Page 48 of The Bitterroot Inn (Jamison Valley 5)
My face scrunched up at another unknown number. Chances were this was probably a legitimate call for the inn, but since I was still on edge from the reporter’s call earlier, I ignored it and let it go to voicemail.
The missed-call banner popped up on the screen at the same time Hunter’s phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his jeans pocket and frowned.
“Do you need to get that?” I asked. “We can wait in the car while you take it outside.”
“It’s no one important.” He declined the call and dropped his phone in his lap. With a quick smile to Coby in the back, he turned the key in the ignition.
We were almost back at the motel when my phone rang again. Another unknown number. If this was the reporter, I’d give her kudos for her persistence. With a grunt, I declined this call too.
“Everything okay?” Hunter asked.
“Probably just a telemarketer.”
I hated lying but today wasn’t the day to get into the reason why I was being hounded by a reporter. That story would come some other time. Hunter hadn’t asked about Coby’s father yet and I was glad for it, because when he did ask, I wanted to give him the full story. I wanted him to know what he was getting into with us.
I just hoped that once he learned about my past, he wouldn’t run away to his house in the foothills and stay away for good.
Hunter
I was about one phone call away from blocking Nell’s number.
She’d called eleven times during Cars. Eleven. If I hadn’t been on call, I would have shut off the damn phone, but as it was, I had to decline it every time and tell Maisy it was no big deal when she’d repeatedly offered to pause the movie.
But finally, the calls stopped as we sat down for the homemade cheeseburger pizza Maisy had made for dinner.
Three pieces demolished, I went back for a fourth. “This is the best pizza I’ve ever had.” Considering how much pizza I’d consumed during undergrad and med school, that was saying something.
“I’m glad you like it.” Maisy smiled proudly and dug into her own slice. “Eat as much as you like.”
I patted my stomach. “I will, but I’ll be running an extra mile tomorrow. Pizza has always been one of my weaknesses.”
“Mine too. That and cookies.”
I smiled. I loved that Maisy wasn’t afraid to eat. She had an awesome body, probably from working her ass off every day, but she didn’t stress about calories. Every meal we’d shared, she had never ordered a salad or picked at her plate.
“Cookies rank up there on my list, but probably not as much as other temptations.”
“What’s a tem-pation?” Coby asked.
“A temp-ta-tion. It’s something you have a hard time resisting. An indulgence.” He was still confused so I kept going. “Something you go crazy over. Like pizza or cookies.”
He bounced in his seat. “I know. Like cheeseburgers!”
I laughed. Damn this kid was smart. “Like cheeseburgers. Or gummy worms.”
“Gummy worms?” Maisy and Coby asked at the same time.
I nodded. “I can’t resist. I’m a sucker for gummy worms. Especially sour ones. And Lay’s potato chips. I used to survive on those alone in college.”
“Any other temptations I should know about?” Maisy asked.
I locked my gaze with hers. “You.”
She smiled but didn’t look away, even as her cheeks flushed.
“Do you like brownies?” Coby asked, forcing me to break away from Maisy.
“Yeah, bud. I like brownies. Especially ones with chocolate chips.”
