I'm way past the point of needing my delicate sensibilities protected.
“You mean flings,” I say flatly. “He uses a nickname with women he doesn't plan on seeing again.”
Both men have the decency to flush red at my bald assessment.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“And where did you say he worked? A ranch?”
“The Rocking M. It's situated just outside town proper to the west,” Greg provides, proving somewhat useful, despite being unfamiliar withCormac.
“Thank you. Both of you.” My hand lifts in farewell before I wheel Jesse through the glass entry door, which Greg hurries to open for us. “Thanks,” I mutter, already reaching for my phone to text Linnea about this lead.
But I don't get very far because she's already crossing the street to meet us. Two iced coffees fill her hands, until she gives one to me, so she can shield her face from the sun.
“I've got a name and location,” I say before slurping a mouthful of caffeine and sugar.
“Cormac Madsen at Rocking M Ranch,” Linnea blurts before I’ve even had a chance to swallow.
“How'd you know?”
“A lady at the coffee shop said he might be our Mac. That's why I was coming to see you guys. To tell you the good news.”
“Potentiallygood news,” I stress, steering the stroller back toward the B&B down the street. “Did she mention how he only goes by Mac with one-night stands?”
Linnea chokes on her iced coffee and pounds on her chest to clear her airway. “No! Seriously?”
“That's what the guy at the hardware store said.” At the B&B, we wave hello to the receptionist then board the elevator before continuing our conversation.
“No wonder Jessica didn't have many details to share. He purposely kept it that way.” Each floor button lights up until we reach the third level. “Not that Jessica was probably any better.”
“This is when experience with casual sex would be helpful,” Linnea says right as the doors open to reveal an older couple gaping at us. The woman clutches the pearls hanging around her neck—yes, actual pearls—while her husband frowns in disapproval.
Stifling a laugh, we hurry past them, quickly unlock the door to our shared room, then let the giggles free.
“Oh my god, I can't believe you said that,” I gasp, holding my side as more laughter bubbles up.
“We were both thinking it.”
She's not wrong.
If Jessica is the wild younger sister who doesn't balk at sex with strangers, I'm the eldest sibling who would never consider hopping into bed with someone unless I've known them for… well, let's just say alongtime.
So long that I haven’t figured out the timeline yet, because I’m technically still a virgin—self-made, battery-operated orgasms aside.
After witnessing my mom’s relationships, then suffering through Jessica following in her footsteps, I’ve vowed not to put myself in such a risky situation.
I need stability. Security. Safety. A seriousrelationship.
It's just my luck that those items are hard to come by these days.
My breaths slowly even out as my amusement fades, and reality sets in. I've got a lead, which means it's up to me to check it out.
Grabbing my purse from the mesh basket beneath Jesse’s stroller, I straighten with determination. "Will you be okay watching Jesse while I verify Cormac is our Mac?”
“I'll be fine, but are you sure you want to go alone?”
“No, but I don't want to drive out there with Jesse yet, and we can't leave him here by himself.”
