Free Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel by Luann McLane Page A

Coach purse over her shoulder and then slipped her arm through his.
    “So, are you just here for the party?” Ty asked as they headed for the front door.
    Her smile faded. “Why do you ask?” Had everyone heard about her now-notorious food fight?
    “Well, Jessica is looking for an experienced hostess at Wine and Diner. I thought she might be trying to snag you away from Chicago Blue.”
    Oh, thank God he didn’t know she had been fired during a fury of flying desserts. “Come on, Ty.” Bella looked up at him and shook her head. “Do you seriously think I could survive in this small town? I’d go stir-crazy. I honestly don’t know how you’re doing it.”
    Ty shrugged. “It’s growing on me. Life does move at a slower pace here, but I’ve found that’s not such a bad thing.”
    “Really?” Bella looped Jessica’s decorative gift bag over her wrist and pointed to the front door. “This little honky-tonk is your night life?”
    “Hey, at one time, Cricket Creek was actually a pretty lively tourist town, with thriving shops and bed-and-breakfasts. I’m told that the marina was always packed with boaters. The community theater is top-notch too, but in this sluggish economy, everything has suffered.”
    “And you hope the baseball complex will bring the townback to life? Isn’t that taking a pretty big chance, all things considered?”
    He gave her a crooked grin, and Bella wondered how Jessica could resist his charm. “Isn’t that what life is all about? Taking chances?”
    “No!” Bella pulled up short at the front door. “I told you I’m all about sure things, and I’m not at all sure about going in this bar. Ty, would you look at me? I’m way overdressed. I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb.”
    “Oh, you’re going to stick out, but not like a sore thumb. You’re as pretty as ever, and those young ballplayers are going to be falling all over themselves to get a glance.”
    His statement made her throat constrict.
Apparently, not pretty enough.
She swallowed hard and remained silent.
    “Bella, look. You’ll make an entrance.”
    “That’s my mother’s gig, not mine.”
    Ty laughed. “Speaking of, how is Nicolina? I used to love it when she would hang out at the bar at Chicago Blue. She’s quite a character.”
    “Driving me crazy, as usual.”
    “Okay, enough stalling. Let’s go on in there. It will be fun. Trust me.”
    Bella arched a carefully plucked eyebrow at him. “Oh, like you haven’t promised that before.” When he laughed again, Bella’s spirits lifted a little. It would be good to see her old friends and forget her woes for a while. “Let’s do this.”
    “Don’t forget, we’re making Jessica jealous,” he reminded her, but then tilted his head in question. “Hey, wait. Don’t you have a boyfriend? A chef or something? Jessica would never buy into you cheating.”
    Bella snorted.
    “Oh . . .” He gave her a look of sympathy.
    “Don’t even ask.”
    “Take the hostess job at Wine and Diner. You know that Jessica would be thrilled to have you.”
    “Ty, I can’t live here.”
    “At least give it some thought. The change of atmosphere might do you some good, and you can always move back.”
    “I’ll think about it.” Her heart thudded. Maybe he was right. A change might do her a world of good. “I’ll go over there tomorrow and check it out.”
    “Fair enough. Right now you need to come on in here with me, grab a drink, and kick up those ridiculous heels of yours,” he said, but when he put his hand on the door, she held back.
    “Wait. Jessica is my friend, and it’s her party. I don’t want her to get pissed at me for fawning all over you.” She shook her head. “Maybe making her jealous wasn’t such a good plan after all. It seems I’m the queen of bad plans. Do yourself a favor and don’t listen to any more of my rotten ideas.”
    Ty chuckled. “I thought you were all about sure things.”
    “Yeah, but not sure-to-go-wrong