Page 59 of Just One Fake Date

“How long have you had it?”

“Two years.”

Shannyn was shocked. “And it has five miles on it now?”

The older man who had brought the car snorted. He was standing beside the idling car and Ty tossed him the set of keys he had.

“Very funny.”

“It looks like no one has ever driven it.”

“I take care of it.” Tyler smiled at the guy. “Actually, Marcus takes care of it.”

“Like it was my very own,” that man acknowledged. “What a car.”

Shannyn saw Tyler pass Marcus a tip. He rounded the car and got in, then cast her a sparkling glance. His cockiness reminded her of her brother, Aidan, with his first car, a heap but one that had been all his own. “Like it?”

The right answer was obvious.

But to Shannyn’s thinking, a car should be useful.

She decided to tell Tyler so.

“I don’t see the point of it,” she admitted. She twisted to look at the back seat. “I mean, can you even pick up groceries with it?”

“I don’t pick up groceries.” His tone was temperate but with that little sizzle beneath it, the one that made her feel tingly.

He turned onto Bowery and Shannyn winced at the massive traffic jam. There was gridlock as far as she could see.

It looked like they’d have that chance to talk.

She had to make sure Tyler didn’t wear down her crumbling defenses.

The best way to guarantee that was to piss him off.

“But this car would suck for a road trip,” Shannyn said. “No room for luggage. And it’s so low that you can’t see over the car ahead.”

“I love this car,” Tyler said, his mouth setting in that line of resolve. “It’s fast.”

She leaned forward to look pointedly at the jammed avenue. “I can tell, by our breakneck speed.”

“Manhattan is congested. That’s hardly my fault.”

“You live in Manhattan,” she countered. “You have to drive in Manhattan to take this car anywhere.”

“Thanks for pointing that out. I never would have thought of that.” The light changed and the traffic eased forward, people honking at the guy still in the intersection. Tyler changed gears a little more savagely than was necessary.

Shannyn decided on a bit of insurance.

“I read somewhere that a very high percentage of men who drive expensive cars are jerks,” she said. “I’m not sure how that correlates with being smug or entitled, but I have to think there’s a connection.”

“Are you conceding that I’m not an asshole?”

Shannyn ignored that. “Like the guy who takes care of it for you...”

“Marcus?” He gave her a hot look and his words fell quickly, clipped and precise. She’d gotten to him already. “We partnered with Marcus from the beginning, because we knew some members would drive to the club and we didn’t have parking facilities. His son got his first job at the club and was so popular that the members contributed to his college fund. The club matched it, dollar for dollar. He’s the first one in Marcus’s family to go to college, so don’t start telling me that having had luck in life doesn’t keep you from spreading that around.”

A lecture. Shannyn was surprised that Tyler showed so much passion and was secretly impressed by the efforts of the partners to make a difference. It was nice. She couldn’t think about that, not when she was destined to spend hours more with him. “Still, with this car, it’s a good thing you don’t have kids.”

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