Mack leaned against the back of his truck, his ankles crossed as he pulled a piece of straw to his lips. He’d only come to town to pick up a few supplies. Bo needed an errand boy today, so that was what he’d be. He should have been on his way home by now.
Except he’d caught sight ofher.
There was no mistaking her. A flash of blonde hair and the sway of her hips. Not only that, but she’d been with Bridger. Every time he saw a small boy with light brown hair, Mack took a second look.
And lately, he was seeing them everywhere. Since when did this town have so many children running around?
The mother-son duo had entered Sweet Everything Bakery. It was a Saturday and, honestly, surprising that Lacey wasn’t working at the restaurant. Maybe the fact that she had a kid allowed the business to give her more flexibility. Then again, he hadn’t been paying too much attention to her work schedule.How could he when his dad and his uncle were making him try out different positions at the ranch lately?
Mack watched the bakery doors from where he stood across the street. She was still avoiding his calls and refusing to message him back. Normally, he would have given up. There was a definite line between enjoying the chase and feeling like he was wasting his time.
Whatever it was about Lacey that spurred him forward, he couldn’t tell. All he knew was that he enjoyed the back and forth she offered. Was it enough to build a relationship on?
Of course not.
But at this point, he wasn’t sure that was what he wanted.
The door opened, and Lacey called over her shoulder, “Thanks for the brownies, Allison. They’re his favorite.”
The black forest brownies were always sold out by lunchtime on the weekends. They were a town favorite. And apparently, the kid’s favorite, too.
Bridger wasted no time in tearing off the clear cellophane from the treat before taking a bite with a large grin on his face. He was completely oblivious to his surroundings, but the same couldn’t be said about his mother.
Lacey’s eyes locked with Mack’s from across the street, and she made a face. It wasn’t angry—more exasperated than anything else. And it brought a smile to his face. As frustrated as she might be with his appearance, he was similarly frustrated at the inability to get her out of his head.
Mack plucked the straw from his lips and tossed it into the road before striding across and meeting her at the sidewalk.
She smirked, but her eyes flashed with warning. “Are you stalking me now? Might as well admit it. I hear liars don’t get nice accommodations in—” Lacey stopped herself and glanced down at her son, who was looking up at her with curiosity.
“Where, Mom?”
Lacey flushed, and Mack bit back a chuckle. He got the feeling she didn’t used to be the picture-perfect mother in the beginning.
He glanced down at the boy. “Jail, kid. Liars get the lumpiest, smelliest mattresses in jail. So you better not lie.” His eyes bounced up to Lacey. “Especially not to your mother.”
The rosy hue to her skin deepened. Then she huffed a sigh, forcing a smile for her kid’s sake. “Come on, Bridger, we need to run a few more errands, then we can go home and watch the Discovery Channel.”
Mack fell into step beside them. “Discovery Channel, huh? What do you like watching?”
Before Lacey could stop him, Bridger launched into the conversation. “I like the lions best. They’re the kings of the jungle. They can eat anything. They’re fast, too.”
“Not as fast as cheetahs,” Mack offered, much to Lacey’s chagrin.
Bridger shook his head. “No, not as fast as cheetahs. But they’re still my favorite.”
“So, you like animals, huh?”
He nodded vigorously. “I want to be a cowboy when I grow up. Just like Uncle Caleb.”
Mack gave Lacey a side-eyed glance. She looked like she was struggling not to jump in and zip her son’s lips closed. A strange sort of feeling flooded his insides at the kid calling Caleb his uncle. Sammie and Lacey were close. It made sense. The kid was growing attached to Caleb, and Lacey was trying her darndest to keep him from anyone else. “Cowboys are pretty cool. I like to watch them at the rodeo. Have you ever been?”
Bridger shook his head. “No. Mom says I have to be a little bigger.”
Lacey glanced at Mack like she feared he’d argue with that sentiment.
“Your mother’s a smart woman. I’d listen to her. Sometimes the rodeo can get a little too exciting. Kids get lost. People get hurt.”
The boy nodded. “Yeah. That’s what she says.”
