“So you're the famous bookshop owner,” Jax was saying. “Emery talks about you constantly.”
Emery nearly tripped over her own feet to make it back to the counter. “I do not talk about you constantly,” she said quickly, then winced at how defensive she sounded.
“Only every other sentence,” Jax continued, examining Eveline with exaggerated interest. “Though she didn't mention how—”
“We should go,” Emery interrupted, grabbing Jax's arm. “Don't want to be late!”
Jax smiled sweetly. “Of course not. Lovely to meet you, Eveline. I can see why Emery's so—”
“Bye, Eveline. See you tomorrow. Not in the morning, though. Because of my aunt. And her elbow.” Emery practically dragged Jax toward the door, aware that she was babbling but unable to stop herself.
As they exited, she caught a glimpse of Eveline watching them leave, an amused smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“Subtle,” Jax said once they were outside. “Very smooth.”
“I hate you,” Emery groaned, dropping her head onto Jax's shoulder. “Why would you do that to me?”
“Because you'd never make a move on your own,” Jax said, patting her head. “Besides, I needed to see this woman for myself. Make sure she's worthy of all this subterfuge.”
“And? What's the verdict?”
Jax considered this as they walked. “She's definitely hot. Great cheekbones. And she couldn't take her eyes off you, by the way.”
Emery's heart skipped. “Really?”
“Really. But she also looks like she could cut someone with a withering glance. Intimidating.”
“She's not once you get to know her,” Emery said, then caught herself. “I mean, she can be, but there's more to her than that.”
Jax nodded. “You've got it bad, Em.”
“I know,” Emery admitted, the fight going out of her. “What am I going to do?”
“Well, first you're going to do this interview tomorrow and not mess it up,” Jax said. “Domi told me all about it, and I’m supposed to make sure you actually show up. Then you're going to figure out how to tell this woman the truth before someone else does it for you.”
Emery sighed. She'd been avoiding thinking about that inevitable conversation. How do you tell someone who hates romance novels that you're one of the bestselling romance novelists in the country? How do you tell someone who was betrayed by a writer that you've been secretly writing about her?
“Maybe she'll understand,” Jax offered, as if reading her thoughts.
“You didn't see her face when she talked about her ex,” Emery said. “About having her stories stolen and published without her permission. What I'm doing isn't that different.”
“It's completely different,” Jax insisted. “You're not stealing her stories. You're inspired by her, that's all.”
Emery wasn't convinced, but she nodded anyway. Tomorrow she would put on her Emerald Pearl persona once more, answer questions about a book she could barely remember writing, and continue the charade. But for how much longer?
The weight of her secret was becoming unbearable.
Chapter Fifteen
Emery practically flew down the street, her hair a wild nest of curls after running her fingers through it repeatedly during the interview. She'd managed to answer the blogger's questions with her usual Emerald Pearl charm, but her mind had been half at the bookshop the entire time. She checked her watch, just past one. She was supposed to have been back an hour ago.
She burst through the door of The Turned Page, the bell jangling frantically above her head. “Sorry I'm late!” she called out. “The, um, surgery took longer than expected. My aunt's elbow was… more complicated than they thought.”
Zara looked up from the counter, her expression concerned rather than accusatory. “There you are. How's your aunt?”
“She's fine,” Emery said, feeling a fresh wave of guilt at how easily the lies came now. “Recovery’s going to take some time, but she's tough.”
She glanced around the shop, expecting to see Eveline's disapproving gaze, but the Frenchwoman was nowhere to be seen.
