Page 5
Chapter 3
Jane
The remainder of the tasting event had been a blur, pushing all thoughts of Carter Cook from my head. Players, executives, and invited guests like the mayor asked me questions about my products and how I came up with my flavour combinations and design ideas. One thing everyone appreciated was the fact I used all-natural ingredients that I sourced locally as much as possible. Ethan had worked alongside me, able to answer the questions almost as well as I could from years of hearing me obsess over every detail.
He’d disappeared to find Wally before the finale, which was a sculpted cake so realistic the crowd was in awe when I cut into it to reveal layer upon layer of tender cake and delicious fillings.
When it was all over except the cleanup, I collapsed into a chair and dug into a piece of the cake. Today had been perfect. If this hadn’t won over the management team, nothing would.
Sal Benito, head of the Fliers’ food and beverage team, crossed the room to where I sat. “Jane? Do you have a minute?”
“Of course. What’s up?” The sugar hitting my bloodstream gave me a pleasant buzz, and my happiness over the event’s success had me brimming with confidence. Nothing was going to knock me down now.
“I wanted to talk to you about the menu for opening day. It needs to wow people.”
Elation made my pulse race at Sal’s words. Did this mean the team had made their decision? “Sure, I’d be happy to. Does this mean you’re offering me a contract?”
“It does. The Vancouver folks were very impressed, and at the local level we were already fans. We’ve chosen you to be our vendor starting immediately. You’ll be on probation for the first season, but if you do well, we will offer you a three-year contract to continue operating once we move into the new ballpark. I’ll forward the contracts, but as of now, Batter Up! is the provider of all baked items served at the Airfield,” Sal said.
After his words sank in, I popped out of my seat, ready to get started. “This is fantastic. I won’t let you down.”
A wide smile spread over Sal’s face. “I know you won’t. Your demonstration today was very impressive, and only reassured the team that we had chosen well. Now here is what we were thinking for opening day . . .”
My phone vibrating in my pocket broke my concentration, and I was shocked at how much time had passed while Sal and I were discussing designs.
I saw a series of messages from Ethan, and one message from a number I didn’t recognize. As soon as I read it, I knew it was from Carter, and my pulse kicked up a notch. I had invited him, so why did the idea of Carter coming over make me nervous? He was a friend, nothing more. Barely that, if I were being honest. The fact he’d matured into a gorgeous man didn’t matter. Right? Right.
Besides, he was a pro ballplayer. Once my marriage to Chad had disintegrated in such a public fashion, I’d cut ties to pretty much anything pro baseball: the players, the wives, the lifestyle. I hadn’t missed any of it. I didn’t have time to sort out my emotions now, though. My thumb hovered over the screen, until I skipped down to read Ethan’s texts. I’d answer Carter later.
Ethan
Taking batting practice with Carter.
Carter was going to help Ethan? I tried not to read too much into it. Carter had always had a strong connection to Ethan, and the fact he agreed to take time out of his schedule to help Ethan become a better ballplayer was sweet.
Sure. Text me if you need a ride home.
Carter will bring me. I invited him for dinner.
I stuck my phone back into my pocket, my stomach full of butterflies. Why did the idea of Carter coming for dinner have me a little freaked out? He was a friend. A really hot one, but a friend.
The day had been everything I’d wished for, but I now had an overwhelming amount of work to do before the season started. The team was offering me the brass ring, a key to long-term success and self-sufficiency. If I impressed them this season, a three-year contract would guarantee that my bakery would become a household name throughout Red Rock. I grabbed my keys and headed for the exit.
The great part about living in a small city was that it took almost no time before I was turning into our neighbourhood. The street was lined with old oak trees, and the branches were still bare this early in the spring, but later in the year their leafy canopy would give the street the old-fashioned, small-town feel that I loved.
Returning to Red Rock after my divorce had been an easy choice. Not only was my family here, but I truly missed the city I’d grown up in. Raising my kids here had been a no-brainer. I slowed my truck as I approached the large old Victorian-style house I called home, noting the shiny black SUV parked in front.
No one I knew drove a Mercedes; here in Alberta a Ford F-150 was the vehicle of choice. A frisson of unease raised the hairs on the back of my neck, but I shook it off. Nothing was going to ruin my day. Besides, maybe whoever drove the SUV was visiting one of my neighbours. Not likely, considering my closest neighbour was an eighty-year-old widow with no kids, but you never knew.
The SUV’s tinted windows didn’t give me any more information as I rolled past the vehicle and pulled into the driveway. The vehicle had Alberta plates, but it also had a car rental sticker discreetly stuck to the back. Once I was stopped and walking around the front end, though, someone stood up from the rocking swing on my porch and leaned casually against the railing.
“Hello, Janie. Happy to see me?”
I sucked in a quiet breath, masking my shock at finding my ex-husband standing on my front porch. In all the years since our divorce, Chad had shown up in Red Rock a grand total of three times, even though his parents and his kids were here. On the few times he wanted to see the kids, he’d flown them out to see him.
“Chad, this is a surprise. Did the network send you out to cover the Fliers opening day? Seems like it would be below your pay grade.” I hid my petty satisfaction that his looks were slipping: He still had a full head of thick blond hair, but he’d packed on a bit of weight around his middle, and he had dark bags under his eyes. He did not look good.
I pushed past him, dodging the hug he tried to give me. He’d forfeited the right to touch me a long time ago. I unlocked my front door and stood aside for him to enter. Trying to keep him out was pointless. I might as well find out why he was here so he could disappear out of my life again. With any luck, he wouldn’t leave chaos behind him. As he stalked past me, I noticed the slight pink flush colouring his neck and the pinch of his lips. He looked . . . embarrassed? Weird. That was so not like him.
