Page 5 of Fastlander Fighter

“How long have you been back?”

“Five weeks.”

“Trust me, that outsider feeling will pass. Go to the general store in our hometown. You’ll see five people you know, and you can make all your connections again. You can leave Damon’s Mountains, but Damon’s Mountains never really leave you.”

“With my luck, the second I stepped foot into the general store, I would see my ex and his new wife. I didn’t really want to move right back into the same town. It feels like their town now. You really didn’t recognize me, did you?” she asked suddenly. She still wore that sweet, shy smile, and he hated himself as he answered her honestly.

“No. It was all a long time ago.” He wanted to say more. He wanted to make excuses and talk about how much joining the new Crew took up his headspace, or how much he worried over the upcoming war with the Holland Pride. Or how he had moved on so thoroughly after high school, he rarely even visited it in his memories. He also wanted to say he was sorry for the way things ended up, but that would be a lie.

Things had ended up exactly the way they were supposed to.

Sloane sat up straighter and forced a smile. “I’m glad I saw you here. I wondered what came of you over the years. I hoped you ended up in a good spot. Looks like you’re doing just fine.”

So she’d thought of him, and he hadn’t given a second thought to her. Hallie was right. He was a dickshit.

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t remember—”

“Don’t give it a second thought. I’ve got bigger stuff going on. I won’t even think about that when I lay my head down to sleep tonight. It’s all good.” Truth. Okay, so she did have some big stuff going on.

He still felt like shit, though. Looking for a way out of the awkward moment, he gestured to her uneaten mud pies. “I like that you ordered two. I like when women eat.” God, he usually had way better game than this. What a stupid statement.

“Um, I…” She shrugged, and the kind smile was back. “I have a son. I got one for him.”

Captain had been about to stand, but he stilled. It was the soft look on her face when she mentioned her son that froze him in place. It changed everything about her. The tiredness disappeared for a moment. God, she was stunning.

Chills electrified the fine hairs on the back of his neck, and he scooted deeper onto the bench seat. “How old is he?” he asked curiously, hoping to see that pretty look on her face again when she talked about her boy.

“Six.” She crossed her arms around her stomach and shrugged up her shoulders. “His name is Ruger. I get him back in a couple days, and I figured he would like the mud pie.”

That happy, free look was back in her eyes. Aw, a good momma bear. He could spot that from a mile away. Didn’t matter if she was human, she was a momma bear. Hell yeah. “Why don’t you have him now?”

Her eyes ducked to the food again and the smile fell from her lips.

He’d pushed too hard. “Sorry. That’s none of my business. You don’t have to answer that.”

“His dad shares fifty-fifty custody with me. It’s his days with him right now. Him and his new wife.”

“Oooooh, fuck. Y’all are split up?”

The haunted look was back, and the eye-bags under her pretty blue eyes seemed to darken. “I tried. Wasn’t meant to be.”

“Ruger’s a cool name. Does he like barbecue?” he asked, turning the conversation back to the little boy that lifted her spirits.

“He likes chicken nuggets,” she said with a laugh. “I’m trying to get him to branch out.”

“Well, in his defense, chicken nuggets are awesome.”

She laughed, and it was a really pretty sound. The prettiest he’d heard in awhile.

Captain had an idea. “I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, okay,” she said softly as he stood.

He sauntered back into his work area, where Shane was currently losing his shit and floundering. Kid was going to be all right, but he had a dream of being a pitmaster. He was young, and had no support from his family, so Captain had taken him under his wing. Shane needed tough love because he was soft, but he would be all right if he stuck with this.

“I think I need help,” Shane said.

Captain chuckled as he grabbed the coupon book from under the cash register. “No shit, Sherlock. Give me five minutes.”

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