Free The Practice Proposal by Tracy March Page B

not sure I want to know what that means.”
    “Considering we’re in your kitchen,” Cole said, “and you’re letting Liza cook, I’m
     guessing you don’t.” He flashed Liza a knowing smile, and her heart fluttered.
    “I think I might,” Paige teased. “But I’m willing to risk it. There’s a fire extinguisher
     mounted right there on the wall. Feel free to use it when you need to.”
    “Joke all you want,” Liza said. “We’ll see who’s laughing later.”
    Paige glanced from Liza to Cole, and shrugged. “Game on.” She checked her oversized
     watch. “We need to get moving. The judges will be here in two hours.”
    “Judges?” Liza knew she sounded freaked out. Just when she’d decided this could turn
     out to be fun with the three of them, Paige had gone and thrown in judges?
    Paige nodded. “Handpicked and hungry for pie.”
    “Who?” Liza asked.
    “You’ll see. But we need to get to work now.” Paige gestured to the right side of
     the kitchen. “Cole, you’re over here. Liza’s on the left. Backs to each other, so
     you can’t check out the competition.”
    Liza felt a twinge of disappointment. Having her back to Cole made sense, but she’d
     kind of been looking forward to checking him out as often as she could while they
     were together. Frank’s deal did offer some fine fringe benefits to offset some of
     her guilt.
    Cole extended his hand to her, playing this whole thing up as if it were a reality
     TV show. Paige watched them closely as Liza shook his hand, his grip strong and sure.
     He gave her a crooked smile and sweetly said, “I’m going to crush you.”
    …
    Cole wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. This baking stuff was work . When he was growing up, he’d helped his grandma in the kitchen, baking cookies or
     cobblers. But that had mostly involved licking the beaters and the bowl, then heading
     back outside to play baseball with his buddies. Now he understood just how much effort
     went into making a couple of pies.
    But his wasn’t an ordinary pie. It was a masterpiece.
    He hurried to put the final touch on it—a curly-W logo in the center on top. He stepped
     back and admired his work, hoping the pie tasted as good as it looked. Paige had helped
     him decide on a recipe, but he’d done the rest himself. His grandma would be proud.
    He couldn’t wait to put his Nationals pie up against anything Liza had decided on
     for the Orioles. At first, he’d been skeptical of the whole idea, thinking of all
     the other things Frank could’ve arranged for them to do. But he was having fun joking
     with Paige and flirting with Liza. He got the feeling she might be starting to warm
     up to him the way she used to, and that pleased him more than he thought it would.
    “Time’s up, you two.” Paige flitted into the kitchen like a sprite. “And everyone’s
     here.”
    “Already?” Liza asked.
    Cole had been so intent on making his pie and stealing glances at Liza that he hadn’t
     paid attention to what had been going on out front.
    “Go on and say hi,” Paige said. “I’ll bring the pies in a little bit.”
    Cole started to take off his chef’s apron—now stained with red and blue—but Paige
     stopped him. “Leave it on. It’ll give you some cred.”
    Cole met Liza near the door. He tried to get a look at her pie, but she’d blocked
     it from his view. He’d done the same thing.
    “Feeling confident?” he taunted good-naturedly.
    “You didn’t smell anything burning, did you?”
    “I figured that would be your grand finale—Orioles pie flambé.” He grinned. “Smarter
     to set the pie on fire in front of the judges. It might get you the sympathy vote.”
    “Whatever it takes to beat you.”
    “You’re not going to win.”
    She playfully tipped up her chin. “Wanna bet?”
    Her offer shocked him. He was so sure he would win, and he was so sure she knew it.
     “All right.” He couldn’t keep the cocky smile off his face.
    “If I