The phone rang, so Chloe browsed the romance section, avoiding the front window, while Meghan handled the call. Her books were already face out and there were eight fresh copies.
A moment later Meghan rounded the corner and handed over a Sharpie. “Get to work, lady.”
Chloe opened the first book and signed her name on the title page. “Are they still selling well?”
“Like proverbial hotcakes. News of your celebrity relationship sure isn’t hurting. It’s making people curious about you.”
“I never really considered that. But my following on social media has exploded.”
Meghan lowered her voice. “Just... keep it all in perspective, you know?”
She glanced up at Meghan. “What do you mean?”
“Just remember the relationship’s not permanent. It’s not real. You know... when the film is over he’ll be leaving.”
“Well, duh. That’s been the plan all along.”
“I know, but... just be careful, that’s all. He’s awfully charming, and sometimes what we know in our heads and what we know in our hearts are two different things.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. Between Meghan and Sean, neither her head nor her heart was likely to forget it. “I’m not about to fall for Liam. He’s nice to look at, but he’s the opposite of what I’m searching for in a man.”
A shuffle sounded, something very much like footsteps coming to a halt. Chloe’s and Meghan’s eyes widened as they locked on each other. Her friend slowly leaned back and peeked around the row of books. “Oh, hi. Seems like you found some books.”
Chloe winced. No doubt he’d heard those last regrettable words.
“Let’s get you rung up.” Meghan shot a sympathetic look over her shoulder, then headed for the counter.
Chloe wanted to crawl onto one of these shelves and do her best book interpretation. But she couldn’t hide back here forever. She crept out from the row and joined Liam at the register.
“What’d you find?” she asked.
“A couple books Spencer recommended. And that Higgins novel you’ve been wanting to read.”
She blinked at the familiar beach cover. He’d remembered. Guilt pinched hard. “Thank you.”
She traded a covert glance with Meghan, who rang him up, then stashed his books in a brown-handled bag bearing the store’s logo.
Liam ran his credit card. He hadn’t so much as glanced at Chloe.
Why had she said those things? She better understood now the way the gossip sites spun the truth. But he’d as much as admitted he’d never had a real relationship. That made him the kind of man she could never be with, didn’t it? Nothing wrong with that.
Still, she hadn’t had to say it out loud and in such an abrasive way. Also behind his back. She’d obviously hurt his feelings—even if he did place his hand on the small of her back and slide her an encouraging grin as he turned her toward the exit. “Ready for this?”
She was so not ready for this. “Bring it on.”
“Good luck!” Meghan called.
Chloe had a feeling her friend’s well-wish encompassed more than just their impending showdown with the paparazzi. But she didn’t have time to follow the thought as Liam was already reaching for the door.
“Smile,” he said.
Oh yeah. She was half of Chliam and deliriously happy. She plastered what was probably a dopey grin on her face, and they exited to a flurry of action and words.
“Liam, how long have you two been dating?”
“How’s the filming going?”
“What books did you buy?”
