Page 10 of Fake-Off with Fate (Love in Maple Falls #1)

JAMIE

The mayor is ten minutes late for our dinner meeting. I figure I’ll give him another five and then I’ll go ahead and order my food to go.

I’m about to signal to the waitress when a very pretty woman wearing jeans and an orange sweater approaches my booth.

She’s average height but not at all average looking.

Her hair is a touch lighter than classic auburn but it’s not what I’d call red.

“Hi there,” she says while sitting down across from me. “I’m Ashlyn.”

Well, this is awkward. I wonder if she thinks I’m her blind date or something. “Jamie Hayes,” I say, expecting her to realize her mistake.

“I know. You’re the captain of the Ice Breakers, right?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“I doubt it, because I don’t know you.” She takes a sip of the water glass the waitress left for the mayor.

“If you don’t know me, then why are you sitting with me?”

The question seems to startle her because she looks up and stares at me like a deer in the headlights of oncoming traffic. “I forgot you didn’t know that I was meeting you instead of my father. ”

“You’re Mayor Thompkins’ daughter?” Holy heck, is the mayor trying to set me up with his daughter? I don’t care how pretty she is, that’s not cool .

“My dad got stuck in a meeting and he asked me to come in his place,” she explains.

“So, you’ve been tasked with trying to talk me into co-chairing Maple Fest?” If I had to guess, I’d say this was intentional manipulation on the mayor’s part. Little does he know I have no problem saying no to an attractive woman.

“I couldn’t care less if you co-chaired Maple Fest,” she says. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t do it. My dad is a lunatic about that event.”

Now I’m super confused. “So, you’re here to tell me all about Maple Falls?”

“Nope,” she says, before turning her menu over to look at it.

“Why are you here then?”

“I told you. My dad asked me to take his place,” she answers. “I’m sure he’ll reschedule sometime soon and try to convince you to do his bidding.”

I make a move to stand up. “If we have nothing to discuss, there’s no reason for me to stay.”

She motions for me to sit back down. “We both need to eat. Why don’t we just enjoy supper and then we can go our separate ways.”

I shift nervously in my seat before telling her, “I’m not interested in dating anyone.”

Ashlyn rolls her eyes. “I hear you.” Then she signals the waitress. I have no idea if that means she’s not interested in dating, either, or she’s hoping to change my mind.

The waitress appears before I can get clarification. “Ashlyn Thompkins! When did you get home?”

“Hi, Peggy,” my unexpected dinner companion says. “I got here yesterday and I’m hankering for your beer-battered fish and chips.”

Peggy—yet another middle-aged waitress—writes her order down. “You got it, honey. You want a Shirley Temple to go with that?”

Ashlyn smiles which inexplicably causes a tightening sensation in my stomach. “I can’t believe you remember my favorite drink after all this time,” she says.

Peggy nods her head, and with a smirk adds, “We have pumpkin praline pie on the menu tonight, as well.”

Ashlyn hands her menu over. “That pie is almost enough to make me want to move home.” The waitress beams at the compliment before walking away. So much for taking my order.

“I’d like a cheeseburger,” I call after her.

Peggy stops dead in her tracks before returning to our table. Laughing, she says, “I was so excited to see Ash here that I totally forgot about you. How do you want that done?”

“Medium,” I tell her. “With fries and a Sprite.”

After she leaves, I turn my attention back to Ashlyn. “I don’t usually get ignored. You must be something special in this town.”

“No more special than every other kid who grew up here. The difference is, I didn’t stay. As a result, when I come home, some of my old friends get excited.”

“Where do you live?”

“Los Angeles. I went to college at UCLA, and I stayed.”

“I’m from New York City.”

“I go there often for work.” She explains, “I’m a closet designer for rich people. A lot of my clients have homes on both coasts.”

Shaking my head, I tell her, “I can’t imagine needing someone to organize my closet for me.”

Her gaze moves from my face to what she can see of my outfit. “Not much of a clothes horse, huh?”

It feels like she’s judging me and for some reason that irritates me. “I have over fifty pairs of shoes,” I brag.

“Wow.” The accompanying laughter makes it clear she’s not impressed .

We sit quietly for long enough that I once again think about getting my food to go. But then Ashlyn announces, “My dad wanted to talk you and your teammates into holding a kissing booth at Maple Fest to bring in a bigger crowd.”

I nearly spit out the sip of water I just took. I force myself to swallow it before telling her, “That’s not going to happen.”

She scoffs. “I know, right?”

What does she mean by that?

She seems to realize I’ve taken offense because she adds, “Not that women wouldn’t want to kiss you. I mean, I’m sure some of them would …” Just clearly not her. Which is fine, because I don’t currently want to kiss anyone, including her.

Yet, I can’t seem to help myself from boasting, “Women enjoy kissing hockey players.”

“Open your mouth,” she orders.

I don’t know why, but I do as she instructs. She leans forward and peers inside. “It looks like you have all your teeth, so that’s a plus.”

“I’m still not going to volunteer my guys for a kissing booth,” I tell her.

Her face crunches up like I’ve just offered her a worm salad. “Please don’t. I’ve already told my dad what a disgusting idea that is.”

“You don’t like kissing men, huh?” I wonder if she’s gay.

“I most certainly do enjoy kissing men,” she says. “Just not strangers. And certainly not ones who’ve been kissing a lot of other women.” She grimaces before adding, “I mean really, hockey players? Imagine where all those mouths have been.”

I raise my hand in Peggy’s direction. “I think I’ll take my supper home.” But then I remember the bear family in my yard. If I go home, I might have to eat in the car. I briefly consider checking into a hotel until they go into hibernation.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Ashlyn says.

“You don’t think calling me a man whore is offensive? ”

“Not you, personally,” she says. “Professional sports figures in general. The single ones anyway.”

“Being that I am a professional hockey player, and single, it seems like you’re grouping me in there.”

A slow smile crosses Ashlyn’s face. The result is enough to cause me to nearly gasp like a heroine in a romance novel.

Ashlyn Thompkins is beautiful. Her green eyes sparkle with such humor that I can’t help but feel like I’ve been a little thin-skinned regarding her comment.

Hockey players do have a reputation, and for a reason.

“I’m sorry,” Ashlyn says. “I didn’t mean to cause insult. I just don’t think a kissing booth is a smart idea in today’s day and age.”

Peggy comes over and puts our food down in front of us. She tells Ashlyn, “I gave you extra coleslaw. I know how much you like it.”

Once she leaves, Ashlyn explains, “I don’t want anyone to get sick.” Then she reaches across the table and picks up the discarded paper from both of our straws before crumpling it up and tucking the wad under her plate.

“Germ-a-phobe?” I ask.

“Half the world is walking around with masks on these days,” she says. “I just think we’re all being a bit more careful.”

The cheeseburger looks amazing, and I’m suddenly ravenous. “How about we call a truce?” I ask.

“Being that I didn’t know we were fighting, I’m good with that.” She picks up a french fry and bites into her fish. She groans with such intensity I can’t help but wonder what her response to being kissed would be like.

After taking another bite of her food and enjoying it as much as she did her first, she asks, “So, you’re not married. Are you seeing anyone?”

I shake my head slowly. “No. You?”

She grunts loudly. “Not even a little bit. I don’t know what dating is like in New York, but Los Angeles is a real zoo. The last guy I went out with left me for a casting director who claimed to want to hire him for a big-time soap opera.”

“Did she?” I ask.

Ashlyn shakes her head. “Last I heard, he was doing soft-core porn.” She snorts when she sees the look on my face. “I’m pretty sure if I ever want to get married, I’m going to have to move to Utah or something.”

“According to my coach,” I tell her, “Maple Falls is Cupid’s headquarters, and no one is safe here.”

“I suppose that’s good news for the single ladies who live here, but that doesn’t do me any good.” With a pointed look, she adds, “People in Maple Falls don’t need me to organize their closets.”

“But people in Utah do?” I tease.

“Let’s hope.” Her smile really is beautiful. Ashlyn Thompkins has a good sense of humor, and even though we got off to a rocky start, I’m starting to like her.

“I might know of a single hockey player or two in LA, if you want me to set you up,” I offer.

She fakes a full body shiver. At least I think it’s fake. “I thought we’d already decided that sports figures were too free with their charms for my tastes.”

“Sorry, I forgot.”

“What about you?” she asks. “Are you looking?”

It seems like the whole world has been talking about Allegra and me, so I’m surprised she can’t guess the answer to that question. “Do you know anything about me?”

“I know you’re named Jamie and that you’re the captain of the Ice Breakers.” Then she takes a bite of her fish and moans again. I make a mental note to order the fish and chips next time I come in here.

“My girlfriend left me for someone else,” I tell her.

She rolls her eyes dramatically. “I don’t understand people who cheat. It’s degrading to them as well as the person they’re cheating on. ”

For some reason, I feel the need to share, “She left me for a billionaire she met on a fashion shoot while she was in Europe.”

Ashlyn wipes her mouth delicately before announcing, “You’re better off without her then.” Furrowing her brow in concentration, she adds, “I might know of a couple single ladies who live in town, if you’re looking.”

“No, thank you.”

Ashlyn’s eyes suddenly pop open widely, and she announces, “Jamie, I’ve just had an idea!” Before I can ask what that is, she says, “I need the help of the Ice Breakers after all.”

“No kissing booth,” I remind her.

She shakes her head vigorously before announcing, “I have something even bigger in mind!”