Page 71 of Just One Fake Date

Maybe the wedding date was off, too.

Maybe Aidan’s return meant that Ty was right back at square one.

He told himself it was no big deal. The sum total of his investment was the hundred bucks he owed Derek.

Ty refused to be disappointed.

He’d just start over again.

Next time, he’d ask more questions, though.

Shit.

Against Shannyn’s every expectation,Tyler left as soon as Derek did. Aidan was busy cleaning out her fridge and she’d expected to have dinner with Tyler, but something had changed. He’d become distant after Aidan’s arrival, apparently consumed with putting that rope and blanket away. She’d offered coffee to Tyler and Derek, but they’d declined politely. Tyler had been stone-faced again, and Shannyn couldn’t figure out why.

So, her brother had turned up unexpectedly.

How was that any different from his brother-in-law being around?

But when Derek’s presence had made Tyler more familiar, Aidan made him act like a stranger. It was just weird.

He’d put his suit jacket on again and leaned against his car while Derek finished taking his measurements. Was Tyler’s car so important to him that he had to stand guard over it? Apparently so. Was everything about appearances? If so, he must be really unhappy about getting his suit dirty.

Annoyed, Shannyn answered Derek’s questions, then followed him out to his truck. He promised to get her an estimate in the next couple of days. He shook her hand, thanking her for the chance to bid on the work, then he left. If Shannyn thought that meant Tyler would be more effusive, she was wrong. He waited until Derek had driven out of sight, then pulled out his car keys.

“You’re not leaving,” Shannyn said in surprise. That kiss downtown had been awesome. That kiss had been a promise of a great dinner—maybe more.

But Tyler looked at her as if he’d never met her before.

“Why would I stay?” he asked, apparently mystified by her question.

“I thought we were going for dinner.”

“I’m not going to wait for you to say no.” Ty’s smile was tight. “Let’s just keep it simple and say it’s a good thing I didn’t make a reservation. Have a nice evening.”

And he opened the door of his car.

“But...”

When he glanced back, there was a glimmer in his eyes. “Surprised?”

“Astonished,” she admitted. Was he teasing her?

“Well, now you know what it’s like,” he said softly, which made absolutely no sense to her. “Turnabout is fair play sometimes.”

Then he left, which made even less sense.

If it had been anyone else, Shannyn would have thought she’d hurt his feelings, but Tyler was the most confident man she’d ever met. His heart had to be coated with Kevlar. And besides, they had a deal not a date—emotions had nothing to do with it.

What was going on?

Any hope that he’d turn back and admit that he was teasing her died a quick death, because Ty kept going. She would have bet that he didn’t even look in the rearview mirror. The car disappeared around the corner in a flash of silver and the sound of the engine faded, blending into the traffic. She stood on her porch staring after him, knowing what it meant to be gobsmacked.

Aidan came to stand beside her holding a carton of milk from her fridge. “Trouble in paradise?” he asked, then drank right from the carton, tipping back his head.

“No,” Shannyn said, turning back to the house. “He just has these asshole tendencies sometimes.” Even as she said the words, she knew they weren’t true.

Aidan grinned. “But you like him anyway.”

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