Sin City Baby

I was grinning like an idiot by the time I got back to Jenn's booth.

“Liked what you saw over there I take it, huh?” she teased me.

“Oh yeah,” I laughed, sitting down again. “And they even seemed to be flirting with me. Who'd have guessed that? I totally didn't see that coming.”

“Your fresh meat,” Jenn

said with a knowing smile. “It's rare that someone new comes into town.”

“But I'm not new,” I said.

“You might as well be,” she laughed. “I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous.”

I felt my cheeks flush at Jenn's words. All this time, I wasn't sure I had changed enough from that gangly awkward girl I used to be. My transformation wasn't anywhere near as radical as Jenn's and I worried that I'd only thought I changed more than I actually had.

I was afraid that I'd still be that dorky girl everyone knew and picked on in high school. But hearing Jenn say that, and seeing the response from the brothers, made me think otherwise. My ego, which had been deflating since the moment I set foot in Black Oak again, suddenly found itself full and bursting at the seams again.

“Well, I'm not all that,” I said and laughed. “I just hoped I was a little better off than I was back in the day.”

“You are,” Jenn said. “All that and a cupcake, if I may say so myself.”

“You're just biased,” I said. “But, I appreciate the thought.”

“Nah, the McCormick boys obviously thought so too,” she teased. “In fact, don't look now, but –”

I, of course, didn't listen to her advice and looked.

Quinn was still near the grill, but was stealing glances in my direction. And when I caught him looking, he smiled over at me. He gave me a soft wave before turning and going back to work on the grill. Cason was talking to him and they were laughing together, but then, my old lab partner, shot me a look too.

Suddenly, I felt like a supermodel. Or at least, some kind of minor celebrity.

Jenn playfully slapped me on the arm and squealed. “I said don't look!”

“Hard not to,” I said and laughed. “Especially, when you tell me not to!”

“Yeah, I can't blame ya,” she said. “If they were checking me out, I'd be all over that too.”

“You're married,” I said.

“Doesn't mean I don't have needs and wants,” she said. “Regrets over those things I missed out on.”

“You had your chance, Jenn,” I laughed. “You went out with Bennett, remember? And you still chose Martin.”

“Because Martin is good for me,” she said, staring wistfully at the baby in her lap. “He's practical; a hard worker and great provider. We have the same philosophies and values in life. But if I were looking for a one-night stand or a fling, you bet your britches I'd be after one of those McCormick brothers. I can't imagine they're anything but amazing in the sack. It's certainly not like they haven't had more than their fair share of practice.”

“Yeah, well, new girl in town or not, it's not like I really stand a chance with any of them,” I mumbled.

Then Rebekah came to mind once more, and I knew if anyone had the answer to the questions rattling around in my head, it would be Jenn.

“Speaking of which, I ran into Rebekah Henderson,” I said. “That's not Bennett's kid, is it? She seemed really squirrely and didn't want to talk about it. Ran off when I brought it up, actually.”

Jenn burst out laughing, snorting as she tried to get herself under control. “Oh goodness no,” she said. “You have no baby mamas to worry about if you go after the eldest McCormick. She went out of town awhile back and came back pregnant. Some rando she met at the bar, didn't even get his name.”

“But she said she found God?”

Jenn raised her eyebrow and shook her head. “Yeah, in the backseat of some guy's car, maybe,” she said, sarcasm coloring her every word. “Nah, her daddy just makes her go to church every weekend and act like a pious little witch. She's trying to redeem herself in his eyes or some shit like that – though, God only knows what good that would do. That girl is a lost cause, if I do say so myself.”

I looked back out at the people milling about in the park. Black Oak carried so many secrets. There was always so much going on – especially in the shadows and behind the scenes. And I hadn't the faintest idea about any of it. I had no knowledge of anything in Blackoak anymore.