Page 179 of Mr. Infuriating

“I think it’s going to take a lot of wine to get over Gabe. And tissues.”

“Lucky for you I have a Wine Depot membership. But the tissues you’ll have to get on your own.”

On my own. Story of my life.

~~

I woke up exhausted Wednesday morning and it hit me why I’d been able to sleep so soundly at Gabe’s. As a single mom, I could never fully let my guard down. Even in my own home. I felt like I had to be on high alert all the time.

I always made sure to check all the locks on the doors and windows every night before bed and would wake to the slightest creak the house made.

With Gabe, I hadn’t had to do that. He’d made me feel safe and protected. Kind of like how I’d felt growing up. I’d never worried as a kid because I thought there wasn’t anything my dad couldn’t handle.

That’s what being with Gabe felt like. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

I don’t think I’d ever felt that sense of peace with Troy. Which meant Jake probably hadn’t either. He’d had that with Gabe.

Annnnd I was crying again.

****

Gabe

When you’re thirty-nine, you don’t spring out of bed and head to work after a night of drinking like you did when you’re in your early twenties.

Something I learned the hard way—two mornings in a row.

But getting drunk was the only way I could tolerate sitting in the quiet of my big, empty house all alone.

Fortunately, I got to see Gretchen and Jake that night. I was going on forty-eight hours of no contact with her, and I’d fucking hated every second.

Then I received a text from Britt.

Britt: Brayden’s staying home from school. He has a fever and was throwing up all night.

Fuck.

Me: How are you feeling?

Britt: Fine so far. Mom is busy disinfecting the house.

I should probably have my housekeeper do the same to mine. I also needed to let Gretchen know Brayden wouldn’t be coming to tutoring tonight.

I wondered if she’d be okay if I still came.

Me: Fingers crossed you don’t get sick, too.

Britt: Should I stay home tonight? I don’t want to get Jake sick.

Oh, yeah. I hadn’t told the kids yet that Gretchen and Jake were gone.

Time to rip the band-aid off.

Me: Gretchen’s water was fixed. They were able to go back home.

Britt sent back a string of crying emojis.

Me: We’ll still be able to see them when Brayden goes to tutoring.

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