Pitch Perfect

by MCLANE, LUANN

  “It’s peaceful here,” Mitch commented.

  “Not like the city; that’s for sure,” Nicolina commented, wondering if he could ever live in a small town.

  As if reading her mind, he said, “I could get used to this.”

  I could get used to having you here, ran through her mind, but she smiled and nodded. “I already have,” she said, letting him know that this was her home now and moving back to Chicago wasn’t in her plans.

  “I can understand why.”

  Nicolina watched him look around with a keen eye as if wondering if he could live here without going stir-crazy. But when they reached the Dairy Bar she pushed those thoughts from her mind and decided to simply enjoy the evening. A few people looked their way, but for the most part the crowd had died down, and so Mitch being recognized wasn’t an issue. After ordering two vanilla cones—one with sprinkles for her—they opted to sit down at one of the picnic tables along the side of the building and enjoy their dessert.

  “This is such a treat.” Nicolina chuckled when she had to quickly lick a glob of sprinkle-laden ice cream before it escaped the edge of the cone.

  “And so is the ice cream,” Mitch said with a grin.

  “You are such a flirt.”

  “You bring it out in me.” When he tilted his head for a melting lick from his cone, his fake hair got in the way, making him laugh. “You’re right—this is fun.”

  Nicolina nodded. “And no one here will even begin to recognize you,” she added, but then she almost squeezed the ice cream from her cone. She leaned toward Mitch very slowly and said in a low tone, “Ah, strike that last comment.”

  Mitch swallowed a bite of his cone. “Who?” he mouthed.

  “Whatever you do, don’t turn around.”

  Of course he immediately whipped around so fast that his fake hair fanned out over his shoulders. He quickly turned back to face Nicolina. “It’s Ty and Jessica pushing baby Ben in a stroller,” he said in a stage whisper. “I don’t think they recognized me.”

  “I told you not to turn around,” Nicolina whispered back and then had to lick a big drip of melting ice cream from her cone.

  “Sorry.” Mitch grinned. “I don’t mind very well, do I?”

  Nicolina arched one eyebrow. “Naughty can be very nice.” She chuckled when Mitch laughed in midlick of his soft serve, making the whole thing tip like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He had to quickly adjust by licking the other side, making her laugh even harder. At her age, she’d never thought that sexy flirting was still possible, but they played and teased so much that by the time they finally fell into bed, it was always amazing.

  Mitch wiped his mouth with the small paper napkin. “That was a close call.”

  “Yes, you almost lost your ice cream.”

  “No, I mean seeing Ty and Jessica. They could have blown my Joe Dirt cover.”

  Nicolina laughed. “You do look like Joe Dirt.”

  Mitch gave the fake hair a flip. “Turn you on, does it?”

  “You bet,” she replied in a suggestive tone that had him grinning.

  Mitch put his hand over hers and his grin faded into something more serious. “I enjoy every minute with you. I hope you know that.”

  Nicolina nodded. “I do.”

  “Good.” He squeezed her hand gently and then licked away a drip from his cone. “We’d better get going soon.”

  “So you don’t get recognized?”

  “No, so I can make love to you,” he said and had her melting quicker than her ice cream.

  “We could eat as we walk,” she suggested and was already standing up, making Mitch chuckle.

  “Now, why didn’t I think of that?” He stood up with her and smiled. “Let’s go.”

  They had just polished off their cones when Nicolina’s eyes widened. She tugged on Mitch’s hand. “Quick, duck behind this tree!”

  “This isn’t going to hide us,” Mitch said. “Who is it?”

  “Bella and Madison walking right this way! Do something!”

  “Okay.” Mitch pressed her up against the trunk of the big oak tree, bent his mullet head, and kissed her.

  18

  Hot Summer Nights

  WHILE EATING THE AMAZING MEAT LOAF, MASHED potatoes, and green beans that Cam had brought to her, Mia read over the promotional material that Noah had encouraged her to review. She really missed having a laptop and hoped that Noah would have a company one that she could bring home from work in the evenings, because it was apparent that her social life wasn’t going to be thriving. Besides, she really wanted to excel at this job.

  Munching on a soft, yeasty dinner roll that she’d sworn she wasn’t going to eat, Mia made several notes in the margin while she studied her job description. Her mind already raced with ideas. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was to get corporate contributions. Coming up with items to give away at games was going to be a fun challenge.

  After a while she became restless and unpacked her clothes. “Wow,” she mumbled, shaking her head at the outfits she had hastily tossed into her suitcase. Other than the suit and a few pairs of capri pants, most of what she had brought was going to be useless. She thought about Violet’s Vintage Clothing store on Main Street and hoped that she could set aside enough of her salary to purchase a few blouses and one of the wide belts that Violet had suggested to mix and match the separates to create more outfits.

  Mia rolled her eyes when she thought of the jam-packed walk-in closet back home in Chicago. So much of what she owned wouldn’t be well suited for her lifestyle here in Cricket Creek. She also thought about the fact that the cost of just one designer dress was more money than she needed to outfit herself with the basic necessities of everyday small-town living. A hot flash of guilt hit her when she thought about all of the purses, shoes, and clothes that just hung in her closet, never even having been worn.

  Mia’s mind drifted to Sunny, and she hoped that she would be able to sell the shoes and pocket enough cash to get what she needed. Her eyes suddenly filled with moisture and she swallowed hard. “I’m just a spoiled brat,” she muttered under her breath. No wonder she felt as if no one took her seriously. Up until now she hadn’t taken life seriously.

  With a long sigh, she sat down on the bed so hard that she bounced. The solitude reminded her of her many lonely nights as a kid, and she took her mind off of it and started flipping through the television channels but soon became bored. “Who needs a reality show? I am a reality show,” she muttered, flopping onto her back. “What I need is some chocolate.” She stared up at the ceiling, wishing she had bought a candy bar or ice cream at the grocery store. As much as she tried to watch her weight, she had a sweet tooth that drove her crazy if denied. She indulged once in a while, even when her friends did not. Most of them obsessed way too much over their appearance, and unfortunately much of the obsession was brought on their mothers, who encouraged Botox and plastic surgery at an early age.

  Mia tried to think of just one of her friends who hadn’t had some kind of work done, and she couldn’t come up with even one name except for Cat. “Of course, I didn’t have a mother to push me in any direction,” she thought darkly. Funny, she rarely thought of her mother, but being in this small town had her longing for a sense of family that seemed to be everywhere.

  “Oh … I need chocolate!” Crossing her fingers, she sat up. “Please … ,” she said as she opened her purse, hoping that there was just a little square of chocolate or at the very least maybe an after-dinner mint hidden in the deep depths, but her search in every little zipper area turned up empty. She did have to smile when she pulled the hula dancer out of the bottom of her purse. “Well, hello there, little chickie.” Mia jiggled her a little bit so that her hips danced back and forth. “Welcome to your new home until my car is fixed,” she announced, putting the tiny dancer on the dresser. “Are you as bored as I am?” She glanced at her silent cell phone and sighed again, thinking that except for her conversation with Cat Carson, no one f
rom what she now thought of as her old life really seemed to care that she was gone.

  That sad thought had her craving chocolate even more, and she groaned in pure frustration when she realized that dessert wasn’t the only thing weighing on Mia’s mind. The knowledge that sexy-as-sin Cameron Patrick was right next door had Mia feeling like a moth drawn to a light. She folded her arms across her chest and looked into the accusing eyes of the hula dancer. “Oh, don’t look at me that way. I’m not going to go over there,” she said, and then she realized that if she was so bored that she was talking to a doll, she had better get out of the condo and find some real people. Perhaps she would head to Wine and Diner or maybe walk over to the ice cream stand called the Dairy something or other. Yeah, a soft-serve ice cream cone suddenly sounded appealing. Dressed in her shorts and shirt, she wouldn’t even feel out of place. She also decided not to lug her huge designer purse and just take some of the little bit of cash she had left. Plus, walking would burn off enough calories to justify eating the treat. Well, not really, but it was something.

  Feeling better now that she had a plan, Mia smiled and headed out the front door of her condo, which led into the shared hallway. But just as she walked past the elevators, she realized that she had forgotten her cell phone and also had neglected to lock the front door. She was so used to keypads that she had completely forgotten. At first she decided that she would just leave; after all, this was Cricket Creek and getting robbed wasn’t likely, and her cell phone had remained stubbornly silent, so why bother? She took another step toward the front entrance but then stopped and decided to do the mature thing and get her phone and lock the door. Besides, what if someone did try to call her?

  “The key is in the purse you decided not to take,” she grumbled to herself, but when she turned the knob on the front door, it was already locked. “Oh no, it’s one of the kind that locks automatically!” She felt tears of frustration well up in her eyes but then told herself not to be a baby! She inhaled deeply and searched her brain for a solution. Ah … maybe the sliding door to the patio was still open. Had she remembered to lock it? “I sure hope not, but that would be just my luck,” she prayed as she walked outside and headed around to the back of the building.

  Mia pressed her lips together as she put her hand on the handle. “Please be open,” she whispered and then finally took the plunge and tugged. “Damn!” she grumbled when the door refused to slide. “Damn, damn … damn!” She stomped her foot and tugged really hard again, even though she knew it wouldn’t budge.

  “Something wrong?”

  Mia whirled around and lost her balance from the force of the tug coupled with her quick twirl. To her horror, she actually did a three-sixty and then added a little grapevine to the left, which would have been fine if she were doing one of those wedding line dances that she always got wrong. She righted herself just before slamming into the brick wall. “Must you sneak up on a person?”

  His lips twitched, but he must have sensed that laughing might not be a good idea. “Sorry, didn’t mean to. I heard you cursing.”

  Great …

  “Is there something I can do?”

  “No,” she answered stiffly, too embarrassed to admit that she had locked herself out. He was in red Nike shorts and was shirtless, looking so good that it should have been outlawed. Just gazing at him made her heart pound, but he appeared calm, obviously not affected by her presence one little bit. The thought irritated her to no end.

  Cam frowned. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” she claimed, but she stood there not really knowing what to do about her situation, only that she wasn’t about to let him know her predicament. But feeling silly that she was being rude, she said, “Thank you again for bringing dinner. It was delightful.”

  He grinned, making her heart race at the sight.

  “What?” she snapped and then amended in a softer tone, “are you grinning about?”

  “Delightful.”

  She stared at him blankly, carefully keeping her eyes off his very nice chest. He was tanned and toned and … stop!

  “You use words that for some reason I find funny.”

  “I’m so glad that I amuse you.”

  “I’m not easily amused, so think of it as a gift.”

  Mia knew he was trying to be funny but sensed that he was actually telling the truth. Something about his admission touched her, making her anger evaporate … well, that and the fact that he didn’t do anything to deserve her wrath. Mia was usually slow to anger, but then again her emotions had been all over the map, making her feel off balance. “I tend to make people laugh without even trying,” she admitted with a slight grin. “I’m always the one out of sync, you know?”

  “I don’t know about that. You seem to be able to dance pretty well.”

  “Ha … ah, very funny.”

  “I have my moments.” Cam looked at her as if he was going to say something more but then thought better of it. When he looked away, Mia took the opportunity to allow her gaze to drift over his bare chest. When she felt heat creep into her cheeks, she averted her gaze, but then frowned. Wait, wasn’t that the same sedan that she had seen earlier? Mia nibbled on the inside of her lip. Yeah, she was pretty sure the same car had been parked near the stadium, and she felt a little surge of alarm. “Is something wrong?” Cam asked, and this time his tone was serious.

  “Nothing … ,” Mia mumbled while she tried to think of who could be following her. Of course her father popped into her mind, but there really wasn’t any way that he could have tracked her down. She was sure that he assumed she was hanging out with friends somewhere on a yacht or something similar.

  “Mia?”

  At his firm tone, Mia tore her attention from the car and looked up at Cam. At his inquisitive frown, she shrugged. “I’m not sure but I feel like someone … ,” she began, but then, not wanting to blow her cover, she shook her head.

  “Someone what?” he persisted, and when he followed her gaze the sedan suddenly took off. “Hey, do you think someone is following you?”

  “No … ,” she scoffed. “Who would be following little old me?” she asked, but she didn’t sound convincing even to her own ears.

  “You tell me.” When she remained silent, he took a step closer. “Listen, you can tell me anything and it will remain private. I promise.”

  “Thank you,” Mia replied, trying to sound matter-of-fact, but her voice trembled slightly. There had been a time a few years ago when her father had gotten some threatening letters. As a precaution he had sent her to Paris until it had all blown over. Mia always knew her father was a powerful man, and she suddenly wondered if someone really had been tailing her. After the harsh takeover of Hanover Candy, Mia wondered if her father had some enemies who might want to do her harm. She thought maybe she should actually give him a call but then remembered that her phone was in her purse along with the key to her place.

  “Mia, I don’t believe you. What’s wrong? Is there someone after you?” His tone was low and insistent.

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted softly.

  “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

  “I told you before … no!” She shook her head firmly but wouldn’t look at him.

  “Is it an ex-boyfriend creeping on you? I’ll kick his ass.”

  Mia looked up to see a muscle jumping in his jaw. The very last thing she wanted was for Cam to get into trouble once again on her behalf. Still, it was damned sexy that he wanted to come to her rescue. “Impossible, since I don’t have an ex-boyfriend. Look, I’m just ticked because I locked myself out of the condo. All I wanted was an ice cream. I didn’t realize that the front door would lock when I shut it.”

  “So you locked yourself out?”

  “I was embarrassed to tell you. I just wanted something sweet,” she said and then blushed. “Like ice cream or chocolate.”

  Cam gave her a measuring look, as if trying to decide whether or not to believe her. “Well, Bella and Madis
on both have a master key.”

  “Right! I’ll head to the front desk.” She put the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Silly me. Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Madison’s probably gone by now, though. I talked to her earlier when I dropped off my rent check. She said that she and Bella were going to Sully’s tonight. We can probably find them over there. Grab a beer?”

  We? Her heart pounded but she shook her head. “Oh … I’ve taken up enough of your day. I’ll just walk over there myself.”

  “No way.”

  “What do you mean, no way?”

  “Mia, you just thought that someone could be following you. Do you really think I’ll let you walk over there by yourself? It will be dark pretty soon.”

  “This is Cricket Creek, not Chicago,” Mia scoffed but then almost put her hand over her mouth. She was really bad at this undercover stuff. “Or New York or LA,” she added, as if throwing out random cities and not disclosing where she lived.

  “True, but I’m coming with you all the same.”

  Mia thought about arguing, but she really did want him to come. Seeing the sedan had sent a shot of fear sliding down her spine. It was probably nothing at all to do with her, but her instinct was waving a red flag. Her father had always taught her to trust her gut, so having Cam come with her was a good idea.

  “Come on over and I’ll grab a shirt and my wallet.” He shot her a grin. “I could use a cold beer anyway, but it’s early for Sully’s, so if you want to get an ice cream I’m down for that too.”

  Mia thought about the three dollars and thirty-three cents she had in her pocket.

  “I still have Noah’s card,” he added with a wink.

  “You can’t use that!”

  “I was supposed to take you out on the town. He’s not going to quibble over an ice cream or a couple of beers. Trust me.” He waved a hand for her to follow him. “Come on.”

  “Okay,” she said, with a bit of question laced in her tone, but in fact she did trust him, and if she was being honest, she was giddy about spending the evening with him … for her protection, of course. Nothing more. Still, as she followed him she couldn’t help but admire his very nice butt.