Fake It Till You Bake It(44)

The other eight women applauded and tittered while shooting glances at the three men in attendance. Nicholas waved, hamming it up per usual, while August held up the wall at the back of the room, no doubt wishing he could disappear into it. Donovan sat with his arms crossed, surveying the situation, like he couldn’t wait for his chance to declare the night an unparalleled disaster.

Or maybe that was just Jada’s overactive imagination. Nerves battled with hope in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t sure which side would win out.

She wanted tonight to go well. She really, really wanted tonight to go well. This was her idea, after all. Her chance to prove she wasn’t a screwup and had something to add to Sugar Blitz other than her notoriety.

At least the place looked nice. Less sterile. With August’s silent help, she’d added a few festive touches, including placing posters of the books the club had read over the past year on easels all around the room. Vases filled with red and purple flowers to mimic the cover of tonight’s pick acted as centerpieces on every table, along with a few lamps to warm up the space. She’d wanted to do more, but she’d been in a time crunch.

She’d carefully studied the Sugar Blitz catering menu before putting in an order with Nicholas. She wanted a variety of cupcakes so people could try fun, new flavors while having the fallback of familiar favorites.

Nicholas had upped the ante, decorating the desserts with horses and cowboy boots and hats. The women had oohed and aahed at his attention to detail. Nicholas, of course, had taken the opportunity to flirt with the club members, much to their delight, when he delivered the baked goods. The bakery had also supplied lemonade, juice, coffee, and, most importantly, wine, because according to Kendra, “What were books without wine?” Infallible logic, really.

The club members were already indulging while mingling and complimenting each other on their outfits before the meeting started. They had all worn their best western gear, which varied from plasticky cowboy hats from Party City to real cowboy boots and western shirts with suede fringe.

Jada had a wide and varied wardrobe, but western wear wasn’t really in her wheelhouse. She wore a denim dress that hit her at mid-thigh and brown suede high-heeled boots that could qualify as western if someone squinted really hard. Donovan had taken one look at her, scanned her figure from head to toe with his inscrutable dark eyes, and then plopped down in the chair next to her. He hadn’t spoken a word since. She was trying not to take his silence personally.

“We’re happy to have you,” Donovan said in reply to Kendra, his deep voice a counter to the majority of the other voices in the room.

Kendra nodded and held up her copy of No Cowgirl Left Behind. “Did we all have a chance to read the book?”

The club members nodded. And so did Donovan. Wait. What? Jada leaned over. “You did?” she whispered.

“Wasn’t that a stipulation of attending?” he murmured, turning his head, putting their faces, their mouths millimeters apart. She drew in his clean, fresh scent as a shiver of desire slid down her spine. His eyes were trained on her, like there was no one else in the room. “Look at that. I do have the power to surprise you.”

He had no idea. He had the power to make her long for things, feelings she’d denied herself for so long. Her breathing quickened.

“Now, now, there will be time for that lovey-dovey stuff later,” Kendra said to more titters from the book clubbers. Her heart racing, Jada jerked back, settling into her chair. The distance did absolutely nothing to stop her from sensing every shift of his body or inhaling the faint aroma of his cologne.

“I’m so glad you read the book, Donovan,” Kendra continued. “We’re always eager to get a male perspective, but it only happens every now and then when a male significant other joins us. That’s you this time!”

Donovan held up his hands, looking slightly uncomfortable, which she would not find adorable. “I’m not sure I have much to offer, but I’m happy to be here.”

“We love a man who shares his love’s interests, don’t we, ladies?”

The women, by universal decree, all beamed at him. Jada pressed her lips together to stop a groan from escaping. Not only would they have to keep the charade going tonight, the women were looking at the skeptical principal like he was some conquering hero returning home.

And she couldn’t exactly blame them?

That was not in the plan, and she needed to get her head on straight right now. She hopped up. “Does anyone need any wine?” she asked when everyone turned to stare at her.

She sighed in relief when a few women held out their wineglasses. She’d done some hard-hitting “research” to find the best wines to pair with cupcakes. According to the internet, it was more about the effort than the execution. Any wine was good with cupcakes as long as it was plentiful and free-flowing. She’d gone with a nice Moscato. The women seemed to have no complaints. They downed it liberally in between bites of cupcakes.

Jada scanned the room one more time. Overall, everything looked good and the women seemed satisfied. Granted, they were just happy to have a place for their discussion, but she wanted them to have fun and be comfortable as well. A home away from home. Maybe tell their friends and come back.

Kendra nodded. “Let’s get started. This story follows Becca, a horse ranch owner, and Carlton, who had the misfortune of being named after a character on a sitcom, but has overcome that giggle-worthy fact to become a successful owner of several boutique hotels. He comes to stay at her ranch because he’s thinking about buying it and turning it into a bed-and-breakfast dude ranch, and shenanigans ensue, as they often do in romance novels. So Becca and Carlton meet cute when he literally falls at her feet.”