Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon Book #2)(98)

“Want a cookie?” Gordon Berkowicz offered up a tray of heart-shaped cookies with icing.

“I do. I really do.”



Gia hustled out of her studio and cut across One Love Park for the movie theater. The Facebook group alert had said it was a mandatory emergency town meeting tonight. She was curious about the reason for the meeting. Maybe Bruce was finally getting to the conclusion of his powdered wig argument? A smile tugged at her lips and felt foreign on her face. It had been a week since she and Beckett last spoke. But he’d made his presence known.

He’d sent lunch to the studio for her and Niko during the photo shoot for Summer’s magazine. She found a rose and a note on her car in his sharp, sloppy script reminding her to schedule an inspection. During her Tuesday night yoga class, he’d taken Thanksgiving leftovers to Evan and Aurora. When she came home, she found a basket full of clean, folded laundry. And last night, he’d advised Evan’s first Debate Club meeting, which from Evan’s description had been a huge success.

He hadn’t been kidding about not leaving her alone. It was more than apologies. Now he was showing her what kind of partner he wanted to be for her. But she was still hurt, still scared.

Glancing around the town square, Gia wondered where everyone was. The last town meeting had made downtown look like a parade. But tonight she was the only soul hurrying through the milky pools from the streetlights to the movie theater.

How late was she? The alert had said 7:15. Unless she read it wrong, which was a strong possibility. She hadn’t exactly been on top of her game lately.

Not wishing to cause a commotion, Gia quietly opened one of the theater’s doors, intending to slip into the back row unnoticed.

“There she is!” Mrs. Nordeman fluttered out of a group of townspeople milling about in front of the snack stand. “Now you just come along with me.” The older woman grabbed Gia’s wrist and started dragging her through the crowd.

Everyone was staring and Gia felt her cheeks warm. “Uh, Mrs. Nordeman, I was just going to sit in the back …”

“Nonsense. We saved you a seat right up front.”

“Up front?” Gia squeaked.

“We’ve got her,” Mrs. Nordeman announced to the crowd. “Now we can get started.”

Beckett and the rest of the council were already on stage and Gia wanted to curl up into a ball and die of embarrassment.

She was shoved into an empty seat, front and center in the first row. Summer and Joey sat on either side of her, grinning like hyenas. Jax and Carter sat on either side of them. Gia noted Jax’s frame sprawling out of his seat and crowding her friend.

“What is going on?” Gia hissed.

“Don’t look at me,” Summer shrugged innocently. “I’m new here.”

Gia shot Joey a look.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never seen this before,” Joey said with a wicked grin. “I can’t wait.”

Gia made the mistake of looking up at the stage. Beckett’s gray gaze was fixed on her. He subtly flashed his phone at her. She frowned and dug through her tote bag until she found hers.

She had a text from him.


Fair warning. I’m fighting for you and I brought an army with me.





Gia shot him a look before responding.


Why do I feel like my request for space is about to be completely ignored?





She saw the corner of his mouth lift as his thumbs flew across the screen.


Because you’re not an idiot. Now sit there and prepare to enjoy Blue Moon at its finest.





She shot him another dark look. He knew she didn’t like being manipulated and yet here she was, front and center with an entire town scheming against her.

Summer reached across Gia to help herself to some of Joey’s popcorn, her new wedding band glinting under the theater lights.

“How are you feeling so far?” Gia asked Summer, tucking her phone away to ignore any more messages from Beckett.

“Like I’ve run a marathon every day before two. By the time three o’clock rolls around I have to nap or I’m in bed by seven,” Summer lamented. “Please tell me this phase passes quickly.”

“You’ll breeze right through your next trimester. And then you’ll wish that you could sleep twenty-three hours a day.”

Summer sighed and took another handful of popcorn. “And then there’s the no sleeping because they’re newborns. And the no sleeping because they’re toddlers and climbing out of their beds and trying to set house fires. Oh, and don’t forget the no sleeping because they’re teenagers and who knows what they’re up to.”

“That about sums it up,” Gia said, her eyes scanning the theater for an escape route.

“Don’t even think about it,” Joey said mildly. “Jax and Carter will just haul you back in here and embarrass the hell out of you.”

“Too late for that,” Gia muttered.

She avoided making eye contact with Beckett until Bruce Oakleigh took the stage. Gavel in hand, he crossed to the podium.

“If I can have everyone’s attention,” he said, leaning into the microphone. The noise level lowered to a dull roar. He banged the gavel twice and the last of the conversations in the crowd died away.