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  An elderly female clerk approached the desk and handed the deputy mayor a pink message slip. He stared at it a moment then grinned. “We just got word that our first choice for the guest of honor has accepted our invitation. Our very own native son, baseball legend Heath Castillo.”

  Tori nearly gasped aloud. Heath Castillo. He’d been one of her dearest childhood friends. And the only reason she watched every Angels game she could. The guy who’d taken one of his final exams early in college so he could attend her high school graduation.

  The first man who broke my heart.

  Oh God, could she handle being with him for three days? They’d exchanged a few emails, sent annual holiday cards, but she hadn’t seen him in nearly a decade. With good reason. All these years later, she was still embarrassed about how she’d come on to him. Or more specifically, how he’d rejected her.

  Was it too late to refuse the job? This was her opportunity to admit that the Tricentennial was more than she could handle. Her temples started throbbing. Giving up the job would mean it would go to Vivi’s man by default. Vivi would love that. She’d rub Tori’s nose in it, and worse, Vivi’s fiancé’s event planning service would snag tons of potential clients from the experience. Hadn’t Vivi and her cohorts inflicted enough damage in Tori’s life back in high school? No, she couldn’t refuse the contract. Somehow she’d pull it together.

  She collected the folder with the rest of the details before leaving city hall. All the way to her office, all she could think about was Heath. His all-encompassing hugs that lifted her off the ground, his deep, gravelly voice and good-natured sense of humor. Not to mention his eye candy status. With those broad shoulders and the most piercing amber eyes she’d ever seen, it was no wonder he dated the hottest models and actresses in the country.

  Ten years ago she’d somehow convinced herself that her crush on him was mutual. They’d gone out after her graduation, and she’d thrown herself at him only to have him turn her down—the single most humiliating experience of her life. Not that she blamed Heath for rejecting her. She’d been a chubby, frizzy-haired klutz with a crazy fantasy that the hot star of his college baseball team would want to kiss her. She shuddered at the memory as she drove along Bent Tail Boulevard.

  Four years ago, he’d sent the most beautiful flower arrangement for her dad’s funeral. But how could she face him after she’d come onto him?

  Every time she watched Heath play ball on TV or saw his picture in some celebrity magazine, he seemed to get better looking. He was such a big star now, he’d probably forgotten what a fool she’d made of herself. Women must throw themselves at him all the time now. Who wouldn’t have a crush on the guy?

  Not that she did, not anymore. Hell no. She’d been cured. After William had dumped her last year—and moved on to blonder pastures—she was through with men, at least for the time being. No way would she offer up her heart again, not after having it smashed to bits. If only her supernatural matchmaking powers worked on her, but they didn’t. In fact, she was so bad at the whole dating thing, she was sure that she’d never find her own slice of happiness.

  She parked behind her office and ticked off all the parties she had to cover in the next few weeks. Even with Alexa’s help, this was going to be quite a challenge to pull off. Maybe she could have her deal with Heath. But they had Alexa’s cousin’s wedding the same weekend, and Alexa had handled it from the beginning.

  There was no avoiding Heath. A shiver raced up her spine. Just nervous energy.

  She hadn’t seen him in person since his celebrity had skyrocketed. The idea of hosting a baseball superstar must be what had her in a dither. Nothing more. People were counting on her. She couldn’t back out, not after she’d stood up to Vivi to get the job.

  Despite her personal terror both at seeing Heath again and handling the biggest event she’d ever taken on, she was going to get through this. She had to. Hopefully, the ordeal wouldn’t kill her!

  Chapter Two

  The flight attendant with the not-found-in-nature red hair fluffed Heath’s pillow for the third time in an hour. “Sure I can’t get you anything else, Mr. Castillo?” Her teeth were so white they nearly blinded him.

  “I’m good, thanks.” He shut his eyes and waited until she’d left before opening them.

  A few months ago he’d have taken her up on her unspoken come-on. She was pretty. No denying that. But so was Emily, Maryann, Brooke, and Zoe. His past was littered with the debris of his bad decisions. He couldn’t trust his choices at the all-you-can-eat buffet of women that had become his love life. Emily and Brooke had only been interested in what being seen with him could do for their acting careers, and Maryann was nothing but a gold digger.

  He’d thought Zoe was different. The girl-next-door type but with a touch of baseball groupie. She turned out to be different all right. For three months she’d stalked him until he’d been forced to file a restraining order.

  Obviously, his judgment was off-kilter, his standards way too low, or both. Problem was, none of them were Tori. A few weeks ago the floodlights had suddenly switched on in his head. Probably around the time he was dodging Zoe’s constant appearances in his life. He realized Zoe wasn’t the only one with more than her fair share of obsession. He couldn’t get Tori off his mind. None of the women who’d passed through the revolving door to his bedroom measured up to her.

  He thought about something one of his coaches from his short stint in the minor leagues used to say. Every week the guy would give the team the same spiel about choices and responsibilities.

  “We don’t make a hundred different mistakes. We make the same mistake a hundred different times.”

  The words hadn’t hit home then. But now, years later, he finally caught the pitch. He was making the exact same poor choices in dating time after time. Which was why he needed to bench his love life for the moment.

  He hoped that seeing Tori in person wasn’t a mistake. For so long he’d told himself they’d been avoiding spending any time together because their schedules didn’t jibe, they were too busy for a visit. But what he’d refused to admit—even to himself—was that he’d been dodging her. Because he wanted her in all the wrong ways.

  Tori had been his friend when no one else wanted him; when no one else thought he was anything. She was the best woman he knew, and the best friend he’d ever had, the only true friend. After his star had risen, people had started flocking around him—both men and women. It had become impossible to know if the people in his life were there because of who he was or merely for what they could squeeze out of him.

  Tori was different. He never doubted that she cared about him for the person he was. She’d been there for him long before he’d had anything to offer her. And he’d do whatever it took to keep her in his life. Acting upon his desire for her would surely be the downfall of their relationship since he obviously sucked at romance.

  When they’d been in high school, her father had warned Heath not to cross that line with her from friendship to romance. He’d said Heath would be putting Tori’s safety at risk if she had a relationship with a Hispanic boy from the wrong side of the tracks. And although Heath had been pissed as hell at the time, he realized now that although Mr. Sutherland’s reasons had been flawed, his conclusion had been right. Tori deserved better than him. She deserved the best. Not some soon-to-be washed up pitcher with a bum elbow. Tori was smart and accomplished. Hell, she’d graduated both high school and college as valedictorian while he’d barely made it through.

  She was from a prominent family and he… Well, he was from trash, and the whole town of Cat’s Paw Cove knew it. Sure, they wanted him to be the guest of honor at the town’s tricentennial celebration because he was a celebrity now. But he was sure he’d see it in their faces, hear it in the way they’d speak to him.

  He’d never live there again, and Tori would never leave. Not as long as she had her mother to take care of and her business to run.

 
The flight attendant stopped at his seat and gave Heath another thousand-watt smile. “We’ll be landing in Jacksonville in a little while. All through with your drink?”

  “I am, thanks.” He handed it to her then folded up his tray table, the simple movement irritating his damaged elbow.

  “Are you headed to Florida on business or pleasure?” she asked.

  “Both.” He stretched out his cramped arm.

  The airplane turned, giving him a glimpse of the landscape below. His mouth was suddenly dry as chalk. The last time he’d been to Cat’s Paw Cove was for his father’s funeral five years earlier. He’d taken a few days to pack up the trailer where his folks had lived and to arrange for his mom and sister to move to California where he’d bought them a house.

  The landing gear clunked and his gut clenched. He had no fear of flying. Hell, he often flew several days a week during baseball season. It was being in Florida that had him all torn up.

  He shut his eyes and conjured the fantasy of Tori that had been plaguing him for weeks.

  She wore a lacy black negligee that left little to the imagination. He didn’t waste a nanosecond closing the distance between them. Climbing on top of her, he breathed in her scent, all warmth and woman and raw sex. He slid aside the spaghetti strap and tasted her skin, just as sweet as he knew it would be. Then he lowered the other strap and uncovered one perfect breast.

  As he kissed her, he delighted at her pleasured moan, a sound he’d been waiting his whole life to hear from her lips.

  The plane touched down with a thud, jarring him into reality. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

  God, he wasn’t some horny teenager. But he couldn’t spend too much time with her over the week. If he did, he’d surely do something foolish like kiss those full red lips or slide his hands over her sexy curves. One thing would lead to another, and they’d be in bed. And he’d surely screw things up as he did all of his relationships with women.

  He tamped down a growl. He didn’t want to stay. Hell, he didn’t have to. He was a grownup—a wealthy one—who made his own decisions.

  Since Tori was meeting him at the airport, they could grab a drink together in a safe, public spot. Then he’d make up a story about a change of plans—an emergency with his mother or sister—and get right back on a westbound flight.

  Better to leave than to indulge in something dangerous with Tori. Then he wouldn’t even have to be reminded of what he couldn’t have. Plus he wouldn’t even have to set foot in Cat’s Paw Cove and deal with any of the ghosts from his childhood.

  Am I that much of a coward?

  He gritted his teeth as the plane taxied to the gate then turned on his phone and searched for flights. By the time one of the attendants opened the door, he’d found two possibilities, either of which would have him back in Anaheim before midnight.

  Checking his messages, he found a text from Jim, his agent, saying the team’s manager was furious that Heath would be missing spring training. The team was considering fining him a hefty sum or possibly trading him.

  Just great. If word got out about his elbow, his career could be dead in the water, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. He shoved the cell into his pocket and unsnapped his seatbelt. He grabbed his carry-on and strode toward the exit, pausing when he felt something brush against his hand.

  The redheaded flight attendant grinned and pushed a slip of paper at him. “My number.”

  “I’m…in a relationship,” he whispered. The lie didn’t bother him a bit.

  She shrugged. “Call me.”

  He took her number to be polite then strode through the gateway fast as he could. If he hurried, he could book his flight home and still have plenty of time for a drink with Tori.

  “Heath!”

  He stilled at the sound of her voice, ignoring the tug low in his belly. God, she was even prettier than he remembered. Her brown curls were fuller and even more unruly. They cascaded over her shoulders to just above her breasts. Which were still high and full and pulled him back into the vision he’d had of her on the plane.

  No, don’t go there.

  She appeared to have lost a few pounds, but her curves were still sexier than hell. And apparently, she’d given up her glasses for contacts. Which allowed him to see how spectacular her green eyes really were. The almond shape and the way they lifted slightly at the outer edges made them appear almost catlike.

  She ran toward him, nearly knocking over an elderly woman on a walker.

  Same old Tori. Could she be any more adorable?

  “I’m so sorry,” she told the woman. “I’m such a klutz.” She made sure the woman was okay before continuing toward him. He closed the distance between them and whisked her into his arms, spinning her around.

  Damn, she still smelled like freshly baked gingerbread. Heath hated to release that comfortable warmth, but if he didn’t let go soon, she’d figure out how his body responded to her.

  He held her at arms’ length and took a good look at her. She wore a hot pink dress that hugged every sensuous curve and showed off her long legs. Just a hint of makeup emphasized those long, dark eyelashes and the pouty lips he’d imagined kissing way too many times. “How is it that you get more gorgeous each time I see you? You been working out or something? You look great.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. My job’s put crows’ feet on my face, and my mother is singlehandedly responsible for the worry lines on my forehead.” She scrunched her face in an exaggerated frown. “See?”

  He laughed as he picked up his bag and hooked her arm. As they started walking, his body hummed with energy as if he’d been in limbo until that moment and now he’d come alive.

  “Unlike yours, this body hasn’t seen a gym since high school. I’m growing saggy and flabby in my old age.”

  “Not from where I’m standing.” The subject gave him an excuse to feast his gaze on her from her graceful neck to those long, shapely legs and the black and white flowered heels on her feet. Sexy as hell. She didn’t even resemble the awkward kid he’d grown up with. Not that he’d ever minded the way she’d looked. He’d always found her endearing. And as they’d grown up, she’d become more and more attractive.

  Could she sense the carnal desire in his stare? God, he was already misbehaving. “Can we grab a drink here?”

  “At the airport? I guess so.” She held her index finger to her lip, a gesture he recalled from childhood that meant she was thinking. He couldn’t help but wish those lips were his for the taking.

  “There’s an oyster bar, a seafood restaurant, a pizza place. What’s your poison?”

  He checked his watch. The first flight back to John Wayne Airport left in under two hours. Much as he loved oysters, he had no appetite. The prospect of letting Tori down was already shredding his insides.

  “There are a dozen spots between here and Cat’s Paw Cove. There’s an adorable little inn outside town. It’s been there for years, but it wasn’t a restaurant until a couple of years ago. We can have a late lunch or early dinner there if you can wait the hour it’ll take us to get there. Or we can take a stroll down memory lane in Cat’s Paw Cove and eat at Purry’s. Don’t tell me you haven’t craved their tuxedo milkshakes or the best French fries in the whole world.”

  “Something here in the airport if you don’t mind.” He pointed at an airport bar a few yards ahead. “How about that?”

  Tori shrugged. “Sure.” She went in ahead of him and climbed onto a stool at a tall table.

  Heath ordered a gin and tonic.

  “Just diet soda for me, please,” Tori told the waitress. She combed her fingers through those impossibly thick curls and met his gaze. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

  Had he been staring at her? Of course he had. She seemed completely oblivious to her charm. He touched the tip of her nose. “This is all that’s on your face. Did I mention how great you look?”

  A rosy f
lush settled on her cheeks, and her eyes darkened with…desire? They were sliding into dangerous territory. Change the subject. “So tell me about the town’s anniversary celebration. Kudos on getting the contract to handle that.”

  Tori rolled her eyes. “I almost lost it to…well, it doesn’t matter. I did get it, and it could really put Cat Town Events on the map, which would allow me to finally pay my mother the rest of the money she loaned me to start the company.” Her expression relaxed. “You have no idea how amazing that’s going to be for me.”

  As far back as he could remember, Tori’s parents had controlled her in some way, shape, or form. When he and Tori were kids, her mom had chosen all of Tori’s clothes, and her father had made sure that she didn’t hang out with the wrong type of kids—kids like Heath. The only reason that their friendship had bloomed was the fact that his mother had been the Sutherland family’s maid, and every summer, she’d brought Heath to work with her.

  Those lazy summer days had been the best of Heath’s childhood—wandering in the woods and on the beach near Tori’s house, pretending they were Captain Planet and the Planeteers. The time had given Heath a blessed respite from his father’s physical and verbal assaults.

  When the waitress returned with their drinks, Heath insisted upon paying the tab.

  Tori huffed. “Fine, you win. But that'll be the last thing you’ll pay for while you’re in town. Pretty much everybody in Cat’s Paw Cove is really excited that you’re the guest of honor.”

  “Is that right?” Too bad he was going to disappoint them.

  Tori nodded. “And I’m responsible for making sure you show up at each of the events.”

  He swallowed.

  Man up, asshole, and tell her you’re not staying.

  Or was he? Everyone had baggage from their childhood. Granted his was heavier than some, but it could have been a lot worse. And he’d promised his agent he’d make this public appearance, the first of several he had lined up. If he were forced to retire from baseball—which was a real possibility very soon—he’d have to do lots of gigs to raise his stock and get some lucrative endorsement deals.