Read Online Gabby Revealed (Finding Perfect) by Amy Gregory - Free Book Online Page A

she answered without looking away from her computer, trying to close the screens before he saw what she was working on. It broke her heart to lie to the man, but she had to.
    “Well, I just thought I’d hang out here while Mom was grabbing us some coffees from next door. Then we’re headed on some errands. So what’s new?”
    “Nothing, Dad.”
    Leaning in, he peeked over at Shane. Following his line of sight, Gabby knew what was coming and swallowed hard. “So…who’s the guy dressed to the nines?”
    Why couldn’t Shane at least try to blend in? Gabby rolled her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know.”
    “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Gabriell e James. He’s been here all day, every day, for three days straight. You know exactly who he is.”
    If he had been within kicking distance Gabby would have left a hell of a bruise on Shane’s shin, but from her stool behind the counter, she was helpless watching the corners of his eyes crinkle in amusement behind a book he pretended to read as he sat in one of the brown leather chairs. Oh, that jackass was so dead. Dead as in dead, dead. Getting even had become sort of a pastime of hers, and his ass was grass.
    “Fine. Noisy. He’s some big shot from New York.” She watched Shane’s face, and one eyebrow rose, but he kept his eyes on the pages in front of him. “He’s trying to get me to sell some of his shit.” Shane started to choke and Gabby nearly fell off her stool.
    “And he came all the way here…from New York? Must be some pretty big names they’re promoting. So, you gonna pull them in?”
    “I doubt it. I don’t think anyone here would like the shit he’s trying to sell ,” Gabby said louder, knowing Shane would hear. When he peered over the book, he glanced at her dad, then mouthed “liar” back at her. Gabby sneered then turned back to her father.
    The bells chimed again and Gabby groaned. Her father gave her a disapproving look as her mother walked through the door. As Gabby knew she would, her mother went straight to the handsome gentleman dressed in sharp, tailored black pants, a crisp, French blue button-down, and expensive dress shoes and sparked up a conversation. There was no such thing as a stranger to her mother, and Gabby hadn’t been brave enough to tell Shane the truth about her need for total privacy.
    Making herself comfy in the chair near his, Gabby watched in horror as her mother charmed the newest person in town, welcoming him with open arms. Shane’s smile widened as he engaged, his light laughter drifted through the bookstore and clenched Gabby’s heart with two fists. She was falling for a man she couldn’t have, and it was starting to hurt. He was about to leave any day, probably the minute he figured out she wasn’t going to give in. There was no way.
    They both looked her direction. Her momentary lapse in attention had her missing what they were talking about, but it was obviously her. Reality struck her upside the head and her worst nightmare started coming true. The air was stolen from her lungs in slow motion, Shane’s eyes proved it.
    Shane set the book down and rushed to the counter, grabbing her hand, fear lined his face. “Gabby…I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
    Her mother was on his heels. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
    It wasn’t anger that took over; she could run with that, it was a sinking feeling. “Oh my God. Shane? What the hell? What did you say?”
    “What’s going on here?” her father looked between the three of them.
    Gabby tried to yank her hand from Shane’s hold, but he wouldn’t let go. He gripped it stronger as his forehead creased more and more. “I knew you wanted to remain anonymous, but I didn’t realize your parents didn’t even know. God, Gabby, please forgive me?”
    At that moment, her world as she knew it fell crashing down around her. She was about to kill the one man she’d tried for years to protect.
     
     
     
    “Would someone please tell me what the hell is going