Free Tangled Up (Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls #2) by Robyn Neeley Page A

successful day working on his professional goals, it was time to take a stab at his personal one. Rachel seemed like a nice woman and extremely easy on the eyes.
    He handed her a beer and sat back down. They spent the next thirty minutes getting to know each other over a plate of fully loaded nachos courtesy of Mitch who, no doubt, wanted his popular appetizer to have some film time, too.
    Shane came back over to the table with his camera.
    “I guess it’s showtime,” Brandon said, giving the lens a toothy grin and holding up a tortilla chip coated in cheese. “God, these nachos are out of this world. Mitch at the Buttermilk Tavern knows what he’s doing.”
    Rachel giggled at his blatant plug and pointed to the paper Brandon had stuck between the salt and pepper shakers earlier. “Should we see what our assignment is?”
    “Let’s do it.” Brandon opened the paper and held it to the side so they both could read.
    Rachel and Brandon. We hope you’re enjoying your date. Now let’s accelerate it and break a record. The Buttermilk Falls record for longest kiss is four hours and twenty-four minutes. Pucker up. Head to the town gazebo to complete your assignment.
    Brandon gulped and reread the instructions. “Is this for real?”
    Shane nodded behind the camera.
    “Wow.” Rachel smiled and lowered her lashes. “All I was really hoping for was maybe a good-night peck on the cheek.”
    “Should we do this?” Brandon asked. “I mean . . . we don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
    From the look she gave him, he knew she was totally in.
    Shane reached into his pocket and pulled out a small Altoids tin, setting it on the table. “They told me I should stop by the drug store for these and give them to you after you read the note.”
    Brandon laughed and popped open the tin, offering one to Rachel before grabbing two for himself. If all these planned dates included tasks like this, he was in for a crazy two weeks. “Okay, I guess we’re going to put on a show.”
    “Let’s do it.” Rachel stood and grabbed her black leather coat from behind her chair. Brandon’s gaze rested on it for a few seconds. He had this sudden feeling that a similar woman’s jacket had been on his bedroom floor. Déjà vu? Impossible. Must be wishful thinking.
    He stood and put his own coat on, before whistling to get the attention of the tavern’s customers. “Gang. This beautiful woman and I are about to break a record. Join us in the park and root us on over the next five hours.”
    He grabbed Rachel’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I hope you like your kisses long and slow.”
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    A bby chatted with the bachelors while they waited for Emma to pull the name of next week’s lucky guy out of her Red Sox hat. Another successful Batter Up Monday night in the books, and Jeff, a factory worker, was on his path to true love.
    “Okay, fellas, next week’s bachelor is Adam Reed.”
    Abby clapped along with the hooting and hollering around her. “Congratulations, Adam.”
    “Thanks.” He chuckled and turned to Emma. “Can you just make sure it doesn’t say the name ‘Rachel’ in it?”
    Emma put her hands up. “I make no promises. It’s the batter that has the final word.”
    Abby was happy for Adam. In addition to being her brother’s best friend, he was very easy on the eyes.
    If Brandon hadn’t won her dessert with that outrageous bid, Adam might have. Although going on a date with him might have been a little weird since they used to run around naked in his backyard as infants. “So things with Rachel are completely over?”
    “Yep. I thought she was the one. Guess the joke’s on me.” He finished his Coke, and Abby took his glass. Emma had considered serving beer for Batter Up night, but her cousin didn’t want to draw any unneeded attention to their unorthodox practice by requesting a liquor license.
    “Well, you never know . . . maybe you’ll get back together.”
    “Doubt it. Not when she’s making out