She couldn’t blame the girls. The man knew how to stride.
She just barely stopped a pathetic swoony sigh from escaping before she shoved open the glass door of the library. Air-conditioning hit her with a blast, along with the familiar smell of books and wood polish that made her instantly nostalgic.
Samantha was behind the counter, her fair hair caught up in a knot at the nape of her neck and reading glasses perched on the edge of her nose.
Her face lit with a smile and a blush simultaneously, as if she were embarrassed to be happy to see her.
“Hey, Samantha,” Gina said.
Samantha’s answering greeting was so soft, Gina could barely make it out.
“I was just checking in on the fundraiser,” Gina said.
That and she’d been searching for the first opportunity to ditch Aston on Main Street.
“I take it you and Vanessa have everything in hand,” she said. “But if there’s anything I can do—”
“Oh no,” Samantha said quickly, her cheeks still bright red. “You’ve already done more than enough by getting Aston Rogue to perform.”
Gina waved a hand. “It was nothing.”
He owed me. She stopped herself from saying it. Samantha was a sweetheart, and maybe kinda sorta a friend, but she’d promised Aston the only people who’d know their secret would be Colton, Trent, Vanessa, and Addison. So she kept her lips shut and smiled.
“I, uh…” Samantha had to stop to swallow. Her fingers were fidgeting with the pen on her desk behind the checkout counter. “Are you okay?”
Gina blinked in surprise.
Samantha ducked her head. Her cheeks were so flaming red, it had to be painful.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just…” Samantha was all but whispering. “The last time I saw you…”
“Oh!” Now it was Gina’s cheeks that burned. Of course. How could she have forgotten that the last time she’d seen Samantha, the shy librarian had been witness to that horrible scene with Billy? “I’m fine,” she said quickly.
Samantha peeked up at her, and her gaze was one of sympathy. She didn’t look convinced.
“I am. I promise.” For a second, she thought to ask about the coffee shop. Java Lava was two blocks down from the library. Presumably Samantha still went there during her breaks.
Was Billy still around? Had Hattie left for college yet? Had Billy found her replacement?
Her chest tightened and her eyes stung. Nope. She couldn’t ask. If she did, she might just burst out into tears right here and now. How embarrassing would that be?
Her smile tightened, but she managed another, “I’m fine.”
And...maybe she was. Because all at once it hit her, nearly taking her breath away. She wasn’t about to cry over breaking up with Billy.
She wanted to cry over losing her job at the coffee shop…but not Billy.
Was that normal?
What did that even mean?
“Gina, I just wanted to say…” Samantha drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
Gina stared at her in confusion. That didn’t sound like an I’m sorry that happened to you. It sounded like I’m sorry for what I’ve done. Which...made no sense at all. “It’s not your fault.”
A cluster of older women came from another room. “Thanks for hosting our book club, Samantha,” a gray-haired woman called.
Gina recognized her. She was one of the teachers at the high school.
“Anytime, Mrs. Rodriguez,” Samantha said.
The older women turned their gazes to her and their eyes widened in recognition. They picked up their pace as they rushed past her to the doors. The glass door slid shut behind them and Gina turned to Samantha with a wry smile.
“Is it just me, or can you hear their whispers about me too?”
Samantha snickered before clapping a hand over her mouth, like laughing was forbidden in this library. “Sorry,” she said.
Gina’s brows drew together. “You keep saying that, but you have nothing to apologize for.”
“Actually, I—”
“There you are.” Aston’s familiar voice behind her had her spinning around.
“Aston,” she hissed.
He grinned at her as he walked over, completely unrepentant for breaking the rules.
“I told you we were going to split up,” she said.
“Oh no. You’re still here?” He widened his eyes in feigned shock. “I thought you’d be gone by now and I wanted to meet the famous Samantha I’ve been hearing so much about.”
He turned to give her his charming rockstar smile along with a wink.
Gina smacked his arm as Samantha ducked her head.
“I just got here. You knew I was in here,” she said.
An elderly couple passed by and gave them a curious stare. Aston’s smug smile said yes, he had known she’d still be here. That was precisely the point.
“What are you doing here?” she added.
“Glad you asked.” He held a hand out, a business card stuck between his fingers like he’d just pulled it out of thin air. “And you’re welcome.”
She plucked the card from his grasp. Missy’s Boutique. She was well-acquainted with the shop. Of course she was, it was right next door to the library and run by one of her high school classmates.
Missy had been a stunner then, and was just as gorgeous now. And a flirt. A massive flirt, if Gina remembered correctly. Gina glanced up, trying and failing to tamp down this sudden surge of jealousy. “What were you doing at Missy’s?”
Ugh. Had that come out as harsh as she feared?
A glance over at Samantha’s wince said yes.
“She’s hiring,” he said simply.
She blinked, looking down at the card. “Really?”
When she looked up again, Aston seemed so proud of himself her heart did a funny tap dance against her ribcage.
He arched his brows. “Now aren’t you glad I came to find you?”
He turned to give Samantha another little wink, like they were in on this together.
Gina didn’t have to look to know that Samantha had burst into flames.
“Thank you,” she said. “How did she...I mean, why were you even there?”
He shrugged. “I figured you could use some help asking around for openings.”
It was insane how touched she was by the fact that he’d thought to ask on her behalf. She turned her attention to the card in her hand as she tried to wrangle this sudden surge of emotion.
It didn’t mean anything. She knew that. But it was still surprisingly thoughtful. And also...so rare. Her brother and close friends were good to her, but when was the last time a guy went out of his way to help her?
She didn’t know how to handle it, honestly. Her thoughts were already spinning out of control over what special dessert she could make to thank him.
“I’ll make cherry pie,” she said abruptly.
His brows arched. “Okay.”
He sounded confused by the sudden turn in conversation.
She nodded. “Okay.”
Twelve
The next morning Aston closed his eyes around a mouthful of mouthwateringly flaky pastry and groaned. He wasn’t even a pie guy. But this pie? He could eat it every day for the rest of his life and die a happy man.
He settled for eating it for breakfast.
Gina stumbled into the kitchen and found him eating straight out of the pie tin.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he called out.
She flinched at his loud, cheerful tone and crossed her arms over the oversized tee she’d slept in. Her response was little more than a grunt.
He just barely smothered a laugh. Not that he was laughing at her. He wasn’t. But a sleepy, grumpy Gina was a rare sight, and it was so stinkin’ cute.
She was the early riser, not him, so he’d never seen her when she’d first stumbled out of bed before. Normally she was the perky one, greeting him with a broad smile, a chipper ‘good morning
,’ and a steaming mug of coffee.
“What are you doing up so early?” she asked, her tone accusatory.
“Not up early,” he said, pointing his fork in her direction. “Still up.”
Her lips parted like this was the first time she’d ever heard of someone pulling an all-nighter. “You were up all night?”
He nodded. And it’s all your fault.
He didn’t tell her that, of course. It was hard to explain to someone how inspiration worked, but something that had passed between them at the library the day before had given him a burst of creative energy and while she’d gone off to the grocery store to stock up on pie makings, presumably, he’d come back here to work on a new song idea. He’d stayed up all night to take advantage of this new inspiration, afraid it would disappear if he went to sleep.
He kicked the seat next to his so it scooted out like an offering. “Have a seat,” he said. “I’ll get you a coffee.”
She did as she was told, but slowly, her gaze wary. “How much coffee have you had?”
“A lot,” he admitted.
“And the pie?” she asked.
He grinned. “A lot of that too.” He grabbed her a fork along with a mug of coffee and set both before her. “Try some.”
“For breakfast?”
“It’s even better this morning. I don’t even know how that’s possible but it’s true.” He picked up the fork, snagged a bite, and held it in front of her mouth. “Trust me?”
Her lips parted, but not for a bite. Her eyes were filled with surprise. He was too close, the gesture too intimate...
Meanwhile, his heart was racing too fast. And it had nothing to do with caffeine. Temptation hit him in the gut with a sharp kick.
A silence stretched between them as she hesitated to take a bite, her lips still parted. It was impossible not to think about kissing her right now, much as he told himself to stop.
That familiar tension settled over them. This tension had been growing by the second this past week, but right now it felt so sudden and intense, it could shatter in a heartbeat.
All it would take was him leaning over slightly. Her head would tip back, her lips would part even more…
He could drop the fork and taste those lips instead.
He knew he wasn’t the only one who felt it. And he also knew it would be dangerous to act on it.
Not for him, but for her.
She was so sweet. So good. He didn’t want to lead her on, not when he knew how this would end.
As he gazed down into her big brown eyes, her face scrubbed clean and her curls a matted mess, his insides squeezed so hard it was painful.
He’d stay away. For her sake, he’d continue to keep his distance.
Just when he was about to drop the fork, she shrugged. “Okay.” Then she promptly closed her lips over the bite of pie and moaned.
And just like that, his brain was no longer in charge. He forgot all about the promise he’d just made to himself one second ago.
It was a stupid plan. A bad plan.
In fact...maybe it was time for an altogether new plan.
He slid the fork out of her mouth as she closed her eyes and sank back in her seat.
“We should always be eating pie for breakfast,” she said with a sigh.
He chuckled, sliding back into his seat and reaching for a bite of his own. His mind was racing, pinging back and forth between reasons why he should keep his distance and the voice of temptation that said there was no harm in having some fun while they were stuck here together.
Willpower had never been his strong suit.
Neither had self-restraint. He was no goody two shoes and never had been. Why start now, right?
She was a grown woman. And he’d be nothing but honest with her, just like he’d promised.
“What?” She straightened, reaching for her coffee as she eyed him with suspicion. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
She gave him a smile that said she didn’t totally believe him, but she’d let it go.
He wasn’t sure at what point he’d started to read so much into her smiles, but he liked it.
He liked it even more when she’d looked at him like he was her hero yesterday when he’d gotten her a lead on a job with Missy.
“You going for an interview this morning?” he asked.
She nodded, resting her elbows on the table. “I have to hop in the shower in sec; I just came in here for some coffee.”
“Nervous?” he asked.
She hitched her lips to the side. “Not really. I guess I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
He arched a brow and she shrugged in return. “I don’t know how much you talked to Missy yesterday…”
He shook his head when she trailed off. “Not much at all.”
In fact, he’d kinda run away as soon as she’d handed him the card.
“Well, she’s very...hip.” Gina said this with such disdain that he laughed.
“Oh no. Not hip.”
She laughed and threw up her hands. “I just mean, she’s very into social status, and what brand of shoes people are wearing, or what kind of car they drive…that sort of thing.”
“She sounds like a nightmare,” he said.
Now she outright laughed. “I’m not trying to be mean—”
“Of course you’re not,” he said. Heaven forbid this woman say anything unkind about anyone. Not that he minded. He liked that about her. A lot.
“So what’s the problem?” he asked.
She nibbled on her lower lip and he tried not to notice. Man, she was so blissfully unaware of her own allure, it was almost laughable. She didn’t seem to notice that he couldn’t stop himself from stealing touches whenever he could. That he couldn’t stop watching her because everything she did, she did with passion and grace.
Cooking, cleaning, reading, talking on the phone with a friend. She was all in. One hundred percent in the moment and not caught up in her head wondering how she looked or how she sounded or—
“So I guess you see the problem,” she said.
He blinked. He’d missed something. “Sorry, what’s the problem?”
She flinched. “I’m pretty sure she only said she’d interview me for the part-times sales position because of…” She flapped a hand between them. “You know.”
“Gina,” he said.
“Yes?”
“How are you going to pretend we’re a couple for a month if you can’t even say the words to me?”
She dipped her head with a laugh. “You’re right.”
“You need practice.” His mind went to all the ways he’d like to help her practice being his girlfriend and his lungs struggled for air.
She was officially too tempting first thing in the morning. And late at night. And at lunchtime, and—
“Practice?” she repeated with a squint.
“We’ll deal with that later,” he said. “But if you’re worried about Missy’s reasons for interviewing you, don’t be.”
“But I’m not exactly known for my style sense, and didn’t you go in there and ask her if she was hiring?” Gina asked. “Of course she’d want to hire your...you know.”
“Girlfriend?” he offered.
Her cheeks went pink and she huffed with annoyance. “Stop that. But yes. You know it’s true. She probably took one look at you and realized that I’d be good for business.”
He shook his head. “You got it all wrong. I didn’t go in there and ask her to give you a job—” He held up a hand when she started to protest. “I went in there for another reason entirely. But while I was in there I saw a sign that she needed help.” He arched his brows meaningfully. “And who is more helpful than you?”
Her lips twitched with the start of a smile. “No one,” she muttered.
He laughed.
“But if you didn’t go in there about a job…” She trailed off, but the question was clear. Why did you go into a wo
men’s boutique? “Never mind. It’s none of my business.”
“You’re right,” he said. “It’s not. Now go. Get into the shower so you’re not late.”
She gave him a questioning look but dutifully downed her coffee and took off.
He reached for another bite. He’d actually gone into the boutique for Gina’s sake—though not to get her a job. Ever since he’d realized she’d been falling for men who were all take and no give, he’d had the most bizarre urge to do things for her.
As if he could single-handedly make up for all those turds and their selfish actions. Not that he was in a position to judge. He was still trying to make up for the fact that Gina was in this situation because of his selfish lies. Whether they’d been started by Morgan or not, Aston had chosen to go along with this lie for his own reasons.
He got up and cleared their empty mugs.
He probably ought to sleep at some point, but that wasn’t going to happen now that he had half a pot of coffee in his system. And all this talk of Missy’s boutique reminded him that he’d left there before he could even get what he’d gone in for.
He’d been so excited to tell Gina about the job opportunity that he’d run straight out of the shop without the dress he’d gone in to buy.
It was times like these he missed having a personal assistant he could just send off with a credit card. But his last assistant had quit two months ago, and he wasn’t entirely certain he’d want an assistant picking out Gina’s dress anyway. This felt...personal.
A dress wasn’t exactly going to fix all her problems, but he knew very well how nervous she was about their first real outing together and nothing helped a person’s confidence than dressing the part.
At least, that was his experience. You look the part, you act the part.
When he heard the shower running, he put on his tennis shoes and running clothes. It was early enough that he could avoid a crowd if he set off on the back roads. And when he was done, he’d get a few hours’ sleep and then set out on his next mission.
Later that day, his mission was complete. He had a dress in hand as he strode out of the boutique with the garment bag. Gina had gone out to meet up with her brother and his fiancée at their place, so there was no danger that he’d run into her and have to explain why he’d been at Missy’s. Again.
Fake Dating My Rockstar Roommate: A Sweet Standalone Romance (Fake Dates Book 3) Page 11
