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As my mom used to promise me before she died, I had grown into my looks, but that didn’t erase the past.
“I’ve known him all my life,” I added, “and his persuasiveness no longer has a hold on me. Or my emotions.”
“Then you’re the only woman, aside from me, in all of Jackson’s Ridge who is impervious to his charms.” She leaned in with a conspiratorial smile. “And even I succumb to his charms when he’s trying to get out of important meetings or volunteer projects like this one.”
“Because he uses that pretty face to get his way, no matter the consequences.” That pretty face had done me in at one time, too. “I need the specs for the stage and the booths, Suzie. And, if possible, I’d like to get a look at the venue before I order supplies.”
Suzie blinked at my firm tone and abrupt change in topic. “Right. Sorry. It’s just been a while since Cal went after a woman here in town. It’s kind of exciting.”
“He’s not after me; his ego is bruised because I don’t want him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I shot back quickly. Easily. I might dream of taking him to bed, but even that was nothing but a fantasy.
Someone knocked on Suzie’s office door and she rolled her eyes. “Come in.”
Cal stood in the doorway with a wide smile, but at least he was wearing a shirt. “Teddy, funny running into you here.” The gleam in his eyes told me it wasn’t funny at all. “I wanted to talk to Suzie about something, but with you here, we can all discuss it. Together.”
“This is about the fundraiser, Cal. I’m sure whatever you need can wait until Suzie and I are done.” I arched a brow at Suzie and mouthed, “See?”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “Can this wait, Cal?”
“It can, but it shouldn’t. I want to donate a quarter of the supplies you need to build the stage and the boots. So, you can order twenty-five percent more supplies than you need to renovate my place and use it for Night of a Thousand Heroes.”
Damn him and his generous offer. “It isn’t necessary, but thanks, I appreciate the assist.” As much as I didn’t mind donating my time along with Austin, who had agreed to help since he felt so guilty about slicing his finger while on a job for me, it was always harder to absorb the cost of supplies. I didn’t want to take his help, but I knew this wasn’t solely for my benefit, and that helped.
“You do?”
“Sure. I’ll even put a little placard on the stage saying your donation helped get it built.” His ego would be stroked by the whole town, not that he needed it, and hopefully he would find someone else to chase.
“I don’t need the recognition.” He frowned and folded his arms across his chest.
“Whatever you say, Cal.” I didn’t believe that for a second, but I would take him at his word.
“You think you know me, Teddy. But you don’t.”
“I know enough,” I assured him.
“You don’t, actually. How about you have dinner with me and get to know me?”
I smiled, ignoring Suzie’s laugh beside me. “We just had dinner this week, at Cenzo’s barbecue, remember?” I stood and shrugged. “Guess I wasn’t a memorable dinner companion. Lucky you, dodged that bullet.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d forgotten about me, but the pang of disappointment in my gut was real.
Cal stepped inside the office and his blue eyes turned almost black. “You were an unforgettable companion, Teddy. That’s why I’m so eager to do it again, only this time without a princess chaperone. I want a more intimate setting so we can get reacquainted properly.” He winked and flashed a wide, seductive grin. “Think about it and let me know. Soon.”
Then he was gone like a puff of smoke, or maybe that was my panties catching on fire.
“Hot damn,” Suzie sighed and when I turned, she was fanning herself with a stack of papers. “I give you another two weeks, max, of putting him off before you give in.”
I let out a sarcastic snort of laughter. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Suzie.”
“Hey, I have eyes. There are some serious sparks between you two, and honestly, I think two weeks is being far too generous before this thing… happens.” At my skeptical look, Suzie shrugged. “I’m just calling it how I see it, Teddy. As an administrator, it’s my job to see the big picture—and what I see right now is you and Cal heading toward each other at one thousand miles per hour. The collision will be magnificent.”
“Or it could be magnificently horrible.” Was that even a thing? “A magnificent train wreck—you know how there’s always beauty in that kind of destruction? That’s how it would be, if there was going to be anything at all coming out of this situation. But there won’t be anything at all. He’ll get bored of the rejection soon enough.”
