Page 42 of Purrfectly Trapped

Hank, dressed in a driver’s uniform, nodded, and began unpacking the goods before he stepped back outside and returned to the stretched limo waiting outside.

“Don’t mind, Hank. He always drives for me when I am out this way, but he prefers to stay with the car. Big reader, you know,” Uncle Uzzi explained and walked over to look Gretchen over.

“Now, my dear, I am Uncle Uzzi and you, Gretchen, sent me an email a few weeks ago. I only realized yesterday that my reply did not send, you see, I am not used to these confoundedvunderboxes,” he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “Anyway, since you already had your date, I wanted to check in---”

“I am sorry,” Gretchen said, not bothering to hide her shock. “But what date? You never got back to me.”

“Hello Uncle Uzzi,” Jessica said, interrupting after returning from the restroom.

“Hello, Jessica! How is that bear of a man treating you, well I hope?”

“Brayden is a dream, thanks.”

“That’s good, dear. Hello Kylie, you look lovely.”

“Oh, you tease! By the way, Mr. Stregovich, I have the material for your order coming in this week. I’ll be able to ship it by the end of the month,” Kylie added.

“Kylie that is perfect, but didn’t I tell you to call me Uncle Uzzi? Anyone who makes me pajamas must be on a first name basis with me. I insist,” she barked out a laugh and everyone joined in.

Apparently,Kisses by Kylieoffered custom pajamas for men as well.

Note to self, Gretchen thought and laughed along with the other women.

“But back to you, Miss Gretchen, you had a date with Reg Cray a few days ago I had already talked to the man, of course, but I have a feeling that things did not go all that smoothly,” he began.

Everyone sat down around the large coffee table and handed out napkins and plastic forks as the group chatted and exchanged pleasantries. They started filling their plates with Szechuan chicken, pork dumplings, vegetable lo mein, chicken fried rice, and so many more delicious dishes.

She was still trying to gather her thoughts, but because she hadn’t realized how hungry she was her stomach grumbled uncontrollably.

“Um, I think, I need to eat,” she said, her mouth was watering at the sudden whiff of the spicy, garlicky deliciousness.

“Of course, dear,” Uzzi said, eyes narrowing as he watched her inhale two egg rolls and a whole order of dumplings before she knew it.

“Thank you so much for bringing this, Uncle Uzzi. I guess I was starving,” Gretchen said by way of apology.

“OMG! These spring rolls are da bomb. So Gretch, you gonna tell us what happened,” Elissa asked and moaned as she took another bite.

Jessica and Kylie were eating and talking lowly, not rushing her like Elissa. But Gretchen was used to her BFF’s impatience. She just shrugged it off and took a sip of iced green tea Uncle Uzzi had brought to compliment the meal.

“Oh, it’s my pleasure,” Uncle Uzzi said, replying to her earlierthank you. “So, tell me why you think I didn’t reply to your email if you had your date already?” Uncle Uzzi asked while nibbling an egg roll of his own.

“Well, you didn’t,” Gretchen said and looked around at the amused faces of her friends.

“Actually, Gretchen, Uncle Uzzi doesn’t always answer in the traditional way. Sometimes Fate decides how things play out,” Jessica said, hinting something she could not quite comprehend.

“What the heck are any of you talking about?”

Embarrassment, hope, sadness, and curiosity all warred within her. How was Gretchen supposed to tell them about Reg? She supposed she should confirm what they were talking about before she worried for nothing.

Take it one step at a time, Gretchen.

ChapterFourteen

She paused, waiting for her pals to fill her in. After all, no sense borrowing trouble. Uncle Uzzi turned his electric blue gaze on her.

“I am talking about Reginald Cray, dear. Didn’t he take you out a few days ago?”

The old man waited for her to respond, but all she could do was blink. Shit. What could she say?

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