“Let’s introduce the new prince and princess,” Brittany chimed over the mic next. “Starting with the pie prince…”
Please don’t say we’re engaged. Please don’t say anything about the land.A quick glance over his shoulder said the bulk of the crowd had moved to the outer edge of the dance square, making them center of attention.
“Burke Richards is new to this town. In fact, we’re not even sure if he’ll ever be part of this town,” Brittany said. “You see, we’ve been told that he and Justine Purcell are engaged, yet just last week Justine told a very reliable source that she didn’t have a fiancé at all. That she’d made him up to get well-intended Wilfred off her back.”
A near silent curse slipped off Burke’s lips. He held very still, purposefullynotlooking back to his family as she continued.
“None of this made sense to me—why a guy like Burke would pretend to be engaged to a lonely girl like Justine—until I found out that he helped sell our town’s monumental falls.”
Gasps sounded over the crowd.
“So while Burke was wooing Justine with fake affection,” Brittany continued, “he was secretly distracting her from her duty to the town. All so that our historical safe haven could be replaced with a smelly, hazardous factory.”
More gasps sounded from nearly every angle. But the one that hurt most, the one that shot dread deep into his chest like a hot bolt, was Justine’s.
Her gaze locked on his as she shook her head, a motion that spoke her inner thoughts. “No,” she said. “You wouldn’t do that. You didn’t…”
Burke rushed in. “It’s not like that,” he assured. “I just barely found out myself. I listed the property at an astronomical pr—”
Her face went hard. “What do you mean,listedthe property? What property?” She was backing away from him now.
“I mean I…” He stopped there, sensing the sudden closeness of the people around them. The townsfolk were anxious for the details as well. His family likely was too.
Burke narrowed a gaze at Justine, pleading with his eyes as he looked at her. “Please. Can we just go someplace private so I can explain?”
Justine folded her arms across her chest, the hurt on her face like inner blades as he breathed. “On one condition,” she said.
Burke took a step forward. “Anything.”
Whispers among the crowd went silent. Burke watched as Justine eyed those around her for a painstaking beat. At last she squared another look at him.
“On the condition that you didnothave anything to do with the purchaseorthe sale of that land.”
“Justine—” Her name was a broken plea on his lips.
“Did you or didn’t you have something to do with that sale?” Her lip quivered. The mere sight was like razorblades to his heart.
Dear Lord.Burke scrambled for a way out. He couldn’t take the pain on her face.
The accusation in her eyes.
“Pleasejust tell me that you didn’t, Burke.” Her voice wavered.
“I was holding onto it,” he explained. “The property, until—”
Justine rushed forward, bolting past Burke, bumping his shoulder as she picked up speed.
Burke hurried after her, desperate to explain himself when suddenly, she turned back and put up a hand. The look on her face robbed his heart of its next beat.
“Don’t follow me.” She turned from him then, breaking into a jog as she crossed the street.
“Where’s she going to go?” came a small voice.
Burke turned around to see the Bentons gathered behind him. Link stood up front, balancing on his tiptoes to watch Justine as she moved.
“I’ll go get her,” Lorraine said.
“I’ll drive,” Michael added.
