Page 6 of Fierce-Baker

Her face scrunched so hard he thought she might sneeze her conscience out. Then she cracked and laughed.

“Good. Now you’ll come back.”

“I might. The food alone was worth it.”

“Aiden always crushes it. Even better with Liam and Margo helping. And speaking of Margo,” Jolene said, too casually. “I was just talking to Tasha.”

“Tasha who?” he asked, his voice as plain as he could make it.

He knew exactly who Tasha was.

He also knew exactly what Jolene was up to. And had for over a year.

He wouldn’t be surprised if the entire city of Charlotte didn’t know what Jolene Fierce did.

And now she’d decided her new mission in life was to match-make him into eternity.Hewas her new project.

Yeah, no. Hard pass.

He’d played the relationship game before. And he didn’t need to again.

Not that he hadn’t noticed the new tour check-in girl. Hell, he wasn’t blind.

Tasha Robinson had wavy brown hair, bright eyes, a killer smile, and curves that could distract a man mid-distillation. She carried herself like she knew her worth and knew how to move in a way that made a man appreciate it.

Not that he’d accuse her of “working anything,” but damn.

“Tasha Robinson.” Jolene sighed, actually looking disappointed he didn’t take the bait. “She’s Margo’s best friend. She needed a summer job.”

That part he didn’t know. And he couldn’t exactly ask around. One question and rumors would explode like fireworks. Rumors Jolene would twist into wedding bells by lunchtime.

Hooking up rumors he could shrug off.

Jolene-approved matchmaking destiny?

Hell. No.

“That’s nice.” If he asked more, he’d be falling into Jolene’s trap.

He climbed onto the forklift rather than standing in front of it. Jolene was on his tail like the stink from a skunk.

“She’s a teacher. Fifth graders. It’s got to be tough to do that.”

“I bet.”

Jolene hated those short answers. All the more reason to keep doing it.

“I think she used to take summers off, but last year she had a baby. So you know, home with Micah. But this summer, he’s still in daycare and in order to keep the slot, she still had to pay, so she figured she might as well get a job but didn’t want anything stressful or full time. Being a single mother is hard enough.”

Damn, more information than he’d hoped to get.

And what he heard was complications and baggage.

He had enough of that in his life.

“I’m sure.”

“Do you know how to answer with more than two words?”