her. “I better get back to the boutique. “Don’t forget to come shopping before all the pretty things are taken.”
“I’ll come by soon,” Emma promised as Sophie headed out. A few more customers strolled in after her. Before Emma could even blink, two hours had gone by and it was time to close.
She headed toward the door and started to turn the OPEN sign to CLOSED when Jack appeared on the other side of the glass. Her heart fluttered foolishly, and she felt an even more foolish smile lift her cheeks. “What are you doing here?” she asked as she opened the door.
“Well, I was hoping to get my sweet tooth fix, but it looks like I’m too late.”
She cocked her head, her emotions still warring with jealousy and frustration about Sophie. She needed to tell him the café was closed, and he could come back when it reopens tomorrow. Her growing crush won out though. “Well, I can make an exception for my pretend boyfriend,” she said.
“I’d owe you.”
“In that case,” she said, “come on in.”
Chapter Nine
Jack heard the lock on the front door click as Emma turned the OPEN sign to CLOSED. “So I get private service? I must be special.”
She turned. “You’re special, all right.”
He looked around the empty room. “Where’s Sam?”
“We started cleaning early. He took off on his skateboard. I hope that’s okay.”
Jack folded his arms over his chest. “Yeah, I guess so. When I leave here, I can drive around and find him.”
“You might find him with some girls. He’s already been noticed,” Emma said.
Jack pulled out a chair and sat down. “It’s those handsome Hershey genetics,” he teased.
Emma leaned against the counter. “Speaking of which, I hear you and Sophie are going on a date.”
Jack’s smile fell away. “You heard wrong. She came into my office earlier and asked about bird-watching lessons.”
Emma crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t give bird-watching lessons.”
“Not typically, no, but I know how to identify birds on the trails.”
Emma pinned him with a look. “Just the two of you in the woods? Couldn’t she just use one of your brochures?”
“If I’m not mistaken, I’d say you’re a little jealous.” He got up from the table and headed her way, noticing how she stiffened just slightly as he encroached on her space.
“No,” she said. “I’m just stating the obvious. And if you and I are going to be a fake couple this summer, you can’t date other women. That’s the rule.”
Jack stopped walking when he was a foot away from her. “I was worried that maybe you would have called off that arrangement since I didn’t deliver on my end of the bargain.”
“It’s only been two days. I still have faith in you.”
He looked down for a moment, wishing he wasn’t going to have to let her down. No matter how hard he stared at that calendar, open spots weren’t going to magically appear.
“I’m pretty sure your dad wasn’t happy about you and me last night,” he said instead.
Emma’s lips parted, drawing his attention there. He willed his attraction back in its cage.
“I’ll have to explain things to him once I get him alone.”
“You’re going to tell him the truth?” Jack asked.
“Well, yeah. I can’t fool my dad.”
“Seems to me he was pretty fooled last night,” Jack pointed out. “You worried about what he’ll think of you and me dating?”
Guilt flickered in her expression.
“I guess I don’t blame you,” he said. “You’ve always wanted his approval.”
Emma straightened from the counter, which only worked to shift her closer to him. “I haven’t always wanted my dad’s approval.”
“You’re daddy’s little girl. Not saying that’s a bad thing.”
But according to Emma’s expression, it was one of the worst things Jack could say to her. “I’ve dated lots of guys that my dad didn’t like. In fact, he hasn’t liked any of my past boyfriends.”
Jack smirked. “Neither have I, for the record.” He enjoyed the way her lips turned into a subtle pout.
“What was wrong with Tim from the fire station?”
“Too cocky, if you ask me.”
Emma tilted her head. “Okay, well, I’d have to agree with that. And he was never my boyfriend. We just went out a couple times.”
“Did you kiss him?” Jack asked, unable to resist.
Her eyes jumped up to meet his. “What?”
“Well, he counts if you kissed him. Or, you know, did other stuff.”
Emma’s jaw dropped. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m your boyfriend, so it kind of is.”
“Fake boyfriend, so it’s kind of not,” she countered.
Jack put a hand