The Secret Ingredient Read online

  * * * *

  Well shit. Eli watched Becca’s shapely bottom as she stalked back to her kitchen and wondered how it could still turn him on. She’d fueled his fantasies as a teenager, but he’d never dared act on his impulses, not with her brothers guarding her like rabid watch dogs.

  Once the door swung shut behind her, he turned his gaze to the inside of her store. It was incredible. It was also obvious from the limited seating that while she planned on serving some food, that wasn’t her primary focus. The baked goods were. The sights and smells were incredible.

  As soon as the idea had occurred to him that they could come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, he’d rushed right over to pitch it to her. He hadn’t figured on how many fences he had to mend. Wary hostility clouded her expression when she saw it was him. He’d done that. The first time she’d looked at him, when she brought Bash out to him, there was the friendliness of someone who’d known him for years just beneath the apology she’d tried to offer. No more.

  After examining her display case and seeing the local art work—on display and for sale—Eli did exactly as she asked. He got his ass out of her business. Somehow, he had to find a way to get back in her good graces for the sake of both their businesses.

  For the rest of the day, he made a point of spending more time in the dining area and less in his office. As he talked to customers, he also sized up his clientele. Plenty of folks had been coming here all their lives, but he knew from his forays into the Walmart near the interstate that a lot of people didn’t even drive to Mountain Meadow. They had to find a way to draw people not only to Mercer’s but to all the merchants. In addition to the restaurant, there was Becca’s place getting ready to open, Tarpley’s grocery, an excellent computer store with a knowledgeable staff, a bicycle shop, and a combination florist and nursery.

  Sean, his partner at Windswept, had always been the one big into the chamber of commerce and the local convention and visitors’ bureau, but Eli began to realize that Mountain Meadow was in desperate need of something similar. They weren’t far off the Blue Ridge Parkway, so there must be a way they could capitalize off the tourist trade. As the lunch crowd dwindled, Stoner and Evan Richardson came in. Eli stopped by to shake hands. As commonwealth’s attorney for this district, Evan knew a lot of folks. His dad had even more contacts between politics and family. Together, the two men could probably provide more concrete help on his burgeoning idea than any others around.

  He was surprised by just how receptive they were.

  “Your dad and I talked about the same thing on the golf course the other day,” Stoner said. “Now that he’s retired, he might be just the man to head something like that up.”

  “We don’t have the ski resorts, but we do have a lot of artists and craftsmen in the area,” Evan added. “If we marketed that concept, provided an outlet where they could sell and customers could buy...”

  Eli liked the way the two men thought. “The stumbling block I keep coming back to is accommodations.”

  “There’s the hotel by the interstate,” Stoner mused, “but we’d want them closer so they patronize our local businesses. A couple of folks here in town have approached me about opening bed and breakfasts—that might be one avenue.”

  “Becca will exhibit some local art work at The Secret Ingredient,” Evan picked up the idea, “but what if that could be used as a teaser to drive people to a bigger display? Isn’t the building next to her vacant? What if it could be turned into an arts and crafts gallery? Then, in conjunction with people traveling the parkway for the fall color, Mountain Meadow could hold an art fair to attract even more folks.”

  Stoner smiled. “I like it. Let me talk to Greg about it and we’ll put together an organizational meeting. Good thinking Eli.”

  At least the whole day hadn’t sucked.

  * * * *

  She would open the doors tomorrow. Becca sat at one of the tables early that evening and surveyed everything. She and Jared had worked their butts off. Everything was ready, but what if they hung out the sign tomorrow and no one came in? She realized nerves were making her half sick to her stomach. She needed to do something. Maybe a walk in the park. For any of her brothers, something like running or cycling would replace a walk, but Becca had always been the klutz. Running gave her shin splints, and the last time she’d tried cycling, she’d fallen in traffic and caused a three car pile-up as drivers slammed on brakes to avoid killing her. No, walking was more her speed, and the park was close by.

  They had added a walking path since she’d been there last. A promising sign to silence some of her doubts. Becca wasn’t entirely sure about the move home. There’d been some rough areas—Eli Mercer’s face sprang to mind—but it felt like the right move. She had fought her way up to head pastry chef at the restaurant where she’d worked. She’d made good money, but the executive chef had made her life miserable over the last year. She’d known it was a mistake to agree to go out with Mark, but he pressured her with such persistence she grew tired of saying no.

  Becca shuddered when she remembered how that date ended. Even now it made her stomach roll with a sick, queasy feeling. She speeded up, her feet only slowing as she neared the playground area. Hearing laughter, a child’s and a man’s, she slowed then stopped beneath the shade of an oak tree.

  Eli Mercer pushed his son round and round on a merry go round while Bash laughed in pure glee. The evening sunlight glinted off their hair and for a moment, Becca thought they both looked like angels. Eli’s hair flew loose around his shoulders, and every now and then, she saw a glint of gold from the earrings he wore.

  He was so different from her brothers, from almost everyone in Mountain Meadow. He hadn’t always been like that. As a teenager, only his blond hair had set him apart from Noah and Caleb. Eli had spent nearly as much time at the Allred home as his own. He’d changed since he left, and not necessarily for the better.

  Luke and Jake appeared to be very conservative. While Becca knew they could play as hard and wild as anyone, they didn’t look the part. Now here was Eli, looking the part, but as far as she could tell there was very little happiness or fun about him. He stopped running and staggered back to sit in the dirt, still laughing. Only his son seemed to inspire that. As the merry-go-round slowed, Bash jumped off and dove on top of his dad. With a loud oomph, Eli wrapped his arms around the little boy and hugged him, pressing his face into his son’s golden hair.

  She wanted to hate him. She’d tried. But how could anyone hate a man who loved his son the way this one did? Where was Bash’s mother? She might wonder, but she would never ask. In some ways, it hurt even more to see how loving Eli was with his son and how cold to others. Or was it just her?

  “Becca!” The childish squeal was followed by the sound of pounding feet, and she glanced up to see Bash running full tilt at her. She couldn’t help but smile at the angelic looking little boy. She pushed back the queasy feeling Eli’s obvious dislike of her generated. None of that was on Bash. He was just a kid, like her nieces and nephews, happy to see anyone who would play with him.

  “Hi, Bash.” She held out her arms and he flew into them. Without even thinking about it, Becca swung him up in the air before settling him on her hip. “How are you, big guy?”

  “I’m fine. Do you have any mo’ peanut butter and banana with honey sandwiches?”

  She grinned. “I will tomorrow. I put it on my menu in honor of my very first customer—you.”

  His eyes rounded. “Wow.” He threw his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. “Thanks!”

  Becca squeezed back, her eyes closing briefly as she felt his warmth and affection ease some of the nerves that had sent her out walking to begin with. Maybe that was all she’d really needed, some human contact and a hug.

  “Becca.”

  At the sound of Eli’s deep voice, the happiness evaporated. She opened her eyes to find him standing just a few feet away. Slowly she set Bash back on his feet and felt the fluttering ret
urn to her stomach. She wanted to look anywhere but at him. He was too attractive, too male, and too overpowering...and tonight she was too fragile and keyed up to handle anything he had to dish out. She jammed her hands into her pockets and finally looked somewhere around his left ear.

  “Eli.”

  He glanced around him, appearing as awkward and uncomfortable as she felt. “It’s a pleasant evening for a walk.”

  “Yes.” She scuffed her tennis shoe-clad foot, feeling gauche and as nervous as if she were still a love struck fourteen year-old and he was the bad boy eighteen year-old who hung with her brothers, Caleb and Noah.

  “May we join you?” His question caught her off guard. It wasn’t even as if he sounded as though he’d wanted to ask. Forced out of him, might be a better description.

  “Oh, I don’t think...” The last thing she needed was having Eli tear her down the night before her grand opening.

  “Becca, please!”

  Her gaze returned to Bash, whose blue eyes stared up at her pleadingly. How could she turn him down? He grabbed her hand, tugged her forward, and suddenly she laughed.

  “All right.”

  Eli fell into step on the other side of Bash. She couldn’t help but be aware of him, but having the little boy hold her hand made her feel better. She might not understand men very well, but she did understand kids.

  “Can I come to your place tomowow? Daddy lets me come with him on Saturdays sometimes.”

  Becca blinked, uncertainty making her hesitate. Eli had told her more than once to stay away from his son. She looked at him now for how to respond.

  “Tomorrow might not be good, Bash. It’s Miss Allred’s first day to be open. She’ll probably be really busy.”

  The little boy’s chin trembled, so Becca instantly stopped and crouched next to him. “If—if your dad brought you over, Bash, I’d be honored to make a sandwich for you, but he would have to come with you. No wandering on your own.”

  She looked up at Eli and caught an odd expression on his face. “I really wouldn’t mind.”

  His features softened as he studied Bash’s hopeful face. “We’ll see. If we can catch her at a time when she’s not too busy, but I’ll take you. No going off on your own.”

  Bash hugged his dad around the waist and ran ahead of them, skipping back and forth as they followed behind. Becca was now back to feeling awkward in the silence that stretched between her and Eli.

  “Are you nervous?”

  “What?” For an instant she thought he was talking about right now, then realized he was referring to her grand opening. “Oh! Yes. Some. It’s why I came out for a walk. I couldn’t relax.” And she couldn’t relax now. Having him next to her did even stranger things to her stomach. She smelled the clean, male sweat on him along with just the hint of soap and shampoo. Her nipples tightened. Knowing how obvious that would be beneath her T-shirt, Becca defensively crossed her arms over her chest, but that just seemed to draw his gaze straight to her breasts. She felt heat flood her cheeks. How mortifying.

  “I should get home,” she blurted.

  “Have you had dinner?”

  They both spoke at the same time, stopped, and Becca glanced nervously away. Eli cleared his throat. “I was going to cook some chicken and broccoli fettuccini. Nothing fancy, but there’ll be plenty if you’d like to join us.”

  She jammed her hands back in her pockets and hunched her shoulders, trying to hide the puckered tips of her breasts from him. “I—I don’t think...”

  “I have a bottle of wine, a very nice Riesling, already chilled. Say yes, so I can apologize for being such a dick.”

  She transferred her gaze from Eli’s serious expression to Bash and back to Eli. His deep brown eyes stared steadily at her, so hard to read. She could never be sure of his mood. When they were kids, he’d usually teased her right along with Noah and Caleb. Now, she just wasn’t sure.

  Her stomach fluttered, the sensation curling down to the mound of her sex, heavy and throbbing. That frightened her. It was just a simple invitation to dinner. He hadn’t said anything personal. Her thoughts flashed back again to that last date with Mark, hearing his derisive laughter. She wasn’t ready to open herself up to any guy, even if it was just dinner with his son.

  “I have to go.” Becca backed away.

  Chapter 3

  She was going to run. It was in the wary expression in those beautiful pale eyes. Somehow Eli had to stop her. He closed his hand around her wrist, gently but firmly.

  “Becca? It’s just dinner. Bash would love to have you over. Please.”

  At the mention of his son’s name, some of the tension eased from her, and what appeared to have been panic in her beautiful eyes dimmed. Becca’s head shifted so she watched Bash instead of him. She took a deep, shaky breath. “Okay.”

  “We walked. Do you mind?”

  “No. It’s not far. You’re just a couple of blocks over from Jake, aren’t you?”

  Eli nodded. “Hey Bash! Becca’s coming to eat dinner with us.”

  “Cool!” He raced back to them, not stopping until he’d wrapped his arms around Becca’s waist. “Can I show her my woom...room?”

  “Sure, man. Give her the grand tour while I cook.”

  “You don’t have to,” she protested. “I mean...I could help.”

  That awkwardness was back again. He puzzled over it as they left the park and started down Maple Street. Rebecca was a very attractive woman. Her nearly black hair fell in thick waves down her back. She had strong features, like her brothers, but softened by a rounder jawline and fuller lips. Where the four Allred brothers had noses like hawks, Becca’s was delicate. And her body was killer. She might be too much for some men. As far as he was concerned, the curves were in all the right places.

  Eli had to look away. If he got an erection now, she would probably run for cover or never speak to him again. Man it was hard to keep his hands to himself when what he really wanted to do was test how well those breasts of hers would fit his hands. He jammed them into his pockets. Shit. That would only draw more attention to the bulge in his pants so he removed them. He swallowed self-consciously. His size had been a turn off for his ex.

  Dinner. Just dinner and a glass of wine. Then he and Bash would walk her home like gentlemen.

  They turned down his street. She cleared her throat next to him.

  “Did you buy or are you renting?” she asked. The tension was still there.

  “Renting. I don’t want to buy until I find something I really like. You living over your business?”

  She nodded and shrugged. “It was just easier. I have to get up so early, and I didn’t really have a lot of furniture.”

  “Where did you work before you came back?” He felt her tension ratchet up a notch.

  “Washington.” She named a restaurant that made him raise his brows. He’d heard of it. Who hadn’t? “I was the pastry chef,” she added.

  “The pastry chef?” he queried, trying to discover what her rank had been in the kitchen hierarchy.

  She nodded. “I reported directly to the executive chef.”

  “Pretty impressive job. Why come back here?”

  Her gaze skittered away. “I wanted a change, a chance to be my own boss.”

  There was more to it, but she wasn’t about to share. He stopped at the sidewalk in front of his house. “Can I say again that I’m sorry for the way I acted? I do have a business proposal I’d like to discuss.”

  She nodded, but the rest of her body language didn’t give him much encouragement. Bash dashed back down the walk from the house and tugged on her hand. “Come on, Becca! I want you to see my woo—room and my cars.”

  The shutter lifted, she laughed, and allowed herself to be pulled forward. Eli followed, wondering exactly what made her so guarded. It was more than him. He carried some pretty heavy baggage, so what shit she was hauling around? There was something. That was for sure.

  It didn’t extend to children. Even from the kit
chen, Bash’s giggles mixed with her laughter. When his son finally pulled her back into the kitchen, Becca’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkling.

  His breath caught. She was still the most beautiful woman Eli had ever seen. He almost dumped the entire box of salt into his cream sauce. He caught himself at the last instant and flushed with embarrassment. To cover it up, he looked over his shoulder at her and said, “The Riesling’s in the fridge if you want to get it out. Corkscrew’s on the counter.”

  He finished chopping the broccoli, tossed it into a steamer, and put the lid on tightly, turning just in time to see her breasts pushed up and together beneath her T-shirt as she worked the corkscrew. Eli’s mouth went dry as a bone, and his already half-erect cock stiffened even more. He spun back to the stove and flipped the chicken sautéing in the pan.

  While he had his back to her, he tucked the kitchen towel into his belt, strategically covering what he knew would otherwise be obvious. What a loser! He was nearly thirty-two for heaven’s sake, not some hormone crazed teenager.

  He cleared his throat. “Glasses are in the cabinet behind you.”

  A quick glance over his shoulder showed him the flare of her hips and the taut material covering her ass. Before he could make it even worse, Eli returned to the stove, briefly closed his eyes and concentrated on his cooking.

  Cut the heat under the broccoli. Drain the florets. This was what he knew, his comfort zone. The chicken would be done by the time he’d plated the pasta and added the broccoli. When that was accomplished, he poured the cream sauce over the top and carried the plates to the table.

  “Bash!” He called into the den where he was sure his son would be playing with his cars. “Dinner’s ready buddy.”

  Becca was right behind him. She handed Eli a wine glass with a smile.

  “Thanks for cooking. It looks great.” When she actually touched his arm with her fingers, he looked down, surprised by the warmth he felt. Their eyes met and skittered to Bash hurtling into the kitchen.