“Google it,” he suggested instead as he stood, tapped the reports into a tidy pile, and seriously considered hiding out in his brother’s office until his mom was over whatever this was.
She didn’t google it. She did, however, slide the phone to him with the photo of yet another woman.
What Gavin wouldn’t give for a kid with a Skittle nose to distract his mother right about then. Instead, he dutifully took the phone from her and moved to the primary screen. And there…
Oh, for fuck’s sake…
There was a photo of Gavin when he had just graduated from high school. Still wet behind the ears. Over ten years younger.
“You used my high school picture?” He gaped at the phone and held it up.
“It’s your best photo.” Mom lifted a shoulder. “Best foot forward on these things.”
“There is so much wrong with this.” He swiped to her app manager to delete all dating apps from her cell.
“What are you doing?” She reached for the phone, but he was already mid-delete.
“No more dating apps.” He handed it back. “I’m serious.”
She huffed and said under her breath, “We’ll see.”
“You know you have another single son, right?” He shouldn’t have to point out that Dane was also single. Dane was also available. She didn’t have Dane on Let’s Hookup.
He stared vacantly through his window into the admin area for his division.
Unless she had a whole separate phone for him. She probably had a whole separate phone for him.
The elevator doors rolled open. Maybe he’d luck out and there’d be a toaster tart emergency.
A guy could hope.
Then he stalled. This was no emergency, but…what was Molly doing at his office?
She stepped out of the elevator and glanced tentatively around the lobby.
He headed toward the door, but he was still blocked by his mother. Molly stopped at the reception desk, but even with the door ajar he couldn’t hear what she said.
“Dane is already seeing someone,” Mom said, oblivious to Molly’s presence in his department. “He doesn’t need my help.”
All things Molly aside—for the moment—since when was his brother seeing anyone? Gavin frowned. Unless he was better at pulling off the not-dating thing and getting away with it.
That made more sense. That was probably it.
“We all need your help, Mom. Don’t let him fool you.” Gavin tracked Molly’s conversation with Patty, his receptionist. As far as he knew, Molly had never been to the Puffle Yum offices. Definitely not his division.
Mom turned to the window. Probably to see what continued to hold his attention.
“Oh hey, it’s Molly!” Mom said, eyes lit up like Molly had swiped the right direction on that ridiculous app.
Molly clearly heard her, glancing from Patty to Mom and then to Gavin. Her gaze lingered a hair too long on him. Then she pinched her lips down.
Nice. That made a guy feel good about himself.
This was the one place he was excellent at what he did. He knew this job in and out. Being uncomfortable in his own office was not a feeling he was accustomed to, and it was one he did not enjoy.
And yet…
“Molly?” He said her name like the question it presently was.
