Mack:Please go out with me.
She staredat the message again, unable to fight the smile that spread across her lips. This was a bad idea. Lacey had finally given in, and she was flirting with him.
Flirting!
It wasn’t fair to him for her to lead him on like this. Based on what he’d said to Angela, it was clearer than ever that he wasn’t going to give up. She really needed to put down her foot and make sure he understood just how important it was for her to stand her ground.
A sigh burst from her chest, but it wasn’t loud enough to rouse Angela from sleep with the television going, no matter how low the volume was.
Lacey:I can’t.
Mack:Give me one good reason.
Lacey:It just won’t work.
Mack:That’s not a reason.
She sighed again.Sure, she could tell him that she was worried her parents wouldn’t approve of any guy she was dating—that they could threaten to get involved in her life again. She could tell him that she was worried about Bridger getting too attached, and that she wouldn’t let him get hurt just because she allowed a guy to take her out more than once.
Somehow, she didn’t think that Mack would accept those arguments. He didn’t know her mother, but she wouldn’t expecthim to believe that a grandmother would treat her grandson like that.
Dragging a hand down her face, she put the phone away. She had no excuses. No answer would be good enough for him. He was nothing if not persistent.
She got to her feet and stretched before she moved to the kitchen and silently filled a glass with water. Mulling over her options, she couldn’t come up with one solution to keep Mack at arm’s length. Her own strength at being able to fight him off was waning. Eventually, she’d get worn down unless he found someone else.
And she hated just how sick she felt at imagining him with his arms around another woman.
Something was wrong with her. That was the only possibility.
Thankfully, he didn’t respond after that.
“I’m goingto the rodeo. Don’t wait up,” Angela announced at three. It was early yet, but seeing as this was an all-day event, Lacey wasn’t surprised.
When her sister opened the door, Lacey called out, “Have fun!”
“Mommy?”
Lacey whirled around and found Bridger looking miserable. He’d been a little slow all day, complaining of a headache, but now he looked flushed, and his voice sounded more raspy than before. She dropped the plastic plate she’d been washing into the sink. “Do you still have a headache?” Lacey hurried to hisside and placed the back of her hand against his forehead. It was warm to the touch.
He nodded.
She muttered a curse under her breath. “Come on, sweetie, let’s get you something to drink and snuggled up on the couch.”
At that moment, her phone buzzed on the counter. She glanced over her shoulder toward it then gave Bridger a little push. “Sit on the couch for now. I’m going to see if that’s your aunt, and then I’ll get you some feel-good food, okay?”
Bridger nodded and moved closer to the couch. He settled down and curled into a ball. It was then that she noticed the gorilla he’d carted from the bedroom. He hadn’t set it down once since he’d gotten it yesterday.
When she picked up her phone, she huffed.
Mack:I’m taking you out tonight.
Lacey:Not going to happen.
Mack:It’s gonna happen. I’ll be there at five.
Lacey:What about Angela?
Mack:My brother saw her at the rodeo.
