Page 31 of Fierce-Baker

Maybe he had someone in his life and if that was the case, she had to find some way to unravel herself from this sticky mess.

No way she was going through it again.

“I’m single,” he said. “You?”

“Single as a Pringle.”

He laughed. “By choice or circumstance?”

With no hesitation, she said, “Both.”

“Are you going to explain that or do we just talk about work?”

He was here and it was kind of a date. Maybe.

Pathetic in her eyes if she thought that.

But in the ten minutes it took for him to run home and her to hope he returned, she decided she was going to be straightforward with him. She was going to bring up Jolene and see if she was losing her mind.

She just had to figure out the best way to do it.

“Well, not too many people want to get involved with a single mother. I didn’t use a dating site before I had Micah and I sure the heck wouldn’t now.”

“Dating sites are for desperate people.”

“I thought the same. I’m over the bar scene. Been there and done that. I’ve been a little busy the past two years, so I’m not actively looking though I’ve been on a few dates.”

“How old is Micah?”

“Fourteen months,” she said. “I’ve not been with anyone since I was pregnant.”

Best way to say that without coming out and saying how long it’d actually been.

“If you’re not actively looking, how did you end up on dates?”

“You know what is worse than dating sites?”

“No, what?” he asked.

“Blind dates. No freaking way ever again.”

“I’ll take a pass there.”

“I should have too. Not just once, nor twice, but three times I did it. Not sure why.”

“Do you like to punish yourself?” he asked, his eyes wide. “Or just a slow learner?”

“Some might say both. It was more that I was feeling the pressure. The first time was a coworker. She introduced us at a quick party. The guy was leaving when I got there, I got his number and we chatted for a week before our first date. Hedidn’t know I’d had a child. Micah was five months old and he was so appalled that I’d consider dating like I was some harlot.”

“Fuck him,” he said.

“No, thank you. I didn’t nor would I, though I think he thought I would when I didn’t want a second date and he was calling me. Like I shouldn’t be offended over his reaction to me going on a date I hadn’t even wanted.”

Best not to think of that. She still barely talked to Linda for setting her up with Todd and not even giving him a heads up about her background.

Baker leaned back and crossed his ankles in front of him. He looked as if he was getting comfortable, which would make it much easier to continue. “At least you can joke about it.”

“It’s all I can do. The second date was a friend’s cousin. I’d met him once before. He seemed nice. But the minute I said I had a child, he said he wasn’t interested. We didn’t even finish the date. I was so embarrassed.”