Page 45 of Recipe for Rivals

“I have maps on my phone.”

“I don’t have an address.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to make a serial killer joke, teasing him about how hard he was trying to get us in his truck, but Alice’s little ears were tuned in. Besides, I trusted Dusty. Or rather, Gigi trusted him and I trusted her judgment. That first day we’d met in the market, I had gone straight home and called to ask her about him so I could decide whether or not to let Ben keep the Hot Wheels. She had told me in no uncertain terms he was a flirt and to stay away, but that he was a good man and him giving Ben a fire truck wasn’t worrisome in the least.

“Besides, it would be easier to put your stuff in my truck.” His light brown eyes were almost golden in the sunlight. “Your call, Nova.”

“Fine, you can drive.”

He looked so triumphant, my stomach did a weird leap. I fetched Alice’s booster seat before opening the back door of Dusty’s truck to help Alice in.

“You okay, babe?” I asked her.

She nodded, letting me buckle her seatbelt. “Can I buckle Peaches too?”

“Of course.” I helped her get her monkey situated in the middle seat, then climbed into the front.

Dusty glanced over his shoulder and noticed Peaches, then winked at Alice. Her little giggle from the back seat froze my entire body. Holy stomach-melting man. I didn’t know if my crush would hold off much longer if he made my daughter emit sounds of joy like that. There had been so little of it lately, her giggle was like a sudden shot straight to my heart.

Dusty pulled onto the road and started driving slowly through town. “Do you have a list of what you need?”

“It’s so long. I’m mostly just planning on seeing what they have and going from there.”

“Good plan. It’s best to be flexible.”

My phone buzzed, so I pulled it out to find a message from Chad. He’d been sending me recipes and ideas for his competition dinner the last few days, but I hadn’t nailed down anything concrete.

Chad

Want to meet tonight to go over menu options for Battle of the Badges?

I glanced at the time. We had all day before dinner, but even if we got home in the early afternoon, that didn’t leave me much time to finish planning some menu ideas.

Nova

Can’t today. Maybe tomorrow? Gigi’s for lunch?

Chad

Perfect.

Dusty turned the radio on low, letting soft country music fill the cab. He fiddled with the heater, then dropped his elbow casually on the center console. His phone started ringing and the name Tucker popped up on his Bluetooth screen. “Mind if I answer this?”

“Not at all.”

“What’s up?” Dusty asked.

Tucker’s deep voice filled the truck. “You coming to Gigi’s tomorrow after church? June wants to plan the rehearsal dinner.”

What were the chances?

“You don’t really need me there for these things,” Dusty said.

“June doesn’t,” Tucker agreed. “But you seriously can’t leave me alone with them and the wedding notebook. It’s a level of misery I don’t wish on anyone.”

“Elope.” Dusty sent me a grin I promptly ignored.

“Nah, I want her to have this wedding. She’s planning most of it with my mom anyway. I think these meetings are just a way to involve us.”

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