by LuAnn McLane
“Well, give yourself a break! It’s your birthday!”
“So you keep reminding me.”
“Because you seem to keep forgetting, old lady.”
Oh, I haven’t forgotten. “Madison, thanks so much for the lovely necklace. Nicolina Diamante makes such beautiful handmade jewelry. It was so sweet that you remembered how much I adore her creations.” Jessica put the Modern Bride magazine on the glass coffee table and dusted her hands together. “Now, I really should get home and start working on the menu. Summer will be here before you know it,” she added breezily, but it was true. She had invested so much time and money into revamping the diner and she was really starting to feel the heat. “I’m thinking about adding a mango salsa, cold corn, and black bean dip—”
“Come on, Mom!” Madison pleaded firmly, but her expression was soft and knowing. “The menu can wait until tomorrow. Let’s go celebrate. You deserve it.”
“Sweetie, I love my gift! And, look, I know I’m turning forty, but like I said, to me it’s just another birthday. You know I don’t want to make it a big deal.”
Madison pressed her lips together, which was a sure sign she wasn’t giving up. “Well, then, let’s go out and celebrate my teaching position at Cooper. You promised we’d go out and clink glasses together, but we never did.” Her chin came up in challenge.
Damn . . . Madison had her there.
“Besides, I’m hungry and I don’t have anything in the fridge to fix.”
“Imagine that.” Jessica cocked one eyebrow. “You really need to learn your way around the kitchen, Madison. Jason is a small-town boy used to home-cooked meals.”
“I can’t believe my ultraindependent, modern mother just said that to me,” Madison muttered.
“The boy’s gotta eat . . . and so do you.”
Madison bounced around on the sofa cushion to face her mother. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal. Come with me to Sully’s and I’ll find some time soon to come over to the diner for some cooking lessons.”
“Oh . . .” She really wasn’t playing fair.
“Come on, Mom.” Madison pounced on her slight wavering. “Jason is working more long hours at the baseball stadium. I’m bored. And hungry!”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “Girl, you want some cheese with that whine?” She kept her voice light, but she truly didn’t want to celebrate. What she really wanted was to go home, get into her pajamas, and wallow with a bottle of merlot. The fact that this so-called milestone was hitting her hard took her by surprise! But deep down, Jessica knew the reason why.
Her birthday reminded her how many years she’d been living without any real romance in her life. It was something she thought she’d never missed, but now her heart kicked into high gear every time Tyler McKenna walked through the door of her restaurant. She wanted to box his ears for making her long for a hot kiss and strong arms wrapped around her.
“Yes! I do want some cheese. Mozzarella sticks will do nicely.” With a laugh, Madison stood up and tugged on Jessica’s hand. “Let’s go. Pete Sully declared Monday as martini night in my honor.”
Jessica gave her daughter a pointed look. “That might not be something you want to be proud of.”
“But I am.” In true Madison form, she gave her hips a sassy wiggle that had her blond curls brushing against her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, and Jessica felt another wave of emotion wash over her as her own eyes misted. This unfortunate mistake—as her parents had called her teen pregnancy—had become a lovely, talented, vibrant young woman, and Jessica was abundantly proud of her daughter. Hot moisture gathered in her throat, but she swallowed hard. Tears were for the weak, and over the many years of working endless hours in the restaurant industry with temperamental men, she had developed a backbone made of steel that refused to bend beneath the constant pressure. On the toughest of long days, it had been Madison’s golden curls and smiling face that had kept her from collapsing. And now her sweet baby girl was engaged to be married! She sniffed again. Wow! What in the world was coming over her?
Madison tilted her head to the side. “Mom, are you okay?” she asked softly.
“I’m fine,” she assured her daughter with a quick, firm nod. “It’s just stupid middle-aged hormones. It sucks.”
“We don’t have to go,” Madison said uncertainly.
Jessica took a deep breath and shook her head. “No. Suddenly a cold, crisp martini sounds heavenly. And I did promise to celebrate your creative-writing position at Cooper. You know I’m so very proud of you, don’t you, sweetie?”
“Yes, I do.” Madison’s smile wobbled at the corners, but she laughed as she tugged Jessica to her feet. “Happy birthday, Mom. I love you so much,” she said, and sniffed hard. “Now, are you ready to have some fun? You do remember how, right? Look, I totally respect your dedication, but sometimes you work too damned hard.”
Jessica clucked her tongue at her daughter. “For someone so petite and cute, you sure have a potty mouth. Learned it from your aunt Myra,” she said with a chuckle, but Madison’s teasing comment hit a little too close to home. Did she remember how to kick back and have a good time? How long had it been?
Since Ty McKenna last summer snuck into her brain, but she shoved it away. That magical night had scared the crap out of her. Losing her heart to a player like him would just be plain stupid.
She needed somebody solid and dependable. What? She didn’t need anybody! She needed to concentrate on the success of Wine and Diner and not be distracted. While there was a buzz of excitement in the air, everyone in town knew what was riding on the success of the season. She was no exception.
“You didn’t answer the question. Mom, are you ready to have some fun?”
“I’m ready!” she insisted with more conviction than she felt, and then gave Madison a quick hug.
“Okay, I’m going to freshen up just a bit,” Madison announced with an excited grin.
“Oh. Am I dressed okay?” Jessica glanced down at her skinny jeans and billowy lemon yellow tunic cinched below her waist with a woven leather belt.
“Sure.” Madison reached down and opened the long box containing the necklace. “Hey, why don’t you put this on? It will glam you up a bit, even though we’re only going to Sully’s.”
“Excellent idea.” Jessica brushed her sleek ponytail to the side and tilted her neck forward so Madison could fasten the sterling silver and red coral strand offset by a bold turquoise pendant. “Why, thank you.” While touching the smooth stone, she turned to her daughter with a smile. “What do you think?”
“Lovely, even at your ripe old age,” Madison said with a wink, and then ducked out of the way of a shove. With a giggle, she gestured toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you grab a glass of wine and relax on the balcony while I change out of these sweats? It’s not too chilly out yet. It’s been so unseasonably warm that I put the patio furniture out there already.”
“I think I’ll do that. I just adore the view of the river.” Water always had a calming effect on her. “And it’s great to see so many of the empty units in this building finally being sold or rented by the Cougar staff and baseball players. I’m sure you do a super job showing the model unit.”
“Yeah, I was lucky to land that job. I love living here, so it’s an easy sell. Oh, Mom, I’m so glad that Noah Falcon came back home last year to star in my play. None of this would have happened without him. The stadium is amazing, and I’m so proud of my Jason’s hand in designing it. He has so much more talent than simply doing remodeling.”
“Jason Craig is a fine young man, Madison. Just another reason I’m glad that we moved back to Cricket Creek.”
“Me too. I miss some things about Chicago, but I truly enjoy this little town. And the baseball complex is going to be so much fun!”
“I can’t believe it’s almost finished. It’s hard to imagine that just last year we were wondering how this little river town was going to survive the lack of tourism. Now we just need to fill
the stands.”
“Mom, stop worrying! Noah Falcon built it, and they will come! And eat at Wine and Diner. Positive thinking!” Madison tapped her head firmly. “The Cougars have already been practicing. Jason said that Ty and Noah should have the team picked by the end of the week.” Madison cocked one eyebrow and then gave her a slow smile. “You should totally be like Annie Savoy in Bull Durham.”
“Madison! For Pete’s sake, were you watching a Kevin Costner marathon or something?”
“No . . . I’m just sayin’. There are some hot ballplayers trying out for the team.”
“Yeah, and I’m old enough to be their mom. No, thank you.”
“There’s always Ty McKenna. You keep giving him the brush-off, but the man is so into you, it’s not even funny.”
“He’s into my food at the diner,” Jessica scoffed, and hoped her face wasn’t beet red. She was not about to admit how she looked forward to seeing Ty walk through the door, or their conversations that were getting longer. “Plus, the man is an absolute player, and I’m not talking baseball.”
“Then play with him.”
“Madison! I can’t believe the stuff that comes out of your mouth.” She rolled her eyes and changed the subject. “But I’m looking forward to opening day. It really should bring much-needed tourism back to town and entertain the locals too. Cricket Creek has always loved baseball, and now we finally have a professional team,” she said breezily, but Madison’s comment brought a hot vision of Ty
McKenna slamming into her brain. Now, he sure as hell looks good for forty, she thought with a little internal shiver. In fact, Ty could still be playing professional ball, but he had said that he wanted to quit while at the top of his game. In spite of how she felt about his playboy shenanigans, she had to admire that he had walked away from millions to retain his integrity. Ty was one of the investors in the baseball complex aimed at giving major-league hopefuls a second chance at the big show. Ex-pitcher and hometown hero Noah Falcon spearheaded the project, along with another silent partner. Jessica prayed it would bring back prosperity to the once-booming river town. And while business at the diner had improved since she had taken over last year, the renovations had been more extensive than Jessica had first projected. She inhaled deeply and realized that a glass of wine would hit the spot. “I’m going to head out on the balcony for some fresh air.”
“You might see Owen laying down some mulch down by the stadium. Aunt Myra said he was going to be doing some landscaping over there today.” Madison added over her shoulder, “If he looks up, give him a wave.”
“Will do,” Jessica said as she headed to the kitchen and uncorked a bottle of merlot. She had to smile when she thought of soft-spoken local landscaper Owen Lawson and her spunky aunt Myra falling in love. “Crazy love,” she mumbled with a soft chuckle. After pouring a glass of wine, she opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the Ohio River. A cool breeze brought the musky scent of muddy water and a hint of fish, sweetened with the fresh fragrance of budding trees. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before taking a sip of the smoky merlot. “Wow.” Jessica looked over at the shiny new baseball stadium trimmed in fire-engine red and felt hope blossom in her chest. Opening day was already sold out, and season-ticket sales were going strong. Local merchants were sprucing up their shops with glossy paint and stocking inventory where shelves had been bare. Spring pansies cheerfully spilled out of the planters lining Main Street. After several years of battling the sluggish economy, the sleepy little river town was rubbing its eyes and coming wide-awake. “Think positive like Madison said,” she whispered. “Everything will fall into place.”
Jessica leaned against the railing and smiled. When she had returned to Cricket Creek last year to help revive her aunt Myra’s diner, she had fully intended to go back to Chicago. But the struggling town had gripped her heart, and instead she had sunk her life savings into the restaurant, using her culinary expertise to update down-home dishes and add modern flair. When they finally got their liquor license, Madison had laughingly called it Wine and Diner, and the new name had stuck. But no matter how amazing the food or how inventive the menu, they still needed customers in the seats, and locals weren’t enough. Jessica inhaled another deep breath and tried to push the constant worry from her mind. Positive thinking wasn’t always easy, but Madison was right about one thing: She needed to kick back and have some fun. Maybe it would ease her stress level back out of the red zone.
Jessica took another sip of wine and wondered what was taking Madison so long, but just when she turned to go inside, she spotted Ty McKenna walking out of the side door of the stadium. She watched his long, purposeful stride toward his Audi TT convertible. His hand was to his ear, so she guessed he must be talking on the phone, and unless he looked up, she could watch him unnoticed. Jessica had been floored when the superstar former center fielder had decided to settle down and manage the Cricket Creek Cougars, but she wondered how long it would be before the bright lights, big city called him back to party. Jessica supposed Ty was simply protecting his investment, but she doubted that he would last long in a small town. She watched him open the door of his sleek silver convertible, but he paused to laugh instead of folding his long frame into the small car. The rich sound of his sexy voice drifted upward and held her rooted to the spot.
Jessica sighed once more. The man was eleven floors down and across a parking lot and still managed to make her heart beat faster. “Damn him!” she whispered.
And just like that, he looked up.
2
Dream On
The building was fifteen stories high and five balconies across, and yet when Ty raised his gaze, he immediately zoned in on the corner condo where Jessica Robinson was standing. Even at this distance, he knew it was the hot little chef who had been keeping him up at night—unfortunately, only in his dreams and not in the soft, silky flesh. The setting sun glinted off of her golden hair, and in his imagination he could smell the subtle scent of her vanilla and lily-of-the-valley perfume. He knew what it was because he had asked her one night at the restaurant. While she had answered in a clipped tone, the blush in her cheeks had told Ty a different story. She wasn’t as immune to him as she pretended. He swallowed, unable to tear his gaze from where she stood, and the conversation he was having with Noah Falcon faded into the background.
Jessica made no movement to acknowledge him. Ty knew that although she might seem to be gazing out over the river, she saw him standing there. He could feel it. He thought about waving, but for some reason that felt dorky. Should I give her a little salute? God, no, that was even dorkier! Incline my head? Ty ground his teeth together, gripped the phone tighter, and simply stood there, feeling like a love-struck fool.
“Ty? Hey, man, are you there?” Noah asked.
“Yeah,” he answered absently. No other woman had ever gotten to him the way Jessica Robinson did. He tried to convince himself that it was all about the chase, but he knew better.
Everything about her sucked him right in.
For a moment he thought she waved to him, but he realized that she was lifting a glass to her lips. God . . . the thought of her lush mouth made his breath catch, but try as he might, she continued to keep him at arm’s length. The only conversation he could get her to engage in was about cooking. Luckily, he was a total foodie, which was one of the reasons he had frequented Chicago Blue Bistro. Jessica’s menu was inventive and delicious but without the pretence of chefs who went overboard with presentation at the expense of substance. He loved what she was doing with Wine and Diner and was truly fascinated with the process, but Ty knew that Jessica thought he was simply trying to get in her pants. He couldn’t blame her. He had built quite a reputation for himself during his major-league days, and he had his reasons for keeping up that persona, even though now it was coming back to bite him in the ass. He wasn’t exactly what he seemed, but he wondered if he could ever convince Jessica otherwise.
“Are you goi
ng to answer my question?” Noah’s voice at the other end of the line again brought Ty out of his trance. “Dude, did you fall asleep on me?”
“Sorry.” Ty dropped his gaze and turned away from the high-rise. “I was distracted. What did you ask?”
“I wondered what you thought of that young pitcher, Logan Lannigan.”
Ty shrugged. “He used to throw some real heat, but an elbow injury screwed him up.”
“He was probably overworked as a kid growing up,” Noah grumbled. “My dad was careful not to let that happen to me. I hate when coaches and even parents care more about winning than the health of the kids. Pisses me the hell off.”
“Oh, I know.” Ty nodded in agreement and thought of his own overbearing father. “Damn, I hear ya on that one. I’ve seen it all too often myself. Lannigan is working on an effective slider and cutter so he doesn’t have to rely on smokin’ a fastball past the batter. If he can do that, he’ll be a real asset and perhaps be able to claw his way back into the minor leagues, maybe as a middle reliever at first rather than a starter. But I want to make sure his arm is ready. He came back too soon from his Tommy John surgery.”
“Do you think he’s a bit of a head case?” Noah wanted to know.
“Oh yeah. Lannigan thinks he’s God’s gift to baseball and that playing for this league is beneath him, but it’s his only chance to prove he’s still got game, and he damned well knows it.”
“So you’re on board with adding him to the roster?”
Ty nodded again. “Yeah, I figured you could whip his ass into shape. Show him how to throw some breaking stuff. Throw with his head and not just his arm.”
“All right, so we’re on the same page. And, Ty. Look, I know you’re all about that crazy catcher Tate Boone, but we’ve got to talk about that one.”
“He’s a bit of a nut job,” Ty agreed with the lift of one shoulder. “But the kid has some talent. I think we should give him a shot.”