“Actually, I wanted to ask you something else. Would you like to drive together to the run on Thursday? I can show you where we start, and I can introduce you to some of my coworkers in the group.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. Honestly, being around the woman for that much time wasn’t exactly how he wanted to spend his morning. “That’s a nice offer, but I might be going straight to a job after, so I’ll need my truck.” Not true. He’d be checking on Clara before going home for a shower. But Briar didn’t need to know that.
“Really?” He could almost hear her nose wrinkling. “Won’t you be all sweaty?”
“Depends how fast everyone runs.”
“Hm. Okay. Um, well, I guess I’ll see you there then.”
“You will. And I’ll have the quotes to you ASAP.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Her voice was flatter now.
Holden hung up to see Jesse staring at him.
“Who was that?” he asked.
“The woman I quoted yesterday.”
“What did she want?”
“Offered to drive us to the run. She’s the organizer.”
“Uh…so she’s into you.”
“She’s newly divorced.”
“Looking for a rebound?”
“Even if she was, I wouldn’t be interested.”
Jesse nodded slowly. “Okay. Good.”
“Good?”
“Yeah. Good. You don’t want to date someone like that.”
“Who do I want to date?”
Jesse gave him a strange look, but before Holden could ask him about it, the doorbell rang.
Jesse moved toward it before Holden could and opened the door to Pam Hayes. Jesse’s mother was tall, with chocolate eyes that matched her sons’, and a kind smile.
“Jesse, what a nice surprise.” She pulled her son into a hug, and when she looked up at Holden, her smile softened further. “Holden.”
He met her halfway and they hugged. And God, there was something that always kicked in his chest when Pam Hayes hugged him. Something that reminded him so infinitely of his own mother’s hugs. A warmth. A gentleness.
Hell, every time the older woman smiled at him or even spoke to him, he felt like he was a fifteen-year-old kid again.
Pam moved back, hands going to his arms. “How are you, honey?”
“I’m good.”
“Great.”
“I’ll go get your key holder.”
“We’ll come,” she said.
