Page 194 of Mr. Infuriating

“My grades are up, and we’ve got Sunday to get ready for finals.”

“So, do you—”

“You should have seen what a jerk Gretchen’s ex-husband was,” Britt lamented from the backseat, effectively cutting me off. “She kept telling him he couldn’t just drop in whenever he wanted, but it was like he didn’t even care what she had to say.”

Brayden sat up straighter in the passenger seat and puffed out his chest. “I thought I was going to have to ask him to leave.”

I hated that my son was put in that position, but I was proud of him for being willing to help Gretchen and step up.

“I should have waited in the truck in her driveway.”

Brittany demanded, “Why would you do that and not just come in?”

“We thought it was best if I started to limit my time with Jake. She’s worried he’s going to get confused.”

“About what?”

“Well, he does call me Bandit. And now that his dad is coming around…”

Brayden grumbled, “You’re a way better father than her ex, that’s for sure.”

“But I’m not Jake’s father”

Brayden abruptly turned his body in his seat toward me and burst out, “Why are you letting her asshole ex-husband get her back? She and Jake belong with us.”

I didn’t chastise him about his language, just asked, “Why do you think he’s trying to get her back?”

“He said so! He said he’s going to prove himself and get his ‘little family’ back.”

He did what, now?

I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I choked out, “Well, I know she wants to have more children.”

“She shouldn’t be having kids with someone she’s worried how Jake is going to act around.”

“How do you know she’s worried about that?”

“She said so! She told her friend on the phone they’re going to Mickey’s tomorrow, and she said she was nervous Troy was going to rush Jake into liking him. And she hoped Troy wouldn’t get mad if he didn’t right away.”

“You can’tmakea two-year old like you.”

“Dad?” Britt asked from the back.

“Yeah?”

“Shouldn’t a two-year-old already like his dad?”

“You’d think so, huh?”

“He likes you.”

I thought about how happy Jake always was to see me and couldn’t help but smile.

My eleven-year-old got it. Why hadn’t I?

“I like him, too.”

Brayden asked, “What about Gretchen?”

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