Read Online Destiny's Last Bachelor? by Christyne Butler - Free Book Online Page B

air, cutting her off. Dean had reached for his cell phone while pushing back from the table, only half-finished with his meal, to answer.
    Bobby had explained the ringtone meant the call was from the firehouse and as a volunteer firefighter Dean was most likely being called in for duty. When Dean ended the call, he had confirmed Bobby’s explanation before thanking his friends for dinner. His gaze had barely strayed in her direction as he said goodbye, which was so different than earlier when he’d stood close and looked intently at her, promising to be...helpful.
    Confused, she’d brushed away the feeling as he and Daisy disappeared into the woods to return to the camp, where he’d left his truck.
    It’d been after six by the time she got back to the inn, and she’d kept busy the rest of the evening doing extensive research on bachelor-auction fund-raisers. Just to be safe, she’d downloaded her folder for the fine-arts auction held two years ago in Malibu and set about replacing words like painting and sculpture with eligible bachelor.
    And she found herself thinking about Dean Zippenella. A lot.
    She’d also come across Destiny’s website last night, and the history of the town’s founding back in the late 1800s was fascinating. Who would’ve guessed the Painted Lady Inn had once been a brothel? But it was the page devoted to town services, specifically the fire department, that had drawn her attention. One page featured photographs of training exercises and an annual competition of sorts against other fire departments and included images of the men and women in the department. There’d been one of Dean, smiling wide despite a soaking-wet T-shirt plastered to his body and baggy fireman pants, complete with red suspenders that hung loose at his hips. She’d stared at the picture for a long time before copying it to her bachelor-auction file, telling herself it was purely for research, but when she found herself wondering if Dean would be at the camp today for the tour, she quickly closed the file and concentrated instead on writing up her notes about the personal sponsorships for the camp, certain that her fund-raising idea was a sound one.
    The pastor’s sermon ended and the congregation rose, Priscilla with them, realizing she’d missed most of what the man had said thanks to her daydreaming and shared a quick smile with Minnie Gates, who sat next to her. She’d planned to attend services this morning alone, slipping quietly into the back of the church, but when Minnie and Major Gates had offered to walk with her during breakfast at the inn, she couldn’t find a way to gracefully refuse.
    When the choir began to sing and chatter filled the church, Priscilla guessed the services were over.
    “Would you like to come back with us?” Minnie leaned back into the pew, her husband already standing in the aisle talking with someone as the choir finished singing.
    “No, thank you. I think I’ll stay here for a moment longer.” Priscilla hadn’t spotted Bobby or Leeann yet, but she figured it would be easier to find them in the parking lot after the crowd thinned. “But I appreciate you letting me tag along with you and the Major.”
    “Of course, dear. Now, don’t you leave without making a wish, seeing as how this is your first time in our little church.”
    She promised, though she’d never heard of the tradition before. She waited until the church was almost empty, offering smiles to those who met her gaze, before she closed her eyes, pulled in a deep breath and slowly released it.
    A wish, huh? Should she ask for no one in town to recognize her from her recent bout with the tabloids during her stay? How about a phone call from her father where he was more concerned about her feelings over this mess with her sister than with the gossip Jacqueline’s actions created?
    Hmm, too complicated. Yes, something easier. World peace, perhaps? Or maybe she should ask for something totally unexpected like—
    She