Free Edible Espionage by Shaunna Owens Page B

The recipe cards she left alone. I want to see your face when I tell you those aren’t the real ones.
    “All packed?” Gavin stood by her and the boxes.
    “Yep.” Sarah smiled. Her plan worked. She could be cordial. His fate and that of Pies, Oh My! was already sealed. Relieved she didn’t have to worry about him messing up the competition, she took a deep breath. Now success or failure was in her hands…her very capable hands. Her short respite was interrupted by overwhelming disappointment. A part of her really hoped he might not go through with his deception.
    “Let’s get loaded up and hit the road.” He lifted the box marked kitchen equipment and headed for the door.
    They loaded everything and Sarah counted all of the boxes. Six. Perfect. She wanted to make sure Gavin didn’t leave anything behind as part of his plan.
    “This is a lot of boxes for three cookies.” He stood beside her.
    She shrugged. “I need my things.” And, I may have packed double ingredients in case you made boxes disappear.
    “Want me to drive?” He headed for the driver’s side.
    “No!” She shouted. Her night had been sleepless, pondering all the ways Gavin could sabotage her—him driving and taking a long detour had made the list. “I mean…it’s okay, I’ll drive.”
    Sarah slid behind the wheel and resigned herself to the ongoing game, reminding herself none of it was real.

Chapter Seven: There Should Be Two
    “Crazy for Cake.” Sarah spoke to the petite redhead behind the table labeled “check-in.” Gavin stood behind her. They spent the two-hour trip to Seattle in silence broken only by the radio.
    “Sarah!” The girl’s round face beamed. “I’m Marley.” She stuck out her hand. “How nice to see you again.”
    “Hi, Marley.” Sarah smiled and shook Marley’s hand. Finally, a friendly face.
    “I hope the list helped you.”
    Sarah froze. Please don’t say any more. Her eyes widened, and she tilted her head, willing Marley to stop talking. “What station are we at this year?” She prayed Marley would get the hint.
    “You’re at station five.” Marley looked Gavin up and down. “Same one as last year.”
    “Wonderful.”
    “You can unload your supplies today.” She handed Sarah a packet. “This is your itinerary, tickets for the events, and contest rules. Tonight is the meet and greet. Tomorrow, the competition starts at nine a.m. sharp. You need to be here by eight.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Oh, and here is your room key. The hotel is letting us check in people.”
    Sarah glanced back at Gavin. He stood with his hands in his pockets. “There should be two rooms.” Her heart pounded and she swallowed hard.
    Marley looked at her clipboard, her red hair surrounded her face. “Nope. One room was checked on your registration form.”
    Fiona Leslie Blue. Sarah could only roll her eyes at what Fi had been imagining when she checked the box for one room. Think you’re pretty sly, do ya? Well, you certainly made your point, Fi.
    “The hotel also said they are booked due to the conference. I’ve had some other people come through and try to get rooms elsewhere and everything is taken.” Marley’s eye lashes nearly touched her bangs. “Apparently, it’s a big weekend for events.”
    “We’ll be fine.” Gavin reached for the tiny packet containing the room key cards with the room number. He smiled wryly at Sarah. “Just fine.”
    Heat rose through her body. Oh, what a tangled web we weave. She did a mental check of the pajamas she’d packed—midnight blue Victoria Secret silky tank top and shorty shorts. On a whim, she’d also included her white cabana robe. Let’s face it, part of her knew being in close confines, if only for the contest, with Gavin may lead to something…and she didn’t want to be caught unprepared. Talking or not, friendly or not, she couldn’t deny their chemistry.
    Gavin brought in the boxes, and Sarah worked on setting up the station just as she liked. The sturdy