Chapter 28
“Thank you for everything you went through with us. Especially labor.”
-Celia’s text to her Mama
When one looks at Flint Mendota and all his muscly goodness, one begins to believe he sprung from a volcano, fully grown, tatted up, and ready to take on the world. But the reality is much funnier.
I stared at the woman hugging Flint’s waist. On the surface, they looked nothing alike. Flint’s Samoan heritage is evident in his light brown skin. His mother had a fair complexion, with lines around her eyes that told of a life full of laughter. His head was shaved. Her gray hair was pulled back in a low ponytail underneath a cowboy hat. His eyes were brown. Hers - green. And where his muscles meant he couldn’t buy shirts and pants off the rack, she looked like a lean, mean,mom machine. And her muscles didn’t come from a treadmill or yoga. They were from hard work. Probably outdoors.
But when you looked closely, Flint shared the same shape eye with his mom. And their mouths quirked up in the corner with amusement at seeing each other for the first time in a while.
“Dena O’Meara,” Flint’s mom held out a calloused hand toward me. “This here’s my baby boy. And it’s nice to meet you.”
I shook her hand and grinned. “Celia Saber. Baby boy? I can’t even imagine what that childbirth was like.”
Dena snort-laughed. “Oh, honey. You have no idea. I almost didn’t have any more kids after this big guy. But, I got thatmomnesiathing and had two more!”
I liked this woman. I knew all aboutmomnesia. You swear you’re never having any more kids until you get a whiff of their new baby smell and the oxytocin kicks in. Then you start thinking all kinds of crazy things like,what’s two more?
“I had twins, so by the time momnesia kicked in, I was too busy running around taking care of two - at the same time,” I smiled. “I was too worn out to think about having any more.”
Dena’s eyebrow went up, but she said nothing.
“What are you doing here?” Flint lowered his voice to ask his mom, but it was too late. Everyone in the diner was getting their full serving of gossip today.
She slapped his arm. “I’m here to get my baby boy and his lady friend and drag them back to the ranch before he slips out of town!”
I bit back a grin. She knew her son all too well.
When I proposed going after information in Echo’s past, I had no idea Oxford, Mississippi was so close to Flint’s hometown. Especially when he said absolutely freakingnothingabout it.
Now, General Cranky Pants made so much sense.
Yeah. He was no longerMisterCranky Pants. He got promoted after his grouchiness this morning.
GeneralCranky Pants.
I didn’t know whether to salute or laugh, but I figured neither one would win me any points with his Mama, so I decided to throw him a bone instead.
“We were just passing through for a business meeting but ran out of gas a quarter-mile from here,” I plastered a smile on my face.
“Well, little darlin, you’re in luck,” Dena linked her arm through mine and pulled me toward the door. “I have a full gas can in the truck. We’ll get you all set up and drive on over to the ranch, where you’re more than welcome to stay until your business is concluded.”
I looked at Flint. His stony face gave me nothing to go on.
Fine. General Cranky Pants wanted me to decide this one.
“That sounds delightful,” I winked at Flint. “I’d love to see where Flint grew up.”
“Then, it’s settled,” Dena winked at Flint as well. “Gracie! Wrap up their breakfasts to go!”
Gracie yelled out an affirmative from the kitchen. Moments later, I was sitting in the cab of Dena’s truck while Flint followed behind in his SUV with our luggage.
It was going to be one heck of a weekend in Dorsey, Mississippi.
