Page 14 of One Sweet Match Up

She shrugged her shoulder. “Fine. Deal.”

Zoe watched as Donovan opened the card. His expression gave nothing away.

“Well?”

“It’s not for you.” He folded the card and shoved it in his jeans’ back pocket.

“Is it about Rachel?” Zoe asked, now curious.

“Nope.”

“Is it from Mary?”

“I thought we had a deal.” He went about his business, picking up the egg carton and vegetable oil. Walking toward the swinging doors, he propped it open and nodded his head for her to join him. “You coming?”

Zoe jostled the flour container she was still holding with one hand and walked over, jamming a finger in his chest. “I don’t believe you, but I appreciate you not sharing with me its contents.”

He laughed, and they moved behind the counter. “I should be the one terrified, and look.” He set the egg carton down and held out his hand, palm down. “I’m not even shaking.”

“So, being alone with these spoons and a mystery card that appeared out of nowhere doesn’t spook you?”

“Not at all.” He took the flour container from her hands. “I’ve been to Batter Up before, and remember, I dated Abby Stevens. Although, we didn’t last.”

She really wasn’t that surprised. She suspected a young Donovan got around just as much as present day Donovan. “Why? What did you do?”

He laughed off that question. “You know, I don’t remember exactly why. She probably put a spell on me.”

“Well, I’m glad one of us has been around magic. I only saw it the one time with Adam.” Zoe tightened her grip around the flour container.

“Why don’t I take that from you.” Donovan took the container from her hands and set it on the counter. She watched as he moved around, lining up all his ingredients. “So, what kind of guy are you looking for?”

Zoe’s cheeks began to heat. What kind of question was that? “Who says I’m looking for anyone?”

“No one. Relax. Emma always asks her bachelors what they’re looking for in a soul mate before she does the spell. I’ve seen her do it when I’m home visiting.”

“Oh.” She reached for the vanilla extract he’d brought from the kitchen and opened the lid. “I don’t know. He’s got to be funny and smart. Definitely supportive of my business.”

“What made you open a frozen yogurt shop in the northeast?” he asked, measuring the flour.

“I’d always wanted one as long as I could remember. It’s kind of dumb. My mom used to take me for frozen yogurt, and then we’d catch a matinee. It was kind of our thing. She died when I was fourteen.”

Donovan stopped measuring, his gaze meeting hers. “I’m sorry to hear that. Was she sick?”

“Yeah, stage four cancer.” She sighed remembering the last time they’d gone to the movies before her mom was too sick to leave the house.

Her heart swelled at the memory of her in her favorite sundress, hand in hand with her mother as they enjoyed frozen yogurt before the movie. As the years went by, some memories faded but never this one. She held on to it tight. “I’m currently working on some new recipes that I know she would have loved.”

“That’s awesome. I can’t wait to have a taste. Did you have a shop in Denwood?”

She looked away, not really sure how to answer that question. She shouldn’t have made up a fictitious town. “No, I never had the guts to start a small business, but last year, my situation changed.”

See . . . she could tell the truth—just not all of it. She continued, “I searched small towns and Buttermilk Falls came up as a thriving community. I liked the idea of being near a lake to have some built-in customers during the summer months.”

Her eyes locked with his inquisitive, warm ones. Maybe she should be thanking him. If it wasn’t for his firing her, she might have never left Denver.

“You didn’t live near the water in Denwood?” Donovan asked, while cracking an egg on the side of the pink mixing bowl.

Right. Good point. Her fictitious hometown in Massachusetts could be near water. “Not really. We’re pretty inland. I mean, it wasn’t afardrive to the ocean. About an hour west, and to get there you had to take all back roads. It’s closer to the mountains . . . but not a mountain town.”Oh, Zoe, stop talking about a town that doesn’t exist.She pointed to the bowl. “I do have one deal breaker when it comes to my soul mate.”

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