Page 87 of Recipe for Rivals

Blair

Have you checked his basement for jars of eyeballs?

Nova

Gross

Blair

I don’t know what else you’re worried about

Nova

I haven’t seen his house yet

Blair

We both know this isn’t really about the house. You need to decide what you want. Definitely talk to the kids, but this is about you, too. It’s not just about them

Nova

Hardest balancing act ever

Blair

I’m still waiting on that name

Nova

I’ll try to get a picture for you

There was no way I was giving her direct access to stalk him online. I loved Blair, but I was also a little worried about what she might possibly do with that kind of access.

Maybe I’d snag a picture of him running across the field with a football. I folded my arms across my chest and searched the players, a smile tugging at my lips when I found Dusty. Man, he was hot. Sweat darkened the back of his shirt and made his forehead shine. He jogged with perfect form across the field and tossed a football to someone on the cops’ team. When his gaze swept across the line of spectators, he pointed directly at someone sitting in a camp chair and clapping—an older man with a baseball hat and a red firefighter’s T-shirt next to Tucker’s dad. He had Dusty’s same nose and identical laughing eyes, set within a mountain of wrinkles.

Had Dusty brought his grandfather? That was adorable.

He glanced my way next, and a grin spread over his face so wide it made me smile in answer.

I wasn’t entirely sure, because I hadn’t been watching Dusty before he noticed me, but I was pretty sure his performance went up. The man was a powerhouse. His muscles strained against his T-shirt sleeves, his back shifting while he caught and threw the ball. It was almost a shame they weren’t playing tackle, because I wouldn’t have minded seeing what that looked like.

Chad jogged by a minute later and winked at me. I flushed awkwardly, my cheeks growing hot.

“So which side are you on?” Gigi asked, approaching me atthe worst possible moment. “Because I just noticed you getting ogled by men from both teams.”

“Which means both teams are onmyside?” I asked, hoping to reroute the question. I slid my phone into my pocket. Photo evidence for Blair would have to wait.

I should have known Gigi couldn’t be so easily persuaded. “I’ve been warning men away from you since the moment you told me you’d be coming to Texas, but it doesn’t seem to have done much good. They still won’t leave you alone.”

She meant well, but it was still a little embarrassing when she acted like all these guys would want to date a tired mom of two. Not when my priority would always be Ben and Alice. I hip-checked my aunt. “Dusty told me about that.”

“Chad didn’t, though? I was a little more forceful with him,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Proof that he isn’t good news. He does his job well enough, but I wouldn’t trust him with your heart.”

“I’m not trusting anyone with my heart, Gigi.” Something about the way she said that nettled me.

“Not even Dusty?” she asked.

“No, not even him. I’m still…I just moved here. The kids are getting settled. I don’t know if we’ll stay in Texas forever.”