Chapter Nine

Now…

In her office the next morning, it was back to business as usual as Whitney opened the television network’s website and followed the links to the location casting callout page. Scott had offered to do the application, but there was no way she was leaving this in his hands.

Though there really wasn’t much to this preliminary stage.

Basic info about the town, its location and population, and a 140-character pitch about why they should be considered. Whitney filled in the required info and uploaded the best images she had on file of Blue Moon Bay, then hit Submit.

Now all they could do was wait.

Part of her hoped they weren’t chosen to move on with a formal application and pitch. The holidays were coming up, and soon she’d need to focus on the town’s festivities. Then there was the New Year calendar to plan, which she’d yet to come up with a theme for next year’s layout.

Maybe they were overstretching with the Race Across America submission.

The day before had been nice. Not thinking about work, or at least not stressing so much about it. She’d gotten a rare glimpse into life outside her office, something she hadn’t allowed herself in more than a year. Being with Trent, having fun, had reminded her of how much she was missing with her workaholic lifestyle.

And the world hadn’t ended because she’d gotten off the hamster wheel for a few hours.

Her cell phone chimed with a new text message, and picking up her phone, she read the message from Sarah:

Are we still on for the haunted house promo photos today?

Damn, that was today. Sure enough, her calendar chimed with the reminder to be at the B&B in an hour.

She’d completely spaced on it. It was too late to arrange their usual photographer. He was almost always accommodating on short notice, but an hour was too short. It wouldn’t have been had she been in the office the day before as planned. She could have called him.

She’d have to take the photos herself.

Shutting her laptop, she jumped up from the desk, texting Sarah as she went.

On my way.

She hurried out of the office and to her car. Climbing in, she put on her seat belt as her phone calendar chimed. She glanced down at it.

Meeting with the printers at two p.m.

Shit!

That didn’t give her much time. It was already after noon. Twenty minutes in and out of the B&B, she’d have to hope not to hit midday traffic as she made her way across town. Her head ached, and she squinted in the sunlight’s glare as she sped along the streets toward Dove’s Nest.

Her phone rang, and seeing her boss’s number lighting up the call display, she resisted the urge to scream as she hit the Bluetooth connection on the dash. “Hey, Mayor Rodale. I’m just on the way to the B&B to get the photos of the haunted house.”

“The photographer meeting you there?”

“No…” Think quick.

“He wasn’t available?”

She hadn’t booked him. “These should be quick. I thought I’d just take them. No sense in paying the hourly rate.”

“Okay, good thinking. When will you be back in the office? I have a new client coming by—they opened a new flower shop on Main Street and wanted to discuss some promotion opportunities.”

“After the B&B, I have to stop by the printers to pick up the holiday promotional packs, but I should be back by three or three thirty?” As long as traffic was okay and there weren’t any delays or issues with the promo packs.

“Oh dear…that’s a little late,” Mayor Rodale said. “You know what, don’t worry. Scott’s here. I’ll ask him to meet with the client, and he can fill you in.”

She swallowed hard, clenching the steering wheel tight. “Sure,” she said through gritted teeth. Her head throbbed, a migraine coming on. “Sorry about that.”

“Remember, Scott can help if you need him. Don’t try to do everything yourself.”

Great, her boss must have sensed her irritation. “Of course. Scott’s a great assistant,” she said before disconnecting the call. An assistant who could easily replace her if she took her foot off the gas for even a second.

Pressing the pedal a little harder, she got on with her never-ending to-do list.

…

His cousin was a true artist. Staring at the Halloween cake in the shape of Dracula, Trent couldn’t believe it was made from cake, puffed rice, fondant, and sugar.

“It looks so realistic. Those eyes seem to be following me,” he said, moving from side to side in her bakery later that day. The amazing spun-sugar eyes were seriously impressive. It was no wonder Jess’s business was such a success. Her baked goods were the best he’d ever tasted, and her attention to detail in her decorating was second to none.

Jess laughed. “Here, try one of these,” she said, holding out a tray of dark, round spiders with black licorice legs and white- and milk-chocolate-chip eyes.

Trent picked one up and bit into the thin, crisp dome shell. Chocolate mixed with a spicy hotness awakened his taste buds. “So good,” he said, his mouth full. “Mexican hot chocolate?”

“Yep.”

He took in the rest of the haunted house desserts she was boxing up—severed finger sugar cookies, Frankenstein’s monster–shaped gingerbread, tombstone chocolate cookies…and hundreds of each.

“This is really impressive,” he said. “I’m sure Sarah is relieved you didn’t sell the bakery last year.” Jess had turned down a million-dollar offer from a large chain store wanting to buy her out. She loved her small hometown and being close to family that much.

Jess checked her watch. “Speaking of…I have to get all of this over to the B&B.”

“I’ll help,” he said, straightening.

Jess frowned. “I thought you and Whitney would be celebrating your birthday tonight. Happy birthday, by the way.”

He shrugged casually. “I think she forgot what day it is.” She’d left that morning for work without saying “happy birthday,” and he’d yet to receive a text from her about whether she’d be home in time for dinner or any indication that she had anything special planned.

Jess’s gaze was sympathetic. “Sorry, Trent.”

He waved a hand. “You know I don’t care about birthdays.” He glanced around the bakery. “Where do you want me to start?”

But hours later, after helping Jess deliver the horror-themed baked goods to the B&B and enjoying birthday takeout with his cousin and Sarah and Wes, Trent still hadn’t heard from Whitney. It was after ten p.m. when he left the B&B and still no reply from the text he’d sent five hours before. He’d only texted once, having learned over the years that when she was busy, more frequent texts just added to her stress. It did annoy him that when she went to work, it was as if she’d gone to another planet. Unreachable. But there wasn’t much he could do about it.

He drove along Main Street and sighed. He didn’t feel like going home and being there alone. A workout would be a good idea, but the gym was closed already.

Luckily, he owned a bar. If there was a place that could help drown out the silence of an un-ringing cell phone and quiet the nagging thoughts in his mind, it was Monday night at his bar.

Karaoke night.

As he pushed through the doors and entered the dimly lit space, the sound of unmerciful wailing over the speakers made him wince, and a memory of another birthday hit him hard.

…

Then…

“What about karaoke?”

Trent shook his head so fast, he thought he might get whiplash. “Not a chance in hell,” he told Whitney as they sat in the empty bar the week before the grand opening, planning the weekly entertainment schedule.

Shoes off, she was sitting cross-legged in the booth, looking comfortable and relaxed, while he was sweating bullets. In a few days, the bar would be open. He really hoped the town embraced the tavern as much as they’d once loved the old bar that used to be there, owned by Sarah Lewis’s parents.

Whitney’s pretty eyes widened. “What do you have against karaoke?”

“Besides the butchering of perfectly good classics?”

“It’s fun,” she said with that seductive smile of hers that made it hard not to reach across the booth, grab her face, and kiss her until all planning was forgotten.

“It’s never happening inside my bar,” he said with a wink.

And yet somehow that beautiful woman who’d captured his attention in that past year got her way. And on opening night, too. Which also happened to be his birthday.

That year, there was only one thing he wanted. Standing near the bar, in the packed space, he couldn’t tear his eyes off her as she and Jess did a duet of some classic rock song onstage. Dressed in black leather pants, a pale-pink oversize sweater hanging off one shoulder, and the sexiest heels he’d ever seen, she had him practically drooling. Her face was lit up as she laughed and sang terribly off-key and out of sync with the melody.

Jess was laughing too hard to cover for Whitney’s fail, but the crowd thought they were adorable. Everyone seemed to be having an amazing time, and while he couldn’t wait for karaoke hour to be over and the local band to take over, he had to admit, it had brought in an early crowd to launch the grand opening event with a packed house.

The brilliant, beautiful Whitney had been right.

Her gaze locked with his as the song ended, and the sight of her had his heart pounding in his chest. He didn’t even feel his legs move until he’d reached the stage himself and put in his own request to the karaoke DJ.

The next three and a half minutes were either going to change his life for the better or be his biggest embarrassment.

…

Whitney’s mouth dropped as Trent climbed onto the stage and took the mic. The man who had been adamant about not having karaoke in his bar was actually going to participate? Her cheeks were still flushed from being up there herself with Jess, and she reached for her martini and took a sip before leaning toward her friend. “Can he sing?”

Jess looked just as shocked to see her cousin up there. “Guess we’re going to find out.”

Onstage, Trent looked nervous as the soft opening beats of a familiar country song started to play. He clutched the mic and cleared his throat. Loudly.

“Sorry,” he said into the mic.

A silence fell over the bar as the opening lyrics appeared on the screen.

Whitney held her breath. Trent’s gaze was straight on her as he sang Brett Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know.” And sounded amazing.

Not that it mattered. In that moment, he could have completely butchered one of her favorite songs and she wouldn’t have cared. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he sang the lyrics straight to her heart.

This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for. She knew this was his way of finally telling her how he was feeling. And he was doing it with flair.

She’d known for months that she was in love with him, and to know he felt the same made her heart soar.

Next to her, Jessica swooned as she squeezed Whitney’s hand. “I knew you two were perfect for each other,” she whispered excitedly.

Her best friend was so right. They were perfect together. Over the past year, their connection had only grown more and more. The more she learned about him, the more she liked and admired him. He was self-made and motivated to succeed. Hard-working and driven, with a soft, compassionate side and a deep love for family and the people close to him.

Whitney couldn’t erase the smile from her face while he sang, keeping the entire bar captive in the intimate moment.

That night, after the bar closed and they were all alone, he took her into his arms. Her heart was beating so loud, echoing against her chest. She was sure he had to hear it in the now quiet bar.

“You were really great up there tonight,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. He’d been busy since he’d walked off the stage, so they really hadn’t had time to talk. But all night, her mind had raced about what the gesture had meant. What she’d wanted it to mean. And whenever her gaze caught his across the room, it only became more evident how she felt about him.

His face flushed a little as he lowered his gaze. “I, uh…j-just wanted to tell you…” he stammered, and she placed her hands on the sides of his face and smiled, staring into his eyes.

“I know. I love you, too.”