Page 75 of Mr. Infuriating

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Gabe

We only had one more cabinet to unload when Gretchen stepped into the garage wearing a pair of leggings she’d tucked into a pair of fuzzy pull-on boots and a sweatshirt with the same logo as the one I’d bought Britt a few weeks ago. Her hair was still in a ponytail, and she didn’t have a stitch of makeup on. And when she smiled at me, I thought she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

“Oh, you’ve got it bad,” Derrick murmured as we hoisted a cupboard and walked it toward the growing collection of wrapped cabinets in her third stall.

My back was to her, so I mumbled softly so she couldn’t hear as she walked toward us, “It doesn’t matter. Our timing isn’t right.”

My asshole brother chuckled. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that, big guy.”

Her phone rang so I was able to grumble through gritted teeth, “Fuck off,” while she was preoccupied answering the call.

We set the cabinet down as her voice echoed off the cement floors, “Right now?”

I glanced at Derrick with furrowed brows. He was obviously as concerned as I was, because he made no move toward his car.

“No, no. I’m here. Um, just the men are here delivering my kitchen cabinets.”

Gretchen nervously looked over at us before continuing. “I’ll explain when you get here.”

Another pause.

“It’s fine. I’ll see you in a minute.”

She ended the call, put the phone in the front pocket of her hoodie, and took a deep breath before turning to face me directly.

“Um, remember that thing we were talking about earlier that I needed to tell you about?”

I cocked my head. “Yeah?”

“Well, he’s going to be here in about thirty seconds.”

I felt my stomach drop to my feet.

He?!

Before I could question her further, a blue Toyota Highlander pulled into the drive and parked behind her Honda.

I noticed an older gentleman behind the wheel, and my mind raced to make sense of things.

Did she have a sugar daddy or something?

Then I noticed a woman around the man’s age in the passenger seat.

I was so fucking confused.

The woman waved and smiled brightly when she got out and opened the back passenger door. At the same time, the man got out and called, “Hey, Gigi,” before going around and opening the rear hatch.

Seconds later, I heard a tiny voice squeal, “Mama!” and a little boy toddled toward Gretchen with his arms spread wide.

He was wobbly on his feet as he made his way to where she was now squatting with her arms open and a big smile on herface. He appeared to be about two years old, based on how short he was and how unsteady his gait was.

The same way Bodhi’s used to be.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Part of me wanted to grab the little guy and hug him tight, and part of me just wanted to get as far away as possible.

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