The Wrong Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

class and occasionally came into my store. After the briefest exchange of pleasantries, I continued up the street. I could feel Jake’s amused stare.
    “What?”
    “I bet you know everyone in this town.”
    I snorted but couldn’t help grinning at him. “I don’t know about that. However, I do know in the world of retail, it pays to be friendly.”
    “Makes sense. Seems like good advice for any business,” he observed.
    “True. Hollywood is a funny place. Some people buy into pretentious hype, you know? They like to name-drop and boast about who they’re working with as though association makes them a better person. I find that slightly pathetic. If you can’t make it on your own merit, you’re in the wrong business.”
    Jake looked pensive for a moment.
    “I totally agree. Did you ever see the movie Harvey ? It’s an old Jimmy Stewart movie from the 1950s.”
    “Sure, but it’s been a while.” I gave him a curious glance and fumbled for my keys as we neared BGoods.
    “There’s a great quote in the film: ‘“In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.’”
    “You may quote me,” we recited together.
    We laughed at our timing and spent a funny moment staring at one another. I was usually quick with a quip or a silly segue to avoid strained silences, but my mind went blank. All I could think was His eyes look bluer than I remember . Mack saved the day by shifting his position to better scratch his ear. I used the diversion to reach down and say my goodbyes before looking up at Jake.
    “Thanks again for the coffee. I appreciate it.”
    “You’re welcome. Have a good day, Bran.”
    I nodded and opened the door to my store, releasing a breath I hadn’t been aware I’d been holding. I swallowed hard and turned to look out the window. Jake was crouched in front of Mack, patting the old dog’s face lovingly. I could tell he was talking to him, but I couldn’t hear the words. Whatever it was, Mack was pleased. He slurped a happy kiss on Jake’s cheek, making him laugh aloud. I smiled at the exchange. It was… charming. Jake stood and caught me watching them. His grin lit his handsome features to perfection. My heart skipped a beat, but I played it cool pretending I was checking the integrity of the signage at the door. Fail. Jake waved and raised his coffee cup in salute before turning away.
     
     
    M OST PEOPLE would not be pleased with the never-ending chore of redecorating the large showroom, but it was my joy. I could spend hours fiddling with furniture configurations and deciding which colors best complemented the newest accessories. And I lived for seasonal changes. The holidays were my absolute favorite. Halloween through Christmas I was in heaven. No matter what time of year it was, a new shipment still gave me a thrill.
    So when the door was locked, and the store was straightened to my exacting specifications, I sent everyone home so I could go through a new shipment in peace. The back-office area was a disaster zone littered with paper packaging, bubble wrap, and merchandise I had stacked in two piles. The first pile would go directly to the floor, and the other I would keep until the next shipment came in and I did a huge revamp of the space for the pre-summer season.
    I was so immersed in my work, I didn’t notice I wasn’t alone until I heard a dog barking in the next room. I furrowed my brow in confusion and scrambled to get off the ground to see what was going on.
    “Brandon!” Lizzy shouted above the Black Eyed Peas.
    “Wha—” I came to an abrupt stop in the doorway.
    Lizzy was dressed for a night on the town, but I had a feeling her companion wasn’t invited to join her. I turned the volume down, then crossed my arms and waited for her explanation. As much as I liked Mack, why was he here at eight o’clock at night? He looked perplexed too, but still happy to see me. He ambled over to sniff at me and