Bad Taste in Men (Clover Park, Book 3) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) by Kylie Gilmore Page B

that, he had no plans to pretend he was only interested in her as a friend.
    “Why, hello there, Shane,” Miss Smith said as he passed her librarian desk. “Haven’t seen you here in a while.”
    Shane couldn’t remember the last time he’d borrowed a book. Whenever he wanted a new cookbook or mystery, he bought it at Rachel’s store. He tried to keep Rachel in business. He didn’t even need the cookbooks since he created his own recipes.
    “Hi, Miss Smith. How are you?”
    She smiled a rare smile and patted her gray hair in its usual bun. “I’m just fine. You’re such a nice young man. If I were twenty years younger…”
    Twenty? More like forty. He felt himself blush anyway from the compliment. Old women loved him for some reason. If only he had that effect on the younger generation.
    “I’d better get to my meeting.”
    She shook her finger at him. “I want to see your face around here a lot more, Mr. O’Hare. Reading is still an important skill for all ages.”
    “I’ll be here every Monday night for the street-fair meeting.”
    He headed to the conference room. Only one person here so far, his friend, Gabe Reynolds, wearing what he thought of as a casual outfit: a preppy polo shirt and khakis. Gabe had moved back to Clover Park only a month ago, shedding his expensive suits along with his fast-track job at his dad’s law firm after his dad had died suddenly of a heart attack at age fifty-seven.
    “Gabe,” he said, pumping his hand, “they roped you into this, huh?”
    Gabe held up his palms. “I’m giving back to the community. It’s my new thing.”
    Shane laughed. Gabe had been like a shark with the sharp teeth of his law firm to back him up, so it was hard to picture him as a community volunteer. “What did Rachel promise you?”
    “Nothing,” Gabe said indignantly. “Can’t a guy just do his part?”
    Shane shook his head. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. There’s this new guy in charge of the street fair, Barry, from that fro-yo place, and I just know he’s going to try to pull some crazy stunt that makes the street fair a total—”
    “Hey, guys!” Barry Furnukle waved as he walked in wearing a loud, red Hawaiian shirt. “I brought coupons!”
    He handed them each a ten percent off frozen yogurt coupon to his shop The Dancing Cow.
    “Thanks,” Gabe said.
    Shane stared at it. He didn’t believe in coupons. Quality food was not about a bargain.
    Barry sat at the head of the table and rubbed his hands together. “Who else is coming?”
    “Rachel,” Shane said.
    “That’s it?” Barry asked.
    “Whoever else she managed to rope into it,” Gabe said.
    “I knew it,” Shane said under his breath.
    “I get free coffee for life,” Gabe whispered.
    Shane grinned. He’d let that one go. He just hoped Rachel hadn’t promised anyone else the same treatment or they’d never keep the café profitable. Gabe had always helped him with legal questions and paperwork and never charged him. They’d become fast friends after Shane had kicked the ass of that middle school bully. Turned out Gabe, a scrawny “late bloomer” as Gran liked to say, had been tortured by the kid too.
    “It’s a lot of work,” Shane said to Barry. “A lot of business owners are busy in the summer.”
    Barry pulled a pen from his front shirt pocket along with a Dancing Cow napkin and set them on the table, presumably to take notes. “The more hands, the lighter the work.”
    Just then Rachel walked in with Liz and Janelle.
    “I brought many hands,” Rachel declared.
    Shane went instantly hard. She wore a snug pink T-shirt that read Born to Read. Her black shorts showed lots of leg. He couldn’t wait to get her in his arms again. He tried to catch her eye, but she avoided looking at him and walked to the far side of the table with Liz. She needed a little convincing, a little reminder of their kiss. After the meeting.
    Liz waved. “Hi, everyone.”
    It was almost like a high school reunion. Shane