“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.Ifthere’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?”