Page 32 of Race to the Beach

Maxi glanced over at the shop.Was that a frown on her lips?But in a blink, the expression was gone, and he was left wondering if he’d just imagined it.

He got out and moved to the sidewalk.He expected Maxi would be already waiting for him, but she was still in the cart.“Don’t you want to come inside and look around?”

She shook her head.“I’m fine here.”

He found her response strange, but he didn’t argue with her.Maybe she didn’t feel good after the accident.Or maybe she was still getting used to their fake relationship.She wasn’t the only one.

He turned and glanced at the bookshop.The owner, Melinda, always had such creative displays in the picture window.She was on the other side of the window.It appeared she was creating a new scene.If he had to guess, he’d say it was a teddy bears’ picnic.

Just then Melinda glanced up from where she was positioning a brown teddy bear on a red and white gingham blanket.When her gaze met his, she smiled and waved.He waved back before stepping up to the front door.

His hand grasped the old brass door handle.He swung open the wooden door with a large glass window.As he stepped into the air conditioning a little bell jingled above his head.

“Hey, Owen.”Melinda came walking from the front of the shop to the checkout counter.“Who’s your pretty passenger?”

“That’s Maxi Daniels.She’s Bonnie Walters’s niece.”

“Oh.She’s the one who was in the accident at the racetrack.”When he nodded, she asked, “Is she okay?”

“She’s doing really well, considering how much worse the accident could have been.”

“So, you two are hanging out?”When he nodded again, Melinda grinned.“Just wait until the rest of your family finds out you have a girlfriend.”

He rolled his eyes and then glanced around to see if anyone was in listening distance.“It’s not anything serious.”

As though she hadn’t heard a word he’d said, she continued.“You should have brought her in.I would love to meet her.”

“We’re in a hurry.”He hoped Melinda would get the hint and grab the book he’d ordered.

Her eyes widened as though she just realized the reason for his visit.“Oh, you’re here to pick up the book.I have it in back.Hang on a second.”

While he waited, he glanced around the shop.He wondered what sort of books Maxi liked to read.He’d pick her up something, but he didn’t have a clue what genre to choose from.He had a lot to learn about his fake girlfriend.

His gaze moved about the shop, from the people in the reading nook area to the shoppers browsing the rows and rows of bookshelves.It wasn’t overly busy.It certainly wasn’t crowded like it was at Christmastime.

As he turned back around, his gaze strayed across a display rack at the end of the counter.It was then that he spotted a book about Bluestar Island.It caught his attention.He picked it up and looked at the back cover.It told the history of the island and explained the more recent changes to Bluestar.He checked the copyright date and was pleased to find that it had released in the current year.

“Did you find something you like?”

He glanced up to find Melinda stepping up to the counter with the book he’d ordered in hand.“Actually, I did.”He slid the book across the counter toward her.“I’ll take both.”

Melinda’s eyes lit up with curiosity, but to her credit, she didn’t vocalize it.

When he returned to the cart, he was surprised that Maxi wasn’t surfing the internet on her phone, messaging friends, or watching videos.Instead, she was just sitting there, taking in the surroundings.Not that there was anything wrong with that.He was just used to people his age spending their spare time on their phones.

“I got you something,” he said.

Surprise flickered in her eyes.“Why would you do that?”

It was not the reaction he had expected.“It’s not a big deal.”

He reached into the bag and pulled out the book.He handed it to her.“I thought you might enjoy reading about the history of the island.”

She looked down at the cover.“Thank you.It was very thoughtful of you, but I can’t accept it.”She held it out for him to take it back.When he didn’t reach for it, she said, “Please take it.”

He shook his head.“It’s yours.After all, for the week you’re my girlfriend.I’m allowed to get you things.”

She frowned at him.“We’re not really a couple.”

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