“Oh, no. Totally joking.” I try to fake a laugh but end up in a coughing fit.
“Take a sip, rebel.” He pushes my water toward me. I grab it and take a big gulp. “I’m not letting this go.”
“I can’t have two nicknames. I still have to come up with yours.” We are getting way ahead of ourselves here.
“You’re not changing the subject on me. Now I gotta know.”
I let out a small huff. “Fine, let’s just say I’m not allowed in Montana anymore.”
“You got kicked out of a whole state?” He leans in closer. “You’re fucking with me.”
“Well, I can’t go back because I never went to court or whatever it is you do. I’m guessing I’m a wanted woman there now, so no more Montana.”
“You have got to give me more than that.” Bam waves the server down. “A slice of chocolate cake for the lady.”
“Coming up.” She gives Bam a giant bright smile that he doesn’t see; his attention is fully on me, and he wants the details. After a beat, she turns, leaving the table.
“She wanted your attention.”
“Well, I want your attention.”
“You’re buttering me up with chocolate cake. How’d you know it’s my fav?” He’s good. I’ll give him that.
“I’m your assistant, partner.” He shrugs. “I should know these things.” This is true.
“All right, fine. I give. Your interrogation skills are stellar.” I’m cracking for a six-dollar slice of cake. “But I’m not sharing the cake.”
“Deal,” he agrees, his expression a mixture of smugness and humor, making a dimple show in his left cheek.
“It’s silly, really.”
“Even better.”
“When I was younger.”
“How much younger?”
“Okay, last year, Jesus!” Bam presses his lips together in a firm line, and I know he’s fighting a laugh. “My dad’s a truck driver. He’s on the road a lot. On big holidays and summer break, I’ll go on a couple of the trips. One was passing through Montana, so of course I started researching things about Montana, and you know what?”
“What?” He leans in even closer.
“They don’t know where the bats go in the winter.”
“The caves.”
“No.” I shake my head slowly. “You think the bat scientists didn’t check the caves?”
“Was it a man that checked the caves? You might need a female or mom. I heard they can find anything.” Heard? Interesting. I wonder if he doesn’t have a mom either.
“No mom either?”
“Nah.”
“Same.” I shrug. I mean, it would probably be cool to have one, but I never knew her, so it doesn’t hurt, like I’m sure it does to others, so I don’t ask.
“The bats, shortcake.”
“Right.” I get back on track. “Well, when I told my dad about them, he said they had to be in the caves, as if the scientists didn’t look there.” I roll my eyes. “So obviously I had to go confirm this.”
