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Later that evening…

“Hey, Scottie!” Natalie Hayes emerged through the event center’s swinging kitchen doors.

Looking even prettier than she had earlier in the day, the CPA-turned-activist had her hair curled, her natural beauty highlighted with a bit of makeup, and she was wearing a gorgeous silver gown with an empire waist.

“Hey! Oh, my gosh. I love your dress.”

“Really? Thanks. I love yours, too.” The other woman smiled as she smoothed the shimmery satin covering her rounded midsection. “There weren’t many options to choose from, thanks to this little fella.”

“You’re having a boy?”

Natalie chuckled. “Oh, I have no idea. I go back and forth between calling our growing bundle a him or her.”

“Which are you hoping for?”

“Honestly?” Maternal love filled her dark gaze. “It doesn’t matter to us at all. I know it sounds cliché, but as long as our baby is healthy, we don’t care either way. I do , however, need more of those little cheesecake things.” Natalie arched a brow before adding, “STAT.”

“Already?” Scottie abandoned the platter of salmon appetizer bites she’d been carefully arranging to walk toward the woman she’d met earlier that morning. A woman who, from what Sloane had said during their initial introductions, was instrumental in starting up the private security firm Chase worked for.

Chase.

Aaaand just like that, the man’s handsome face filled her mind’s eye. Again.

The truth was, Chase had pretty much consumed her every thought ever since their unexpected reunion. Minus a few moments of clarity when tonight’s gala took center stage, of course. But mostly, she’d thought of little else besides the mouthwatering man she’d known as a boy.

Scottie had hoped to ask him more about, well, everything, on the drive here to deliver the food. Unfortunately, Chase had received a work-related phone call that hadn’t ended until they were less than a block from their destination.

Once they’d arrived, their time together had morphed into a whirlwind of unloading the trays and placing them into either the walk-in cooler or the multiple warmers, depending on what the items were.

When they’d finished, Scottie had been so lost in her mental list of last-minute to-dos for the fundraiser she’d barely said two words to him the entire ride back. Now he was somewhere standing guard—while wearing a tux, no less—and probably looking even more delicious than the food she painstakingly created.

“I swear, I can’t seem to get enough of those little cheesecake things. And given the rate at which they’re vanishing, I’m not the only one. You really outdid yourself.”

Scottie ignored the imagined picture of Chase Boyer in a tuxedo and focused on the other woman in the room. “Thank you. I’m glad they turned out okay.”

“Okay?” Natalie’s pretty brown eyes grew incredulous. “Girl, those tiny bites of heaven are disappearing faster than my waistline,” the pregnant woman joked.

A soft chuckle shook Scottie’s shoulders. “I suppose that’s better than no one wanting to eat them at all.”

Natalie leaned her backside against the edge of a nearby counter. “Trust me. I bet, even without my help, you won’t have a single one left by the time the band starts playing.”

Shoot! The band!

She glanced down at her watch. “When is that again? I’m supposed to have the remnants of the main course items cleared off the buffet table before the dancing starts.”

“You have time.” The kind woman flashed her a sweet smile. “The dance portion of the night isn’t supposed to start for another fifteen minutes.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Scottie’s exclamation escaped with an exhale of relief. And then, “I swear, I’m not usually this high-strung. It’s just…I know how important this event is for Sloane and the shelter, and with this being my first year on staff…I don’t know.” She blew out a breath. “I guess I’m just afraid of messing something up.”

Natalie’s pretty expression softened. “Well take a deep breath and try to relax because, from what I’ve tasted, you’re an amazing chef. And from the comments I’ve heard in passing, everyone out there would agree.”

A sense of pride began to ease some of her fired-up nerves. The sweet woman’s reminder was one she hadn’t realized she needed but apparently had.

Because she was a good chef. Great, even. And, though Scottie no longer cooked or baked for the attention or the accolades, it was still nice to hear when people enjoyed her culinary creations.

The real reward in this new endeavor, however, was getting to spend her days cooking for women who were less fortunate than her. If she could offer them even a small slice of peace and comfort while they were residents of Liberty House, then as far as Scottie was concerned, that was better than any televised award she could ever receive.

Funny how some things change.

Growing up, she’d always imagined herself a star. It had been her dream to make a name for herself. To host her very own cooking show and eventually become a household name known across the globe for her delectable talents.

That had once been her dream. But Scottie knew all too well that not all dreams come true. At least she was lucky enough to still be alive…and still be able to make a living doing what she loved most.

At least you’re finally safe.

“Do you need any help?” Natalie spoke up again. “I might move a bit slow, and I’ll definitely waddle, but I have two free hands.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ve got it.” Scottie’s low heels clicked across the tiled floor as she made her way over to the cooler with the cheesecake bites. “Thanks, though.”

“Of course.”

Opening the walk-in cooler, Scottie bent down and slid over a nearby milk crate to use as a makeshift doorstop. She entered the frigid space and went straight to the extra stash of desserts. Just as she was reaching for one of the filled trays, a man’s voice sounded from somewhere outside the propped-open door.

“There you are.” The voice rumbled. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Deep. Masculine. A tone laced with affection.

With a large, metal baking sheet balanced carefully in her hands, Scottie exited the cooler. Her focus split between the numerous tiny cheesecakes she prayed she didn’t drop…and the man who’d just planted a short, sweet kiss on Natalie’s lips.

Tall. Short brown hair. Hazel eyes. A strong jaw that was clean-shaven. And when his greenish-brown stare turned her way, the man she assumed was Natalie’s husband flashed a friendly smile.

“Hey. You must be Scottie.”

“That’s me.” She sat the heavy tray down on the room’s stainless steel island, assuming Natalie had mentioned her at some point.

“This is my husband, Logan.” To the man next to her, Natalie practically gushed as she told him, “Isn’t Scottie seriously the most brilliant chef you’ve ever met?” A slight frown lowered her dark brown brows. “Wait. Have you and the guys even had a chance to eat yet?”

The pointed brow Logan gave his wife was as playful as the man’s crooked grin.

“We’re on the clock, Nat. We can grab something on the way home.”

“But that’s not for another hour. By then, everything will either be eaten or packed up to take back to the shelter.”

Before she realized it, Scottie heard herself offer, “I could put some to-go plates together for you and the others.” When both Natalie and Logan turned her way, she quickly added, “I was getting ready to take the main course down, anyway, so?—”

“That’s really nice of you to offer, Scottie.” Logan’s friendly smile softened his sharp features. “But I don’t want you having to do extra work just for us. Besides. The guys and I are used to having to wait for food.”

“It’s not any extra work,” she rebutted. “And honestly, I would feel a whole lot better knowing you and”— Chase —“your team had something better in your stomachs than a greasy mystery-meat burger from a late-night drive-thru.”

Heat threatened to creep into her cheeks from how close she came to uttering Chase’s name, but thankfully, Natalie jumped back into the conversation before she or her husband could notice.

“See?” The other woman wrapped her arms around Logan’s midsection. “I’m not the only one who understands the importance of good nutrition.”

For a moment, Logan just stood there, staring down at his wife. The look on his face was more than a little telling.

That stare…those eyes…they were made for one person and one person only. And that was the adorable woman currently wrapped in his tuxedo-clad arms.

“I’m not going to win this one, am I?” Logan presumed.

Natalie shook her head with a chuckle. “Nope.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” He leaned down and kissed his wife on the forehead. “Okay, Scottie. You heard the woman. If there’s also enough food left to take back to the shelter, feel free to put together whatever you think the guys and I would like. If you’re as good as my wife and Chase both claim, I know we’re in good hands.”

Scottie froze, her heart kicking against the inside of her ribs. Her lids closed and then opened in a taken-aback blink. Chase had mentioned her to his teammate?

Oh, God. What else did he say about me?

She suddenly wanted to know everything her high school sweetheart had shared. Even more than that, there were other more important questions bombarding the forefront of her mind. Things like…

What was the grown-up version of Chase like? Why did he leave the Navy? Is he happy?

Is he single?

Lucky for her, Natalie spoke up before any of those words could fall from Scottie’s stunned lips.

“Chase?” The other woman’s expression twisted with confusion. “Wait…you know Chase?”

“They’re childhood friends,” Logan answered for her as his gaze met hers once more. “Boyer said you two were pretty tight back in the day, but then you lost touch over the years.”

Childhood friends.

They’d been more than that. A lot more. To her, anyway. Though she’d led him to believe something other than the truth. For Scottie, what she and Chase had together, once upon a time had meant…everything.

He was my everything.

But that was ages ago, and they’d both been love-crazed kids. They hadn’t spoken since, and he’d almost certainly moved on. She most definitely had.

Yeah? If you’re so sure you feel nothing for the man, why does his revised version of what you two shared hurt so damn much?

The internal demand for self-reflection took her so off-guard she barely managed to school her expression in time for Natalie’s boisterous exclamation.

“Seriously?” Shock widened the other woman’s eyes. “That’s so cool! I mean, what are the odds that the two of you end up in the same city, working the same benefit gala, after all these years?”

Apparently not as astronomical as one would think.

“I know, right?” Scottie chuckled nervously. “I’m not sure who was more surprised, him or me.”

Oh, it was definitely you.

“All I know is that Boyer hasn’t stopped talking about you and your cooking since,” Logan revealed. “Makes me look forward to tonight’s to-go meal even more.” The handsome man gave his watch a quick peek. “I’d better get back out there before Sloane fires me for shirking my responsibilities.”

Natalie assured him with an affectionate voice and a pointed brow. “You, my dear, are a lot of things, however, a shirker isn’t one of them. But yes, while I don’t think Sloane would fire one of her best volunteers, you probably should get back out there, just in case. If for no other reason than to keep in the woman’s good graces so we can hopefully sample more of Scottie’s yummy creations in the future.”

Scottie smiled, and before she could keep from it, she heard herself say, “I’m happy to cook for you and the team any time.”

Wait, what? No, no, no! That came out wrong and was not at all what I meant to say!

Natalie and Logan. Scottie meant to say she’d cook for Natalie and Logan any time. Not the team! Why she’d tossed the others into the mix, she hadn’t the slightest inkling of an idea.

Mmmm…I’m pretty sure you have more than an inkling.

Her back teeth ground tightly together as she imagined her fist flying through the air to throat-punch her annoying inner self. But picking a fight with her subconscious wasn’t going to fix the problem.

“Speaking of not getting fired, I should get going with these. Here…” Scottie quickly chose two of the paper-lined mini desserts from one of the two trays and held them out for the adorable couple to take.

Natalie didn’t so much as hesitate to snag one of the bites from her hand. “Far be it from me to turn down perfection.” When her husband snickered, the other woman shot him a playful glare. “No, seriously, Logan. You have to try it.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Logan grabbed the other one. Removing the small, accordioned paper liner, he popped the tiny cheesecake in his mouth. His eyes grew wide, and he moaned with pleasure. “Oh, man.” His strong jaw worked as he chewed. “That’s delicious.”

“Told ya.” Natalie gloated.

A beam of pride outshone Scottie’s earlier, self-induced anxiety. “I’ll set a few aside for you to take home.”

“Thanks, Scottie.” The other woman rested a friendly hand on Scottie’s bare arm. “You’re the best. And…you’re right. We should all get back out there and do what we came here to do. For me, that means mingling to help spread the word about what an incredible facility Sloane runs. And if I don’t leave this kitchen now, I’ll probably end up locking myself in that cooler and finishing off the rest of whatever you have in there.”

“Baby still hungry?” Logan teased.

“The baby has great taste.” Natalie rose onto her tiptoes and kissed her husband square on the lips. “Just like me.”

Scottie couldn’t keep the smile from lifting the corners of her mouth. The expectant parents were so obviously in love. Despite having just met them, it was plain as day the two belonged together. Like two pieces of a puzzle, Natalie and Logan seemed to complete each other perfectly.

I had that once.

Logan held the swinging door open for Scottie as she exited the kitchen, clutching the tray tightly in her hands while simultaneously brushing away the useless thought. With every cautious step she took, she prayed that she wouldn’t slip or trip in the low, navy blue heels that perfectly matched her shin-length cocktail dress.

Since breaking away from the always-watchful eyes of the paparazzi, her wardrobe mostly consisted of jeans, t-shirts, tanks, and hoodies. But given how important tonight was for the shelter, she’d wanted to blend in with the crowd.

And maybe look good for Chase at the same time?

While Natalie and Logan went one way, Scottie veered toward the buffet set-up on her left. Natalie hadn’t been wrong. The main course food was nearly gone, and the desserts she’d already set out were just as scarce.

Glad she’d gone ahead and made extras, just in case, she began making her mental selections of dishes and desserts to put together for Logan and the team. Setting the tray down, she retrieved a paire of disposable gloves from one of the dress’s two hidden pockets and began stretching them over her hands, one at a time.

Protected from the spread of germs, Scottie carefully began arranging the mini cheesecakes on the decorative platters already in place. When she was finished, she picked up the empty trays, spun around to head back to the kitchen, and…

Nearly ran smack dab into Chase.

“Whoa!” He reflexively threw his hands up and backed up a step to prevent a collision.

At the same time, Scottie let out a little cry of surprise as she stopped just short of jamming a tray square into his chest. It was a broad, masculine chest that made the air in her lungs freeze, and her lower belly fluttered with need.

Chase Boyer in jeans and a T-shirt was hard enough to handle. But put the man in a tuxedo, and…

Helllooo suit porn.

“Everything okay?”

“Huh?” She blinked herself out of her own head. “Oh. Yeah. I, um…I-I was just refilling the desserts before I start putting the other stuff away.”

“The food all looks and smells incredible, Scottie. Not that I’m surprised.” Those piercing blue eyes slid from the remnants on the table back to her. “I gotta say, it doesn’t hold a candle to you, though. You look beautiful, Scottie. That dress is…”

As his eyes fell slowly down the length of her body, Scottie blurted out a disparaging “Plain.”

What? The dress was plain. It was one of the reasons she loved it so much. Plain. Simple. Classy.

Apparently Chase disagreed.

“There are a lot of words rolling through my head right now, sugar, and I can assure you, plain is not one of them.”

Sugar?

Her heart thumped with a happiness she hated to feel. That was the nickname he’d given her when they’d been high school sweethearts. He’d told her once, way back in the day, that he’d chosen to call her sugar because she was sweet, and she loved to bake.

Scottie flashed him a blushing smile. “Thanks. You, uh…you look really nice, too.”

A potted plant looks nice, dumbass. The man looks good enough to eat.

“What, this old thing?” Chase dramatically waved her compliment away. “It was just collecting dust in the back of my closet, and I figured…when in Rome, right?”

That last part filled her chest with a wave of warmth she hadn’t expected. That saying…when in Rome…it was one they’d used countless times in the past. Whenever they were together and wanted to try something out of the ordinary, they’d look at each other, give a little shrug, and say…

When in Rome.

Scottie’s smile grew a bit more. “Well, I have to say, the look suits you. No pun intended, of course.”

“Of course.” His boyish smile sparkled all the way up to his eyes. “I guess we both still clean up good, huh?”

“I guess so.”

He stood there with his hands in his pants pockets, looking like the sexiest version of James Bond she could imagine, and she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Several awkward seconds passed as she continued to stare, that smile of hers still frozen in place while she held the empty baking sheets between them.

Say something. Say anything. Just…speak!

“I’m putting together some to-go plates for you and the guys,” she finally managed to announce. “So if there’s anything specific you’d like, just let me know and I’ll?—”

“I trust you, Scottie,” Chase rumbled low. “Whatever you choose, I have no doubt it’ll be amazing.”

I trust you.

There was a time when those words meant something so much more.

“Okay, then.” She cleared her throat with the same frozen smile. “Just don’t forget to come to the kitchen before you leave. Oh, and will you let the rest of the guys know, too?”

“Absolutely. And listen…” He began stumbling a bit over his words. “I was hoping…I mean, you know…only if you wanted to…but I was thinking maybe sometime you and I could?—”

“Hey, Boyer!” Another man in a tuxedo joined them. “The auction is just about to end, and Sloane asked if we’d help pass out the items to the winners as they’re announced. I figured it was better than standing around with our thumbs up our?—”

“Scottie, I’d like you to meet Jason Lucas.” Chase returned the man’s interruption in order to make introductions. “He’s our team’s resident tech guru. You can call him Lucky.”

“Nice to meet you, Lucky.” Scottie dipped her chin to greet the other member of the team. “I’d shake your hand, but…”

“That’s okay.” The handsome brunette flashed her a grin. “You’ve got your hands full. But hey…Boyer here told us you’re the genius behind the food. I have a confession to make…” Eyes nearly as blue as Chase’s locked on hers as Lucky leaned in and dropped his voice. “I may or may not have stolen a few of those fruit tart thingies a bit ago. Now, that’s not an admission of guilt, however…hypothetically, if I had been the one to sneak by and snag a handful of tarts, I’d be sure to tell the chef…bravo.”

“Thanks.” Scottie huffed out a soft chuckle. “I’ll be sure to put some in with the to-go plates I’m putting together for your team. You know…hypothetically, of course.”

“We get to take some of this home?” Lucky swung his gaze to Chase’s before bringing it back around to her. “Awesome! Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. There’s still plenty left over in the kitchen, and I figured it’s the least I can do, what with you guys volunteering your time for the shelter and all.”

“Damn, Boyer. You were right.” Lucky put a hand on one of Chase’s broad shoulders. “She is awesome!”

Chase had told this man she was awesome? That was surprising, to say the least. Especially when the last time she’d seen him, she’d all but told him he didn’t mean that much to her.

“ Anywaaay …” Chase appeared slightly embarrassed. “We should probably get back to it. I’ll come see you when we’re done?”

Having posed that last bit as a question, Scottie answered him with a quick nod. “I’ll either be out here cleaning up or in the kitchen.”

“Sounds good. See you in a bit.”

The wink Chase gave her as he and his friend turned to leave sent her pulse racing. She’d never had such a visceral reaction to any other man. Only him. And as she watched him and Lucky make their way through the well-dressed crowd toward the small stage, Scottie couldn’t help but wish for the millionth time things had turned out differently.

“Thank you all so much for coming tonight.” Sloane’s microphoned voice quieted those in attendance.

Scottie blinked herself back to the present, realizing she’d just been standing there, holding two empty baking sheets, and staring after a man who would never be hers. Turning, she started to head back to the kitchen when another man caught her attention.

He was standing across the room, away from the rest of the crowd. And unlike the others around her, his attention wasn’t on the woman speaking on stage. Instead, he was looking directly at her.

There was no smile on his face. No casual look of the typical party goer. Instead, the guy’s face was stone-cold solid. Unmoving and emotionless. And from the way he was staring back at her…

It’s almost as if he knows who I am.

The man lifted something black he’d been holding in his hand. Scottie’s heart pounded hard in her chest, this time for a very different reason than Chase’s wink. Before she even had time to react, a bright white light flashed, and that’s when she knew…

It’s a camera.

The man, whoever he was, had just taken her picture.