive in itself. “I just need to change your mind.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to wish him good luck with that, but she knew he’d just take it as a challenge.

“I’m not going to,” she said, hoping it was true.

“We’ll see about that,” he said with a resolve that was becoming familiar. Shannyn shook her head that she’d stepped right into it and given him another challenge. “Don’t you dare...” she started, but Tyler interrupted her smoothly.

“Goodnight, Shannyn,” he said in that smooth dark chocolate voice and was gone.

That man!

That woman!

Ty could have chucked his phone through the plate glass window. Why was Shannyn so prickly and independent? Everything was going well and then—bam! She did her feral cat thing. Why did he care? Whatever the reason was, he couldn’t stop—and it had nothing to do with their fake date.

She wanted to solve her problems alone.

Okay. Ty respected that.

But it wasn’t in his nature to stand aside when he could help.

Ty got out his laptop and checked his email, hoping something had been resolved since the partners’ meeting earlier. To his relief, it was. They’d agreed at the meeting to make Meesha a job offer and she’d already accepted. She was hitting the ground running, and had already created a list of qualifications for the photographer she’d requested.

Ty forwarded the job listing to Shannyn. It wouldn’t be a lot of work, but it would be steady and the money would only help. He added a note, suggesting that she might be able to put together an application with shots taken on Saturday while she was at the club.

He didn’t wait to see whether she replied.

He had laps to swim.

Woe to anyone who thought he’d share a lane tonight.

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