Read Bad Taste in Men (Clover Park, Book 3) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) for Free Online Page A

stopped moving, resting on the small of her back. “How much?”
    “The loan was for a hundred thousand.”
    He whistled. “Wow.”
    “Yeah.”
    Should she tell him to move his hand? Now it kinda felt like he had his arm around her.
    “I’d need to see the business plan before I committed to it,” he said.
    Her jaw dropped, and she completely forgot about his hand. “Are you serious?”
    He smiled. “Yup.”
    She stood and paced his living room. She couldn’t help her disbelief. Was this some weird sacrificial gesture on his part to convince her to be more than friends? Going into business with Shane? Would it ruin their friendship? Would he expect more from her than friends? Why would he do this?
    She stopped pacing and returned to sit on the stool across from him. “Why?”
    “I like the idea of a café. I even like the name. Something’s Brewing Café.” He nodded in approval. “Investing in the café would help me diversify. I’m feeling the crunch from the new fro-yo shop.”
    “Barry’s a competitive threat?”
    “He’s giving out wacky glasses. The kids love ’em. I never thought to give out cheap party favors. I thought quality ice cream would bring people back for more.”
    “Barry with his pro-bee-otics?” She giggled. Barry couldn’t even pronounce probiotics right, yet he said it all the time. She and Shane had a running joke to see how many times they could get him to say the word.
    Shane snorted and did his Barry impression. “Fro-yo is much healthier than ice cream thanks to the—” he lifted his nose in the air “—pro-bee-otics.”
    She laughed. Shane was spot-on. Then she started thinking about his offer. “How would this work? You’d take out a loan and invest in the café?”
    “We’d be partners, fifty-fifty. I’ll loan you your half, and you can pay me back when the café starts turning a profit.”
    “You seriously have a hundred grand?”
    He raised one shoulder up and down. “I can get it.”
    His shop was doing well. Plus he supplied a network of restaurants with ice cream and had his own delivery truck and a crew of employees. Maybe he could afford it. Just because he chose to live in an apartment above the shop didn’t mean he had no money. Maybe he just socked the money away.
    It was so generous. Too much. But what if it worked? What if the café was a success and Book It was saved and she paid him back? It could be her dream come true.
    She played with the end of her braid. “I don’t know.”
    He inclined his head. “Think about it. I hate to make you eat and run, but I do have to get back.”
    She looked down at her half-melted sundae. Her spirits were lifted more by Shane than the chocolate anyway. She tossed the rest in the trash.
    He bent in front of her. “Up you go.”
    She stared at his back. No way in hell was she taking that ride again. Not when they might go into business together. “I can walk.”
    He stood and turned, a small smile playing over his lips. Did he know what that ride did to her? She felt herself flush.
    “What’s the big deal?” he asked. “You seemed happy with the ride up.”
    Dammit! He did know!
    “I was not happy.”
    “No?”
    “Absolutely not.” She raised her chin. “I was actually uncomfortable.” She nodded to emphasize the point. “And bored,” she added. “In fact, this whole conversation is boring.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    She bit back a curse, not willing to let him see that he’d hit on a sore spot, and headed for the door.
    “Rach, come on, you just got off crutches yesterday.”
    “I’m fine,” she called over her shoulder. She opened the door and went flying backwards as his arms went around her waist and lifted her. “Shane!”
    She wiggled to get away.
    “Stop fighting me. You’re gonna end up hurting yourself worse.”
    She went still because either way—riding his back or carried in his arms—she enjoyed it way too much. This might be a problem. If only she hadn’t sprained her ankle, they