“Its… uh—” I moved away from him and acted like I was studying the bookshelves. “It’s about growing up in Bluebell Cove.”
There—not technically a lie.
Teddy drifted closer to me, propping an elbow on the shelf so that I had to face him. A disconcerting twinkle flashed in his eyes. “Does that mean I’m in it?”
I coughed. “I mean, notactually—I’d like to avoid a lawsuit.”
“Ah.” He tipped his head back, and for a blessed second, I thought he’d finally given up. “So, what’s my name in the book? Theo? Thomas? Tristan?” He squinted at me. “I hope it’s not Tristan.”
Tucker. In the story, his name was Tucker. Not that I’d ever tell him that.
I arched an eyebrow at him. “What makes you think I didn’t write you out?”
“Suppose I would’ve deserved that.”
My eyes caught his, but I tore them away. “We already talked about this, Teddy,” I murmured.
Only, we hadn’t—not really. If I had it my way, he would never know that my heart still ached all these years later. All I had to do was pretend long enough.
He rubbed his jaw in apparent thought. “You know, I could just buy it when it’s published—might as well tell me now.”
I slid the book back in place with a dry laugh. “No book deal means no publishing.”
“And your old firm is the only publisher that exists?”
“You’re relentless,” I groaned.
He was right.Of coursehe was right. Any rational, well-adjusted person would’ve gotten an agent and submitted their manuscript across the board.
But that would’ve made too much sense—and when I waited until everyone had left to slip my book into my colleague’s unagented submissions, I wasn’t operating with muchsense. I had no logical reason to use a pen name when I also had access to connections that others would’ve killed for.
Deep down, I supposed I just wanted what Teddy had.
“Maybe,” he replied, drumming his fingers on the book shelf. “But you know I’m right.”
“Stop that,” I hissed.
“What?”
I rolled my eyes and pressed my hand across his to stop the loud thudding noise. The warmth sent an immediate and furious flush spreading across my cheeks. Teddy didn’t speak or move a muscle; he just stared at me, lips slightly parted. The pulse in my wrist jumped beneath his thumb. A strangled sound rose in my throat as he swiped across the skin, exactly how he used to.
It was enough to shake me back to reality.
“That,” I muttered, snatching my hand away. I quietly cleared my throat and turned back to the display table. “Joe likes me, and I’d prefer to keep it that way.”
The floorboards groaned under his weight as he moved around me and dragged a hand through his hair. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought a pink tinge colored his face. It was notoriously stifling in the loft.
I ripped my gaze away and picked up a random book.
I had no idea what I picked until I carried it down to the register and read the title while Joe was wrapped it in tissue paper.
Emma.
What was that even doing on the new releases table?
Joe silently raised an eyebrow at me as I handed him my card. He must’ve remembered the special edition I spent my first-ever paycheck on. I bit my lip, suddenly grateful that Teddy wasn’t much of a reader.
The bell chimed behind us as we exited onto Main Street. I shrugged my coat tighter around my shoulders and hugged the immaculately wrapped book to my chest, momentarily glaring up at the dark clouds that had rolled in overhead. Somewherebehind us, the garish reminder of Andrew’s proximity occasionally peeked its monstrous face over the rooftops.
