Eat Your Heart Out: A Romance Charity Anthology

by Skye MacKinnon

  Ben tossed me a smile as he helped Katy out behind the counter. With the speed everything had moved, I turned to Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. Landry for help in finding a few temporary employees to get me through these first few weeks until I could hire someone or two someones permanently.

  I walked through the dining area, stopping to greet and talk with some of the customers. Everything seemed perfect on the surface, but I missed Caleb. With the rodeo on, he was working long hours and spent most of his time at the fair grounds which were blocks away from the shop. Close enough that fair and rodeo goers could walk between downtown and the grounds, but still too far for him to come and visit. And by the time he came home tonight, to fall into bed, half asleep, from the way my legs already ached, I’d probably be asleep.

  I never ended up moving back into the rooms above my shop when my ankle healed. Instead, the three of us moved into the master bedroom. And although we were together in what Caleb informed us was a V-shaped poly triad, we hadn’t told anyone yet. Although I sometimes wondered if their mothers suspected. They’d told me they were willing to wait until I was ready. Another reason I loved them.

  A table of middle-aged women laughed as I made my way to them.

  “Hello, ladies. How is everything here?”

  The woman to my right gave me a large smile. Her dark hair contrasted nicely with the streaks of platinum blonde and silvery grey that ran through it. Her skin, flawless, the type that made it difficult to judge age. She could have been anything from thirty to seventy, although the lack of loose skin around the neck made me think she wasn’t that old, but I didn’t know. Her hazel eyes sparkled as if she had a secret joke running through her head. “It’s amazing. I’m so glad you moved to Voyageur Bay and decided to open this shop.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad as well.”

  She held out her hand. “I’m Brenda and these are some of my friends, Kimberly, Michelle, and Deborah. We all grew up here and formed a little crafting group when our kids were younger.”

  “A way to get out of the house for an evening,” the woman, Deborah, added with a chuckle.

  “But we liked it so well, we’ve continued to meet even though our children are grown,” the woman I was sure was Kimberly added around a mouthful of scone, jam, and clotted cream. All locally made. The scones right in my kitchen while the jam came from Kaitlyn’s mother’s business or one of the other local jam makers. The clotted cream came from an artisanal farmer, a little ways out of town. He’d always wanted to try his hand at reproducing some of the English dairy products that we imported so we struck a deal. He produced small batches of it, and I’d have my guests be the taste testers as he fine tuned his recipes. It was a win-win scenario.

  “You may have heard of us. Some of the locals call us the Yarns and Brews gals because we used to always meet over coffee to do crafts. Although some nights we move over to Strönd’s for a stronger brew.”

  The table laughed at Brenda’s comment, even drawing a chuckle from me. I’d heard of them all right. These women weren’t townies but ladies from the gated community across the bridge leading to the other side of the bay. Even in a small town like Voyageur Bay, there was a class social structure with the townies, those from The Beachhead, which was the gated community, the ranchers, which contained all those who didn’t live in the town, and then the tourists.

  Before I could say anything else, an icy chill shot through my spine. I looked up to the open store door. Since the outside temperature was so nice, and with so many people coming in and out, we’d made the decision to prop it open, negating the use of the bell to inform us when someone walked in.

  My mouth dropped open, and I must have turned white since Brenda placed her hand on my arm and inquired if I was all right. I said yes, but I wasn’t… not really.

  At the door stood the reason for my icy feeling… my mother. And if that weren’t bad enough, Bradford stood at her side. Her high-pitched voice rang out over the clamour of customers, the clatter of utensils, and even the noise from the street. “Isabella. There you are, my daughter. Come greet your mother and fiancé.”

  Silence rang out, somehow louder than all the previous noise. I lifted my gaze, searching for Ben, to find my strength. I’d told him and Caleb all about Bradford, and they’d shared more about Meredith and what she’d done to them, attempting to tear them apart. He gave me a warm smile, telling me that he was here for me, giving me the strength I required to deal with her. Not that she mattered to me. This town, its people, were already closer to me than the people who called themselves my family. They may have been a blood relation, but it was the people around me, the ones on the street who were my true family.

  “Fiancé? That’s awesome. And here I thought you were fucking Caleb Bishop.” I groaned as I recognized the voice of the nurse Debbie. “Does he know about him?” She pointed to Bradford.

  “That’s enough, Debbie. I think it’s time for you to leave. Caleb has told you repeatedly that he doesn’t like you. To continue to throw yourself at him is a mark that reeks of desperation.” Ben stalked toward her. Whenever he walked that way towards me, it never failed to turn me on, but the ice in his eyes would have had me running if he’d come at me like that. Yet she didn’t even flinch. “Leave. Him. Alone.”

  She rolled her eyes, but heeded his warning by spinning on her heel and leaving. A couple of others left with her.

  My mother pursed her lips and turned up her nose as she glided toward me, towing Bradford.

  “What do you want, Mother?” I didn’t move. She was the one who’d invaded my space, so she could come to me. If she went too far, said anything too hurtful, I knew that Ben would be there to back me up.

  “I’ve come to put an end to this childish stunt of yours. Bradford has waited patiently, but your engagement party is set for next week. It’s time for you to come home.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. My mother sounded like she’d been smoking some of the teas instead of steeping them. “This is my home, Mother. And as for Bradford, you were there when I turned down his proposal the first time and the second.” I took a deep breath and met Ben’s gaze over Bradford’s shoulder. He gave me a little nod and a wink that brought colour to my cheeks. “Now, Mother, Bradford, I’m sorry you came all this way for nothing. Can I interest you in some tea or supplies? Unfortunately, our tea service is sold out for the next two days.”

  Ben stepped up, taking my mother’s hand and sliding it around his biceps. “The teas are over here. I’m sure we can find something that you will like. A number of our specialty blends were designed by Is and are selling off the shelves.” Hearing him call me Is to my mother filled me with a warmth and revealed the steel core within me. To know that he respected my wishes for the name change to reflect the new me, even though he’d loved Isabella, cemented the love I felt for him and Caleb. It made me realize how much I’d grown to stand on my two feet without my blood family’s help.

  I wanted to chuckle at the sucking-on-sour-lemons face that my mother wore. She didn’t know what hit her which was why she kept quiet. It might not be the last time I’d hear from her, but at least it should buy me some time. And poor Bradford followed along behind, like a dutiful dog.

  “Is, if you don’t have those two hunks of men wrapped up and in your bed already, you better. It’s your duty to all womankind. I mean if I were about twenty years younger, I’d jump at the chance.”

  I smiled down at Brenda’s sparkling eyes. “Don’t you worry. I have that all sewn up.” I gave her a little wink before moving on to the next table. Their laughter followed me.

  The bell over the door rang as someone pushed it open. A look of annoyance crept onto my face from my fatigue. We’d closed only a few minutes ago and were doing some final cleaning and restocking. But when I’d flipped the sign, I hadn’t locked the door. Something I now regretted.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re…” I lifted my gaze and met Caleb’s warm stare. “Caleb.” My voice came out all h
usky and breathy.

  “Hi, dove.” He crossed the room in a couple of strides, wrapping me up in his arms the moment I was in reach. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” I gave him a little kiss that he took control of, deepening it. The smell of hay and manure mixed in with the herbs and spiciness of the tea along with the lingering smell of body odour filled the air. It wasn’t a pleasant smell, but I wouldn’t get rid of it for anything. Not when it meant that Caleb was in my arms.

  “I heard you had some unexpected visitors today,” he said as soon as our breathing came back under our control.

  “I told him, sweet-tea.” Ben slid his hands around my waist and between Caleb and me, resting them on my belly as his chest plastered against my back.

  “You handled them very well, I’m so proud of you.” He gave me another quick kiss. “I also heard that someone announced that we’re an item. All three of us.”

  “What? I didn’t hear that.” Ben tickled my skin under my shirt, causing me to squirm. “Someone has been holding out on me.”

  Their cocks hardened, and I wanted them with a fierceness that hadn’t changed since that very first time. But before we could get to the good stuff, I needed to tell them something. Something I should have already said, but I’d been a chicken. “Caleb. Ben.” As much as I didn’t want to leave their embrace I needed to. I slid out from between them, turning to face them.

  “I love you.”

  The words hung there, giving me a moment of doubt.

  But then Ben grabbed me up into his arms. “I love you, too, sweet-tea.” He gave me a swift kiss that knocked the breath out of me. Thankfully, he handed me into Caleb’s waiting arms because I didn’t know if I could have stood on my own.

  Caleb kissed my forehead, each eyelid, and then the tip of my nose. “I love you, too, Darjeeling.”

  Voyageur Bay Series

  Welcome to the new Voyageur Bay universe where love is everything and the residents learn to accept everyone. Voyageur Bay is a small town set on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in beautiful Manitoba, Canada. For more information, check out the series page.

  www.tbmann.com/voyageur-bay

  If you would like to read more about Susie to find out why the other women watch her and what is behind her blush over Jonathon, preorder Screened Shot, Red Line Series, book 4.

  www.tbmann.com/screened-shot

  If you would like to read more about Josh, Jake, and their mysterious girl, preorder Pretend, A Couple Is Three, book

  www.tbmann.com/pretend

  If you would like to read more about Kaitlyn, Geoff, and Tyler, preorder At Home for Christmas, Voyageur Bay Holidays, book 1.

  www.tbmann.com/at-home-for-christmas

  If you want to read more about Katy and Jason to discover the story behind their interactions, preorder Deranged, Bay Boys of Voyageur Bay, book 1.

  www.tbmann.com/deranged

  If you would like to read more about Darlene, Michelle, Kimberly, and the other ladies of the Yarns & Brews club, then sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any news about them.

  www.tbmann.com/newsletter

  About the Author

  TB Mann, but you can call her Twilah, is a fun loving, hockey watching, beach lying, star gazing in a hot tub, Canadian writer. She’s a wife, mother of three adult children, but swears she can’t be that old. And while she tends to write contemporary romances, she claims to be a descendent of mermaids and selkies.

  Her stories are full of heart and where sometimes one man just isn’t enough.

  To find out more about her, her stories, and peripartum cardiomyopathy—the condition she was diagnosed with back in 1999—check out her website at www.tbmann.com

  Never want to miss what’s happening with her books, sign up for her newsletter at www.tbmann.com/newsletter

  Her Apple Pie CEO

  A Standalone Romantic Novelette

  Linzi Basset

  Heat level: 4

  Trust Max Turner to be the only man who could save the legacy Lexi’s grandmother had left behind. He was the last man she wanted to ask for help but since she had no other recourse she took matters to the extreme and shoved her tangy apple pie down his throat… literally.

  Trust life to throw a curveball back at him. Lexi Dutton hated him… with a passion and he couldn’t blame her. Maybe now he could make up for the heartache he’d caused five years ago. Except his good intentions ran out the door the moment a much sassier and sensual woman than he remembered hijacked him on the way to a meeting… armed with a dangerous weapon… a decadent apple pie.

  There was much to be said for the immediate addiction to her sweet and saucy… er… offering. All he wanted now was a daily taste, consequences and forgiveness be damned.

  Chapter 1

  “What do you mean he’s not here? My appointment was scheduled a month ago already.”

  The perky receptionist didn’t seem intimidated by the sharp, discordant staccato of Lexi Dutton’s shoe slapping out a morse code of her irritation against the wooden floor.

  “I’m sorry, Miss. I’m just relaying the message from his PA. You’re welcome to reschedule the meeting if you’d like.”

  “What, so he can snub me again? Surely, you’re joking.”

  Lexi looked around at the vast reception area of Turner Investments Incorporated. It was all glass and steel… cold and uninviting. Just like the owner and CEO. Max Turner, gorgeous, filthy rich, who once again confirmed his unimpeachable character as the most arrogant, self-conscious prick east of the Mississippi.

  “Is there anything else I can assist you with, Miss Dutton?”

  “I guess I don’t have a choice but to reschedule. Which way to his PA’s office?” A pursed smile was the best Lexi could offer to blunt the caustic sting in her voice.

  “The third elevator will take you directly to the top floor. I’ll inform Miss Walters of your arrival.” She handed over a pen. “Please sign for the elevator tag.”

  Elevator tag? Good lord. What happened to simply pressing a stupid button?

  She was rather proud of herself for not showing her thoughts as she scribbled her signature. With the tag and a precious confectionery box clutched in her hands, she walked in the direction Roxy, the receptionist, pointed.

  Lexi’s ears pricked minutes later upon hearing Max’s name as she walked into the PA’s office… or rather suite, which was twice the size of her entire two-bedroom house!

  “I just confirmed it, Max. They’re still there. The restaurant is a twenty-minute drive from the airport. If you hurry, you’ll be in time for the meeting with Wills Bros Coffee. If you want to beat Rudolph Ericksen and invest in their latest range of roasts, it’ll have to be today since they’re in Cincinnati for only one day.”

  The woman was a striking brunette who, having leveraged her chin higher to correct the vision of a pair of tortoise-shell glasses perched on the tip of her nose, gave a perfunctory glance of acknowledgement then hastily gestured to one of the visitor’s chairs.

  I guess I better sit down, Lexi rolled her eyes inside her mind at the chilled glare cutting her way when she didn’t immediately comply. She perched at the edge of the seat, still holding onto the precious apple pie she’d brought along for tasting. She snorted quietly. What a waste getting up at four in the morning to bake a fresh one to ensure the high and mighty Max Turner wouldn’t be able to resist investing in her bakery… or rather, pump an enormous amount of money into opening a factory to manufacture her sought-after pastries and distribute them across the States, thereby offering hundreds of people jobs.

  Failure wasn’t an option. The population of the Village of Williamsburg, Ohio, depended on her to find a way to keep the community alive. Since the recession and the pandemic that had rocked the world, many of the small business owners had to close down. It had gotten so bad that half of the town’s shops stood empty. Work was non-existent and further afield, even less so. Everyone was looking for work for a way to survive
but there were just not enough opportunities to accommodate those in need.

  Lexi’s Decadent Delights, the pastry shop she’d inherited from her grandmother, had survived but only just. If not for the fact that she baked the best apple pies ever— not blowing her own horn just confirming what the majority of the town’s people claimed— she too would have had to walk away from her life's work and dreams.

  Instead, she’d made a promise at the last community meeting in the Town Hall to find an investor. Since she’d inherited the shop from her grandmother six years ago, it had been her dream to expand and become the household name in pastries and pies across the country. It hadn’t been as easy as she had thought. One after the other investors had either dodged her calls or immediately cut her off without offering her an opportunity to make her pitch.

  Until she swallowed her pride and contacted Turner Investments. It had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. No woman liked to be ditched and she’d been smarting ever since he, the mighty Cincinnati businessman, had dumped her in a heartbeat just like that with no explanation. One day, she’d woken up and he was gone. No note, no sorry it’s not you it’s me. He just vanished. Hence, Max Turner was at the bottom of her list of people she liked and at the top of those she hated. Well, perhaps hate was too strong a word but she’d settle on an acutely, intense dislike for the man.

  To have to come with hat in hand to him, of all people, for help, didn’t sit well with her but desperate times called for desperate measures… or in her case, desperately humiliating measures.