by Robyn Neeley
* * *
Abby slid into the corner booth at the Star Lite and looked around the crowded restaurant. She hadn’t seen Brandon’s car in the parking lot and there was no sign of him inside.
“Hey, sunshine.” Betty came over with a menu. “What a wonderful surprise.”
“Hi, Betty.” Abby took her menu and asked for another before wiggling out of her green parka jacket.
“Emma joining you for dinner?”
“No, Brandon.”
That got a larger than life grin. “Brandon as in—the spice to your sugar—Brandon?”
“He would be the one.” Abby couldn’t help but grin back, remembering how wonderful their date had turned out. If only they had spent evenings like that one talking and getting to know each other while sitting around a bonfire instead of their usual beelining it to his bed. She might have realized just how strong her feelings were for him.
“I’ll go get started on your strawberry shakes.”
“Thanks, Betty.” She hesitated before calling out, “Extra strawberries in Brandon’s please.”
Abby flipped open the menu and gazed at the dinner options. The responsible thing to do was to choose a healthy meal since she was now eating for two, but what she craved was a BBB special. Her hands rested on her stomach. Maybe it was time to introduce Baby Swift to the town’s beloved burger. She could order a side of fruit if she was really feeling guilty.
Rubbing her belly, she thought back to this morning when she’d blurted out the news to Brandon. She hadn’t meant to completely stun him. It’s just that when he started to bring up last night, the words flew out.
She could tell that her being pregnant had thrown him. The taken aback expression on his face had been a dead giveaway. Was he worried that this would change their business arrangement? He seemed so sincere when he told her to let him know if there was anything she needed. Would the offer still stand once he learned he was the father?
Lost in that thought, she didn’t notice Brandon had arrived until he slid in across from her.
“Hey, Abby.”
“Hi.” She placed his menu in front of him while he removed his jacket and settled into the booth. He had on a casual navy blue sweater with a white shirt underneath. She loved his preppy look. “No flannel tonight?” she couldn’t help but tease.
“Jason told me to get rid of them.”
“Why?”
Brandon rolled up his sleeves. “You know, I don’t remember.”
“Well, you look nice.” And smell nice. Abby took a minute to enjoy his musky cologne that she knew all too well.
Just then, Betty came over and dropped down their shakes. “Two strawberry milkshakes heavy on the strawberries and whipped cream for my two favorite customers.” She paused to look at Brandon. “You look like you’re just bursting with good news.”
His eyes crinkled in amusement, and he winked at Abby. “I might have come up with the best idea for my business partner.”
“Oh, really.” Abby lifted an eyebrow. “I’m intrigued.”
“I think that’s my cue to leave you two alone.” Betty patted Brandon on the back. “But first, do you know what you both want?”
“I’ll take a BBB Burger and a side of fruit,” Abby piped up.
“That sounds good.” Brandon closed his menu and handed it to Betty. “I’ll have the same, but can you add fries to mine?”
“You got it.” Betty hurried off, and Abby settled into the booth.
“So . . .” She took a sip of her shake, the strawberry and whipped cream sugar rush went straight to her head. “What is this big idea you have that warranted a dinner date?”
“Funny you should say date.” Brandon grabbed his own shake and took a long drink. “Man, these are good. Okay, so as you know, I’ve been tasked to spend a lot of time with the opposite sex . . .”
Abby stared at him, wondering exactly where this conversation was going and how it involved her. “And . . .”
“I was thinking it might be nice to date one woman.”
Her heart sunk at that news. Was he going to tell her he’d fallen for Rachel or Bethany? “Well . . .” she started, not exactly sure what to say. “I can see how your dating one bachelorette and getting to really know her might be more appealing than going on a series of dates with silly assignments attached to them.”
“Right? I totally agree. So, I spoke with Jason’s editor and pitched her the idea, and she loved it too. I have five more dates left in this experiment, and they’re going to be with the same woman.”
“I thought you had ten days left?”
“I do but my dates are scheduled every other night.”
“Oh.” Abby sunk her straw deep into her shake and stirred it around. She was at least happy to know he wouldn’t be rushing their dinner to go on date three. Maybe she could suggest that they stop at the inn afterwards so she could see the second floor and hear his ideas for the space. Anything to spend a little more time with him like Emma had suggested.
Just then, Betty came over with their dinner and set the two plates down. Grabbing her burger with both hands, Abby dived in. If she was going to have to listen to Brandon talk about his getting to know either Rachel or Bethany better, she’d at least feed their baby while doing it.
“So, do you think it’s a good idea?”
“Sure.” She managed to say in between bites. Really? What was she going to say? No, it’s a bad idea because your sperm recently attached to my egg. “So, who’s the lucky girl?”
“You.”
Rewind. Abby choked on her burger and reached for her shake. Did pregnancy cause you to hear things? “Me?”
The corners of his mouth flew up, flashing a sexy grin. “I want to date you, Abby Stevens, and it will be out there on the Internet for all of the world to see, including your baby’s father.” He leaned in. “I want to help you get him back by making him insanely jealous.”
“That’s your big idea?” Her tone was suspicious, but she couldn’t deny she liked what he was saying so far.
“Yeah.” He grabbed the ketchup bottle, unscrewed the cap, and turned it upside down onto his plate. “Pretty genius, huh?”
“Something like that.” Abby set down her burger and reached for her napkin, trying to comprehend Brandon’s proposal.
“Think about it. We’ll be going on all kinds of fun and romantic dates.” He grabbed her hand. “I wouldn’t be opposed to a repeat performance in the corn maze. All for the cameras, of course.”
“Of course . . .” she muttered, staring down at her hand now nestled in his.
“Plus, you’ll be doing me a favor.”
“How so?”
Brandon released his hand and went to work on his fries. “I haven’t been into these dates if I’m really honest. I mean, sure the first two were nice women, but running around with all of the bachelorettes in this town isn’t what I want.”
Abby cocked her head to the side at that news. “It’s not?”
“Not at all. I think I’m done playing the field, but I don’t want to back out and leave Jason’s editor high and dry. This way, I get to spend the remainder of this assignment with someone I like and not have to worry about doing something stupid with a stranger.”
Someone he likes. Abby’s insides warmed at that news, although she was pretty sure he was saying it in the most platonic sense of the word. “You really want your next five dates to be with me? Just me?”
Brandon leaned back and his grin grew wider. “You’re good for me, Abby Stevens.”
“I am?” What was he talking about? “How exactly am I good for you?”
“All I know is that after I spend any time with you, I go home and my hands fly across the keyboard. Five dates with you, and I just might have a first draft of my novel completed. If you won’t do it for me, do it for my muse. What do you say? Will you do it?” He placed his hands in a prayer. “Please.”
Abby stared down at her fruit cup, trying to process his crazy pro
position. What it boiled down to was Brandon offering her the opportunity for them to spend time together—the quality time that Emma insisted would help break the spell.
Brandon picked up a fry, dipped it in a little ketchup, and handed it to her. “Do we have a deal, Abby Stevens?”
She snatched the fry and popped it into her mouth. “Deal.”
Chapter 12
Abby stood on her deck and breathed in the cold air, waiting for Jasper to do his business. She’d tried to sleep in since Emma had given her the day off to go to her obstetrician appointment this afternoon, but her parents’ dog had other plans for her.
Thank God Aunt Sheila had agreed to watch him starting tomorrow. Abby suspected her aunt felt she might need to take the rambunctious dog off her hands while Abby dealt with her current situation.
Her mom had called last night to check on her precious Boston Terrier. Man, she was going to flip when she found out she was going to be a grandmother.
How exactly should she break the news? She had a little bit of time in that her parents had decided to stay with her brother through Thanksgiving.
She laughed. Aunt Sheila had told her mom years ago that she’d had a premonition in which Josh had three kids, but that she hadn’t had a vision yet of how many Abby would have. Her mom wasn’t going to know what to do one day with all those grandchildren.
Well, it wouldn’t happen anytime soon for Josh. Her brother was married to his work, and in some ways, more of a bachelor than Brandon. She’d thought back to his last visit over the summer. He’d stayed with her, but his bed in her guest room had gone unslept in the entire time. He probably hooked up with one of his old girlfriends.
“Well, if it isn’t my date.”
Brandon approached, holding a tray with two coffee cups in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
She looked down in horror at her green pajama bottoms with little red apples and wrapped her arms around her matching green night shirt. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d come by and make sure that you’re not having cold feet.” He grinned down at her big, red, fuzzy slippers. “Doesn’t look like there’s a chance of that in those.”
“They’re extremely comfy, thank you very much.” She opened the door and unleashed Jasper, letting him run inside. “Come on in, Casanova.”
“Casanova?” He chuckled with mock surprise. “Abby, I think you have me all wrong.” He held up the brown paper bag and shook it. “I come with breakfast.”
“Well, I am starving.” She motioned for him to take a seat on her beige couch while she grabbed some plates and napkins.
“The decaf’s yours.”
“Thank you. This is very sweet of you—completely unnecessary—but sweet.”
He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Okay, I may have ulterior motives.”
“I knew it,” she said and plopped down next to him. “Lay it on me.”
“Well, after dinner last night, I went home and—”
“Changed your mind about us dating?” She paused, adding, “For the web story, I mean.”
“No, not at all. I can’t wait to go on our first date.” He reached over and playfully poked her arm. “I wrote all night. Like seriously went to bed at 3 a.m. I thought maybe if I saw you this morning, I could then go home and get some more words down before I head over to the inn.”
The idea that he truly believed she was his muse’s inspiration sent tingles straight through her. She reached in the bag and pulled out two bagels and cream cheese. “I’m flattered you think I’m the reason for your newfound creativity, but I doubt I’m your inspiration.”
He shook his head and took one of the bagels she offered. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“I’m sure you could write without seeing me, but I’m here to help.” She ran her fingers through her hair, hoping her bedhead looked more sexy than disheveled. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just hang out with me and talk.” He began petting Jasper who had nestled up beside him. “So, are your parents still visiting your brother?”
“Yeah. They’re having a great time in the Big Apple. My mom loves Broadway musicals, and my father can’t get enough of skyscraper architecture—he’s an architect.”
“That’s awesome. Maybe your father could give us some ideas to renovate the inn when he gets back.”
“Maybe.” Abby sipped her coffee. Her dad would most likely love to help.
“What does your brother do?”
“He’s in cosmetics.”
“As in surgery?”
“No. Goodness no. He works for a cosmetics company.” She picked up a tiny bottle of nail polish on her coffee table. “He’s responsible for the red in . . .” Turning the bottle upside down, she read the name, “Make Men Blush.”
He chuckled. “I think I’ll stick to women. Did he always want to do that?”
“Probably. Growing up around two teenage witches he got used to playing with a lot of potion, and now he hooks me up with an endless supply of free makeup.” She took a bite of her sesame bagel. “He’s working on a new perfume line for the company. I doubt my parents are even seeing him much. He’ll probably be home for Christmas.”
“Well, I look forward to meeting him.” He paused and smirked. “Unless he’s a warlock.”
“No. No.” She couldn’t help but laugh at that. Josh didn’t have a sorcery bone in his body. “He tried to do the Batter Up spell once and was worse at it than I am. He’s better off in his makeup lab with chemicals and beakers.”
“Is it weird being able to do that?”
“Do what?”
“You know . . . witchy things.”
“You mean magic?” She swung around the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. “I don’t really think much about it. I mean, Emma’s really the one with the gift. I can do a couple of things.” She locked eyes with him and sighed. “I haven’t done anything with my talent lately that I’m particularly proud of.”
“What? Did you give your baby’s father a case of jock itch?”
She smiled because Brandon wouldn’t be sitting across from her so comfortable if that was the case. “No, nothing like that, but I’ve decided I’m going to be more responsible with my spells.”
“I’d love to see you in action, flying around the kitchen in your hat with a black cat at your feet.”
“I don’t own a pointed hat, and I’d have to borrow Emma’s feline, Magic, to make that happen.” She reached for her coffee cup. “I’d love to master a spell that brings happiness to others like Emma’s Batter Up spell does.”
“Another love spell . . .” He shook his head. “. . . just what this town needs.”
She had to agree with him since the residents of Buttermilk Falls did seem to have a preoccupation with falling in love. “I was thinking my spell could be more individual goal-oriented.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Something that could inspire people to be the best version of themselves, maybe.”
“Well, you do that for me without a spell.”
“I do?” That compliment made her cheeks toasty. “You sure know how to flatter your dates, Brandon Swift.”
“Speaking of which . . . I wonder what we’re doing tonight?”
“Our first date is tonight?” she asked.
“Sure is. Care to find out where we’re going?”
Yes! She shrugged her shoulders not wanting to tip him off as to how eager she was to spend time with him. “Sure, why not.”
He pulled an envelope from his back pocket. “Shane must have dropped this off this morning. It was on my front doorstep.” He tapped it on her knee. “Here, you do the honors.”
Abby took the envelope, tore open the flap, and pulled out the date card. God she hoped the evening involved some serious locking of their lips.
Brandon and Abby, the Buttermilk Fall Foliage Festival kicks off tonight with the chili cook-off at the Elks Club at 5 p.m. Winner gets to cho
ose how you’ll spend the rest of the evening.
Chuckling, she handed him back the card. “This date hardly seems fair.”
“What do you mean by that?” Brandon raised a playful eyebrow. “You think you’re going to win?”
“Don’t you? Even if I wasn’t an amazing cook starting a catering company from the ground up, wooden spoons and pots—well, they kind of run in my family.”
Brandon jumped off the couch. “Game on, Abby Stevens. I’m going to show you I have mad kitchen skills and Mama Swift’s secret chili recipe. I’ll see you at the cook-off. Be prepared to lose.”
“We’ll see about that.” Abby began mentally checking off all the ingredients she would need for her amazing pumpkin chili. She could head to the grocery store after her doctor’s appointment and get everything she needed. The taste testers were in for a special treat because the recipe was always a crowd favorite. There was no way Brandon would win this.
“I’ll see you tonight.” With a wink, he started to leave. Halfway across the room, he spun around and snapped his fingers. “Oh, and dress in warm layers because when I win, I’ve got the perfect way to end our evening. I just need to make a few calls.” He waved good-bye and disappeared out her sliding glass door.
Abby stood and walked over to the door. Sipping her coffee, she watched Brandon jog in the direction of his cottage.
What kind of date was he planning? Whatever it was, he sure seemed excited.
She grinned. It might be worth her throwing the contest to find out.
* * *
Brandon grabbed the large crockpot from the backseat of his car and headed into the Elks Lodge. He loved returning to the scene of the crime where he had bid all that money for Abby’s yummy strawberry dessert just two weeks ago.
He couldn’t help but grin, thinking about how well that date had gone. He’d fork over twice the amount again in a heartbeat. Now, he had more dates to look forward to—five to be exact.
After leaving Abby’s this morning, he’d spent a couple of hours on his manuscript and then headed to the grocery store to pick up all the ingredients his mother’s recipe called for. Not wanting to forget anything, he gave her a quick buzz at the store. A good thing he did, too, because she reminded him to stir in half a bottle of honey once the chili began to simmer.