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Nico tossed the Ebola toy back into the bargain basket. “Actually, I do have a better idea. Let’s head to the grocery store, and then we’ll make another stop on the way home.”
* * *
“Ladies—and Paulo—this is Katy. Katy, meet Brooke, Darla, and Paulo.”
Three faces stared back at me with undisguised curiosity, then their gazes moved to Matty, who was desperately trying to reach a ball of yarn from his perch on Nico’s back.
“Hi,” I said, feeling like a kid on the first day of school—and I’d had a lot of those days, thanks to my mom’s wanderlust. “We’re staying with Nico for a few weeks. Me and my son. He’s, uh, Matthew. Matty for short.”
Could I sound like any more of a dork?
“Is this your first trip to Baldwin’s Shore?” Brooke asked, and I knew she was Brooke because they were all wearing name badges. Brooke was the petite brunette with the ready smile, and Darla was the older, more reserved lady in the muumuu. She’d decorated her badge with two rainbows and an ostrich feather.
“It’s my first visit to Oregon.”
“Where are you from?”
“Uh…”
“Maryland,” Nico said firmly. “And there was some unpleasantness with her ex, so I’d appreciate if you’d keep her presence here quiet.”
Darla rolled her eyes. “We’ve all been there, hun.”
I sincerely doubted it, not in quite such a spectacular fashion, but I managed a weak smile.
“Men suck.” Crap. “Apart from the ones here, I mean.”
Paulo gave a shimmy. “Because we’re awesome. So, how did you meet this hottie?”
“You mean Nico?”
Dammit, that was an admission I hadn’t meant to make.
“We already know how you met moi. C’mon, spill the beans… Did you pick him up at a fetish club?”
I turned to the hottie in question. “Does everyone know about the fetish club?”
“What?” Paulo gasped. “I was making a joke. Did you really go to a fetish club, hot stuff? Tell me everything.”
“I’m afraid the membership agreement precludes me from doing that.”
“Wait, there’s a membership?” Paulo elbowed me in the side. His badge said “World’s Best Craft Store Assistant,” and he’d stuck a gold crown in one corner. “He’s a dark horse, isn’t he?”
“I honestly wouldn’t know.”
“You wouldn’t?” He waved at Nico, game-show assistant style. “How can anyone resist this package?”
“We’re just old friends.”
“Can we stop discussing my sex life?” Nico asked.
“Well, Brooke won’t discuss hers, and Darla doesn’t have one, so we’re limited on options. Well, probably. Darla went out for burgers with a stud named Alex, and they’re taking things slow, whatever that means.”
Brooke and Darla both put their heads in their hands.
“How about we don’t discuss anyone’s sex life?” Nico suggested. “There’s a child present.”
“Aw, how old is he?”
