Pitch Perfect (22 page)

“Smart idea,” Cam said, and then signaled for a bartender. Sully noticed them and lumbered over to the end of the bar.

“Well, hello there, sugar,” Sully said in his booming voice. He slapped the white towel he had in his hand over his shoulder and grinned at Mia. “You still stirring up trouble over at Wine and Diner?”

“Actually, I’m working as the promotions manager for the Cougars.”

“You don’t say.” Sully’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “Well, now.”

“In fact, if you’d like, we could sit down sometime soon and discuss some ways that you could promote your bar at the ballpark,” Mia suggested. “Maybe a T-shirt? If I can get enough interest from other establishments in town, you could all have your name on the back.”

“I like that idea.” Sully nodded. “I’ve done that for local softball teams, but this would be even better. Locals know about my tavern, but it would be great to get some of the out-of-towners over here before or after the games.”

“Super. I don’t have business cards just yet, but I’ll stop in for lunch this week and we can brainstorm ideas. Think in terms of having discounts for patrons of the games if they show a ticket stub—something like stub-and-grub night?”

“Stub and grub . . .” Sully tugged on his beard and then nodded. “Hey, I like that!” He appeared duly impressed and then turned to Cam. “Word is that you’ve been smacking the tar out of the ball.”

Cam nodded. “I’ve been making some contact.”

“Well, I’m sure looking forward to opening day. Ty McKenna stopped in earlier and had a few wings, and your name came up.” Sully leaned forward and said in a low but audible tone, “Ty sneaks in here for my special wings. I grill ’em and then bake ’em until the meat falls off the bones. Jessica begged me for the sauce recipe and the rights to use it at Wine and Diner, but it’s a highly guarded secret.” He puffed out his wide chest. “Pretty damned flattering to have a chef like her want a recipe from little ole me . . . well, not that I’m little, but you get the picture.” He gave Mia a wink.

“I’ll say,” Mia agreed but then quickly added, “About the being flattered part.

Sully laughed. “Hey, little lady, seems like I remember that I owe you a martini.”

Mia glanced at Cam. “We were going to order a pail of Kentucky Ale.”

“A bucket,” Cam corrected with a grin. “Have the martini if you prefer, Mia.” He was beginning to guess that she didn’t frequent neighborhood bars like Sully’s Tavern.

Sully put his big hands on the gleaming wood bar and tilted his head. “I can make the perfect martini, very dry and extra cold, but I also make a mean Chocolate Dream, if you’re interested.”

“Oh, all you had to say was chocolate and I’m in,” Mia admitted.

Sully grinned and reached for a generous-sized martini glass hanging upside down from a rack. “Jerry, get a bucket of Kentucky Ale for Cameron Patrick and give him the Cougar discount,” he called to another bartender, who nodded.

“Thanks,” Cam said. The players all loved it at Sully’s, and with good reason. It might not be the pros, but it was nice for the players to feel like celebrities, if only on the local level. There was a lot of hometown pride in Cricket Creek, and Cam liked the feeling.

“Watch the master at work,” Sully said to Mia, drawing applause from several patrons seated at the bar.

“I believe I will—and take notes too.” Mia scooted onto a vacant stool. When her shoulder brushed against Cam, he snagged a beer from the bucket and took an ice-cold swig, but it did little to cool him down. He glanced around for Bella and Madison and didn’t see either one of them, but that was okay with him since he didn’t want to leave anytime soon.

A few minutes later Sully sat the frosty glass in front of Mia and poured the chocolate martini with a flourish. To her obvious delight, he added a decorative chocolate curl as a garnish and then stood back and waited for Mia to take a taste.

“Oh . . . pure heaven,” Mia gushed. “No wonder they call it a Chocolate Dream.” She took another sip and groaned. “This could be dangerous, but thank you so much. I do think this will hit the spot, even though I am full of ice cream. Good thing my car is still in the shop so I have to hoof it everywhere.”

Sully gave her another wink. “Let me know if you can handle another one, there, sugar.”

“Will do,” Mia answered and then raised her glass to Cam. “Would you like a sip?”

Cam was surprised by her offer. “Sure.” He really wasn’t a chocolate martini kind of guy, but the gesture seemed so date-like that he nodded and took the glass from her. He took a taste and had to admit that the velvety chocolate flavor with a kick had a certain appeal. “Pretty good,” he admitted and handed the glass back to her. “Would you like to go out on the deck or stay in here?”

“Oh, I almost always choose outdoors. Alfresco is my favorite way to drink or eat. My father and I eat outside, weather permitting, of course. I especially enjoy coffee outdoors in the morning.”

“I’m guessing
alfresco
means ‘outside,’” Cam said with a grin. She continued to give him conflicting hints as to her background, but he told himself not to care and to simply enjoy being with her.

“You guessed right,” she replied with a wide smile, making Cam think that she was enjoying herself as well. He held her martini for her while she slid down from the barstool and then grabbed the bucket of beer by the handle. “Thanks,” she said, taking her glass. When their fingers brushed, he was ready for the warm tingle and wasn’t disappointed. He already knew what it was like to have her in his arms, and he longed to have her there once again. They wove their way through the thickening crowd. Cam high-fived a few of his teammates and waved to a few others. When he noticed a few lingering looks at Mia, he put his hand at the small of her back to send a subtle message. The Cougars were starting to gel as a team, and Cam really thought they were going to win some games. Like him, the players were either trying to break into the minor leagues or climb their way back after an injury or simply being released. This was either a first or final shot for them all. The success of Logan Lannigan was proof positive that it could happen. Oddly enough, instead of feeling that this was his last chance, Cam was starting to feel as if this was a new beginning.

But for once it didn’t begin and end with baseball.

20

Raise Your Glass!

“T
HERE’S A SPOT!” MIA POINTED TO THE FAR CORNER OF
the deck, where one last table remained vacant.

“I’ll follow you,” Cam said over the sound of Toby Keith singing “I Love This Bar.”

“It is cute out here,” Mia commented. Tiny white lights twinkled in the trees surrounding the sides of the deck, but there was a pretty view of the Ohio River straight back from the building. The music was audible but muted, allowing for conversation. Fat citronella candles flickered on top of picnic-style tables that were straightforward in a Sully’s kind of way but somehow managed to create a romantic atmosphere.

Cam plunked the bucket down on the table and tucked his long legs beneath the bench seat. “I’m sure
cute
was the look Sully was going for,” he said with a grin.

Mia laughed as she sat down across from him. “Well, the man makes a mean martini.” She wasn’t a big drinker, but once in a while a cocktail hit the spot.

“I know that Madison and Bella both say that Sully’s rivals any martini bar in Chicago.”

“I can see why . . . or should I say
taste
why. I’m just a little bit surprised, but Sully sure is proud of his achievement.”

“Word has it that some rich-ass boater came in here last summer demanding a martini and then told Sully it was the worst one he’d ever had. Sully made it his mission to learn how to make the perfect martini.”

“Well, good for him,” Mia said, but once again Mia felt the internal sting of knowing that she had hung out with people like that . . . insulting and rude while thinking that they knew it all. She had rubbed shoulders with both the rich and famous, and while it wasn’t fair to lump anyone into a category, Mia had seen her fair share of obnoxious behavior. “Speaking of Madison and Bella, we completely forgot to look for them,” Mia said, but Cam didn’t appear concerned.

“I’ll scout around in a little while. I’m sure they’re here somewhere.”

“Do you know them very well?”

Cam shoved his empty bottle into the bucket and grabbed another one. “I haven’t lived here long enough to know them all that well, but in a small town like this you get to know lots of people in a short period of time. Since they both live at the high-rise, I see them both on a pretty regular basis. I do know that both of them are fun to hang out with.”

“I bet they are. Madison mentioned hanging out by the pool. I’d like to get to get to know Bella too.”

“Yeah, I bet they would like that too Mia. I know that Bella misses Logan. She groans about it all the time. If he gets called up to the majors, I’m guessing she’ll move with him.”

“I’m sure that being separated for such long periods sucks,” Mia said and then waited for Cam’s reaction.

“I guess if you care enough about someone, you do whatever it takes,” Cam said and then took a long pull from his bottle of beer. “I know I would,” Cam added but then glanced away as if embarrassed or even surprised at his open admission. But a moment later he looked at Mia and asked, “Wouldn’t you?”

“Of course,” Mia answered without hesitation and then raised her glass in salute. “Here’s to finding that person.”

Cam looked at her just long enough to get her heart rate going. He tapped his bottle to her glass, causing a delicate clink, and they both took a drink. Mia acknowledged that she was beginning to feel comfortable with Cam and simply be herself, but then that thought stopped her in midsip of her martini. She swallowed and then let the thought sink in. She felt more at ease with Cameron Patrick—and truthfully at Sully’s—than she had ever felt out with her friends. There was no pretense here. Everyone was casual and having a good time, she thought, and then as if on cue a couple of Cougars players came over and sat down. One of them was apparently too close to Mia, because Cam gave him an arch of one eyebrow that had the guy scooting farther away.

“By all means, have a seat,” Cam said with a shake of his head but then grinned. “Mia, meet Ryan Moore and Cory Baker.”

Ryan gave her a polite nod but Cory said, “You’re the new promotions manager, aren’t you?”

“That would be me.” She felt a sense of pride at the admission.

“If you’re looking to get a sellout crowd, I think you need to have big, glossy pictures of me to give away,” Cory said, pointing his thumb to his chest. “I’m just trying to help you out.” He put his palms up. “No thanks needed.”

“Or better yet, a really big poster,” Mia replied in a mock-serious tone and extended her hands to show the size she was talking about.

“Why, thank you. A huge poster sure is an awesome idea,” Cory said.

“No thanks needed, but the next round on you would be nice,” Mia suggested, drawing a laugh from them all.

“It’s the least I can do.” Cory good-naturedly agreed to the suggestion, and then he signaled for the waitress to come over to their table. He ordered another bucket of beer along with a martini for Mia, even though the first one already had her feeling pretty mellow. For the better part of an hour they had Mia laughing until her face hurt. She couldn’t remember when she’d had so much fun but turned down her third martini and opted for a bottle of water instead. She had work to do tomorrow and wanted to keep her mind sharp. After joking around, they talked seriously about some promo items that Mia thought had promise; she jotted down the suggestions on her napkin.

“Well,” Cory said, “I think it’s about time to show off my dance moves.”

“Show off?” Cam asked. “Cory, I’ve seen you dance.”

“I didn’t say good dance moves . . . ,” Cory admitted and laughed. “Mia, I bet you’re a great dancer,” he said, but when he extended his hand toward her, Cam shot him down with a look of warning. “Okay . . . I get it,” he said but then grinned at Mia. “But if you ever want to dump him for a stud like me, let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Mia said and was secretly pleased that Cam was leading his teammates to believe that they were a couple.

“Dude, you’re crazy,” Ryan said and gave Mia a look of apology for his teammate, but she knew it was all in fun. When Ryan and Cory finally got up to hit the dance floor, Mia shifted to the side, causing her knees to bump up against Cam’s beneath the table. The contact was brief and inadvertent, and yet she felt the touch all the way to her toes. Mia gripped the edge of the bench seat, thinking that she wanted to throw herself across the wooden table and kiss Cam, but she schooled her features in what she hoped was a bland that-didn’t-make-me-melt expression. She glanced at him beneath her lashes to try to see if there was any indication that he felt the same reaction but couldn’t get a bead on what he was thinking.

“Do you think we should head out?” Cam asked casually, and at first Mia was disappointed that he wanted to go home, but there was something just slightly suggestive in Cam’s eyes that made her breath catch.

He wanted her. She was certain.

“All right.” Mia narrowed her eyes in an effort to get a better look at him to make sure she was right, but he was looking down at his cell phone, so she couldn’t see his eyes. Damn . . . well, okay she was
kind
of sure. Wait, you couldn’t be kind of sure . . . you either were or you weren’t . . .
sure
.
I am,
she thought with a stubborn lift of her chin. No, what if she was wrong? Her chin fell. Completely, totally wrong and about to make a complete fool of herself. With that thought in mind, Mia decided she had better play it cool. For all she knew, he could be texting another girl.

“Sorry,” Cam said after looking up from his phone. “It was a message from Coach McKenna about practice starting late tomorrow.”

“No problem,” she said breezily. Wow, he had an amazing smile.

“So are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, I’m getting a little tired,” Mia answered in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone. She tried for a yawn, but she was pretty sure it looked faked so she stretched her arms wide and managed to smack a complete stranger on the butt. “Sorry,” Mia squeaked and then decided that the vibe she felt that Cam wanted her must be completely off. Who would want a dork like her?

He sure wanted you in the elevator. Yes, but those were unusual circumstances.
Mia continued the internal argument as they walked down the steps at the side of the deck that led to the parking lot. “Oh my gosh!” Mia said and pulled up short.

“What is it?” Cam tilted his head and then followed Mia’s gaze to an older couple walking toward the entrance to Sully’s. “Do you know them?”

“Yes.” Mia nodded vigorously and smiled up at Cam. “It’s Nancy, the secretary from the courthouse,” she answered in a stage whisper. “And she’s with Tucker!”

“Should I know Tucker?”

“He’s the groundskeeper at the courthouse. Nancy’s into him and it was plain as day that he feels the same way. She bakes cookies for him, Cam. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?”

“It’s nice,” he agreed hesitantly, clearly not understanding her excitement.

“I noticed it right off while I was waiting to bail you out of jail.”

“I hope you never have to say that again.” Cam grinned slightly and then shook his head slowly. “And you told Nancy to go for it?”

“How’d you know?” Mia caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded.

“An educated guess,” he replied with an arch of one eyebrow. “Do you want to say hi to them?”

“No, I don’t want to intrude. But don’t they make a cute couple? Oh look, she just laughed at something he said!”

“That’s amazing,” Cam said with a mock sigh. He grabbed her hand and put it to his chest.

“You’re making fun of me.” She tugged at her hand, but he didn’t let go.

“I’m just teasing,” he said, but he gave her a hooded look that she couldn’t quite read. “You know, your little nudge just might change their lives,” he said in a more serious tone. He nodded in the direction of the front door, which Tucker was opening for Nancy to enter.

“Do you think so?” Mia watched Tucker put his hand at the small of Nancy’s back and wondered if Nancy felt the same thrill of awareness that Mia felt when Cam touched her that way. She felt a sudden lump of emotion form in her throat. Would Nancy and Tucker end up together because of what she’d said yesterday in the courthouse? The thought made Mia feel significant.

“Are you okay?” Cam asked gently.

Mia nodded. “Yeah,” she said, but her voice was husky.

Cam frowned, but she gave him a reassuring smile.

“Let’s get going.” He gave her hand a slight tug.

“Okay.” Mia gazed up at him, but he suddenly seemed in a bit of a hurry. She swallowed hard while wondering if she had done something to change his mood. Had she read him wrong? Was the attraction all on her end?

On the way back, Cam was pretty quiet, making her internal argument even more heated, and it wasn’t until they were almost back at the complex that Mia stopped short and grabbed Cam’s arm. “We forgot to look for Bella or Madison! I still don’t have a key to get in.”

“Wow . . .” Cam put the heel of his hand to his forehead. “I completely forgot too!” he said and then smacked his leg. “What are we going to do?”

Mia blinked at him for a moment. The heel of his hand to his forehead seemed a little dramatic for Cam, but she might have bought it if he hadn’t added the leg smack. He didn’t want her to have the key to her place, so she would have to stay with him. She was sure of it this time.

Well, she wasn’t sure . . . but this time she decided to find out. “We could go to either of their condos and see if they’re home.”

“Well . . .” Cam paused and tilted his head from side to side as if considering the suggestion. “I think it’s pretty late, don’t you? It might not be good idea to bother either of them.” He raised his eyebrows slightly and then snapped his fingers. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you stay at my place tonight? The key situation might be easier to deal with in the light of day.”

“Hmm . . .” Being with Cam until the light of the day sounded so appealing that she wanted to give him a high five and do a little jig, but she decided not to make it so easy and pretended to consider his suggestion. “But I don’t have a toothbrush.”

“I have an extra one. A new one. It even massages your gums.”

She tapped the side of her cheek. “Nothing to sleep in . . .”

“Not a problem,” he said, and when Mia raised her eyebrows he added, “You can wear one of my T-shirts.”

“But what about my teddy bear?” she asked to trip him up.

“Your
teddy bear
?”

“Cam . . .” She gave him a pout. “I can’t sleep without my teddy bear.”

“You’re onto me, aren’t you?”

Mia grinned.

“And having fun with it.”

“Immensely.” Her grin widened.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you all night.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“To get you inside of my place.”

Mia yelped but then laughed when he grabbed her hand and quickly tugged her up to his door so fast that she practically stumbled after him. “Are you in a hurry or something?”

“Yes!” Cam fumbled for his key, dropped it, and let out an oath but then paused to apologize.