Page 67 of Fierce-Baker

“I think it’s just easy. Not everything has to be easy, but it shouldn’t be hard either.”

She felt as if there was a double meaning there.

But the words hit home just the same.

“I told my mother about you.”

“You did?” he asked, his voice more surprised than she anticipated. Maybe she had been wrong all along.

She shrugged, but he couldn’t see her, as he was focused on the road, so she tried to make her tone as nonchalant as she could.

“She asked if I had a date. I don’t normally ask them to watch Micah. The last time was a few weeks ago and I was going to cancel, but they really wanted to spend the time with him.”

“I don’t care that they know. I guess I could be honest and say my sister knows.”

Interesting. “Since when?”

“Brittany called me earlier in the week. Just a conversation about my parents again, but then she asked what was going on with me. I guess the words slipped out before I could bring them back in.”

There was no stopping the smile from filling her face. “That happened with me too. Then my mother wanted to know if this was one of those Jolene things.”

“Did you tell her?”

“I did. There was no reason to hide it. The next time she sees Margo it might come up.”

“Brittany asked me the same. I’ve brought up Jolene’s hobby in the past and that she’d been trying to pin me down for years.”

Which made her think of what she’d said to her mother. That maybe there were failures in Jolene’s past and no one ever heard of it because people didn’t start dating.

“Has she brought other names up to you in the past?” she asked.

“No. She didn’t even bring your name up to me,” he said drily.

“I forgot, that isn’t really her way anymore.”

“She’s done it now and again, but not often,” he said. “And speaking of Jolene. I saw her when I went to get the bottle. She put things together.”

Her head whipped towards his. “So she knows?”

“No. I played it off. Or I played with her like she does with everyone else. You should know that she might try you next. Especially since you only have a few weeks left of working.”

“I’ll be prepared for it,” she said. She debated saying more from her parents’ conversation. It wasn’t really the time to bring up they’d like to meet him.

“What aren’t you saying?”

“What?”

“I can feel your eyes on me and you’re not talking. Or you’re holding something in. Just say it.”

Guess she wasn’t doing as good of a job with things as she’d done in the past. “My mother mentioned meeting you at some point. I said we are nowhere near there. This was only the third date we’ve had without Micah around.”

This time he was silent. As if he were processing what that might mean.

“What was her response?”

“Not much. I’ve perfected keeping my personal life private from my parents for years. Even before Micah. Guess it’s just the way I’ve always been.”

“Why are you that way?” he asked. It sounded more curious than judgmental.