Page 28 of Break Out

“Challenging?” I croaked.

She gave a long sigh. “Simone, the hotel didn’t just take his credit card on a single name basis. Somebody there should be able to help you look him up.”

That wasn’t a bad idea, but my every instinct said it would be a waste of time.

“Mom, it was over a month and a half ago. I’ll be lucky if they still have those records.”

“You won’t know until you go ask.”

I frowned. “The hotel isn’t just going to hand out someone’s name to me. Besides, he wasn’t the only businessman staying there that night, I’m sure.”

Mom’s tone shifted. “Sweetie, you can’t tell me you don’t remember the room number, and I know you recall the date. It was the last day of the semester.”

Shit. She had me there.

She continued. “Your father will want to know you put in the effort, Simone.”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure the hotel will have a cell number for him.”

“You don’t understand, Simone. He has a right to know, and frankly while your dad isn’t going to care that you’re preggers, he is going to care that this man doesn’t know, because you and your brother are the most important people in the world to him. More than the brothers, more than his Harley, and… more than me.”

“Not more than you,” I scoffed.

Her tone softened. “If you and I are both in line to take a bullet, he’s saving you, not me, sweetie. And I’d want it that way. Try to find this man. He decides to ignore you or not believe you, then fuck ‘im. But you gotta put in the effort.”

I shook my head. “They’re going to protect his privacy.”

Her tone became sly. “Rumor has it you met at the bar downstairs. The bartender might have some info.”

I sighed. “Seven weeks is a long time, Mom, but I’ll go by there tomorrow. See what I can find out.”

“Good. I would have you talk to your dad right now, but he’s in Memphis on club business until Monday. Call on Tuesday, so I can be there for it.”

I nodded. “Okay, Mom.”

The next day, I took an early lunch and went to the Pi House. If the same bartender wasn’t there, then I’d hit the front desk. For some reason, I thought I might have better luck with the bartender… on the very slim chance he was still working there.

In theory, Mom’s idea was great, but in reality, it was ludicrous and even more embarrassing than telling people I’d had a one night stand.

As luck had it, the bartender from that night stood behind the bar drying pint glasses.

He grinned. “Good afternoon. Does today call for Jack Daniel’s Honey?”

I grimaced. “Unfortunately, I can’t have that for a few months.”

Understanding washed over his face, and his smile faltered. His flirty tone went flat. “Oh.”

“Yeah. As if that isn’t enough, I’m trying to get in touch with that man. You wouldn’t happen to have—”

He held up a hand. “We can’t give out that information.”

I knew it.

I gave him a jaunty grin. “Are you sure you can’t make an exception?”

He shook his head. “Been in this situation before, ma’am. Made the mistake of trying to get the info from the front desk in the past. The information isn’t available.”

I settled on a bar stool. “All right, well, I guess I’ll have a Sprite and two slices of pizza. One cheese and the other with ham.”

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