“Bad call, Will,” I muttered, closing the play. Claudio was undeserving of Hero. He was supposed to love her and yet he believed the deceptions of others over her. And then she was just supposed to be happy she got to marry him in the end? Nope. I preferred the other couple in Much Ado About Nothing: Benedick and Beatrice. They were hilarious together, trading barbs and witticisms, until their friends decided to play matchmaking tricks to get them to admit they were actually in love. Plus, Beatrice was badass. Not only did she banter as well as Benedick, but she was a feminist of her day, not wanting to marry where she didn’t love, or be a pawn in the games of men; furious at Claudio on Hero’s behalf, wishing she weren’t constrained by the trappings of gender so she could avenge Hero like only a man could back then.

The play was all about deception. Hero’s story was actually tragic and yet it had been depicted as a romantic comedy. But I guess that was me thinking as a twenty-first-century woman.

Or maybe I was just too unforgiving?

“Renegades” by X Ambassadors suddenly blasted into the room, jolting me from my musings and my untouched display. The song was my ringtone.

Hurrying over to the counter where I’d left my cell, I smiled at the name flashing on my screen.

Roane and I had exchanged numbers last night.

That smile turned to a frown as I caught sight of the time on my phone. I’d spent over an hour reading the play instead of working.

Maybe there was a downside to a book nerd running a bookstore.

“Hey,” I said a little breathlessly as I answered.

“Sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?”

Ignoring the way my heart sped up a little at the sound of his deep voice, I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me. “No. Is everything okay?”

“Not really.” He sounded glum. “I’m sorry, Evie, but I need to cancel our plans this afternoon.”

We’d planned for me to close the shop a little early so Roane could drive me into Alnwick, the largest nearest town, to pick up a rental car. Disappointed I wouldn’t see him, I pasted on a breezy smile and hoped it translated in my reply. “That’s okay. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been called away from the farm to one of the houses we maintain. A neighbor reported a loud party to the police last night, and I’ve turned up and the renters have smashed up the place, including the kitchen window.”

“Oh my God.”

“Aye, I’ve had to call the police again, as well as the owners, so I don’t know how long it’ll take to sort this mess out. I’m sorry.”