Page 91 of Just One Fake Date

“A really great marriage and partnership, one that leaves all other objectives in the shade.” As soon as he said the words, Ty knew they were true.

“That’s what you want?”

“Ultimately. But I don’t expect it to drop into my lap. It’ll take time and effort to build that kind of relationship. It’ll require sacrifices and rebalancing of priorities, but it’ll totally be worth it.”

“That’s why you think you don’t have time.”

“Exactly.”

Shannyn held his gaze for a long hot moment and Ty didn’t even take a breath. He felt as if he’d passed some unexpected test, even though he wasn’t sure what it had been. Then she dropped her gaze to her book again. “Sister number four?” she invited and Ty felt that something precious had slipped away.

He wished he knew how to get it back.

“Katelyn, the bride-to-be. Jared is an artist, doing pretty well for himself. Big paintings I don’t understand. Lots of black.”

Shannyn smiled at that.

“They live in a loft in Soho and my mother is happy they’re making it legal.”

“What does Katelyn do?”

“She makes jewelry. I don’t understand it either.”

“Why not?”

“It’s...unexpected.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Shannyn confessed.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” he asked, his tone teasing. “You’ll probably like it. And I’m going to guess that you’ll be able to explain both to me.” She blushed as she looked back at her notes, so he wasn’t out of the game yet. On a whim, he pulled up the invitation to their joint show on his phone and showed it to her.

“The Power of Two,” Shannyn read. “An exploration in duality, rendered in pigment and silver.” She met his gaze. “Sounds interesting.”

“Does it? I have no idea what it means.”

“Is this an invitation?” she asked warily.

“It is an invitation, but it was sent to me.” He plucked his phone out of her hand. “You’re welcome to come, of course, but I’m not asking you.”

“Should I be surprised?” She was wary again.

“Not really. I just like to pick battles I have a chance of winning.”

Shannyn laughed in her relief, her reaction telling Ty he’d played that one right.

“What is that ring anyway?” he asked lightly. “It looks like a pet octopus on your finger.”

She pulled it off and handed it to him. It was heavy, silver and still warm. “It’s a fork.”

To Ty’s surprise, it had been made from a sterling fork, that had been heated and twisted around so the tines look like tentacles.

Unexpected. Beautiful. Unique.

“Reduce, recycle and reuse.” It was a perfect expression of Shannyn’s philosophy.

That was how she did it. She took classic clothes, then added something unexpected, like that ring.

Shannyn put it on her finger again, their hands brushing for a moment. “I never thought of it as a pet octopus, but you’re right. It does kind of look like that. The artist does necklaces and bracelets and wind chimes, too, but I liked this ring.”

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