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Sam’s heart hit his ribs. For an instant, he thought Charlie was talking about his and Brooke’sromance.
“She’s volunteered to help organize the Book Fair since she was in high school.” Charlie’s features settled into heavy creases of disapproval. “Aside from when she wasn’t living here, this is the first time she’s missing the fair.”
Sam looked up sharply. “Why is she missing the fair?”
“She’s in New York, getting stuff in place for her job.” Charlie scratched his chin. “You didn’t know?”
Sam shook his head. He hadn’t known Brooke had left already, but he should havefelther absence from Bliss Cove.
“She’s the best girl, my Brooke.” Charlie frowned. “Smart, loyal as all hell, dedicated to her family. She talked about you a lot. How you wouldn’t agree to an interview, but you kept the store so well-stocked. How you showed up at all the festivals and always had cash for donation jars. God knows why, but she seemed to like you. It was stupid of you to give her a hard time about the fair.”
He deflected a stab of regret. The other man was playing him, and they both knew it.
But Sam no longer cared all that much about his privacy and secrets. He’d spent years holding on to them like a dragon hoarding gold.
Then a brown-eyed beauty had smiled her way right into his lair and shown him that unicorn pillow glitter was infinitely more valuable—and itchy—than gold. She’d proven blanket forts, Ferris wheels, and cotton candy could crumble stone walls, and that sometimes the greatest act of courage was a whisper in the dark.
What the hell did a few hours of working at a fair mean against all that? Nothing.
And likely he wouldn’t be in town for much longer anyway, so—
“I’ll ask Jake to staff a Title Wave booth,” he finally said.
“Not talking about Jake.” Charlie narrowed his eyes. “He’s already doing a screenwriting workshop and about five or six read-aloud programs. And he’s the MC for the elementary school plays.”
Sam exhaled heavily. “I’ll staff the booth, then.”
“Don’t do us any favors.” Charlie’s expression turned into a glare. “People around here aren’t going to beg for you to be part of this community.”
“You want me to do something for the fair or not?”
“Not if you’re going to be a dick about it.”
“Mr. Castle.” Sam forced his voice to remain even. “It will be mypleasureto staff a booth at the Bliss Cove Book Fair.”
Charlie shrugged. “If you want to.”
If Sam had been holding a pencil, it would have snapped.
“Legion,” Charlie said.
“What?”
“Fourteen down.” Charlie punched his finger at the crossword puzzle. “A great many on one leg.Legion.”
He turned and marched slowly back outside.
Only when the door shut behind him did Sam give a low laugh. He’d put money on that old guy in a sparring ring.
Jake carried a stack of books out of the storeroom. He was saying something about new releases and movies. Sam returned his attention to the crossword and wrote in the answerLEGION.
“Last I heard, the project still doesn’t have any interest or funding.” Jake set the books on the counter with a loudthunk.
“What project?”
“The movie adaptation ofTruth.” Jake shot him a narrow look. “Man, haven’t you heard anything I’ve been saying?”
Old guilt nudged at Sam. He tossed the newspaper on the counter and went to straighten the new releases. Last summer, during a temporary stint back in Bliss Cove, Jake had gotten involved in the adaption of Lincoln Atwood’s award-winning first book.
