Emerett Has Never Been in Love (Love Austen 1)

Lake laughed. “What can I say? I like solving mysteries.”

Instead of giving Lake the information he wanted, Josh nodded.

“Oh, look!” Harry pointed toward the sidewalk. “Isn’t that West at the corner?”

Sure enough, West was sauntering in their direction holding a package under his arm.

Harry waved wildly, catching West’s attention. West grinned, and ducked into the bakery.

“This is unexpected,” West said, shifting his gaze fleetingly to Josh.

West’s package was wrapped in brown paper and tied in string. “Out shopping?”

“Picked something up for my mother. I’m meeting her at home in a half hour.”

Josh shifted on his bench, making room for him. “Join us, then.”

Harry cocked his head. “I thought you were staying with Taylor?”

“I am,” West said.

“But your mum lives here?”

West remained quiet for a few beats, worry lines creasing his brow. His check twitched. “Friends from her congregation are staying in the guest room. Is the coffee any good?”

“Excellent,” murmured Josh, and Lake agreed.

He frowned after West as he ordered at the counter. Mention of his family had made him uncomfortable, and that lie about friends staying in the guest room was a mystery.

Too many mysteries. They made his stomach twist in knots. One in particular. What was Knight doing right now? Had he discovered Lake’s muffins and the note to help himself?

Was he, even momentarily, thinking of Lake?

“Lake?”

“Huh?” Lake dragged his focus back to Josh.

“Are you excited about the party?”

“Sure. Yes. Absolutely.”

He was not thrilled Josh was coming, but maybe it was for the best. Maybe tonight a mystery would be solved.

“Twice in one day,” Lake said as he opened Cameron’s door wide. “What a pleasure.”

Josh smiled. “Knight asked if I’d help him set up the marquee and dance floor?”

Damn he looked good. His remarkably blue hair had been dyed since the bakery this morning. He wore spanking new jeans that were inappropriately form-fitting for setting up a party, but that’s not why he’d worn them, was it? “He might have mentioned it,” Lake bit out. “He’s in the garden, behind the pool.”

With two hours to set up before Cameron returned—from a location-viewing on the peninsula—Lake couldn’t completely begrudge the help.

“I heard Cameron’s brother is coming back from Europe today,” Josh said, stepping over the threshold. “You told him about the party, right?”

“Of course. I’m not an idiot.”

Josh sauntered through the house, and Lake whipped off a Facebook message to Cameron’s oldest brother Brandon, telling him about the party celebrating their YouTube channel successes.

He stuffed his phone into his pocket and eased the door closed.

A boot planted itself in the frame and Lake yanked the door open, revealing West and his throat tattoo and neat beard. “Taylor says I should make myself useful.”

“Rich. Taylor still hasn’t shown up.” West rang out a jolly laugh. He seemed in better spirits than he had earlier.

Lake led him to the back garden where Josh and Knight huddled together over the marquee instructions.

“You hired a dance floor?” West said, grinning.

“We thought Cameron would like it. Besides, with the theme of the evening, at least one part of the night should be classy.”

“I got your email—how will this work, exactly?”

“Drop your prescribed dilemma in conversation, and make a little act of it.” Lake pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. “Everyone gets one of these at the door, along with a pencil. One side has all the names of the guests who are coming—some, you can see, are paired. Those are couples.”

West scoured over the list. “You and Knight are a couple?”

“We’re the hosts. We figured we’d do a dilemma together.” Lake bit his lip. He’d been a little cheeky in what ‘dilemma’ he’d given them, but Knight hadn’t hesitated. Not for a minute. “Anyway,” Lake flipped the page around to thirty text boxes filled with Austen-styled advice, “match the best advice with the most guests and win a bottle of Lakewood Bourbon.” Lake winked. “Worth over $200 a bottle now. Limited supply.”

West watched Josh struggle with a marquee pole. “The bourbon sounds good. Maybe the two best scorers have to dance?” He grinned. “Or kiss. That’ll spice things up.”

It’d certainly make it interesting—and thankfully Lake and Knight would have to excuse themselves, since they knew the answers. They could enjoy from the sidelines with no sick worry churning in his belly at the idea of Josh and Knight locking lips . . . “Fantastic idea.”

Knight helped Josh with his pole, and Lake was hit with Josh’s grateful smile when his gaze darted around the garden, slowing over Lake and West.

Josh’s smile deepened, rubbing in his feelings for Knight. So much for being amiable and kind and perfect. That smile was all gloating.

Knight calmly and deftly moved on to the next bit of assembly. Casual sneakers, the shorts he’d worn retiling Lake’s cottage, and the most ragged T-shirt he owned, which was barely ragged at all. Slightly faded tan that nevertheless worked with his hair and slight stubble and eyes . . .