Page 7 of Fierce-Baker

“I didn’t know you were asking me questions.”

Jolene paused as if that had just hit her. “Guess not. See I can do it too. Two words.”

“Except you ruined it by continuing to talk.”

“I like you, Baker.”

He laughed. “Thanks. It’s mutual. But I’d like you more if I could get back to work. The gin isn’t going to make itself.”

“You sound just like Mason.”

And Mason had given him permission to answer this way to his mother when she came around more.

Which seemed to be the case now.

And for the first time, a name was added to the mix.

It was the first clue he had and now he had to decide what to do with it.

“Your son is a smart man,” he said. “He hired me.”

Jolene slapped his arm. “I was going to say that too.” Her two fingers were spread wide, moving back and forth between her eyes and his. “You and me, we are on the same wavelength.”

“If you say so.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know humoring when I hear it. Got it. You can go back to work now.”

He shook his head when Jolene took off as fast as she’d come in.

He finished mixing the mash, set it and walked away to get a bite to eat of his lunch while he had the time.

The minute his ass hit the chair at his desk, his phone was vibrating. He lifted it to see if it was work related and saw the text from his mother asking him to call.

What was that old saying? Things come in threes?

Mason’s mother.

Finding out the hot chick who caught his eye was a single mother.

And now his mother.

Though she didn’t bug him often, it was normally with an issue.

Didn’t mean he wouldn’t be there for her.

He hit the button and called rather than texting back that he could talk.

“Hi, Baker. I’m not bothering you, am I?”

Always a stupid question when she knew he was at work. It’s not like he had a desk job and could goof off and socialize.

“Just eating lunch now. You caught me on a break. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” his mother mumbled.

And when Jennie Hansen mumbled it meant that she was close to tears. And that meant he was close to putting his fist through the wall again.

With frustration. Annoyance. And no fucking patience for this anymore.