Page 53 of Faking Romance

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Roxy

After assuring everyone that I was fine and then agreeing to stay for lunch, we finally made our way back home. Even with falling into the water, it was a fun weekend. The only glaring issue…it is beyond clear that something changed between Gray and me, and I have no idea how I feel about that.

Gray dropped me off yesterday, gave me a gentle kiss, and then left. What does that mean? Are we still faking this thing? I had so many questions but I couldn’t find the right words. Am I ready to date again? I don’t know. And Gray seemed against dating too. Has that changed? I know we need to talk but it seems too overwhelming with everything else going on.

I stare at the gift bags for my soft opening before picking one up to examine it. I can’t believe it’s on Monday.

We’ll have some limited hours for the next three weeks and then we’ll have a grand opening. In the meantime, our online store is going to be fully operable this week and our in-store book clubs will begin in two weeks. I wanted a phased-in approach so I could adjust things without being overwhelmed.

Placing the bag back in the pile, I decide to get myself a coffee. I walk over to the coffee shop and find Cam refilling the coffee machine.

“Hey,” she says warmly.

“Hey,” I reply as I lean against the counter.

“Everything OK?” she asks with a frown.

“It’s fine. I…” I trail off as I watch Hutch dressed in hunting gear walk to the park.

Cam leans forward and watches him.

“What the hell is he doing?” I ask.

Cam laughs. “He’s trying to scope out the flower situation.”

“They’re already out there,” I point out as I motion to the bench.

“I know. He thinks he can, like, set up a motion camera or something. I don’t know. I heard him yapping about it to Gray this morning,” she says with a shrug. “Personally”—she leans in conspiratorially—“I prefer to leave it as a mystery.”

“Me too. I think. Speaking of mysteries, has anyone heard from Kasen yet?” I ask.

“Not yet, but Al keeps assuring us he’s fine,” she says with a shrug.

“Are there always so many mysteries here?” I ask as I consider what to order.

“Just the flower one. Kasen is just…well, he’s Kasen. You’ll get it when you finally meet him,” she says.

“Caramel latte today,” I order.

She gets to making my coffee. And I turn to see Gray leaving the building. He’s dressed in a suit, and damn, he looks good. The memory of his hands on my body makes a fire begin in my core.

I watch him as he approaches Margie who is walking down the street. He takes her arm, walks back to the door, and opens it for her. Fuck. He’s a good guy. Damn it. Why does he have to be so good? It was easier when I didn’t like him or was ambivalent in some sort of mutual-satisfaction, fake-relationship bliss, but now…well, I like the guy, a lot.

“What are you…oh,” Cam says as she looks over at Gray.

I blush as I see realization dawn on her face.

“So, you like Gray,” she states with a smirk and goes back to making my latte.

I bite my lip because we agreed not to share our fake relationship but we never talked about sharing crushes on each other. Not that he has a crush on me, that’d be ridiculous. Although, we did kiss and then make out. Why does this have to be so damn confusing?

“What?” Cam says, interrupting my thoughts.

I shake my head. “Nothing. Uh, yeah, I guess I do like Gray. He’s a good guy.”

She frowns. “OK, like youlikelike him? Or you just like him?”

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