Batter Up (Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls Book 1) (4 page)

E
mma stormed
across the library parking lot and headed into the red-brick building. Still reeling over her encounter an hour ago with the unwelcomed out-of-towner, she needed to get some answers from Bridget. In the small, one-floor library, it didn’t take long to spot her friend standing in the children’s section, her arms full with colorful hardbound books.

“Emma! What are you doing here?” Bridget asked. The head librarian shot them both a warning look. Bridget always had a difficult time talking in a low voice.

“I’ve come to see you. Here, let me help,” Emma whispered, grabbing some books from Bridget’s grasp. A Nancy Drew one rested on top. She’d always loved that series growing up. Her mom had kept her old books to one day read to Emma. Once they started a book, they would read a chapter every night before bed until it was done. She smiled down at the memory, forgetting for a second why she was here.

She sighed. Perhaps she should re-read
The Clue in the Diary
after all these years and see if it had any tips for uncovering why a nosy city reporter was so fascinated by her cupcakes.

“I’m glad you stopped by.” Bridget straightened her glasses, sliding them up her nose.

“Really?” Emma raised an eyebrow.

Bridget nodded. “Yeah, the other librarians and I were just talking about you this afternoon. The Buttermilk Bachelors Summer Fling auction is Wednesday night. We’re hoping to order some sweet treats from your bakery.” She winked. “Not the special ones.”

Emma smirked. She had forgotten about the popular summer event that raised money annually for a local charity. This year, the proceeds were going to the town’s animal shelter. Money raised would allow the shelter to expand and create a separate area for the cats and dogs to visit with prospective adopters. Right now, they had to share the one visiting room, and the barking always scared the poor kitties.

The shelter was important to Emma. It was there, five years ago, that Magic had picked her as his owner. “Count me in for whatever you need.” She was happy to support the fundraiser. “Did enough bachelors sign up?”

“Think so. We had twenty the last time I checked. They’re not all from Buttermilk Falls.” She grabbed more books off her library cart. “We’re not that strict anymore. Last year, we opened it up to guys from neighboring towns and made a killing. I bet we’ll get to forty bachelors before Wednesday.”

“Wow.” Emma smiled. The Summer Fling auction attracted single women from all around. It made sense to open it up to bachelors from surrounding areas, too. The idea was simple. Bid on a bachelor and that guy became your summer fling for casual picnics, movie nights in the park, softball games, and the town’s annual end-of-summer Final Fling celebration.

Participants really got into it. It was all-out war between some of the women desperate to take home a fling. Many of the couples dated long after the summer, and some even ended up married. Every once in a while, one of the bachelors would pay Emma a visit on Monday night, hoping to see his fling’s name in her batter. It usually worked out in his favor and gave him the extra confidence he needed to move the relationship from casual to something more serious.

These summer flings were also good for her business. Many date nights often involved a stop at the Sugar Spoon. She had a special “Summer Fling” cherry vanilla cupcake just for the occasion. It was her most popular summer item.

What would it be like to have her own summer fling? She had never bid on a bachelor. Didn’t need to since she’d been with Michael. Now that that was no longer the case, maybe she should consider participating this year. Since the breakup, she’d gone on a couple forgettable dates. It might be fun to have a summer fling, and it was definitely time to get back in the game.

She’d give it some thought. Right now, she needed to channel Nancy Drew and get down to the Jason Levine mystery. “So, Mrs. Reed . . .”

Bridget giggled and headed to the shelves, bending down to return the books to their proper place. “I really do love the sound of that. Those books go over here.” She pointed to the bottom shelf. “You can just stack them together.”

Emma crouched down beside her friend and wedged the books onto the shelf. “When did you get back from Vegas?”

“Late Saturday night. It was a long day of traveling.”

“You had a nice time?”

“Did we! It was so much fun. I wish you could have been there.”

“Me, too.” Emma stood and straightened her pink ruffled T-shirt. That wasn’t entirely true. Part of the reason she declined their invitation was because Caitlin, Bridget’s cousin, was the maid of honor. Bridget had always been good at not taking sides when it came to her friendships with both women. Still, Emma decided it would be best if she didn’t go to Vegas.

“So . . . I met one of your out-of-town friends today at my bakery.”

“Out-of-town friend? Who?”

“Jason?”

“Who?” Bridget stood and reached over for more books.

“Jason Levine.”

“Oh, that Jason. God, I totally forgot he was in Buttermilk Falls. I don’t really know him.”

“Really? Aren’t you friends?” The picture Jason had showed her earlier made it look like they were all long-lost pals.

“No. Not really. We just met him before the wedding.”

Emma grew impatient. She also needed to get back to the bakeshop. “Did you know he was a reporter doing a story on Batter Up?”

Her eyes widened. “Jason’s a reporter?”

“You didn’t know?” Emma asked, not bothering to mask her skepticism.

“No, I swear I didn’t. Oh my God, Emma. What happened?”

“Nothing . . . yet. He came in today asking for a magical cupcake. I gave him one full of hot sauce.”

Bridget snickered. “You didn’t?”

“Lit his mouth on fire.” Emma smiled at the memory.

“Poor guy.”

“Poor guy, my ass!” Mouthing “sorry” to the woman at the circulation desk, Emma lowered her voice. “He deserved it. You should have seen how arrogant he was.”

“He’s actually quite nice.”

Emma doubted Jason Levine had a nice bone in his body. How had he fooled her friends? “Why was he at your wedding? Is he a friend of Tom’s?”

“No. Like I said, we literally met him in Vegas. We sort of picked him and his friend, Brandon, up at my bachelorette party.”

“Who told him about the bakery?” Her eyes narrowed. “Was it Caitlin?”

“I don’t think so.” She looked up at the ceiling in thought. “It might have been Tom. We were all pretty tipsy that night. Tom hung out with Jason at the chapel while I was putting on my wedding dress.” Her hand flew over her mouth. “Oh, Emma. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Emma hadn’t meant to make Bridget feel bad. She gave her friend a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. I can handle Mr. Levine.”

J
ason sat
on the edge of the dock, watching the sun set over the lake. It had been a while since he had taken in a sunset, letting its beauty entrance him. He used to all the time from his Miami Beach balcony. Not anymore.

Dangling his legs, his bare feet skimmed the refreshing water. He watched a small motorboat in the distance. An older couple waved hello as they sped by, and he waved back. Everyone was so damn friendly in Buttermilk Falls.

Well, almost everyone. He swiped his tongue over the roof of his mouth.

What had Emma put in the batter? Whatever it was, it still burned like hell.

He probably deserved it. He should have played it cool and not asked for a magical cupcake right out of the gate. By far, the stupidest thing he could have said. It’s just as soon as he looked up and saw those beautiful green eyes again—well, he didn’t know what was coming out of his mouth. She could have asked him if he wanted arsenic, and he would have gladly said yes. Magic or not, there was something about the cute and quirky Emma Stevens that left him spellbound.

His cover was blown. The image of her crossing her arms while kicking him out of the bakery flashed through his mind.
There’s no story here, Mr. Levine.

There certainly was a story. That he was sure of. The fact that this woman—cute or not—had brainwashed an entire town into believing she held the answers to their happily ever afters? It was preposterous. And that was his angle.

He needed a new strategy. Tomorrow, he’d go into town and interview as many locals as he could. Perhaps he’d meet up with Tom and start there. That guy seemed sensible. The tavern Jason drove by on his way home might be a good place to start. Men liked to talk after a few beers. Surely one of them could tell him a little more about Emma.

He chuckled. What he really needed to do was cozy up to some of the women. Those were the real talkers. He ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe a trip to a salon for a trim should be his top priority.

“Hey, stranger. I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

Jason whipped his head around. Caitlin had reached the end of the dock. She was wearing denim shorts and a light blue tank top with white strings down the middle that barely held her cleavage in. Modest, she was not. Then again, he already knew that from her prancing around the house in his buddy’s shirts. “Oh, hi, Caitlin.”

“Expecting someone else?” She sat down next to him and arched her back. “What a day.”

“Brandon get off this afternoon?”

She sighed. “Not the way I was hoping.”

He smiled flatly. This woman had a one-track mind. “I take it his plane left on time?”

“Yes,” she pouted and removed her flip-flops, dropping her feet into the lake. “Oooh, that’s cold!” She pulled them back up onto the dock, flicking drops of water off her red pedicured toes. “He’ll be back soon.”

“Oh really?” Brandon hadn’t mentioned he’d be returning to Buttermilk Falls. It didn’t really surprise Jason. “When’s he coming back?”

“On Monday.”

Jason smiled. Man, his friend was seriously into this brunette. She was beautiful. A little too high maintenance for Jason’s taste, but he could see why Brandon was enjoying her company.

Now that Brandon was gone for a few days, he hoped this meant that he would have the cottage to himself. “Thanks again for letting me stay here.”

“No problem. My parents were excited to hear the place would be rented out. Stay as long as you like.”

He looked out at the water. He only planned on being here one week—enough time to learn more about Emma’s “gift,” interview the town residents, expose her for the fraud she was, and file the story. His job was in Miami. Eventually, he’d have to go back.

“So, Caitlin.” He leaned back on the dock, propping himself up with his elbows. “Do you know Emma Stevens?” He watched her wiggle her freckled nose. Was that disgust all over her pretty face? It sure looked like it. “Not a fan, I take it?”

“Let’s just say she’s not my favorite.”

“How come?”

She shrugged. “Stupid high school stuff.”

He smirked. “And you’re still holding a grudge five years later?”

She laughed. “Try ten.”

He mentally did the math. It had been fourteen years since his senior year, that must make Emma around twenty-eight. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

“It wasn’t just high school. She also dated my ex-boyfriend, practically moved in the minute we broke up. He came to his senses and dumped her earlier this year.”

So, the pretty bakeshop owner was single. An interesting fact that Jason filed away. “It’s such a small town. You must run into each other all the time, no?”

“Yeah, we’ve gotten good at avoiding one another or looking the other way. I’m surprised I haven’t seen her snooping around since you and Brandon arrived.”

“What do you mean?”

Caitlin pointed behind her. “She lives next door.”

Jason turned and gazed at the small white cottage with light pink window trim. Its owner didn’t appear to be home. Emma Stevens was his neighbor? Well, this was an interesting turn of events.

“She must still be at the Sugar Spoon. Her family owns the bakery.” Caitlin swung her legs around and put on her flip-flops. “Good thing I hate sweets.”

“She works late, huh?” Jason needed to pump Caitlin for all the information he could on his pretty blonde neighbor.

“Yeah, it’s Monday night. All the eligible men in Buttermilk will be there,” she said. Jason caught the undeniable sarcasm in her voice.

“Why tonight?”

“It’s Batter Up night.” She rolled her eyes. “The guys go watch the baseball game while Emma whips up her magic.”

“Oh, right. That’s how Tom and Bridget got together.” He played it cool. He hadn’t told Caitlin the real reason he was in Buttermilk Falls. As far as she knew, he just wanted to extend his summer vacation and wasn’t in any rush to get back to Miami. He was a little surprised that Brandon hadn’t opened his big trap, but on the other hand, his best friend and the vixen brunette had been using their mouths for other things the last few days.

Caitlin stood and brushed off any dirt off the back of her shorts. “If you ask me, it’s all hogwash. Magic schmagic. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do matchmaking in this town.” She threw her hands up in the air. “We’re all practically related anyway. How about I order some dinner before I leave? Do you like Mexican?”

“No, thanks. I’m good.” There was no way he could risk eating anything spicy that could potentially set his mouth on fire again.

“Okay then.” She started to leave the dock. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He looked back at the water. So, Emma’s spell casting happens on Monday nights? It wasn’t something you could just order whenever you wanted. He glanced down at his watch. It would probably be a bad idea to show his face in the bakery tonight—not after this afternoon’s debacle. Better to let Emma cool off.

He sighed. Maybe he was the one who needed cooling off? Seeing the attractive bakeshop owner today stirred a longing inside him he’d forgotten he was capable of feeling. That sensation came back again upon hearing she was single and lived easily within ten feet of where he was staying.

Looking over at her cottage, he suddenly didn’t feel any rush whatsoever to hurry over to the Sugar Spoon. No. His story could wait. Right now, he only had one question that needed an immediate answer.