Page 44 of The Bourbon Bet
I nod in agreement. “He is, but is he manipulating me, or am I casting him as the villain because I like Sebastian?”
A teenager sets two graphic novels on the check-out counter, halting our conversation. It takes a conscious effort to plaster on a smile and go through the motions of ringing up his purchases. My hands move automatically, but internally I’m grappling with the impossible tangle of emotions.
After he leaves with his purchases, Paige picks our conversation back up. “So, do you like Sebastian as a friend? Or do youlikeSebastian?”
Her question strikes me like a splash of cold water. Do I like Sebastian? My mind flashes to the sensation of his hand on the small of my back as we left the restaurant, the glint in his eye when he teases me. My face flushes. “Both,” I admit.
Paige rubs her hands together. “Oh, the plot thickens.”
I laugh. “You are such a dork.”
“That’s a fact.” She slaps the counter, grinning.
The bell over the door chimes. I glance up and freeze mid-motion. Sebastian.
He hasn’t noticed me yet, still shaking raindrops from his coat as he steps inside. For three seconds, I have the luxury of watching him unobserved. The careful way he closes the door behind him. The slight smile as he takes in a display of new releases I arranged yesterday.
Then he turns my way. Our eyes lock, and my pulse quickens, cheeks warm, and a smile forms unbidden. He mirrors it with his own, weaving between the stacks toward the counter.
The weight of my deception sits heavy in my gut. Sebastian's looking at me with those trusting eyes, and I’m harboring secrets that could destroy whatever this is between us.
I paste on a cheerful expression, but the question burns: Will I come clean before it’s too late, or will my desperate gamble cost me the one thing I’m beginning to want as much as my bookstore?
ChapterNineteen
Rosalia
I don’t like the way my heart expands at the sight of Sebastian. We aren’t a real couple; everything between us is built on deceit and dirty deals. Yet, I have to grip the counter to keep from coming around and hugging him when he reaches me.
He sets a tray of take-out drinks in front of us, and I blink, taking in the vibrant hues of three cups filled with smoothies. One is deep purple for mixed berries. Another is a soft green. The last is bright orange. “I stopped at thatnew smoothie bar around the block. These are the top recommendations.” He places the deep purple in front of me and hands the green kale and banana to Paige.
Scanning the flavors, Paige asks, “How’d you know I’d be here?”
“Rosalia mentioned you usually stop by after your bakery closes.”
That heart-expanding feeling intensifies. Why does he have to listen to me when I talk?
He takes a sip of his and looks at me. “Do you have plans Saturday night?”
“No. Why?”
“Want to do me a huge favor?” he asks.
“Ah, were these smoothies a bribe?” I tease, intrigued. What could little ol’ me do for a powerful Blackstone?
His head tilts slightly, and his grin widens, popping a dimple. “Maybe.”
“What is it?”
“Attend Bits and Barrels with me.”
“What’s that?”
“A gala. Which is like prom for adults,” Paige whispers.
“I know what it is.” I bump my friend with my hip, hiding my sudden distress.
The thought of attending makes me nauseous. I can already hear the whispers and sideways glances from Sebastian’s wealthy peers. They’ll wonder what he's doing with someone like me, a small-time bookstore owner who’ll stick out like a paperback novel in a rare manuscript collection. And if they ever learned about my deal with Thorne, they’d brand me a gold-digger, a manipulative opportunist. The scandal would not only embarrass Sebastian but could also turn the community against me, jeopardizing the business and programs I’ve worked so hard to build.
