Destiny's Last Bachelor?

by Christyne Butler

  And lift his feet well out of reach.

  * * *

  Dean’s favorite deck shoes had been through hell over the years, and they looked it, but they’d never been peed on. The last thing he wanted was for that rat to get a second shot at him.

  “Snake. Hush!”

  This time the pup listened to his owner.

  Dean took a moment to pull in a deep breath, watching Priscilla lean over and easily lift her pet to her side.

  The last person he’d expected to run into here was Miss Lennox.

  When she’d told him yesterday she was in town to meet up with a man, he’d never thought in a million years it’d be Bobby. Of course, she did look like the type of woman his buddy had dated over the years once his racing career had taken off. Blonde. Beautiful. Bankrolled. That was before Bobby had returned to Destiny and rekindled his high-school love affair with Leann a couple of years ago.

  You’re about eighteen months too late, honey.

  Dean thought back to Bobby and Leann’s wedding, held right here in their home on New Year’s Eve. He’d stood up as best man for them, having gotten Bobby back on his feet with an innovative physical-therapy program that had led to Dean’s employment with the local veterans’ center.

  Sticking around and becoming a permanent resident of Destiny hadn’t been in his plans. He’d always figured he’d head back to his native New Jersey, but he’d found something here in this quiet rural community that had been missing in his life.

  “Well, I guess Priscilla’s dog doesn’t feel the same way about you, huh, buddy?” Bobby asked, then grinned.

  “Tell me about it.” Dean looked back at Priscilla, who’d managed to quiet her pet. “You think I can get myself a beer without being attacked?”

  “Oh, you’ll be safe,” she answered, her smile confident. She continued to pet both dogs as they played at rubbing noses before settling into curled balls of fur on either side of her. “As long as you stay over there.”

  “Yeah, I bet.” Deciding it was best to move slowly, Dean eased off the stool and walked behind the bar. He pulled a cold beer from the refrigerator and popped the top as curiosity got the best of him. Would Bobby really invite an ex-girlfriend to town? “So, how do you all know each other?”

  “Priscilla is visiting from Los Angeles. She’s got some great ideas for fund-raising for the camp.”

  “I didn’t know you were looking into that.” Dean figured the princess could easily write a check to pay the camp’s bills for the next year without breaking a nail. “So, you’re a moneymaker?”

  She lifted her chin and her blue eyes regarded him snootily. “I generate philanthropic support for a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, so yes, I guess ‘moneymaker’ is an apt title.”

  There was that spitfire he’d caught a glimpse of yesterday. “So, what kind of support are you dreaming up for the camp?”

  “Well, we just started talking about what Bobby and Leeann have in mind for an event.” She looked back at them. “Based on my experience, I could offer any number of ideas for an intimate gathering, from a plated dinner to an art auction, perhaps?”

  “Plated dinners around here are potlucks, and the closest thing we have to art is the craft fair at the local high school.” Dean took a long swallow from his beer, wondering why he was goading her.

  Maybe because she was one of Bobby’s former flames?

  If so, thanks to the unwritten male code, she would be off-limits to any of the let’s-get-to-know-each-other-better ideas that had swirled around inside his head from the moment he’d met her. “You’re going to have to get more creative than that.”

  Both Bobby and Leeann shot him dark looks, his friend’s laced with confusion, while Leann’s was downright pissed.

  “Those are both great ideas, but like I started to say before we were interrupted—” Leeann’s tone softened as she turned to her guest “—we’re looking for more than just a standard fund-raiser. Everyone in Destiny has embraced the idea of the camp. Many are asking how they can help, but we don’t want to just take their money.”

  “You want to accept their contributions during a specific event for the community that will earmark any funds as going directly to the camp. I totally understand that.” Priscilla finished Leann’s sentence, taking her attention off the dogs and scribbling on the notepad on her lap. “Give me a moment, won’t you?”

  Silence filled the air and Dean could almost see the wheels turning inside Priscilla’s head. He caught his friends looking his way again, but he kept his gaze on Priscilla’s perfectly coiffed hair, deciding he preferred it long and loose around her shoulders like when he first saw her down at the river. Or wet and streaming down her back as it had been when she’d risen from the water.

  He wondered what this society princess was going to come up with that would appeal to the folks of Destiny. Then she scratched over whatever she’d just written with firm strokes, repeating that three times and then circling the last item on her list.

  “Now, I’m not sure how well this idea would work. It really depends on a variety of factors related to the town, starting of course with a willingness to go for something a bit unconventional....” Her words were soft, almost as if she were talking aloud to herself. She then looked up at Dean. “Are you a bachelor, Mr. Zippenella?”

  Surprised by her question, the beer bottle almost slipped from his fingers. Did she really think he’d hit on her if he was married? He tightened his grip. “Didn’t I make that fact clear yesterday?”

  A light flush colored her cheeks. “Yes, you did. My apologies.”

  Bobby laughed. “Are you kidding? Zip will be one of Destiny’s last bachelors.”

  One elegant eyebrow lifted. “Zip?”

  For a reason he couldn’t figure out at the moment, Dean didn’t want her calling him that. “It’s a nickname. But call me Dean.”

  She blinked once, the pink tinge on her face deepening as she focused her attention back on Bobby and Leeann. “Would you say that the single-to-married ratio is fairly balanced in Destiny?”

  “I guess so,” Leann answered. “I never really thought about it much.”

  “What about male versus female? I’m hoping Mr. Zipp—Dean—isn’t truly the town’s last bachelor?”

  “Oh, yeah?” Dean asked. “Why is that?”

  “Well, you would need at least a dozen to make this worthwhile.”

  “I’m confused,” Bobby said. “A dozen what?”

  “Bachelors,” Priscilla announced with a bright smile. “A bachelor auction, with the ladies bidding for a night on the town with the men of their choice, could be just the event you’re looking for.”

  Chapter Four

  The surprise in Priscilla’s blue eyes told him laughter was the last thing she expected in response to her idea, but Dean—and thankfully, Bobby was chuckling right there with him—couldn’t help himself. “Are you serious?” he choked out after pausing to catch his breath. “Okay, I’m sorry. I can see you are, but a bachelor auction? That’s—”

  “Wonderful!” Leeann scooched to the edge of the sofa and leaned toward Priscilla. “I think it’s a perfectly wonderful idea.”

  “You do?” Dean and Bobby spoke in unison.

  Bobby’s amusement instantly faded to disbelief. “Really?”

  “Of course!” She turned to her husband, staring at him as if she didn’t understand how he didn’t see the big picture. “There are plenty of unmarried men in Destiny who can participate. Many of the ranches must have single cowboys. Heck, Maggie and Landon have expanded their place so much over the last year they’ve got at least three or four men who are unattached.”

  “Does that include Willie? He’s got to be pushing eighty,” Bobby said. “Hey, wait a minute, you said you’ve never thought about the unmarried men in thi
s town.”

  “I haven’t. Until now. And yes, Willie could be included. There shouldn’t be an age limit. What about the sheriff’s department? I’ve been away a few years now, but I know there’s at least a couple of single—” Leeann broke off, turning back to Priscilla. “Divorced men count, too, right? Single dads are okay?”

  “Uh, yeah, sure.” Priscilla looked surprised by the question, but then she recovered. “I mean, of course, divorced men and single dads would be fine. Being currently unattached would be the only prerequisite, I’d imagine.”

  “Do you really think ladies are going to bid on a man?” Dean asked, the whole concept a bit mind-boggling for him. He was all for the female sex taking the initiative, but this? “For a date?”

  “Are you kidding? They’ll love it. It’s like the old Sadie Hawkins dances back in high school! You remember? Where the girls get to invite the boys?” Leeann asked.

  “How could I forget? It was one of our first dates,” Bobby said. “Of course, that invite didn’t cost you anything.”

  “Just a lot of sleepless nights and a healthy chunk of my teenage pride over the fear you’d say no. Now, where to hold such an event?” Leeann paused, biting down on her bottom lip for a moment. “We would need a place big enough— Oh, I know! The Blue Creek Saloon! It’s a big place with a huge dance floor and a stage. Would that work?”

  Priscilla glanced his way for a moment. Was she remembering his offer of the best burgers in town, maybe?

  “I don’t know what the facility looks like, but a stage would work best for this sort of event,” she said. “Perhaps a runway could be constructed? The ladies could sit on either side while the bachelors walk back and forth?”

  “Oh, a runway would be perfect.” Leeann said with a grin. “Let the buyers get a good look at what they’re spending their money on.”

  “Hey, you sure about this?” Bobby reached for his wife’s hand and held fast. “I wouldn’t want the auction to bring back any memories...you know, a runway? Modeling?”

  “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll be fine.”

  Dean was glad to hear Leeann say that, even if his buddy didn’t look entirely convinced. In her former life, Leeann had been a famous fashion model, but a terrible experience at a photo shoot had made her give up her career. She’d eventually returned to Destiny and worked as a deputy for the sheriff’s department, but had left the force just before Bobby and Dean came to town. Now she was committed full-time to the camp.

  “I’m serious,” Leeann continued, punctuating her words with a kiss for her husband. “That’s behind me now. Let’s concentrate on the fund-raiser, okay?”

  “You know, you could also involve some of the other local restaurants.” Priscilla scribbled in her notebook again. “Perhaps they could have a special menu in place for the week following the auction geared toward the winners and their dates. Or provide a coupon for a two-for-one dinner or a discount.”

  “That’s a great idea. We’d have to get the okay from Racy—she’s the owner of the Blue Creek— but if anyone will jump on board with this idea, it’s Racy,” Leeann added. “But when do we hold the event? I believe Racy books her bands a few weeks in advance, so we might be looking at August. That would give us plenty of time for planning and advertising. Can you stick around that long?”

  “Stick around?” Priscilla asked.

  “Sure. We’ll need you here to coordinate the entire event, since it was your brainchild.”

  Dean had been listening to the back-and-forth about this crazy idea, waiting for the right moment to remind them that without the men agreeing to participate, this whole thing was going nowhere. He’d been about to say something when Leeann’s question caused the conversation to fade into silence.

  “I—ah—I hadn’t thought that far,” Priscilla finally said before she dropped her gaze to the notebook on her lap and flipped it closed. “I was just sharing a few thoughts off the top of my head.”

  “And the auction is the best one! We wanted something new and different, something that everyone in the town could be involved in. But we need a person with your experience to pull this together and to be the master of ceremonies.”

  “Oh, no, that’s not my style.” She looked up, her pen clenched tight in her fist. “I’m very much a behind-the-scenes kind of person.”

  Her words were softly spoken, but firm. Dean found her argument hard to believe. Someone as beautiful as her not wanting to be the center of attention?

  “The host for the evening should be a person familiar with the locals, both the bachelors and the ladies doing the bidding,” Priscilla continued. “Just in case either group is a bit shy about getting the ball rolling, which can happen at auctions. An added bonus would be someone who is also a big part of the camp. You would be perfect for the job, Leeann.”

  “Me?” Leeann flattened one hand against her chest. “Well, yeah, I guess I could...but only if you’re here to help me. Please? You did say your plans for the summer changed. Do you have the free time? Can you stay?”

  Dean found himself holding his breath, waiting for her to answer. Realizing how dumb that was, he purposely released it and took another long pull from his beer. Still, he couldn’t look away, and when Priscilla released a soft sigh, he felt it all the way to his bones.

  She was staying.

  “Yes, of course I’ll stay.”

  Leeann clapped her hands, joyous that she’d gotten her way. Not that Dean had had any doubt. When his buddy’s wife wanted something, she usually got it. “I know you’ve taken a room at the inn, but you’re welcome to move into one of our guest rooms if you and Snake would be more comfortable.”

  Dean’s hand froze, the beer bottle halfway to his mouth. Priscilla stay here? Was Leeann nuts? Who invited their husband’s ex-girlfriend to room down the hall?

  Mind your own business. You aren’t interested, remember?

  Yeah, if he kept telling himself that, maybe he’d believe it. No, what Dean needed to keep telling himself was that the lady was off-limits thanks to his buddy having been there first. Even if the two of them hooking up had to have been at least three or four years ago. Right around the time he’d been getting shown the door by—

  “Thank you for the invitation,” Priscilla said, “but I think I’ll—we’ll—stay where we are.”

  “We all love the Painted Lady, and the house is a national landmark, but it must be vastly different from what you’re used to.”

  Priscilla tucked her notebook away in her oversize bag and leaned forward to take her glass from the table. Straightening, she crossed one knee over the other, causing her skirt to ride up. Dean now had a perfect view of those magnificent legs that had haunted his dreams last night.

  “Oh, the room is beautiful and quite large,” she said. “I’m on the top floor and the staff has been very accommodating.”

  Dean snorted, then covered it up with a quick cough when she glanced his way. He bet they were accommodating. Major hadn’t shut up about her the entire time Dean had put him through his paces during their physical-therapy session, grilling him about the beautiful blonde like the marine boot-camp drill sergeant he’d once been.

  “Oh, you’re in the best room at the inn. The bridal suite.”

  The smile remained, but she gripped her glass with both hands, her fingers pressed hard enough to turn her knuckles white. “Am I? I hadn’t realized. Well, it’s a comfortable room, large enough for me and Snake. Not to mention the claw-foot bathtub is a dream.”

  Okay, that was a visual he didn’t need.

  “I hate to throw a wrench into this whole auction idea—” Bobby nudged at his wife’s shoulder “—but you still need to secure a group of men willing to be sold like cattle at a livestock auction. Thankfully, this side of beef is off the market.”

  “Yes, you are—” Leeann leaned i
n and gave him another quick kiss “—but you’re right. Without the men, this isn’t going to work. There are plenty to choose from, but getting them to agree might be another issue.”

  “Surely once you explain the reason behind the event they’d be willing to participate,” Priscilla said. “At least for one date with the lady who wins him.”

  “Maybe, but we’d probably have better luck convincing them if—” Leeann cocked her head to one side “—say, one of their own had already agreed to participate?”

  It was then Dean noticed she was looking right at him. Oh, hell no. “Forget it, Leeann. I’m not interested.”

  “But you are single, right?” Leeann pressed. “You haven’t been steadily involved with anyone for a while.”

  Dean looked at Priscilla and found her watching him as she scratched Daisy, who’d rolled over onto her back, exposing her belly in a display of contented bliss. “Yes— No— Yes, I’m single, and no, I’m not dating—”

  “I’m assuming from your shirt you’re involved with the camp somehow?” Priscilla asked.

  His empty bottle hit the bar top with a thud. “I volunteer at Camp Diamond because we’re open to all kids, even those with disabilities. I’m there to handle any physical-therapy issues that might arise.”

  “Very admirable. Can I also assume you were born and raised in Destiny?”

  “Nope. Sea Point, New Jersey.” Dean enjoyed the stunned look on her face. “I’m a beach bum who’s only lived out in the Wild West for the last few years. Don’t even own a Stetson.”

  “But you’re so popular you might as well be a native,” Leeann countered. “You’re part of the volunteer fire department and I know there must be a couple of single guys there you could persuade to join the cause. Oh, and you could get the Murphy brothers to sign up, too! Devlin’s still in London with Tanya, but Liam and Nolan are single.”

  Knowing he was fighting a losing battle against Leeann’s enthusiasm, Dean looked at his best friend for backup, but Bobby’s grin told him he was on his own. There had to be a way to get out of this mess, but damned if he could think of one.