Mary Jo shook her head no, still at a loss for words. Doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet, does he? Sees an opportunity and jumps on it. Not sure if she liked that about him or not, she looked at him more closely. “Say, don’t I know you from somewhere? Other than here, I mean?”
Ray smirked and raised a brow. And that one expression gave him away completely.
“Ray Laramie,” she said aloud. Former star forward of the Razorbacks. Interesting. Hometown hero turned cop?
His grin captivated her. “Don’t hold it against me,” he said. “I’m really a nice guy.”
Janine set their coffees on the table along with two slices of cake on white ceramic plates. Ray hoisted his mug, saying, “Cheers!” and waited for Mary Jo.
“Cheers!” she said weakly, raising her cup.
Taking a sip of coffee, Ray set it down, and leaned forward again. “So, tell me about yourself, Miss Mary Cake Coffé. By the way, I really like that – coff – archaic past participle of the verb ‘to buy.’ Clever.”
Mary Jo blushed and smoothed back her hair. “Not many people know that,” she said. “I’m impressed.”
“I guess most people don’t think of football players as terribly articulate,” he said with a shrug. “But I’m pretty good with an etymological dictionary…among other things. I actually majored in English and Criminology.”
“Wow.” Now who’s inarticulate, she thought. “Quite a combination.”
“But enough about me,” said Ray. “I really like your café. Tell me how you got started.”
So Mary Jo found herself talking about Clint, their dreams cut short, Jabez, and the return to Fayetteville. How her family had given her plenty of time to grieve, but finally forced her to take a look at her situation, and to determine what she planned to do about it. “Mary Kay, cake – it just seemed like the answer. And it has been. It’s been very good,” she concluded. She hadn’t noticed it while talking, going on and on, but now she felt a bit embarrassed by the intensity of his gaze. “But enough about me,” she murmured, lowering her head. “Tell me about Ray Laramie, post Razorbacks.”
He did. As he talked, Mary Jo found herself more and more drawn to him. And it seemed they had a lot in common. Not only did she find him attractive, but intelligent, funny, and modest. For the first time in a long time, Mary Jo smiled so much it hurt.
Finally, Ray pushed back from the table. He looked at his watch and grimaced. “I’d better get back to work before they fire me,” he said. Janine, wiping down the table next to them, overheard and handed him his bill. “I don’t suppose I can put this on my tab,” he said, grinning and pulling his wallet from his back pocket. “I really enjoyed your company, Mary Jo.”
“I enjoyed yours, too, Ray.”
He stood up and put on his police cap, pressing it forward on the brim. “Listen,” he said. “Can I ask one more thing of you?”
“Of course,” Mary Jo said rather coquettishly, thinking he meant to ask her out – maybe to dinner or a movie.
“I need a birthday cake. I can pick it up today after work, before the café closes.”
Caught off guard, Mary Jo simply said, “Oh, yes, I can save you a cake.”
“I need it to say, ‘Happy Birthday, Josie,’” said Ray. “Is that okay?”
Mary Jo blanched, but quickly regained her composure. “Sure, Ray, I can do that.” Her fingernails dig into the skin of her palms. “Have a nice day.” She turned her back on him and, staring straight ahead, marched into the kitchen. Once the door closed behind her, she leaned against it and covered her eyes with one hand. Taking her hand away, she saw the kitchen staff staring at her. Mary Jo glared, and they returned to their work with unusual focus.
“Lindy Lou?” she snapped.
A slight girl with long hair tied back and tucked under a hairnet raised her head cautiously. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Please save a cake for Officer Laramie and write ‘Happy Birthday, Josie’ on it. Okay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the girl said meekly.
Out of sight of the others, Mary Jo berated herself vigorously. Her first foray back into the world of dating, and look where it got her. Fool! Idiot! Why had she ever listened to those simple girls who worked for her? “I don’t usually have the pleasure of such lovely company on my morning break,” she mimicked. Of course not! He’s always here on his morning breaks – he gets his ‘lovely company’ on afternoon and evening breaks somewhere else. With someone else. A woman named Josie.
What had ever made her think, even in her weakest moment, someone like Ray Laramie could fall for a nobody like her? Frumpy uniform, child-bearing hips. Used to glamour and sophistication, Ray could get anybody he wanted.
She and Jabez would make out just fine on their own. Look how well they’d been doing already. Uncle Howard and August and the other men in her family would just have to step up to the plate a little more. Take Jabez fishing and to football games—do all that guy stuff a boy needed to grow up big and strong. Just don’t ask her to go on the prowl anymore. It was too humiliating.
Mary Jo avoided the staff for the rest of the day and decided to miss Ray by leaving work a few minutes early. “Lock up for me, Janine,” she commanded without looking at her.
As she hopped into her Passat and opened the sunroof, Ray drove up in his squad car across the street. Mary Jo shifted into gear and pulled out of her spot. In a sideways glance, she caught sight of Ray’s upraised hand, an expression of curious bewilderment on his face. She almost laughed aloud. Serves him right.
Too early to pick up Jabez without questions, Mary Jo decided to give the car a good run. Farmington wasn’t too far from Millie’s, but a ways from the café. She’d have plenty of time to clear her head and decide how she’d get Millie off her back.
As she eased onto the highway, she glanced in her rearview mirror. A few car lengths behind her she saw a police car. Surely not Ray’s? He wouldn’t have had time to pick up and pay for his cake and to chase her down, would he? And why would he want to? Josie’s waiting for him, and it’s her birthday. With any luck, he’ll get to see her in her birthday suit.
Mary Jo snorted. Why did she care anyway? Good grief, she hardly knew the man! They only spent forty-five minutes together. Her hopes had just been too high. Her staff had set her up to think Ray was nuts about her when the only reason he’d come in day after day was for a slice of her Mississippi Mud Cake. She was the nutty one – believing with the others that it meant something more. Unexpectedly, a tear escaped and trickled down her cheek. She wiped it away impatiently with the back of her hand.
Glancing in her rearview mirror again, she saw the police car still there, but couldn’t tell if it was Ray or not. She pulled into the passing lane to get in front of the Jeep ahead of her. The squad car pulled out, too. Mary Jo felt a twinge of nervousness. What would she do if it turned out to be him? Why wouldn’t he just leave her alone? She glanced down at her speedometer and noticed she’d been doing the speed limit, but panic caused her to press down on the accelerator. The tears kept coming—unbidden. Her soulmate had been killed and left her raising their son by herself. Hadn’t she been through enough?
But today, before Ray asked for Josie’s cake, when they were just talking, she’d felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. A flicker of hope. Only to have that hope snuffed out before it had a chance to burn brighter. Well, it was just cruel.
The overhead lights of the pursuing car flashed. Mary Jo glanced down at her speedometer and saw, through her tears, she suddenly had gone twenty miles over the speed limit. She had no doubt she was in trouble now, but finding herself loathe to stop, she kept going. She slowed at the turnoff for Old Farmington Road, though. Ray, or whoever drove the car behind her, followed her down the off ramp. The siren blared loudly. He’s determined, she’d give him that. Mary Jo exhaled loudly, put her turn signal on, pulled onto the shoulder, and came to a halt, shutting off the engine as she did so. The police car pulled in seconds la
ter.
Mary Jo bowed her head over the steering wheel as she heard a door open about twenty-five yards away and the crunch of footsteps on gravel. Suddenly something large and bright green flew in through the open sunroof and fluttered near her head. Jolted into action, Mary Jo screamed. Her arms flailed wildly at the thing as she shuddered and shrieked.
Through her terror, she heard Ray’s voice as he ran towards her vehicle. “Mary Jo! Mary Jo! What are you doing?” He sounded angry.
Still batting at the as yet unidentified creature, now in her lap, Mary Jo swung her car door open. Prevented from opening it fully by Ray’s body, she gave the door a hard shove, pushing him backwards. As she sprang forward out of the car and stood up, a praying mantis fell from her legs to the ground. It twitched, and Mary Jo raised her foot to finish the job.
With quick instincts, Ray grabbed her ankle.
“Let go of me, Officer Laramie,” she yelled, “or I’ll have you charged with assault.” Remembering her tear streaked face, she hoped he didn’t notice. “That…thing gives me the creeps. It attacked me!”
Ray released her, but inserted himself between her and the mantis. “You may not know this, Mary Jo,” he said softly, “but it’s against the law to kill any living thing in Fayetteville.”
Mary Jo looked at him in disbelief. “Huh? You’ve got to be kidding me. Why are you doing this to me, Ray? You don’t even know me!”
“You’re right, Mary Jo, I don’t really. But I thought I was starting to,” he replied. “Why did you take off on me like that, anyway?”
Mary Jo felt ready for a fight. She backed off a bit to get a better vantage point. “Why, what was I supposed to do, Ray? Wait for you to pick up your girlfriend’s cake at the café so I could be sure her name was spelled right? It was spelled right, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t know, Mary Jo. I didn’t pick up the cake. I came to find out what was wrong with you. And…what do you mean, my girlfriend?”
“Yoo-hoo!” Mary Jo snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Hel-lo. Your girlfriend? Josie – remember?”
Ray laughed, infuriating Mary Jo. She pushed him with little effect. Ray tried to muffle his laughter, but his heaving shoulders betrayed his amusement.
“What’s so funny?” she barked, frowning.
Ray wiped his eyes, trying to get hold of himself. He looked her in the eye, put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I should’ve made my order clearer. Josie’s not my girlfriend–”
“Oh, I get it,” Mary Jo said, cutting him off. The light of understanding dawned, but she felt extremely foolish, and didn’t want to give in yet. “She’s your wife.”
“No, Mary Jo. Not my wife.” Ray’s voice sounded so husky she hardly dared to look at him. When she did, his eyes were filled with tenderness. “Josie’s my niece. I promised my sister I’d pick up a cake from your shop for her birthday.” He slapped his forehead. “Man, am I gonna be in trouble. I’m supposed to be there right now.”
Mary Jo grimaced. “I’m sorry, Ray. I jumped to conclusions.” She sighed deeply. “I shouldn’t have done that. And now I’m late picking up my son. But what about that?” she pointed at the green object of disgust now lying dead on the ground a few feet away. “And what about the speeding? I’m sure you’ve got to write me up.”
“Mary Jo? Can we start over?” He reached out hesitantly, and when she didn’t move, stroked the side of her face.
“I don’t know, Ray,” she answered honestly. “You’re a police officer and I’ve broken the law twice today already. Are you sure you should be thinking about dating a felon?”
They heard a sound behind them. A dark-eyed junco swooped down and started nibbling at the mantis. Mary Jo made a face and looked away.
“Looks like you’ve got a friend,” teased Ray. “There goes my evidence…”
“What about the speeding?” she asked, turning to him with a smile.
“Well, you were being pursued,” he offered. “You didn’t know my intentions were honorable. You do have the right to protect yourself.”
“Okay, Ray,” nodded Mary Jo. She sighed heavily and it felt like a burden had been lifted. “Let’s start over. Let me make it up to Josie. I’ll go pick up Jabez, then go back to the café for the cake and some other goodies. We’ll meet up with you at your sister’s place – if you’ll give me her address?”
“Oh, you already know it,” said Ray. “And I don’t think you need to worry about the cake, though. She’s probably already taken it home. I mean – I was supposed to pick it up, but that was just an excuse to invite you along.”
Mary Jo shook her head as if it was stuffed with cotton batting. “I don’t understand.”
“Your best waitress,” smiled Ray. “She’s my sister…Janine.”
Mary Jo’s jaw hung slack as she stared at him wide-eyed. She felt like shoving him again, but he pushed her chin up to close her mouth before dropping his lips to hers. A long kiss followed, and her resistance faded as he pressed her close to his body. At last he pulled away and looked at her, drinking her in.
“And, Mary Jo, honey, just in case you were wondering – there might be laws against speeding and killing, but there ain’t no law against love.”
Be sure to visit Susan’s website
www.susan-barclay.ca
Praise for
Highland Press Books!
Through its collection of descriptive phrases, The Millennium Phrase Book by Rebecca Andrews offers writers concrete examples of rich and evocative descriptions. Browsing through its pages offers a jumpstart to the imagination, helping authors deepen the intensity of scenes and enhance their own writing.
~ Tami Cowden, Author of The Complete Guide to Heroes & Heroines, Sixteen Master Archetypes
~ * ~
To Woo A Lady – Erin E.M. Hatton has written a series of short stories covering Regency England and the historical standards and expectations that existed then. I especially liked how she made her characters vulnerable, yet strong. There are no wilting wallflowers here. The men are strong, stubborn and even a bit understanding about the women’s expectations and the realities of the times and world they live in. The author’s storylines are believable, enjoyable to read, and take you to a world of time past, with all its warts and pimples as well as beautiful homes and good times at public functions. It’s not all peaches and cream, but it’s real.
~Aloe, Long and Short Reviews
~ * ~
Saving Tampa - What if you knew something horrible was going to happen but you could prevent it? Would you tell someone? What if you saw it in a vision and had no proof? Would you risk your credibility to come forward? These are the questions at the heart of Saving Tampa, an on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller from Jo Webnar.
~ Mairead Walpole, Reviews by Crystal
~ * ~
Hidden Death - If you’re looking for a good mystery with a twist of romance, this book just might be what you’re wanting. With some books, it’s easy to figure out who did it. Not this book! Jo Webnar kept me on the edge of my seat, not sure who was the bad guy and needing to find out. Loved it.
~ Long and Short Reviews
~ * ~
Sweet Salvation by Lis’Anne Harris is a fabulous Georgian romance that will leave readers begging for more.
~ Virginia Henley, NYT Best-Selling Authors
~ * ~
Timing Is Everything by Annette Olson - A fun Western Romance with a nice dose of suspense. Highly readable, and highly recommended.
~ Michael Angel, Author
~ * ~
Ladybugs and Fireflies by Cheryl Alldredge - Simply put, this is a very entertaining story. The backdrop is great—a real southern small-town flavor. There’s a few fun unexpected twists, quips and fun, but readers will want to read this for the wonderful characters and the depth of feelings you’ll share as you go.
~Snapdragon, Long and Short Reviews
~ * ~
On The Wild Side - Gerri Bow
en is a master at writing Regency romances that really entertain. No boring drawing room drama here. On The Wild Side is a series of six short stories telling of the romantic struggles of men and women who have something special in their blood. Each one has a special gift. And sometimes those gifts get in the way of their finding true love. I found the premise fresh and the paranormal elements (wood nymphs and such) different in this book than any other I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
~Teresa J. Reasor
~ * ~
Highland Wishes by Leanne Burroughs. The storyline, set in a time when tension was high between England and Scotland, is a fast-paced tale. This reviewer was easily captivated by the story and was enthralled by it until the end. The reader will laugh and cry, feel all the pain, torment and disillusionment felt by both main characters, but also the joy and love they felt. Ms. Burroughs has crafted a well-researched story that gives a glimpse into Scotland during a time when there was upheaval and war for independence. This reviewer commends her for a wonderful job done.
~Dawn Roberto, Love Romances
(Also available – the new Christian version –Highland Miracle)
~ * ~
Her Highland Rogue – Laughter, tears and love shine through this wonderful novel. This reviewer was amazed at Leanne Burroughs’ depth and perception in this storyline. Her wonderful way with words plays itself through each page like a lyrical note and will captivate the reader till the very end. Read Her Highland Rogue and be transported to a time full of mystery and promise of a future. This reviewer is highly recommending this book for those who enjoy an engrossing Scottish tale full of humor, love and laughter.
~Dawn Roberto, Love Romances
~ * ~
Highland Miracle by Leanne Burroughs - Wonderfully written, with vibrant characters, this story is a masterpiece of historical fiction. Readers will be impressed with the amount of research the author has done. She has creatively mixed actual people with fictitious ones, thereby allowing the reader to enter into this momentous period of history. The anguish and adventure of this war becomes very real, as it provides the reasoning behind the characters’ words and actions.
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