Page 62 of Recipe for Rivals
“See y’all,” Gracie Mae called when we got outside. She gave me a wide smile and I returned it, then walked toward my truck.
“Hey, Dusty, wait,” she called.
My body tightened. I was forming an excuse about heading out to see my Grandpa so Gracie Mae wouldn’t rope me into doing something with her. But when I saw Nova hurrying my way, I realized she had called my name.
I instantly relaxed. It was time to talk to Gracie Mae again, I knew that. But, honestly, a guy could only say he wasn’t interested so many times before it was on her to understand and move on.
“What’s up?”
“I didn’t hear from you last night,” she said, a little breathless from hurrying after me. “Is Brody okay?”
“Oh, yeah, he’s fine. A little scraped up.”
She nodded. “Good. I was worried. Must be the mom in me.”
Or just goodness, plain and simple. Not all moms worried about their kids. Mine certainly never had. “He’s been fighting with some other kids. I’m trying to keep him from getting in trouble with the school, so I’ve brought him on to help with the auction we’re having at the end of the month.”
“That’s good of you.”
“I like the kid. It’s not a trial.”
She nodded. “Well, thanks for all you do for these boys.”
“One more point for me?” I asked.
“Who’s keeping track?”
“I am, obviously. Since we’ve met, I’ve been racking them up. I’m going to win.”
She gave an incredulous laugh. “Win what?”
Her, hopefully. I swallowed the thought, shoving it to the furthest recesses of my brain. I didn’t even know where it had come from, since I was actively trying not to think of her that way. I wasn’t playing the long game here. I wasn’t playinganygames.
She turned and started walking back to the diner, probably sensing I had no ready response. “See you later, Dusty.”
“See ya,” I called, feeling like a total idiot.
Fine, I’d admit it, but only to myself. I was starting to fall for Nova.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
NOVA
“We watchedMatildatoday,”Ben said while we were walking home from school. “The class read it together before we got here.”
“Did you like it?” I asked, smoothing my hand over his messy blond hair.
“Yeah.”
“Well, we can read it together,” I offered.
Ben looked up, making my hand fall. “Really?”
“I want to read it!” Alice said.
I glanced down at her. She would probably love it too. “There’s a book shop on Main Street. Do you guys want to go check it out and see if they carryMatilda?”
My kids chorused a resounding yes, so we slipped down an alley to get to the right side of the buildings and walked toward Baker Books. Tucker’s fiancée, June, was sitting behind the counter, working at a laptop. Her blonde frizzy hair was wild and long. She lifted her gaze to us and smiled widely. “Welcome! This is a treat.”