but somehow that didn’t matter any more. Perhaps, in time, he’d manage to catch something much, much better.
Burke slid on his sunglasses and draped a hand over the wheel as he headed back to Piney Falls. He’d wandered outside of town for some shopping and found just what he’d hoped to find: some casual slacks and jeans, a couple of flannel shirts and—perhaps his favorite—some new mountain boots.
The weather was warmer today as Justine said it would be, and boy, was he ready for the weekend.
His phone chimed from where it sat propped on his dash; the name Lorraine Benton scrolled across the screen. He had to hand it to her, the woman had impeccable timing. This was probably the only time he’d be able to talk all day.
He turned down his stereo and gave the screen a tap. “Hi there, L—Grandma Lo.”
“Hi, dear,” she cooed. “How are things in Piney Falls?”
“Nice, actually,” he admitted.
“Hmm. You sound different.”
“Probably just because I’m in the car,” he guessed.
“Not that,” she said thoughtfully. “Your tone. You sound happier today.”
That might be true. He was happier today.
“Well…are you?” came Lorraine again.
“Am I what, happier?”
She chuckled. “Yes, Burke. And by the way you repeated my question rather than answer it tells me you are.”
He grinned. “You’re perceptive.”
“Are you going to tell me why?”
Burke shot his phone a disapproving look. He had the feeling that Lorraine would get it out of him one way or another. “I met someone. A woman who works for Piney Falls.”
“Is it the same woman you had dinner with the other night?”
That’s right. He’d already mentioned her. “Yes,” he said. “Her name’s Justine. I’m taking her to the town’s autumn festival tonight and tomorrow.” Probably shouldn’t bother Lorraine with details of the whole fake engagement thing; that would really scare her off.
“Piney Falls’ autumn festival?” Lorraine piped. “I went to that once when I was a little girl. I loved it.”
“No kidding?”
“No kidding,” she replied. “They used to have this charming little pie pageant where girls were crowned Pie Princess for baking the best pie.”
Now he really thought she was kidding. “Sounds…interesting.”
She chuckled. “I’m sure they did away with that long ago. But back to the topic at hand—the cabin next week. You’re meeting us there Sunday, aren’t you? And staying through Thanksgiving?”
“Right,” Burke said with a nod.
“You know what? If you’re hitting it off with this Piney Falls woman, why don’t you bring her? She could stay a few nights—separate rooms, of course—and get to know the family a bit.”
Burke paused to test out the idea, but already it appealed to him in more ways than one. He wanted more time with Justine, that was a given. But there was something more to his desire to do as Lorraine suggested.
It was just that, for now, Burke was the main focus of the family, which could, at times, feel awkward. And as kind and inclusive as they were, he didn’t want the Bentons going out of their way to…entertain him, for lack of a better word.
Heck, all of his half-siblings had someone of their own. But if Burke had the lovely Justine by his side it might balance things out.
“I like that you’re thinking about this,” Lorraine said. “Just don’t overthink it.” The woman did know how to get what she wanted. And where money lacked, her social grace made up all the difference.
He grinned and sank back into the driver’s seat, gaze drifting briefly over the sky. “Yes, I am considering it…” Yet just as the words escaped him, a distant spot of thunderclouds caught his eye. An odd sense of dread brushed over his skin. What would Justine think when she found out he was related to the famous family? What about the engagement scheme? And what about the Piney Falls property he had up for sale?
“But?” Lorraine prompted.
“But I don’t think Justine would want to be gone over Thanksgiving,” he said, diverting to the minor hiccup. “She’s got plans to spend the holiday with her grandfather.”
“You could take her back to Piney Falls for the holiday. If you brought her out with you on Sunday, she could stay until then.”
“True.” But that wasn’t what was bothering him. Just days ago, Lorraine asked if he had anything she should know about—anything at all. Misdeeds, secret scandals, juicy tidbits the tabloids could get ahold of. Perhaps by playing Justine’s fiancé, he was risking another Benton scandal after all. But then something else came to mind. Someone else.
“Why don’t you check