Chapter 6

chapter

six

Jared

I'm bent over at my front counter refilling the vintage brand chewing gum when my cousin, Felicity, appears at my elbow.

"I need a huge favor," she says.

"What's that?"

"I need you to pretend to be my fake boyfriend," she says so quickly I nearly miss her words.

I stand upright. "Do I even want to know why?"

"The why seems irrelevant. Either you'll do it or not."

"Have you been gone from here for so long that you've forgotten we're related?" I motion between us. "Felicity, you're my cousin."

"This is a small town," she waves a hand dismissively. "People don't care about stuff like that."

"Stuff like incest?" I ask. "Pretty sure they do. I know I fucking do."

"It's not like we're first cousins. Besides, it would help get Audrey's attention."

I still at the mention of my assistant's name.

"Make her good and jealous."

I school my features to hide from my cousin whatever it is she thinks she knows. "Why would I want to make Audrey jealous?"

Felicity peers up at me. "Do you not know why you would want to do that?"

Of course I know why. I'm not a fucking moron. But it troubles me that my cousin knows this when she's been back in town for less than a week. "I don't want to do that."

She arches an eyebrow at me, watching me carefully. "I think you might."

I point a finger at her. "You're crazy."

"So, is that a no on pretending to be my boyfriend?"

"Yes, it's a no! Now tell me why you think you need one."

She blows out a breath. "It would make it easier to deal with Garrett."

We discuss her fucked up relationship with my buddy, and I'm present. I'm in the conversation. But I'm also on high alert. Looking for Audrey.

Where is she today? She texted me this morning and said she'd be late coming in because she wasn't feeling well.

Is she okay? Does she need help with something and she's not telling me. I hate that things are awkward between us now. It's been a little over a month since I was inside her, and now we're just back to being co-workers and not discussing how she came all over my beard?

"I cannot go out with Garrett," Felicity says.

"Why not?" Audrey says.

She's here. She's okay and I don't have to close the shop and go hunt her down to check on her. My relief is palpable, until I hear her next sentence.

"He's delicious." She steps behind the countertop.

I glare at her.

"Better than your grumpy ass," she mutters. "At least Garrett is friendly and smiles once in a while. Uses more than one syllable words."

I stare back at her wanting to tell her it doesn't matter how delicious she thinks Garrett is, she can't have him. She belongs to me. But I can't say any of that.

"If you need a date, Felicity," Audrey continues. "There's no shortage of hot, single guys here. They're not all as brave as a fireman like Garrett, and some of them no doubt have rocks for brains"—she shoots a glare at me—"but you can certainly find a date."

Felicity smiles. "Don't suppose you have a brother?"

She chuckles. "I do. Andrew Briggs is my older brother."

"Oh, shit. The movie star? I didn't even realize that was your last name."

Audrey snorts. "Well, he's not the movie star. His ass is. But yeah, that's him."

"He was ahead of me in school, but I remember him being a decent guy."

I snort and pretend to focus on the display of gum.

"Will it do me any good to encourage you to give Garrett a chance?" Audrey asks.

"No, but I do thank you for trying to help. Garrett and I have a not-so-friendly past, and I'd prefer not to dig up old skeletons my first week back in Saddle Creek."

Audrey rubs her hands together. "Ooh! Skeletons? That sounds interesting."

"Trust me. It's not. Just an ordinary tale of a girl with a crush on her best friend's boyfriend. It was a classic girl-likes-boy, boy-is-too-nice-and-unwittingly-leads-her-on story."

I release a breath.

Audrey's elbow jabs me in the side. "What?"

"That's not how I remember it, is all."

"Well, I'm pretty sure my memories are more vivid. Seeing how it was my life," Felicity argues.

I snort. "It didn't happen the way you think it did."

"Oh, so you think you know something I don't?"

I shrug.

"Okay, fine, oh, wise and all-knowing Jared, tell me what really happened."

"All-knowing Jared," Audrey repeats with a chortle. I'm ready to turn to her and remind her just how all knowing I am when it comes to her body and how and where to touch her.