Page 52 of One Sweet Match Up

“Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

“Anytime.” She opened the door to the gymnasium. “Right this way.”

Donovan let Zoe go ahead of him as they entered the gym with the sample soups and frozen yogurts. Loud hype music filled the air, and his gaze immediately darted over to the bleachers packed full of fans.

Jackpot!His work had paid off. Donovan couldn’t help but smile as he stepped onto the rubber floor, imagining he was sixteen and about to hit a two-pointer. “Wow. This place looks the same.”

Betty nudged Donovan’s hip. “Thanks to you. Good job getting butts into the stands.”

“You did this?” Zoe asked, cocking her head slightly.

Betty’s head bobbed up and down, and she gave his shoulder a playful slug. Apparently, he didn’t have to answer because he had his own personal cheerleader in the old waitress. “He sure did. We haven’t been this packed in years. Maybe since the last time he played.”

“Happy to help. These kids deserve to play in front of a packed house.” He meant that. He’d had an opportunity to meet some of the team who’d been hanging out at Ralph’s Pizzeria when he’d stopped in to hit up his old boss for a donation. They were good guys who needed to experience the rush of playing in front of a gym full of spectators.

Zoe shook her head. “So this is where you’ve been. Arranging for us to share samples at a large gathering.”

“Guilty.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And the team being undefeated was a lie.”

“No. Not exactly.” He pointed to the other side of the court at the visiting team. “They are.”

Zoe laughed. “Well, thank you.”

“We’re business partners, remember?”

Betty turned on her microphone, pointing it at Donovan. “I’ll make an announcement, and then the cheerleaders are going to help you give out your samples along with these.”

“What’s that?” Zoe snatched a postcard from Betty’s hand.

Donovan looked over her shoulder. He’d been impressed by how the postcard came out. “Just some advertising I whipped up with some help from Caitlin and Bethany.”

Zoe scanned the contents. “And you got all these donations?”

“Yeah. I’m going to donate the big cash prize.”

She lifted her chin, her gaze meeting his. “I don’t know what to say . . .”

“We’re business partners,” he said, his heart beating inside his chest. Saying that word to this woman felt amazing.

Maybe someday it could be more.

The big smile she gave him gave him a little hope. It was enough for now.

Just then, Betty began to talk. She warmed up the crowd with a cheer and then launched into her announcement of the hometown player who had returned home and was about to launch a business.

His palms began to sweat as she continued to gloat about his culinary achievements, including touting his appearance last year on the Culinary Channel. He rubbed his hands together. What was going on? He’d spoken at public events and did thousands of demonstrations over the last ten years, but tonight was different.

There was a lot more on the line.

Zoe’s trust in him was all he cared about at the moment. He needed to keep that smile on her beautiful face. It belonged there.

Betty motioned for him to join her center court. “Ladies and gentleman, let’s welcome back to Buttermilk Falls renowned chef Donovan Foster.”

“Break a leg,” Zoe said, grinning.

“Who would help pass out samples?”

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