l its little people.”
“They’re not little,” Jordan said, her tone testier than she ever used with Simon.
There was a moment of silence. “No, they’re not. I didn’t mean it that way. But, babe, what the hell is going on with you?”
She swallowed. “I don’t know. I’m working, I am. I check in with Raven daily. It’s just…I worry my reasons for being here are muddy.”
“Jordan Elise Carpenter, are you crushing on that firefighting cowboy?”
Jordan adored Simon too much to lie, but she still stayed stubbornly silent, not quite ready to admit just how much she liked Luke Elliott.
Jordan wrinkled her nose. “Kind of?”
Simon made a sigh that was half happy, half dismayed. “Oh, sweetie. Have you slept with him yet?”
“Simon!”
“Have you?”
“No!”
“But you want to,” her friend said smugly.
Jordan scowled into her wine. She was going to need another glass if this conversation kept up.
“I’d be fired.”
“Maybe. If anyone found out.”
“It’s not gonna happen.”
“You and your small-town morals,” he said with another sigh. “But okay, fine, let’s say he’s off-limits. Is there anyone else you can hook up with? If you have to live in the boonies for a month, you at least need to come back with a fling under your belt. Oh, speaking of which, I put a cowboy-style belt buckle in there. I was thinking you could pair it with the skirt and that blue blouse that makes your eyes look amazing.”
“Oh, so you actually did pack some of my clothes,” Jordan said sarcastically.
“Yes, and I watered that weird plant in the corner.”
“It’s fake, Simon.”
“Shit. Well, okay, I’ll try to swing by later, make sure there’s not a leaky mess. Your neighbor’s cute.”
“Straight.”
“Damn; figures. Okay, but, listen, Jordan—let yourself do your thing with Luke. For you, mostly, but also because I’ve heard that straight men will do just about anything once they’ve experienced the Magic Hoo-Ha.”
Jordan laughed. “Okay, I’m hanging up now.”
“To try on your new boots, I hope. Remember, pictures. Surely you have a hoedown to wear them to? Carnival? Corn-shucking contest?”
Jordan winced. “There is the county fair on Saturday.”
“Stop it right now. You’re going, right?”
“I may or may not have agreed to sit in a kissing booth.”
“Tell me that’s as deliciously old-fashioned as it sounds.”
“Old-fashioned, yes. But I don’t think this is going to be the Girls Gone Wild version of a kissing booth.”