Page 68 of The Fake Date (Brides of Beaufort 4)

I picked it up and swiped the screen, grinning when I read her response. I’d commented on a post about the latest book she’d reviewed, and she liked my perspective on it.

Layla sighed. “Uh, did I lose you?”

“Yeah, sorry.” I put down the phone and grimaced. “What were we talking about?”

She chuckled and nodded at the phone. “What was that, anyway?”

“Oh… well, I was talking to this lady who does book reviews on TikTok, and she liked what I said about a book she’d reviewed.”

“Cool.” Layla lifted one perfect brow and angled her head at me. “Why do I feel like there’s more to it than that?”

“Well, I’ve been participating a little more in the BookTok community lately. You know, instead of just lurking.”

“Okay…”

“Beau said he loved my passion when I talk about books and that I should have my own review channel on YouTube. Obviously, if I was going to do anything, it’d be on TikTok, but—”

My big sister held up a hand. “Wait. You hate being in front of the camera.”

“Yes.”

“So, what, your fake boyfriend tells you to start a book review channel and suddenly youdon’thate being in front of the camera?”

I frowned. “No, it’s not like that. It was just cool to hear I’d be good at it.”

“Lyn, of course, you’d be good at it.” Her face softened and she reached out and patted my knee. “I’m not saying you wouldn’t be good at it. I guess I’m surprised you’d consider it, given the way you’ve always felt about being anywhere butbehindthe camera.”

“Me too. It’s probably not something I’d actually pull the trigger on. I just started thinking about how a lot of the videos don’t even show people’s faces, just the books themselves with text or music. Or I could even do those ones where they only show the pages flipping and inlay excerpts or things you like about it. You know what I mean?”

Layla blinked at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Huh.”

“What?”

“You do seem really passionate about this.”

“Well, I mean, it could be fun. But I probably won’t do it.” I shook my head and got up, sliding my phone into my back pocket as I headed for my purse. I picked up my paperback copy of the book we’d be discussing tonight and tossed it in, then put the strap of my bag over my shoulder. “Come on. We’re gonna be late.”

Layla’s eyes flared a little, her lips pulled into a tight line. I could tell she wanted to say something but was working very hard not to, and I found myself hoping she didn’t fail and let it out. I had a feeling it would only be more discouraging words about this Beau situation, and I’d had enough of them swimming around in my already cluttered brain as it was.