Page 78 of Mr. Infuriating

I had an ominous feeling about this, but I still asked, “What are you talking about?”

My answer came in the form of my brother Beau’s voice echoing off the kitchen walls.

“What up, suckas?”

I glared at Derrick. “You called Beau?”

The asshole didn’t even have the decency to act contrite. He just grinned when he replied, “And Mav.”

Beau opened the fridge and pulled out three beers before sitting down opposite us at the island and sliding two of them across the counter to me and Derrick.

“And Mav will probably call Nick.”

Derrick took a bottle opener from his pocket—a byproduct of being a bar owner, I was sure, and opened his bottle, then offered it to me.

I pushed the beer away and shook my head.

Unbothered, he held it out to Beau, who took it.

“Look,” I said as they both took a pull. “I appreciate that you guys are worried about me. I’ll admit, I didn’t handle things as well as I could have at Gretchen’s. It just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

Beau asked, “What did?” and I scowled at Derrick.

“You didn’t tell him?”

“It wasn’t my place.”

“But it was your place to invite everyone over?”

He lifted his pinky finger as he brought the bottle to his lips with a grin.

“Yup.”

I muttered under my breath, “Asshole,” even though I couldn’t really be mad at him for caring about me.

“What took you by surprise?” Beau reiterated. “Why am I here?”

“Let’s just wait for Maverick to get here so I don’t have to repeat myself.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Gretchen

Monday at lunch, I turned my phone on to check my messages.

Not surprisingly, there was nothing from Gabe. Same as last night.

I’d predicted his response, although I wasn’t necessarily happy about being right.

I tried to offer myself some consolation.

I still had amazing sex over the weekend.

But the memory was tainted now.

I hadn’t expected him to greet my son with open arms; in fact, I’d never planned on them ever meeting. But the fact that they had, and he’d practically shunned my kid, spoke volumes.

I jumped in my seat when my phone rang in my hand.

---