Right?
“Liam?” Roan says, a grin spreading across his face. “What’s going on, man?”
“We got a call that someone was in here poking around with flashlights,” Liam says. “I know the place has been closed for a while now. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Roan says. “We were just setting the place up to open again, and we flipped a breaker with the Christmas lights. That’s why we were using flashlights.”
“Good,” Liam says before his eyes slide over to me. “Who’s this?”
“This is Taylor Greer,” Roan says. “Taylor is running the bookstore now. Taylor, Liam’s an old friend.”
“Nice to meet you,” I hear myself say weakly, grateful that Roan knows this man, and probably everyone else in town.
Liam pulls his walkie-talkie off his chest.
“False alarm at the bookshop,” he says into it. “I’ve got the owner and the tenant both here.”
There’s a buzz and a faint reply.
“Good to meet you, Taylor,” Liam says as he replaces his walkie-talkie on his chest. “You haven’t been here long. I would remember seeing you around.”
I’m not positive, but it almost seems like his voice is… flirty?
“I’m new in town,” I agree. “It’s great here so far.”
“Nothing like a small town,” Liam replies and gives me a rakish smile. “We look out for each other here.”
“Speaking of which,” Roan says, his voice a little louder than ours. “Thank you for stopping by, Liam. I appreciate you having an eye on the place, especially when it was empty.”
Holy cow. He’sdismissingthe man.
Maybe Roan really is jealous. This is the second time tonight he’s shut down a guy who was maybe checking me out a little.
Liam smirks at me and turns his attention back to Roan.
“Message received, buddy,” he says. “You two have a good night. Stay safe.”
“Will do,” Roan says.
“Good night,” I say, giving a weak little wave.
“Oh, hey,” Liam says when he’s at the door. “What time do you open the lot tomorrow? I was going to grab a tree.”
“You can pick one out now,” Roan tells him right away. “Go on over and start looking, I’ll be right behind you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” the officer says.
“It’s my pleasure,” Roan replies, in a way that doesn’t leave room for more conversation.
Liam tips his hat to me and heads out the front door.
“Wow,” I say. “That was…”
“Yeah,” Roan says.
His jaw is tense again and I know which Roan I’ve got in front of me right now. He won’t be joking and smiling, that’s for sure. And he definitely won’t be kissing me.
I wish that didn’t disappoint me so much. I know I shouldn’t be falling for the Christmas tree farmer nextdoor, not when I have so much going on and definitely not when I’ve proven that I have the absolute worst judgment.
