Billionaire Bartender: A Second Chance Romance (The Buckeye Series) (16 page)

The conversation had Liz squirming to get out of the cab of his truck. “Are we almost there?” she asked.

Oscar grinned. “Change the subject. I get it. We’re exiting right up here.” He turned off the highway onto a two lane road. They rode in silence, past small farm houses and into a neighborhood of large homes with green grass yards. They weren’t as new as the snooty neighborhood in the city with the five car garages, but impressive for a small town. Liz enjoyed the view until he pulled in a driveway with “Wallace” carved on a wooden plaque, dangling from a porch beam.

“Where are we?”

“Wait here. I just need to drop something off.” He reached behind the seat and stepped out of the truck with a plastic bag in his hand.

At the door an elderly man with thinning hair and the same strong features as Oscar answered. After a friendly greeting and the bag accepted, the man waved out to Liz and Oscar headed back to the truck.

“Your dad?”

“Yeah, Stacie left for her mom’s this morning and forgot her phone charger. He’ll make sure she gets it.”

“He’s handsome. Like his son.” She scooted over and kissed him on the cheek.

“He asked about you.”

“What’d you tell him?”

“The truth. We just met and I kidnapped you today in hopes of getting in you pants.”

“You did not.” She punched him in the arm. He jerked, flexing his bicep. Liz marveled at the hardness hiding under his t-shirt.
Damn, I need to get this off for a personal inspection.

Starting the truck he said, “It’s the truth though.” He flicked open her top button, before kissing her on the forehead and shifting the truck in gear. His hand hit her knee and she shifted away. “Stay close.”

She did and cuddled against him as they drove. He pointed out the hill where he rolled down, tumbling off his bike, and breaking his arm. The next scenic spot on the tour was the ravine where he’d found a dead skunk, causing him to miss three days of school from the smell. A few more notable points of interest and they were pretty deep into town.

He drove down a narrow tree lined street of a neighborhood of small houses built close together. “That was her house.” He slowed down and crept past a house with a large oak tree out front. From his tone, she figured the “her” he was talking about was his ex-wife, Julie. “This was my house.” He stopped the truck in front of a white house with red brick columns holding up a small porch. “The first Wallace family home.”

“It’s quaint.”

“That’s a city word for small. I get it. So I’m quaint?”

“Not from what I saw in pictures. Maybe I’d better check in person.”

He adjusted himself in his seat. “Maybe we’d better change the subject. My Nana still lives here.”

“You brought me to meet your grandma?” Liz checked herself, tugging on the Oscar’s plaid shirt she’d thrown on. Suddenly this whole day was crashing in as a mistake. “I can’t meet her dressed like this.”

“You look amazing and gorgeous.” He pushed back her hair and kissed her. “But we’re just parking here. Let’s get out.” He jumped out and hustled around to her side. “The farmers market is downtown. Just a few blocks away.”

“You drive all the way out here for produce?”

“Best melons in the state.”

Chapter Thirty

Oscar helped Liz out and they walked the two short blocks to the partitioned off streets lined with pop up tents of food vendors of all varieties.

Walking through the crowd they gravitated toward each other. They strolled along hand and hand. When they broke apart to test a roasted mushroom or sample watermelon punch their hands quickly found each other again.

While picking out a few ripe sweet potatoes, a woman’s voice behind them called out. “Oscar! You gonna walk right pass me?” The speaker stood with her hands on her hips, behind a table crammed full with baskets of flavored pecans.

“Aunt Shirley,” Oscar replied, leading Liz over to her.

Hearing Oscar address the woman as Aunt caused Liz to shy, pulling her hand to herself, and tucking it behind her back.

Oscar snaked his arm around her waist and introduced her. “Aunt Shirley, this is Liz.”

“Look at you, snagging a pretty city girl.” She punched at the air in front Oscar without hitting him. “How do you like our little Westin?”

“Why do assume she’s from the city?”

“Cause I ain’t seen her before and no country girl around here would wear her daddy’s shirt to the market.”

Maybe she did look out of place. Liz tugged at her rushed outfit. There were plenty of plaid shirts in the crowd, but none of them were on women. Liz had no chance to change and made that point clear. “Got dressed in a hurry this morning. Maybe if your nephew would call a girl before he showed up on her doorstep unannounced.”

“Where’re your manners.” Sheila slapped Oscar on the forearm, making contact this time.

“I’d just gotten back in to town and I had to see her again.” Oscar pulled her into his arms. Swaying and staring into her eyes. The market crowd blurred out of focus. All she could see were the hazel flecks in his eyes.

“Alright lovebirds. Have you eaten?” Aunt Shirley asked, breaking the sensual heat between them before they burst into flames. “Take her over to Frank’s for Barbecue and tell him to charge it to me.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I insist. And here.” She shoved a basket forward and shook it. “Take a bag of pecans. Chili and brown sugar is my best seller.”

“Thank you, Aunt Shirley,” Oscar accepted the cellophane bag of nuts. “Let me pay you for them.” He reached in to his pocket.

“Uh huh, fancy pants you know better. Family’s family. No money changes hands.”

“I could buy some of your pecans. Daddy loves’em.” Liz patted her hips. “Wait you had me leave my purse at home.”

“You dragged her away? And without her purse.” Shirley wagged her finger at Oscar. “How’s she going to fix her lipstick after she eats?” She snagged Liz across the table and pulled her around to the end of the booth. The friendly relative bent down and flipped up the tablecloth. “Here. It’s a freebie from a local boutique. Put it in your pocket and don’t worry about getting it back to me. Shame on you, Oscar.”

“I get it. Liz, I’ll make sure you’re prepared to leave next time I offer to whisk you away on a spontaneous romantic day of fun.”

“You’d better,” Aunt Shirley scolded. “Don’t let your Nana know all this.”

Liz returned to Oscar’s side and kissed him on the cheek. “It’s all good,” she whispered.

“Stop off at Betsy’s. Her melons are to die for this season. Oh and Nana’s working the visitors booth. You should take her over there before she gets too tired and leaves.”

“I plan to.”

Weaving through the crowd, the fruit stand they were looking for came into view. “Listen. Aunt Betsy’ll talk my ear off. Please take this.” He slipped her a few bills. “Pick out two ripe cantaloupes and get out of there.”

“Are you related to everyone here?”

“Practically and those who aren’t relatives, think they are. My Nana is very social, she knows everyone.” The truth was everyone knew who the resident billionaire was. He had a reputation for helping businesses that needed a boost. A polite nod was never far away in any gathering in his home town.

“Must be nice. Being surrounded by friendly people all the time.”

“I guess.” He pinched her ass. “Remember, get in and get out. I won’t stray too far away.”

The baskets of cantaloupes, honeydews, and watermelons truly smelled like the best in the state. Liz spied which woman appeared to be Aunt Betsy. She had the ear of a young man held hostage and was rambling on about how big a melon he would need for a backyard barbecue. Finding a few melons quick, she avoided Aunt Betsy’s detection and paid the assistant at the other end of the booth. With a new reusable bag in hand, she scanned for Oscar, who’d wandered away. He was no where to be seen.
Where the devil is that man?
She searched the crowd, but couldn’t pick him out. She did however see the visitors booth, so headed in that direction.

Before reaching the table under the gazebo where Oscar’s Nana should’ve been standing, Oscar pulled her down to sit on a bench with him. “What are you doing? I couldn’t find you.”

“Good. Hope you’ve seen enough. We should duck out of here.”

“But what about Nana?” Liz looked over her shoulder. “Isn’t she just behind us?” From the bench she could see three elderly ladies in the booth. One of them had to be his Nana.

“I’ll bring you back to meet her. I promise.” Oscar stood to leave, and stopped dead in his tracks. In front of him was a woman with waist long brown hair. “Julie!”

“Oscar? What are you doing at the market?” she asked in an overly sweet voice.

Julie? Oscar’s ex-wife?
Liz looked past Oscar to the woman and his ex equaled her stare in intensity. There was a sense of curiosity on her face. She seemed more interested in running into Liz, than Oscar.
Well, this is a challenge. I’m up for it.

“Hi, I’m Liz Martin.” She offered her hand out to shake. “I’m Executive in charge of Research and Development for Symsco Corporation.” She released her grip and wrapped her arm around Oscar’s back, not his waist.

“Mr. Wallace here, is helping me pick produce for our spoiled jam test. Do you know how many people get sick from contaminated jam each year?” She didn’t wait for Julie’s answer. The puzzled look on her face was enough to keep her going with the lie. “It’s a shame that so much bad fruit makes it to the store shelves. At Symsco we’re looking for the ripest fruit to test, in hopes of stopping this travesty.”

“Huh?” Julie reacted taken aback by Liz’s long spill.

“Mr. Wallace has been introducing me around. Are you another grower? He knows so many here. Obtaining produce directly from the farm greatly increases the freshness of the product.”

“No. I own a boutique shop in town. Down the street,” she said, half pointing over her shoulder.

“That’s lovely. I must apologize, I’m on a tight schedule.” She turned to Oscar. “Mr. Wallace could you show me those blackberries now?”

“Sure thing, Ms. Martin.” He pointed at Julie. “Stacie left her phone cord. I dropped it off at dad’s.”

“Okay,” Julie said as they walked off in a rush and disappearing in the thick crowd of the market.

When they were sure they were clear of Julie, Oscar burst out laughing. “That was awesome, Ms. Martin. You sounded great back there.”

“Thanks. It’s my job. I really do work at Symsco Corporation. Only we’ve never tested jam for spoilage.”

“It’s a good thing. Berries are not even in season in the fall.”

“Oops.”

With the threat of Julie popping back around, they left the market with a promise of returning another time, so Oscar could introduce Liz to his Nana.

Chapter Thirty One

Following the orders of Oscar’s Aunt Shirley, they stopped by and quickly grabbed to go orders from Frank’s Barbecue. Oscar paid and tipped heavily. Turned out Frank was related too, but with five young kids,
he
accepted money from family. On the way back to the truck Liz showed concern over the looming rain clouds. They were light grey, not exactly storm material, but even a small shower wouldn’t be welcome at the little town market.

“Smells like rain. Will they shut down?”

Oscar sniffed the air. “Are you kidding? The regulars love the rain. People buy quickly and in bulk. Nothing comes between southerners and a deal on produce.”

“It was fun running into your ex, but I’m sad I didn’t get to meet your Nana.” Liz stepped in front of Oscar and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Will you bring me back next week?”

“How does Sunday brunch at Nana’s sound?” Oscar kissed Liz to seal the deal. “Of course she’s going to tan my hide for telling Aunt Shirley about you first. I’ll have to come back down this week and smooth things over with her.”

When they reached the truck, Oscar stopped at the passenger door with his grip on the handle. “I have one more place to show you.” He swayed her in his arms and turned his gaze up to the clouds over head.” They’ll hold. Then it’s back to the city. I promise.”

“I’m all yours.”

“You’ll love this spot.” He opened the door, tossed the gathered market purchases in behind the seat, and waited for Liz to hop up in the cab.

They drove through the neighborhood of tree lined streets. Oscar parked the vehicle in one of six spaces facing a small park. Sprinkled with swings, slides and other kiddie favorites, it screamed home town park. The equipment was the old metal kind, not the huge plastic structures of large modern parks. It was clear right away that the park had been in use for many generations.

“Did you play here as a kid?” she asked as Oscar led her up the perimeter along a stone wall. The wall started with one stone on the ground and increased in height with stacked stones as it ventured deeper into the park. They followed along the side of it until the wall was as tall as Liz’s hips. Stopping, Oscar picked her up and set her on the wall. Standing in front, he took advantage of his position and slipped his hands under her ass.

“Is this make out park?” Liz leaned willingly into a deep kiss.

“No, it’s very kid friendly. I brought you here so I’d behave.” He wiggled his fingers under her, bucking her ass in his grip.

“You’re not doing a very good job of it.”

“I know.” He jerked his hands out and placed them on the wall to her sides. “How much time do you need?”

“A few—” She twitched her nose across his. “—days, hours maybe. Depends.”

“On what?” He twirled her hair near her ear and stared into her eyes. “Tell me what you want, Liz. Let me be the man that proves to you how wonderful you are.”

“I’d like that.” She nuzzled her chin on his shoulder. Breathing on his neck she added, “It’s been so long since I’ve wanted to be in a man’s arms. I’m glad I’m in yours
.”

“So I’m not your revenge or rebound guy?”

“No.” She snapped her head back. “Far from it.”

“Good. Then I’m the “horny as hell, so satisfy me guy?” He’s the best one.” Oscar tickled Liz into a passionate french kiss. Their tongues swirled and dodged around each other. His tickles morphed into caresses, taking in her breasts and kneading them.