Whisper's Edge Read online

  Praise for LuAnn McLane’s

  Cricket Creek Novels

  Pitch Perfect

  “A delightfulG…charming tale.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Entertaining [and] lighthearted.”

  —Genre Go Round Reviews

  Catch of a Lifetime

  “I thoroughly enjoyed this amusing tale of baseball fanatics and a quiet little town that everyone falls in love with. The residents are all amusing and interesting…pure entertainment!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “LuAnn McLane has created a delightful small-town romance that just captivates your heart and has you rooting for these charming characters.…I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and I know that readers will want to spend more time with these handsome baseball players.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  Playing for Keeps

  “A fun tale.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “Charming, romantic…this new series should be a real hit!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “McLane’s trademark devilish dialogue is in fine form for this series.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “No one does Southern love like LuAnn McLane!”

  —The Romance Dish

  ALSO BY LUANN MCLANE

  CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES

  Pitch Perfect: A Cricket Creek Novel

  Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel

  Playing for Keeps: A Cricket Creek Novel

  He’s No Prince Charming

  Redneck Cinderella

  A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action

  Trick My Truck but Don’t Mess with My Heart

  Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues

  Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots

  EROTIC ROMANCES

  “Hot Whisper” in Wicked Wonderland anthology

  Driven by Desire

  Love, Lust, and Pixie Dust

  Hot Summer Nights

  Wild Ride

  Taking Care of Business

  Whisper’s

  Edge

  A CRICKET CREEK NOVEL

  LuAnn McLane

  SIGNET ECLIPSE

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,

  New York, New York 10014, USA

  USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | China

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  For more information about the Penguin Group visit penguin.com.

  First published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  First Printing, May 2013

  Copyright © LuAnn McLane, 2013

  Excerpt from Playing for Keeps copyright © LuAnn McLane, 2011

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  SIGNET ECLIPSE and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  ISBN: 978-1-101-60763-3

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  The book is dedicated to my son, Dave. You are a shining

  example of how hard work and dedication turn into

  success.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  1: Wet Willie

  2: When Pigs Fly

  3: The Naked Truth

  4: Wishful Thinking

  5: Slow Southern Smile

  6: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

  7: Dangerous Territory

  8: Angel Food Cake

  9: Lucky Dog

  10: Going with the Flow

  11: A Table for Two

  12: From This Moment…

  13: There’s Something About Savannah

  14: Midnight Confessions

  15: God Gave Me…You

  16: Cowboy Up

  17: A Wing and a Prayer

  18: Geek Gone Wild

  19: In Living Color

  20: Risky Business

  21: Say Yes to the Dress

  22: Take the Money and Run

  23: Sealed with a Kiss

  24: Cry Me a River

  25: All the Right Reasons

  26: Aloha!

  Epilogue: Cricket Creek

  “Mistletoe on Main Street,”

  Playing for Keeps

  Acknowledgments

  I want to give a heartfelt thanks to the editorial staff at New American Library. Putting a book on the shelf is a big team effort, and from the gorgeous covers to the detailed copyedits, I couldn’t ask for more. I want to give a very special thank-you to my editor, Jesse Feldman. The two scenes that you wanted me to add are my favorite. Because of you I no longer fear but welcome revisions!

  As always, I want to thank my wonderful agent, Jenny Bent. You have given me confidence in my writing from the moment we sat down together. I wouldn’t be able to navigate this changing world of publishing without you.

  Thanks so much to my loyal readers. I hope that my stories bring a smile to your faces and joy into your hearts!

  1

  Wet Willie

  “WILLIE! NO! DON’T JUMP!” THE LOUD, DESPERATE PLEA frightened social director Savannah Perry into sprinting toward the pool at Whisper’s Edge. Willie’s dangerous plunge attempts had been happening all too often. “Oh baby, please don’t! It isn’t worth it!” Although the tearful wail had Savannah picking up her already swift pace she did manage to notice a sleek sports car parked in front of the main office. The sun glinting off the silver hood piqued Savannah’s curious nature but a splash followed by another wail of distress kept her placing one flowered flip-flop in front of the other. The thongs adorned with daisies were the result of last Wednesday’s craft workshop but were not very good for running shoes. “Doggone it!” Savannah nearly tripped as she hopped over the curb but she refused to slow down. Willie was not a strong swimmer.

  Breathing hard, Savannah pushed open the gate that should have been latched and looked past umbrella tables and lounge chairs. “On no!” She spotted eighty-year-old Patty Parsons teetering precariously close to the edge of the water at the deep end of the pool. “Please back up,” Savannah warned, but hard-of-hearing Miss Patty was further hampered by the pink bathing cap covering her ears.

  “I’ll rescue Willie!” Savannah tried again, but Miss Patty’s attention remained focused on her sinking dog.

  “Oh, Willie, swim harder!” Miss Patty wrung her hands together as she watched her beloved basset hound trying to capture a yellow tennis ball that bobbed just past his nose. Willie’s ears fanned out over the surface of the water and, although he doggy-paddled at a furious pace, his short legs and rotund body were no match for gravity. He sunk a little lower.

  “Baby, forget about the danged ball! I’ll buy you a dozen!” Miss Patty wailed but Willie was on a mission and paid his master no heed. Then, to Savannah’s horror, the spry little lady pointed her hands over her capped head and bent her body toward the glistening water. “I’m coming for ya!” she promised, but although Miss Patty was in great shape for her advanced age, Savannah knew from experience that without her flotation noodle she’d
sink like a stone.

  Savannah was about to have quite a situation on her hands. She cupped her fingers at the corners of her mouth and shouted at the top of her lungs, “For the love of God, don’t dive in, Miss Patty! I’ll save Willie!”

  God must have been listening because Miss Patty suddenly straightened up and looked at Savannah across the width of the pool. With wide eyes she put a hand to her chest. “Oh, praise the lord! Child, pul-ease save my Willie!”

  Savannah kicked off her flip-flops, losing a hot-glued daisy in the process. “I will,” she promised and, while holding her nose, she jumped fully dressed into the pool. Although she’d cranked up the heat for afternoon water aerobics, the sudden plunge still felt shockingly cold. Ignoring the discomfort, Savannah bobbed to the surface. She lunged for Willie and managed to wrap her arm around his midsection.

  “You got him,” Miss Patty shouted, but her glee was short-lived. Although Savannah kicked with all her might, she and her canine buddy sank beneath the water. Willie, apparently sensing doggy death by drowning, wiggled away. With a gurgled protest, Savannah followed in swift pursuit but Willie swam like a manatee while under water. He didn’t, however, manage to paddle his way back up to the surface and started sinking closer to the bottom.

  Although her lungs protested, Savannah knew her only hope was to get beneath Willie and push him upward. She lunged forward and gave his furry rump a huge heave-ho, repeating the action while using her legs as a springboard off the bottom. The old, Olympic-sized pool was deep and Savannah was short so by the time she and Willie reached the side of the pool Savannah was struggling. Her lungs burned but she somehow managed to give Willie one last hard shove closer to where Miss Patty was bent over paddling the water as if that would somehow help.

  The effort sent Savannah sinking backward but she pushed off the bottom and stroked as quickly as her tired arms would allow. Savannah broke surface and took a huge gasp of much-needed air. Wet hair obscuring her vision, she dipped under the water to slick the long dark red tresses back from her forehead. Just as she raised her head above water another splash had her cringing. Not again! Savannah was flailing around in a circle trying to get a bead on where Willie landed when, to her surprise, a strong arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against a hard body.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got you,” the owner of the hard body said next to her ear. Savannah tried to twist to see his face but his firm grip prevented her from budging. “Stay calm and put your arms around my neck. I’ll get you over to the edge.”

  Savannah obeyed but then felt silly. The words I’m not drowning formed in her head but the exertion, coupled with the lack of oxygen, scrambled Savannah’s brain. She attempted to talk once more but unfortunately only a breathy drowning got past her lips.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t let you,” her knight in soggy clothing promised in a whiskey-smooth voice laced with a touch of the South. Savannah loved accents because they represented a sense of home, and roots, something she’d never had until landing the job at Whisper’s Edge. “Hang on and you’ll be just fine.”

  “Okay,” Savannah managed. She tightened her hold, forgetting that she didn’t really need assistance.

  “We’re almost there.” His warm breath near her ear sent a delicious tingle down her spine, and when he tilted his head back Savannah was able to see his tanned face. “Don’t worry.” He gave Savannah a reassuring smile that was utterly gorgeous. In that brief moment when their eyes met, Savannah felt an unexpected flash of longing she couldn’t quite explain. He must have felt something similar because his gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered. Time felt suspended and unfolded like one of those slow-motion movie moments that needed Maroon 5 music in the background. Savannah tilted her face slightly closer but before she could do something incredibly insane like lean in and kiss a perfect stranger, he turned his head and started swimming toward the ladder. “Thank God…” Damn…didn’t mean to utter that out loud.

  “Almost there,” he assured her in a soothing tone of voice.

  Savannah could see the hot pink silk zinnias adorning the top of Miss Patty’s flip-flops. Several of the ladies had squabbled over favorite flowers during craft time, and Savannah had had to make them draw straws.

  “Here you go.” With firm hands circling her waist he gently guided Savannah to the rungs of the ladder. She could feel the heat of his body pressing against her back and the urge to lean against him was almost too strong to resist. Luckily, Willie’s deep bark startled some sense back into Savannah’s befuddled brain. With a quick intake of breath she gripped the metal handrails and hoisted herself up while hoping that her wet sweatpants clinging to her body didn’t make her butt look big. Belatedly, Savannah realized she wore a swimsuit beneath her clothing and wished she had taken the time to shed it before rescuing Willie. Too late now…

  Trying not to think about her butt, Savannah sloshed her way up the ladder but when she tried to stand, her shaky legs gave her trouble. To her acute embarrassment she stumbled sideways like a drunken sailor.

  “Whoa there.” Her handsome hero placed a steadying arm about her waist. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” Her voice, which had a low timbre to begin with, came out sounding like a croak. Could this possibly get any worse? It wasn’t until she pushed her wet hair from her eyes that Savannah realized that they had quickly drawn a small crowd of elderly lady onlookers, most of whom were dressed in swimsuits and clutching colorful foam noodles for water aerobics.

  Apparently, her day could indeed get worse.

  “She’s fine,” her lifeguard assured them, earning a collective sigh of relief, but then turned to her. “Aren’t you?”

  Savannah, who didn’t trust her voice, opted for a smile at him and a wimpy little wave at the class. After an awkward moment of silence Savannah searched for what to say. Thanks, but I wasn’t really drowning. Sorry that you’re sopping wet. Who are you, anyway? None of those thoughts seemed appropriate for the current situation so she was going to go with a simple thank-you when Willie sat back on his haunches and barked.

  “Just hush. You’ve caused enough trouble now, don’t ya know?” Miss Patty wagged a finger and Willie had the decency to hang his head.

  Savannah wanted to be angry with Willie but his sad basset hound face melted her heart every time his rump landed in trouble. When his big brown eyes rounded upward and gazed sorrowfully at Savannah she barely refrained from reaching out and patting his head.

  “Thank you both so much,” Miss Patty tearfully told them. She started clapping and then glanced back at the water aerobic class who stood behind her in a neat row. Most of them had color coordinated their bathing caps, foam noodles, and flowered flip-flops. “Ladies?” At Miss Patty’s nod they joined her applause by clapping their hands against their noodles, causing a low thumping sound that Savannah found funny. She snuck a sideways glance at her hero but her smile faded when she noticed that he wore a watch and most likely had a wallet and cell phone in the pocket of his khaki pants. A dark blue polo shirt molded to a very nice chest and clung to wide shoulders and impressive biceps. The only thing he managed to shed before his plunge was expensive-looking leather loafers lying on their sides near the grass. Savannah swallowed hard. Oh boy…

  “It was no big deal,” he said smoothly. When he glanced at Savannah she looked down at her toes. She wondered if his demeanor would change if he knew that his heroic efforts weren’t actually needed and then decided that there was no real reason to clue him in on that particular detail. “I’m just glad that I was here to help.”

  Before she could come up with a reply, all the bathing-capped heads turned in the direction of Clyde and Clovis Camden entering the area. The seventy-eight-year-old identical twin brothers who resembled George Hamilton in both looks and demeanor were the resident hotties. The brothers were blessed with full heads of salt-and-pepper hair, a rare sight at Whisper’s Edge, and their arrival sent an audible feminine flutter through the row of bathing b
eauties.

  The dapper duo had donned old-school white tennis shorts and matching polo shirts. Orange headbands and wristbands added a shot of color, and gold rope-chain necklaces glinted against tanned skin. Savannah wondered if dressing the same ever got old but they seemed to enjoy fooling people with typical twin gags. Miss Patty, however, didn’t seem at all happy to see them. She pointed to a yellow tennis ball that Clovis clutched in his hand. The only way Savannah knew it was Clovis was that he had a slightly crooked nose that must have once been broken. Miss Patty narrowed her eyes. “Once again, y’all almost caused the demise of my dear Willie.”

  “Now, Miss Patty, we can’t help that the tennis courts are next to the pool,” Clyde countered smoothly. “My wicked backhand sometimes sends balls sailing over the fence.” He flexed a muscle, causing more swooning.

  Miss Patty pursed her lips and then raised her chin. “I fully understand the close proximity to the pool, but it’s the fact that after you sashay over here to retrieve your balls you fail to close the gate after your departure, putting my dear Willie in danger! To him an open gate is an open invitation. Willie simply cannot resist jumping into the pool when an enticing tennis ball comes sailing over the fence! It happened yet again!”