Is he flirting with me?Out of the corner of my eye, I catch my mom watching me. “Seems someone’s got you smiling.”
Was I smiling?I set my phone down on the ground and decide it’s best to focus on my food and tell my mom about my night—that’s how much I’d rather avoid talking about Rhyland, especially with that glint in her eyes that tells me she knows.
Eventually, I convince my mom that I have a handle on things and to take advantage of the night off.
Gabby and I are lounging on the floor, her on her activity mat, while I’m lying on my side with my head propped up on my elbow.
“I’m sorry for being a bad mom today, sweet girl,” I confess, thankful that she’s too young to understand my guilt. “But did you have fun with Rhyland last night and this morning? I hope you were a good girl for him. That man.” I sigh and bring my bottom lip between my teeth. “They don’t make them like Rhyland Cole, do they?”
She coos as she looks up at me as if I hang the moon.
“Do you like Rhy, too? Huh?” I bury my face in her neck with kisses, and her cooing escalates. I keep doing it, and she squirms like a wiggle worm. She lets out a little screech and takes a breath just as the best sound fills the room.
Pulling my head back, I stare at her. “Did you just giggle, sweet girl? Did you finally giggle for the first time?” Tears spill from my eyes as I keep getting her to giggle with my kisses. Her palms smack my cheeks, and I can’t help but join in her laughter.
Today has seriously gone from the worst day to the best. Grabbing my phone from the floor, I take a video of her giggling. It’s not the best, but you can still hear it. I add the photo to a new text thread, and my finger hovers over the top.Before I type out my family’s name to send this video to, I realize there is one person I want to share this with first. I type out his name and press Send before diving back in and tickling Gabby, filling the house with the best sound ever.
Chapter 16
Rhyland
Istare down at the video Payton had sent of Gabby’s first laugh. Or, well, what she thinks is her first laugh. I know better, but Gabby and I made a deal, and I won’t tell on her. Pressing the Play button one more time, I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I listen to the soft giggles. I wonder if I can somehow save that sound as a ringtone on my phone to always hear it. I’m not one who usually takes my phone off vibrate, but if it meant I got to hear this sound every time I got a call, I’d put my number on a billboard to hear it ring constantly. There’s no way anyone having a terrible day couldn’t smile after hearing that sound.
“What the fucking fuck,” my best friend shouts as he pushes open the kitchen doors like someone shoved a stick up his ass.
I quickly pocket my phone. Did he catch me texting his sister? Is that what he’s mad about? No, I don’t think so since he’sbegun pacing just inside the kitchen and basically pretends that I’m not even here. If his anger had been because of this, then I would have been his focus.
He curses to himself and kicks the wall. “Who the fuck does he think he is?”
Who the who? What the fuck is he talking about?
I carefully approach like a predator not wanting to scare off his prey. The last thing I need is to catch him off guard in a rage and catch a fist to the face.
“Whoa. Hey, what the fuck? Care to explain why you came in here like a fucking demon child, trashing my kitchen?”
“That motherfucker” is his response. His cheeks are red, and fury dances in his eyes. It’s been a hot minute since I saw my best friend this mad.
“I’m going to need you to calm down and start talking in actual sentences.” What is it with the Mosby children and not making any sense as of late?
“Joel,” he grits out through clenched teeth.
One name. One word. And the rage coming off him makes sense.
“That motherfucker is here and withher.”
He’s here. Not only in this town but in this restaurant. Rage runs wild through my veins, and I understand his issue completely.
Oh my God, what if Payton hadn’t gotten so drunk last night and required a night off? She would have been here. Is he sitting in what would have been her section?
Does that motherfucker have a death wish? Why is he here? Is this some sort of sign from above after my anger last night toward him, and now, suddenly, he’s served up to me on a silver platter? There’s no way in hell I can let that opportunity pass me by. This fucker deserves what’s coming to him—and what’s coming to him is me.
Before Ollie says anything else, I push my way through the door, most definitely leaving fire trails in my wake.
I can hear my best friend shouting something at me, but I ignore him. It sounds more like Charlie Brown’s teacher, anyway.WOMP WOMP WOMP WOMP WOMP.
The restaurant itself isn’t that large, so it’s easy to find the table. The woman, who I assume is the home wrecker, has her back to me. I can tell by the low-cut dress that, yeah, she’s something really special. Seems more to me like someone you might pick up on the corner, not bring to a local dive. Joel glances up from his plate just as I approach.
“Oh, look, babe, the chef came out—”
