by Susan Hatler
I opened my mouth, feeling torn. Part of me wanted to say, “I’m a free agent,” since, you know, I was. But when I looked up at Ben, his almond-brown eyes captured mine. Butterflies danced in my belly. Oliver Kelly had been my fantasy guy for years, but, whether it was good for me or not, my heart belonged to Ben.
“We are engaged,” I said, firmly, before glancing up at Ben again. A relieved look washed across his handsome features, giving me a warm fuzzy feeling. “Thanks for finding Moose, though. Sorry if he disrupted your warm-up. I guess we should be going now.”
“Actually, would you mind taking our picture here on the field?” Ben asked, lifting my phone from my hand, and giving it to Oliver Kelly. “It’s Sarah’s first time in Atlanta.”
“Sure.” Oliver Kelly gave Ben a tight smile, but he was a good sport as we walked to home plate. I snuggled against Ben, playing the part of the loving fiancée, noticing how easy it felt to keep up the charade. Once Oliver clicked the photo, he handed me back the cell phone, and gave Ben a long look. “You’ve got one beautiful fiancée. Take care of her,” he said, then picked up his glove and jogged to the outfield.
“I will,” Ben said, making me want to get that promise in writing.
Yeah, I knew he was only pretending to be possessive of me, probably to keep me on track for our goal. But I couldn’t help the huge smile that stretched across my face as we walked back toward the service entrance.
We ditched our uniforms in the utility closet, returning to our own clothes, before heading out of the ballpark. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, on a high from accomplishing our first task. I gave Ben a side-glance and he smiled at me, holding his hand up. I gave him a high five, making us both laugh.
As we walked against the throng of fans going into the game, Ben’s hand wrapped around mine, making my belly dance. I knew I’d blown my only chance to go out with baseball star Oliver Kelly. But as we emerged onto the sidewalk outside of the ballpark, I realized that I didn’t mind one bit.
Chapter Six
After our success at the baseball park, we stopped by Ida Carter’s house, and showed her the photo of us on home plate. We relayed how we got onto the field and she smiled the entire time. She told us that we are obviously very much in love, and that we respected each other’s ideas when it came to how to accomplish a difficult task. Go us!
On the way back to Jill’s grandma’s house, we stopped by a pet store and picked up some necessities for Moose, including a red collar and leash. We also searched online for any “missing dog” posts, but none fit Moose’s description. We called the local shelters, but no dice there either. Finally, we drafted a flyer with a reward, and posted it online.
Then Ben had to go to a client meeting but promised to print hard copies of the flyer so we could post them around the neighborhood. Since Ben was at the office, I made some iced tea, and decided to let Moose get some exercise in the backyard. The thick humidity enveloped me as I walked out of the house, wrapping around me like a warm blanket.
Moose stared up at me, wagging his tail. I threw a squeaky toy across the yard for him to fetch. His short legs pumped as he chased after it. The fact that I’d turned down a date with Oliver Kelly weighed heavily on my mind. He was the hottest thing in baseball and somehow he had wanted to go out with me. And I’d turned him down for Ben.
It had actually seemed like Ben was jealous of Oliver Kelly wanting to go out with me. But why should that matter to Ben? He’d never shown the slightest interest in me, unless it was to tease me in some way. I remembered how easy it had been to snuggle into Ben when he’d wrapped his arm around me. How good it had felt to lean against his strong, muscular chest—
My cell phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking me out of my thoughts. Maybe it was Ben calling to tell me he was on his way home from the office? I glanced at the screen, which read AVERY SUMMERS. I felt a twinge of disappointment that it wasn’t Ben, but it would be good to bring Avery up to date.
“Hey, Avery,” I said, as Moose sat at my feet, tipping his head to one side. I tossed the squeaky toy again, and he took off after it. “What’s up?”
“Please tell me you have the wedding charm. Jill’s getting antsy.”
“Not yet,” I said, letting out a sigh. “Remember how I told you we needed to complete three tasks? Well, we accomplished number one today. We have a meeting with Florence’s friend Ella Smith for task number two tonight at six. I wanted to meet with Ella earlier, but Ben is at a local law office associated with his firm. He needed to validate taking the company jet with a business trip, but he’s taking forever.”
Avery groaned. “I hope he gets back soon. It’s all we can do to keep the bride-to-be sane. She’s obsessing on this charm saying it would be bad luck to get married without it.”
“Ugh. Poor Jill.”
“At least you completed the first challenge. What did you guys have to do?”
“We had to take a photo together on the home plate at the Braves’ ballpark. You won’t even believe how crazy it was today,” I said, taking a deep breath as I set my iced-tea on the patio table. “We managed to get into the ballpark without even paying for tickets, but when we got close to the field, Moose—”
“You saw a Moose?” Avery asked, sounding confused. “You’re in Atlanta, not Montana.”
I laughed. “Moose is a dog we found. Ben and I are looking for his family, but no luck so far. It’s possible he was just dumped on the side of the road. Poor guy. Anyway, Moose raced onto the field, and you’ll never believe who caught him for us.”
“Who?” she asked.
“Oliver Kelly,” I said, throwing the toy across the yard for Moose again.
“Oliver Kelly?” Avery sucked in an audible breath. “The mega-hot baseball player who does all of those SUV commercials?”
“The very one! He had this whole story about how he had a dog like Moose when he was a kid. He and I took a picture together and—”
“I want to see it!”
I giggled. “Okay, I’ll text it to you when we’re off the phone. But, more importantly . . .” I paused, still unable to believe it had really happened. “He asked me out.”
“No way!” she yelled. “You flew to Atlanta to retrieve a wedding charm and you ended up getting a date with the hottest baseball player in history? Why didn’t you lead with that fact?”
“Because I turned him down,” I said.
Dead silence. “Why?”
Two words: Ben Atkins.
“I’m not sure,” I said, the truth still warring with my brain. “I’ve been trying to figure that out all afternoon. I mean, there is the fact that Ben and I are pretending to be engaged.”
“Ah, Ben. The plot thickens. I knew you had the hots for him,” she teased.
“He’s not interested in me,” I said, trying to assure her. But after how he’d reacted about Oliver Kelly, I wasn’t sure how he felt about me. “Besides, he still tries to one-up me all of the time. He even put the key in the lock first when we got here.”
“So? Does he do anything nice?”
“He picked up take-out for us for breakfast,” I admitted, remembering what a nice surprise that had been. “It was really good, too.”
“Aww. That’s so sweet.”
“I know.” My lips twisted to the side. “He actually got really possessive when Oliver Kelly asked for my phone number.”
“I knew it! Why don’t you go for him, Sarah? It’s obvious how much you like him.”
“We’re here to get the wedding charm,” I reminded her. Ben’s actions today were way too confusing for me and my head was starting to swim. “We need to stick to the reason we came here. But he’s at a client meeting right now that shows no sign of ending. We should be doing everything we can to get the broach for Jill, and yet I’m stuck waiting for him to get back because I need my fake fiancé in order to complete the next challenge.”
“Hmm. . . Did you at least get Oliver Kelly’s number so you can call him after this whole thing is over?�
�� Avery asked.
“No,” I said, staring down at Moose, who had brought the toy back. I threw it across the yard again. At least my arm was getting a good workout.
“If it makes you feel any better, you’re having way more fun than I am right now.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, tipping my head back as the sun beat against my face. The heat here was intense, so I sat down under the shade of a big, billowing magnolia tree.
“My landlord keeps asking me when I’m going to vacate my apartment. He wants to start showing the place to potential buyers,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” I said, refusing to throw the toy for Moose. He was going to wear himself out if he didn’t chill out for awhile. I patted my lap and he jumped right up. “Why don’t you just stay with me until you find a new place?”
“Well, there are a few other prospects,” Avery said. “But, I don’t love them. One of them is above a bowling alley. And the other is next door to a funeral home.”
“Yikes,” I said. “I think you should keep looking.”
“Maybe my standards are too high,” she mused.
“Because you don’t want to live above a bowling alley?” I guffawed. “Um, no. That would be way too loud for me. Can you stay with your parents for a while?” I asked.
“My mom divorced my stepdad when I was little. He’s the only dad I ever knew. I barely speak to my mom. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure I’ll find a place soon.”
“Your parents are divorced, huh?” I asked, thinking of Ben’s parents and how their divorce had affected his view on marriage. “Do you think marriage could still work? Or, since your parents didn’t work out, do you think all marriages are doomed?”
“I’m not even dating right now,” Avery said, her tone flat. “So it’s safe to say I never think about marriage. Why are you asking?”
“I’ve just been thinking about marriages and whether or not they can last,” I said, conveniently avoiding the main reason why I was thinking about that. There was no way I could tell her about Ben’s parents. “Jill’s grandma was upset that so many in her family had gotten divorced, which is why she made these tasks for Jill and her fiancé. She wanted to ensure they were ready to tie the knot for good.”
Avery snorted. “I’m sure her motives are solid, but there are so many variables in life. I don’t see how she can guarantee people will stay married. Maybe she’s just trying to increase the odds.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I said, hearing a door shut from inside the house. A ripple of excitement danced through me. Ben was home. “Look, my faux fiancé is finally home, and now we have to go prove our love once again. Who knows what Grandma has in store for us next?” I joked, biting my lip. “I’d better go. Good luck on your house hunt.”
“Thanks,” Avery said. “Good luck getting the broach. And, um, have fun with Ben.”
“Bye,” I said, thinking I would’ve liked to have had fun with Ben in the utility closet. It really felt like we’d shared a moment. Or, it could’ve been wishful thinking. So confusing. I stood, cradling Moose under my arm, then strode toward the house. Oops. I forgot my glass. I spun around and grabbed it off the table, realizing how excited I was to go inside and see Ben. Oh, great. Spending all of this time with him had only boosted my crush.
Had I turned down Oliver Kelly because I thought I had a real chance with Ben? There was no other explanation, but that was ridiculous. We were just faking an engagement. But my emotions churned inside me. After all, he hadn’t been faking holding my hand. And I hadn’t faked how much I’d liked it, or how much I wanted it to happen again.
****
Ella Smith lived in Buckhead, just like Ida and Jill’s grandmother. With Moose on my lap, Ben and I drove through the streets slowly thanks to the strictly enforced speed limits Ben had mentioned. I enjoyed checking out the glorious houses set back on long sweeps of lawn dotted with old camellia, magnolia, and oak trees.
The magnolias were in full bloom, their waxy white petals giving off a fragrance that drifted in through the windows of the rental car despite the windows being tightly shut to keep out the smothering humidity and heat.
“Look!” I pointed toward someone’s lawn as my mouth fell open at the group of women wearing hoop-skirted gowns and carrying parasols. I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, certain I must be having some kind of lack-of-sleep-induced hallucination.
“What’s up?” Ben gazed where I had pointed and then a low rumble of laughter came from his mouth. “Wow, it’s like we’ve stepped through a time portal or something.”
“Isn’t that the only explanation? I mean, people don’t dress like that here, do they?” I asked.
“Beats me. Oh, there’s the right house.” He pulled into the driveway of an enormous house built to resemble one more commonly seen in the English countryside. We stopped in the front of the porch, got out of the car, and hurried to the front door.
A uniformed man opened the door. “Can I help you folks?” he asked, his drawl as wide as the house.
“Yes, we’re here to see Ella Smith,” Ben said, slipping his arm around my waist. “This is my Jill, my beautiful fiancée. Her grandmother was a good friend of Mrs. Smith’s.”
My belly did a little flip. He’d just said I was beautiful. Swoon! Oh, wait. I wondered if he meant that or if he was just playing along with the charade—probably the latter.
“Oh, Jill!” a woman trilled from behind the man in the doorway. “Oh, goodness, Wesley, move to one side.”
Wesley moved out of the way and my mouth dropped open at what I saw. Ella Smith wore a heavily ruffled skirt and top. The skirt was so wide she had to turn sideways to come out the front door to get a look at us. I suddenly felt way underdressed in my white sundress with the big cabbage roses.
“Well, then!” Ella clasped her hands together. “Ida called me earlier and said you two were needing the wedding broach. Oh, and that your beau was very charming,” Ella said, fluttering her long and false eyelashes at Ben. “Aren’t you just the handsomest thing? Why you’d be a terrific escort.”
Ben’s cheeks tinted an adorable shade of pink. “I beg your pardon?”
Moose chose that minute to start barking. He leaped forward, a big doggy grin on his face. Ella squealed out, “Why, hello you! My goodness. You sure are cute but whew—you smell.”
“Sorry about that,” I said, making a mental note to give Moose a bath. “We found him running by himself in the neighborhood this morning. We’re trying to see if we can find his family, but he didn’t have a collar on at the time so he might be a stray.”
Moose’s rump wriggled and his tongue came out.
Ella put an arm around my shoulder “So, he’s handsome and he rescues dogs? You’ve got a keeper here, Jill. It takes a special man to be so kind.”
“Yes, well—”
“Hear that honey?” Ben grinned at me. “I’m a keeper.”
A little zing zipped through me. I loved when he called me honey.
“Yes, I would like to keep him,” I said, feeling very odd at the way my heart fluttered at saying that about Ben, but I reminded myself I was just pretending. “The wedding charm is very important to me. I want to wear it when I get married since it’s a family tradition, as I’m sure my grandmother told you.”
Just then Moose dodged right under Ella’s stupendous skirt. She shrieked, danced sideways, and shot Moose a stern look. “Never mess with a woman’s skirt when she is on her way to The Magnolia Tea!”
“The Magnolia Tea?” I asked, wondering if this was the reason for the movie-worthy Southern dress code the neighborhood seemed to have today.
Ella waved her hands in the air. “It’s an old tradition. The local women’s charity puts it on to raise money. I’m on my way to the tea now.”
“I think we saw some people going to it.” I cleared my throat. “Um, Ella . . .?”
Ella recoiled. “Well, bless your heart, honey! You’ve forgotten your Southern manners. That’s Miss
Ella.”
Oh, boy. “I’m so sorry. Miss Ella, we really need to get that charm as fast as possible because the wedding’s tomorrow night and we still need to fly home and all. You’re supposed to give us another challenge?”
Miss Ella nodded. “Well, first I’d like to see the proof with my own eyes that you achieved the first part.”
“I’ve got it, Miss Ella.” Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket, tapped on the photo I’d messaged to him, and showed her. “There we are, right on home plate.”
“Well, so you are. How about you two walk me down to the tea and I’ll tell you all about the next part on the way? I’d invite you to the tea, but it’s invitation-only and I’m not sure they’d let the dog come in what with all of the white dresses and the lawn.”
“Thank you for the thought, but we really must finish this challenge tonight so we can get on to the third.” Ben offered her arm in a gesture that was so gallant even I was impressed.
I smiled over at Ben as we walked out of Miss Ella’s driveway and down the street. Moose trotted alongside my feet and I kept his leash short.
“How much do you remember about Atlanta, Jill?” Miss Ella asked.
“Not a lot,” I said. Then, on a burst of inspiration, I added, “It’s almost like I’ve never been here before!”
Ben looked at me, the corners of his mouth twitching. The sun came down, picking little gold highlights out of his sandy-brown hair and a hard knot formed in my chest. He really was handsome, and he could be so charming, too. But, then again, it hadn’t been so charming when he’d tried to one-up me and beat me to Atlanta using his private jet.
Miss Ella gave me a side-glance. “Your grandparents both liked art, but there was one artist they never could agree on.”
“Oh?” I walked a little faster, doing my best to avoid being knocked over by the skirt, which swayed like a satin bell. “I didn’t know that.”
Miss Ella sighed. “Degas. Your grandfather hated the ballet and your grandmother swore he hated Degas just because of that. That if he’d just stop looking at the paintings like they were some sort of ballet come back to haunt him he’d enjoy them.”
