by Dylann Crush
“Great.” Lacey took her son in her arms from a man who’d joined them in the gazebo. “Have you met my husband yet?”
“I haven’t had the pleasure.” Delilah took the man’s hand in hers. “Deputy Phillips, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. But you can call me Bodie.” He shook her hand, then released it and tipped his hat her way. “We’re thrilled to have you with us, Ms. Stone.”
“Call me Delilah, please.”
“Will do.” He handed her a card. “You have any trouble during your stay, just let me know.”
“Thank you, I will.” She slipped his card into the small clutch she held in her hand.
“I’ve got to go change the baby. Bodie, can you introduce Delilah around and make sure she gets one of Helmut’s cupcakes?” Lacey bounced the baby on her hip. “I’ll catch up to you in just a bit.”
“I’d be happy to,” Jasper said as he came up the steps.
“Great. I’m going to walk around the perimeter and make sure everything is in order.” Bodie tipped his hat again. “See you later, Ms. Stone.”
Delilah nodded at Lacey and Bodie before turning her attention on Jasper. “So, there you are.”
“Here I am.” He gave her a lopsided grin that made her pulse tick up. “Ready to meet the good people of Ido?”
“I suppose so.” She wrapped her hand around the arm he offered and let him lead her down the steps.
“What do you think of the town so far?” Jasper asked.
She breathed in the scent of just-popped kettle corn mixed with the smell of fresh-cut grass. “I think it’s charming.”
“Really?”
“Why do you sound so surprised?” They meandered past a large fountain as they made their way toward the tables full of refreshments, where most of the people congregated.
Jasper shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t mean to act surprised. This is my first go-round as a hospitality host, so I’m not sure how we stack up against the other towns you’ve visited.”
Delilah went through the motions of locking her lips with a fake key and tossing it to the side. “I’m not at liberty to say.”
“I get it. I’m sure part of your job is to stay impartial and not give out info on your other stops.”
“That’s right.” The same thing happened in East. They’d tried to pump her for info on how her time had gone in Hartwood. It wouldn’t be fair to share details that might give one town an edge over another, not even at the request of the charming hospitality host.
“Well I bet they didn’t have melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes like Helmut makes in the other places you visited.” Jasper stopped at the edge of a table that had been packed full of cupcakes a few minutes ago. “Care for a sample?”
Helmut ambled over, his leather biker jacket replaced by a pristine white chef’s apron. “Ms. Stone, what can I get you? Red velvet? Chocolate decadence? Vanilla bean?”
She tilted her head and looked up at Jasper. “Which one’s your favorite?”
“Mine?” His eyes widened. “They’re all good. But I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty partial to the chocolate bourbon pecan pie cupcake. Helmut uses pecans straight from my family’s orchard for those.”
Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t had anything for dinner. “That sounds wonderful. Do you have any of those?”
Helmut shook his head. “Not tonight. But I’ll bake a special batch for you when I get my next delivery of pecans from Taylor Farms.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” Delilah tapped a finger against her lip as she looked over the other choices. She could gain ten pounds just by inhaling the sweet smell of sugar and chocolate. “Let’s go classic. How about vanilla bean?”
“Fantastic choice.” Helmut placed a white cupcake with white frosting onto a paper plate. “Here you go. Enjoy.”
“Hey, don’t I get one, too?” Jasper asked.
Helmut nodded toward the paper plates. “You’ve got two hands.”
Jasper let out a laugh and reached for a chocolate cupcake.
“What do you think?” Helmut waited, his palms braced on the table, a tiny hint of vulnerability showing in his kind green eyes.
“Oh, you want me to try it now?”
He nodded.
She peeled back the paper and took a nibble. The perfect blend of vanilla and sweetness exploded on her tongue and she had to restrain herself from literally inhaling the rest of the cupcake in one bite.
“Good, isn’t it?” Jasper’s brows raised.
“Mmm. Delicious.” She nodded, relishing the first taste of refined sugar she’d allowed herself in the past two weeks.
Helmut seemed pleased with her reaction. “Plenty more where that came from. Feel free to help yourself to any of the flavors.”
“Thank you.” She broke off another small bite and popped it into her mouth.
Jasper’s plate was empty.
“Did you already eat your cupcake?”
“Yeah. I’m a sucker for sweets. Would you like to meet some of the other folks involved in the wedding business here in Ido?” he asked.
“Sure. But is there somewhere I can get rid of this first?”
His brow scrunched, making him look a little confused as to why anyone would pass on such deliciousness. “You don’t like it?”
“I love it. That’s why I need to get rid of it. I’m on a strict no-sugar diet. How else do you think I fit into all of these gowns?” She cocked a hip and his gaze flickered down, past her waist. Her cheeks warmed as the hint of humor in his eyes gave way to something darker.
He shook his head as he took her plate, folding the cupcake inside, and walked to the edge of the crowd. “It’s a damn shame to waste a cupcake.”
“You can finish it if you don’t want to waste it.” She wouldn’t blow her diet just to make him feel good.
“It’s all right. Just don’t let Helmut know. He might look like a badass on the back of his bike, but he’s a big softy. Now, let me introduce you around.”
They approached a circle of people who seemed deep in conversation. “Zina, Alex, meet Miss Lovin’ Texas, Delilah Stone. She’ll be spending the next month here.”
“Nice to meet you.” Delilah shook hands with both.
“Zina runs the For Pitties’ Sake pit bull rescue and Alex here is going to be the best vet in town when he finishes his degree.”
Delilah couldn’t help but notice the familiar warmth between them. The way Alex’s eyes softened as he looked at the woman next to him or the way she tucked herself against his side. Someday she hoped she’d have the chance to find a man to share that kind of bond with her.
“I read something about the pit bull shelter. What a great cause.”
“Unfortunately, it’s necessary around here.” Zina shook her head. “We seem to be a dumping ground for unwanted pit bulls.”
“I think it’s wonderful that you’ve got a place for them to go. I’m a huge proponent of supporting the underdog.” Delilah smiled. “I’d love to tour the shelter while I’m here.”
Zina glanced at Jasper. “That would be great.”
“I’m sure we can find a time. Zina runs a fantastic program over there.” Jasper’s chin tipped up. “She’s even started working with a veterans’ support group to train dogs to help soldiers acclimate to life outside the military.”
“Really?” Delilah arched a brow. She made a mental note to spend some time getting to know the pit bull rescue director. Zina could be a good ally since they both had a vested interest in helping others.
“She’s amazing.” Alex turned a wide smile on the woman next to him. “We actually met while working on the dog rescue together.”
“I think it was more because of the penguins, wouldn’t you say?” Zina smiled up at him.
“Penguins?” Delilah narrowed
her eyes.
“It’s a long story.” Jasper nodded toward an area where a small band had set up. “I promised the band I’d introduce them if you don’t mind. It’s their first time to meet a reigning pageant queen.”
“Of course.” Delilah tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow. “It was so nice to meet both of you.”
Zina and Alex nodded as Jasper led her toward the band. “I’ll check with Zina to find out when a good time would be to visit. She’s amazing with those dogs.”
“I’d like that, thanks.”
“In fact, I adopted my dog from For Pitties’ Sake last year.”
“I love dogs. I’ve never had a chance to have one because I travel so much, but once this trip is over, I’m hoping to get one of my own.” Her mother never would have let her get a dog, even if they hadn’t spent most of their time running from pageant to pageant. In Stella’s eyes, dogs were slobbery, hairy, filthy animals that belonged outside. As she pictured her mother surrounded by pit bulls, she let out a soft laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Jasper asked.
“Just picturing my mom’s reaction if I came home with a rescue dog. She’s pretty particular.”
“I don’t know what life would be like without a dog. We’ve always had at least one or two running around the orchard. They keep the goat in line.”
“You have a goat?”
“A goat, chickens, couple of dogs.”
“What’s the goat’s name?”
“Tie Dye.” He glanced down at her. “There’s a story behind that.”
“I’d expect nothing less with a name like Tie Dye. Are you going to tell me how the goat got that name?”
“Later. Right now I’d like you to meet the Wicked Washboarders, our very own eclectic bluegrass-country-polka band.” He reached out to shake hands with an older man who held a strange-looking musical instrument in his hands. “Kirby, meet Delilah Stone, the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas.”
Kirby took his cowboy hat off his head and bent into a low bow. “The pleasure’s all mine, Ms. Stone. The fellas and I were about to get started on our set. I do hope you’ll stick around to watch for a bit.”
“Just a few minutes,” Jasper said. “Ms. Stone’s been traveling all day, so I promised her an early night.”
“I’d love to.” Delilah’s gaze swept over the variety of instruments they’d set up.
“All right then.” Jasper pointed to a few round tables occupying the perimeter of a small dance area. “Should we grab a seat before the music starts?”
“You let us know if you have any special requests.” Kirby nodded before turning his attention back to tuning a few strings.
Delilah let Jasper lead her over to the table. “What kind of instrument does he play?”
“Kirby hasn’t met an instrument he can’t coax a tune from, but that’s a steel guitar. Don’t you like country music?”
She bit her lip, not wanting to admit that the last time she’d listened to country was probably at a high school dance.
“You’re kidding me.” Jasper grinned. “Please tell me you know how to two-step?”
“Of course.” She smiled at his good-natured ribbing.
“Whew. I thought for a second there we might have to vote you out and get a new judge. Hey, would you like a lemonade?”
“Maybe just a water instead?”
“You got it. I’ll be back in a second. Save my seat?”
Delilah nodded and watched Jasper walk back toward the refreshment table. It was odd having such a good-looking, charming hospitality host. They’d gotten off to a rocky start but there was no denying their involvement had taken a turn toward something much more pleasant. She’d have to do her best not to mix business with pleasure. It wouldn’t do her any good to let her attraction to Ido’s main man get in the way of her doing her job.
No good at all.
* * *
* * *
“How’s it going?” Lacey snatched him by the arm as he approached the refreshment table.
“Good. She met Zina and Alex. And I introduced her to Kirby, too. I think she wants to tour For Pitties’ Sake while she’s here. Maybe she can help us spread the word about the rescue.”
There had to be some benefit to catering to the beauty queen’s every need for the next month. Especially if Ido didn’t waltz away with the title. He’d done some research on the two other towns in the brief amount of time he’d had between his talk with Lacey and Delilah’s arrival. Hartwood oozed romance from every street corner. They had a huge Valentine’s celebration every year and a wine trail that catered to long couples’ weekends and picture-perfect wedding settings.
East wasn’t quite as polished. Their website spoke to romantic dude ranch stays and communing with nature in the state park that bordered the town. Jasper was fairly sure Ido could put on a better show than East, but was still struggling to figure out a way to best Hartwood.
“Have you given any more thought to our big event?” Lacey asked.
“I’ve been trying. It’s not like I’ve had a lot of time.”
“None of us have. I wish we’d had more notice. How about playing up the Fall Festival this year?” She snagged a cup of lemonade and tried to keep it away from the grabby hands of baby P.
“That would work. I was thinking we could make it bigger. Maybe add a pumpkin thing where we float lit-up pumpkins down the river?” He’d been trying to come up with an idea that would foster community spirit and show Ido in a romantic light. “Do you have any themed weddings coming up in the next month?”
Lacey’s brow furrowed. “I’ll go through the reservations again. The only thing that comes to mind is the bride who wants to build her whole wedding around butterflies. She even sent over boxes of caterpillars. Thinks they ought to turn into butterflies before her wedding, and she wants us to release them all right after they take their vows.”
“That sounds kind of cool. Let me see what I can come up with to work with that.”
“Really?” Lacey turned a questioning eye his way. “I suppose butterflies are kind of romantic.”
“Doesn’t matter what you think. It just matters what Ms. Stone thinks.”
Lacey shrugged. “That’s true.”
He glanced over at Delilah, who sat clapping her hands along with the music coming from Kirby’s steel guitar. As he reached for a cup of water for her and a cup of fresh-squeezed lemonade for himself, Lacey bumped him with her hip.
“Who’s that?”
“Who’s who?”
“Sitting down next to our judge. Please tell me that’s not Adeline.” Her eyes narrowed.
Jasper followed her gaze. Adeline took the seat opposite Delilah at the two-top table. She reached over and shook hands. Then bent her head toward Miss Lovin’ Texas like she was about to divulge world secrets.
“Jasper, we’ve got to get over there and find out what’s going on. We can’t have Adeline messing with our chance to win.” Lacey drained the rest of her lemonade and tossed her cup in the trash. “Let’s go.”
He covered the short distance to the table with Lacey on his heels. “Here’s your water.”
“Thank you.” Delilah wrapped her hand around the red plastic cup.
“Jasper. Lacey.” Adeline nodded, making her short bob swing. “I was just telling Delilah how disappointed we were to be out of the running. We all know Swynton is a much more romantic place to spend some time.”
“Maybe if y’all hadn’t cheated you’d still be up for consideration.” Lacey lifted a shoulder.
“We didn’t do anything wrong. And I’m going to prove it.” Adeline got up from her seat. “Ms. Stone, if you’d like to experience some real Texas hospitality, you let me know. We have a gorgeous bed-and-breakfast right downtown that would be happy to host you during your stay.”
Somet
hing jabbed into his shin. Jasper winced and bent down to rub his hand over the spot. As he glanced up at Lacey, she made her eyes go wide and nudged her chin toward the dance floor. What was that supposed to mean?
“The music is lovely, isn’t it?” Lacey asked. “Are you much of a dancer, Ms. Stone?” Again, with the tilt of the head toward the dance floor.
“I’ve taken some variety of dance classes most of my life. But mainly to help with posture. Definitely not to perform.” Delilah turned her upper body to glance at the couples twirling around the dance floor.
“Would you like to dance?” Jasper asked, finally connecting the dots on what Lacey was trying to get him to do.
“I’d love to. Will you excuse us?” She stood and took a step in front of him.
He put his hand at the small of her back and guided her toward the small clearing they’d set up for dancing, praying he wouldn’t make a fool out of himself. Lacey hadn’t mentioned dancing as a requirement of taking on the role of hospitality host. He hadn’t led a woman around a dance floor in a long time.
“Sorry about that.” He clasped Delilah’s hand in his and put his arm around her waist. She smelled like every happy memory he’d ever had—a mixture of lemons and bright summer days. Who could have imagined someone could bottle up the scent of joy?
“I’m used to women getting territorial. Comes with competing in pageants.” Her hand rested lightly on his shoulder.
He wanted to pull her close and let himself breathe her in, one long breath at a time. But they were only on day one. He had twenty-nine more days of being subjected to the sunshine of Delilah Stone. Best not ruin it all the first night.
“Adeline doesn’t like to lose.”
“I gathered.” She smiled. “No one really likes to lose though, do they?”
From this close he could catch the way the light sparkled in her smoky green eyes. “I suppose not.”
“The way a person handles a loss can tell you quite a bit about them, don’t you think?”
