Page 29 of Scoring with the Coach's Daughter

Maggie chuckles as she heads to the Inn and I duck inside, drop my coffee cup in the kitchen, and grab my purse. I have to visit the butcher.

By the time I get to the meat market, I’ve managed to regain my footing. The butcher greets me with a nod as I approach the counter, his hands already reaching for a fresh slab of ribeye.

“You’re early today,” David says. We went to high school together and he knows my routine.

“I have a lot to get done,” I reply, scanning the display case. My eyes land on a cut of beef, but when he points to a piece of meat, I shake my head. “Not that one. The one behind it.”

He nods, lifting the steak I pointed to. “This one?”

I inspect it closely, noting the marbling, and the thickness. “Perfect.” It will feed the three of us. “Did you get my order?”

“Sure did.” He hollers through the small window behindhim and a teenager bustles through the door carrying a shopping bag of meat.

“Miss Sam, is Jake as nice as they say?”

“I don’t know, what is being said?” I’m curious what the rumor mill has been spewing.

“He’s helping at the camp. The kids love him,” he grins and it’s clear he’s a fan of the team even though it’s not our local team. “It’s caused quite a stir, him being here, a famous football player and all.”

“He’s very nice—genuine, you know?” I smile.

He nods and smiles before he disappears into the back.

I’m finalizing my order when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the screen and groan.

The fish delivery is delayed.

“Problem?” David asks.

“Just a minor hiccup,” I muttered, slipping the phone back into my pocket. “Thanks, David.”

I leave the market, already reworking the restaurant menu in my head. It’s a small setback, but it throws me for a minute. I’m glad Ellie is in camp as I have to oversee the kitchen. I’m anxious to have a family dinner tonight and I don’t want anything to go wrong.

Maggie oversees the staff breaking down the breakfast buffet and I enter the walk-in to take an inventory. Maggie makes a dinner suggestion, and I tell her to run with it. I find it’s easy to delegate knowing Jake will be around tonight and I can’t wait to see him.

I pop over to my house and season the steak, covering it with plastic wrap, and leaving it sitting out so it will reach room temperature before I cook it.

I visit my garden pick lettuce for a salad and cut an assortment of flowers for the dinner table. I busy myself setting the table for dinner, flicking a tablecloth over thewooden oak table, and straightening the four chairs. I return to the sink and cut the bottoms of the pink tulips and lilacs, putting them in a cut glass vase that’s been in the family for generations. I place it on the table with pride making sure the flowers are perfectly arranged, and the vase is centered.

I walk over to the restaurant and check in with Maggie to make sure she has everything she needs for tonight before I enter my office to pay bills and work on the schedule for staffers and my phone pings.

How is your morning?

Great. You?

The kids are cute. However, someone kept me up all night.

I wonder who.

I’d like a repeat.

Me too. Dinner tonight?

You read my mind.

His cute texts make me smile. He wants me.

Jake will be heading to his doctor's appointment. I’ll have to ask how that’s going. I know he doesn’t have a checkout date at the inn. I oversee the bookings even though I have a high schooler who helps out daily.

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