The Boyfriend Contract Page 10
“C’mon, Em, you got this!” Callie yelled from first base.
He walked out to the on-deck circle, knowing he should be concentrating on practice swings, but his eyes were on Emily. She made contact, but the ball bounced behind her in a weak foul ball. Well, at least she was staying alive. Emily would be the second out of the inning, and then he’d be up to bat and could bring everyone home. Except he didn’t want that for her. He wanted her to have the satisfaction and the pride that came from batting in a run. He actually held his breath as Emily took a swing…and struck out.
Her pretty face turned bright red, and she slowly turned and walked back to the dugout. She made eye contact with him briefly, and he caught the embarrassment flashing in her green eyes before she disappeared to sit on the bench.
He rolled his shoulders and focused on the field. There were now two outs and bases were loaded. He knew this pitcher and he knew he’d be able to crank one out into the outfield, driving the winning run home. He knew that as he walked by the team bench were Emily was standing behind the fence. She had been the only one to strike out time after time tonight. She’d been the only one to miss any ball thrown her way. And yet, she’d given it her all.
He stepped up to the plate, tapping his bat on the ground, getting into position. He made eye contact with Callie, seeing her confidence, seeing her determination. Despite his better judgement, he glanced behind him and saw the woman who was the complete opposite of his sister but deserved to have that same confidence. He drew his bat back slightly behind his shoulder and faced the pitcher. His head was in the game. It was his damn heart that was on the woman who couldn’t play ball to save her life.
He swung and missed. Deliberately. And then he did it two more times. And then for the first time in his adult career, he struck out, and it was on purpose. He’d made the decision that letting his team down was less painful than letting Emily be the only one who struck out tonight. He registered the shock on everyone’s faces before his brothers started yelling at him.
He turned and spotted Emily with her fingers still curled around the metal fence, and he walked over to her, ignoring the rest of his teammates and family as they approached. “That was a good try,” she said with a wobbly smile.
He ducked his head for a moment and then looked back up at her. “Thanks.”
“What the hell? Are you freaking kidding me? You can’t hit a ball anymore?” Austin said before shoving him.
“Bad luck,” he said, walking back to his equipment bag hanging on the other side of the fence.
He needed to get out of there as fast as possible, before either of his idiot brothers figured out what he’d done tonight. Hell, he didn’t even know why he’d done what he’d done. Well, he did know, but he wasn’t sure what to do with that knowledge. Emily was a woman who could get under his skin. He swung his bag over his shoulder and glanced back, smiling slightly as his sister put her arm around Emily and made her laugh. He walked to his truck and swung his bag into the cab then swore under his breath as Austin and Brody came over to him.
“You struck out on purpose,” Brody said flatly.
He didn’t affirm or deny.
“You did it because you felt bad for Emily,” Brody continued.
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against his truck, not saying anything.
“So you going to finally get up the nerve to ask her out?” Austin said.
He frowned at them. “What makes you think I’d want to do that?”
“Because you have never struck out on this team. Ever. Then, just as our gorgeous client strikes out after a very adorable and earnest but very sad display at the plate, you come up to bat with a dumb-ass expression on your face and somehow can’t manage to even get a base hit so that one of us could run home to score.”
“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but I gotta get going,” he said, opening his door. He hated that they knew him so well.
“We’re going out for wings,” they said.
“Not in the mood.” He wanted to be by himself. He hopped into his truck, shut the door, and put the key in the ignition, not letting his brother’s thunderous expressions guilt him into joining them. He wanted to go home, shower, and then go over all the reasons he would never ask Emily out. He pulled out of the parking lot, but not before spotting his sister and Emily walking toward Emily’s SUV. His sister waved frantically at him, but it was Emily’s smile, maybe the light in her eyes, too, that made him turn away from everything that existed between them and leave.
Chapter Eight
Emily adjusted her laptop screen so the glare from the sun wouldn’t prevent her from seeing what she was typing. She was working on the front porch because her house was filled with men ripping out walls and floors and installing bathroom fixtures. There was dust and noise everywhere, which made it virtually impossible to get any work done. She’d have gone to the Sleepless Goat, but she needed to stick around here because someone usually had a question or two for her throughout the day.
She may have also been on the porch because of Cooper. Ever since he’d thrown the ball around with her and then repaired that window…and according to Callie, had struck out on purpose at the game, things had been different. Something had shifted and become almost awkward. At first she assumed it was just her, because she was attracted to him in a way that made her not know how to act. But then at the baseball game…she’d sensed it from him, too. This week they had both been avoiding each other. It seemed that it was always one of his brothers coming to ask her questions and Cooper was always off by himself, working in a part of the house that she wasn’t.
Reminding herself that she had way bigger problems than the fact that she couldn’t play ball was a great way to get her mind back on the big picture. She focused on her computer screen, giving the pages one last glance. She had just finished her deposition for tomorrow night’s council meeting and was quite pleased with herself. Her business plan was complete, and she’d printed enough copies for each town council member, just in case they were needed. Her strategy was solid, and she had the experience to back up her dream.
She glanced up when she heard the old screen door squeaking as it opened. Cooper was standing there looking like she was used to him looking—hot and disgruntled. It had never been a look she’d appreciated on a man before, but he pulled it off well. “The kitchen guys are here and have a few questions.”
She nodded, snapping the lid on her computer shut. “Sure. Is there a problem?” she asked as she followed him back into the house. She sidestepped the ladder the electrician was standing on and gingerly walked across the tarped floors.
“I think it’s just last-minute stuff,” he said, moving aside and letting her walk first into the kitchen.
She smiled at the two men from the small family-run custom cabinetry company. They were rushing the project for her and so far had been very pleasant to work with. They were standing there with worried expressions on their faces. “Morning,” she said with a smile.
“Good morning, Emily. Everything is right on schedule with the cabinetry. Tim and I were just discussing the reservations we had with installing the cabinetry directly against the brick because it is fragile and uneven,” the father, Dillon, said.
Cooper was running his hands along the exposed brick. “I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a problem, Tim. It’ll take a bit longer than your standard installation, but I’m confident it’ll hold up. I’ve done this before and I’ll be here when your guys are installing, if they need a hand.”
Emily breathed a sigh of relief. The red brick was beautiful, and she knew it would be a great contrast against the white cabinetry. “Great,” she said, shooting Cooper a smile. But he was focused on the two men in front of them.
“All right, Coop. We’re going to do a few last-minute measurements and then we’ll be out of here. Next Monday, we start the installation,” Tim said.
Emily beamed and couldn’t resist a little hand
clap. The men smiled at her before leaving. “This is so exciting,” she said to Cooper, her mind racing at the thought of finally having a working kitchen and finishing the transformation from run-down to a modern farmhouse kitchen. “I’ve already taken before shots of the room, so when the house is all done I can send the pictures to some different home magazines. Maybe I can get some extra—and free—publicity if they feature this reno. Of course, I’d give you credit.”
He smiled. “Thanks. I think you’re doing something special here. Speaking of, are you ready for the council meeting tomorrow night?”
She shrugged. “Pretty much. I don’t think this should be that much of an issue.”
He shoved his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, and she tried not to pay any attention to the way the motion stretched his shirt across his broad shoulders or the fact that he’d revealed he liked what she was doing with the house. “I hope not. Just remember this isn’t the city. A lot of people here have big opinions about seemingly little things.”
She frowned. “I haven’t heard anything. Have you?”
“Not exactly, but a few people have been grumbling to my dad about how they don’t want a big inn on a little street.”
“Big inn? I’m not making this place any bigger! I’m just changing its primary use. Okay…well, thanks for the heads-up.”
“Coop, we’re heading out to the Sampson job now,” Brody said, poking his head in the room from the servants’ staircase.
“Sure,” Cooper said. “I’ll walk you guys out. I need to pick up a few supplies in town.”
Brody nodded and left the room.
Cooper turned back to her. “Well…I’ll see you tomorrow as usual.”
“I’ll, uh, yeah, see you later,” she said. Now she was nervous about tomorrow night’s meeting, and she was not liking the awkward tension between her and Cooper or the fact that he seemed to be purposely trying to get away from her. Embarrassment stung her as she wondered if he might be aware of her attraction to him and that it might be completely one-sided.
…
Emily frowned as she took in the packed room. The large chamber in the historical city hall building was impressive, with its domed ceiling and paneled circular space. Unfortunately, she couldn’t dwell on the architectural features of the place because it was packed to the brim. All these people couldn’t be here because of her case, could they?
She clutched her file to her chest and forced herself to calm down and look serene and confident as she searched for an empty seat. Panic bubbled inside her as it became very clear no one was making eye contact with her.
Then she saw Cooper’s parents waving her over. She gave them a thankful smile and made her way to them.
“Come sit with us, dear,” Mrs. Merrick said, sliding to make room on the bench.
“How are you doing, Emily?” Mr. Merrick said.
“I was fine until I saw how many people are here,” she whispered, wincing.
Mrs. Merrick gave her a sympathetic smile. “Let’s hope they’re here for some of the other issues on the table tonight.” But she didn’t sound convinced and her husband didn’t back up her opinion.
“You’re doing nothing wrong,” Mr. Merrick said. “When it’s your turn to speak, you just get up there and be confident and tell them all the improvements you’re making to your grandmother’s old house.”
“Cooper and his brothers are standing in the back,” Mrs. Merrick said with a wink that made Emily shift in her seat. She had no idea why she was winking at her like that and there was no way Emily was going to turn around and see exactly where Cooper was standing. She turned to face the front, focusing on the meeting that was being called to attention.
She sat on pins and needles, clutching her file as council and town staff went through different agenda items, hers, of course, being last on the list. When they finally arrived at her zoning application, chatter erupted, and the mayor had to remind everyone to keep quiet.
Mayor Burton was in his late sixties, she guessed, with gray hair and a firm demeanor—not exactly the warm and fuzzy type.
She’d never had to sit through one of these meetings for her family’s company. Usually it was their lawyers and planners who were involved at this level. Surveying the room, she tried not to let the wave of loneliness fog her focus. It didn’t matter that she was an outsider, that she didn’t have a family, that she didn’t even have any old friends here. She was here as a business person.
Her eyes widened as the line at the microphone grew and she had to turn in her seat to see how far it wrapped around the room. Surely all these people couldn’t be opposed to her little inn, could they?
“We will begin hearing all the comments on the application to change zoning on 10 Maple Hill,” the mayor said.
She held her breath as her neighbor took to the microphone. “Yeah, I don’t want a damn inn beside my farm! I drive my tractor up and down that road, and I don’t want to be competin’ with some fancy sports cars going to that fancy inn.”
Emily shut her eyes and sank a little in her chair. This was what she’d feared, that the townspeople wouldn’t see the value in it, that they’d just see it as a threat to their way of living. She watched as, one by one, people who lived on her street took to the microphone, stating their similar grievances. Mrs. Merrick patted her knee and gave her a sympathetic smile.
“I think you’d better get up there,” Mr. Merrick said, pointing to the line that only had one person left.
Emily shot him a wobbly smile and stood just as the mayor called her forward. The silence in the room wasn’t comfortable and she had never felt so much like an outsider as she did this very moment.
She had never really fit in at the family business—as much as she loved it—because she was the boss’s daughter. People treated her with courtesy and respect, but she never knew if it was earned or if it was because she was seen as daddy’s little girl. She wasn’t invited to the impromptu drinks after work or ladies’ nights. She had told herself it didn’t matter, that she’d be running the company one day and should just concentrate on that and working late. No guy had even dared show any romantic interest in her and, mixed with her brother’s constant remarks about her appearance growing up, she’d waffle between thinking no one would ask her out because she was the boss’s daughter or because she just wasn’t a very attractive person.
She fumbled with the microphone, staring at it a moment, willing all those old memories to recede deep down into the vault she usually kept tightly locked. She hated being weak, she hated feeling exposed, but that was exactly what was happening tonight. She glanced over her shoulder, not really knowing why, not really needing to, and sought the gaze of the one man who’d seemed to capture her attention from day one. Her breath caught in her throat as she made eye contact across the crowd, with Cooper. She couldn’t quite read that expression in his blue eyes, but it was his face, that handsome face, that wasn’t with its usual disgruntled expression. Instead it had softened, and there was almost a look of…maybe sympathy, maybe pride.
She turned away quickly and opened her notes, rummaging through the folder as she cleared her throat. “Good evening,” she began, hating that her voice wobbled. Focus. You’re Emily Birmingham, you used to run a multi-million-dollar company. You gave speeches and presentations hundreds of times. She took another deep breath and lifted her chin, remembering her father’s words to never look down when you faced a rival or an opponent.
“My name is Emily Birmingham and I’m the owner of Ten Maple Lane. This was my grandmother’s house and I’m very blessed to now own it and become a member of this wonderful community. Over the years, my grandmother’s house has been neglected. It is my goal to see that this great heritage home is meticulously restored to its original beauty. My intention is not to take away from the character of the home or its heritage features but to restore it to its former glory. Any renovations that are being done are those that involve plumbing and electrical and things o
f that nature to bring the home up to code.”
“Well, if you love it so much, why are you making it an inn?” someone yelled out.
“Because it is too big a house for one person alone. I want to share the estate’s beauty with everyone. We will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and anyone is welcome, not just guests of the inn. I will be providing tourism publicity to the community as well as jobs. It will be a boutique inn, so it will be very small, and the increase in traffic will be negligible, especially during the slow season. It is my great hope that my neighbors and community can see that this inn will only enhance the neighborhood and bring vibrancy to the tourism of Maple Hill. Thank you.”
She took her seat as quickly as possible, while trying to not appear as though she were running from center stage. As soon as she sat down, Mr. and Mrs. Merrick each gave her a thumbs-up. She turned to the front of the room to listen, holding her breath as the mayor addressed the room.
…
Emily stared at the menu as she stood in line at the Maple Hill Dairy Bar near the pier. Rocky Road and Peanut Butter Swirl were the top contenders at the moment. She fished through her purse, taking out cash and hoping to avoid eye contact with anyone who might know her. Tonight wasn’t going to be pretty and she didn’t think she could fake being okay. Since she’d somehow managed to still not cave on the Diet Coke and Cheetos, clearly ice cream was her only alternative. She took a deep breath, clutching her ten-dollar bill with one hand and lowering her baseball cap so she could barely see if she looked straight.
“Miss, can I help you?”
“Hi, I’d like your largest size of Rocky Road, please.”
“Sure,” the teenager said, seeming completely disinterested in her, which was perfect. She needed to get her tub of ice cream and then go wander along what she hoped would be a deserted pier so she could sit on a bench and try to figure out how she could be so stupid.
A few minutes later she was holding her half pint of Rocky Road and hating it. Maybe it was good she hated it, because it took the attention off the fact that the entire town, the council, and the mayor decided against her zoning amendment.