“No,” I shut that down instantly.
“You love trivia!” she says excitedly. “It could be really fun. In fact, I know a couple of horny moms at the school who constantly drool over your ass at pickup who’ll be there.”
I snort. “They tell you they drool over my ass?”
“All the time,” she says with an exaggerated huff, but I don’t think she’s actually annoyed by it at all. She seems to enjoy teasing me. “It’s gross. They can’t stop asking about you and how you’re doing when I show up to pick up Amber instead of you.”
“You’re not supposed to set up your ex-husband.”
She waves me off. “Why not? I’m happy, and I want you to be happy.”
I sour and don’t really know why. I am happy, damn it. I swear I am. “I’ll think about it.”
She stands up from her seat and walks closer to me. “I hope you will. You’re a good man, Gabe. You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy.”
I grunt, and she rolls her eyes again before leaning down to kiss my cheek. “Just think about it.”
And with that, she’s gone, leaving me to sit there and think about how little I want to go to trivia night with a bunch of strangers and start over.
No, thank you.
7
DAKOTA
Iam not going to engage with the sweaty, hunky landscaper today.
I’m not.
I mean, I have to help him with framing the structure today, but that doesn’t mean I have to let him talk and get me to talk like we did yesterday. I don’t know what got into me, but it won’t happen again.
I’m determined today.
When he shows up in his regular work truck, his T-shirt and jeans fitting him just right—not an extra scrap of material covering his muscular body. I barely acknowledge him as I walk outside.
“Dakota.” He gives me a polite nod.
“Are you ready to work?”
He chuckles and nods. “Absolutely.” He whistles all the way to the backyard. “Just have to check on the foundation and make sure it’s ready to go.”
I don’t say anything to that. No need to. And I’m not engaging.
He doesn’t seem to notice or care as he walks around, checking the now-dried cement. “Looks good.” He smiles over at me, so bright and shiny, it punches me right in the heart. But nope. It’s a trap, I’m convinced.
Unbothered, he walks over to his truck and starts to gather tools and supplies, piling wood over by the greenhouse spot, and I stand where I am, feeling awkward and useless. But I’m not asking him if he needs me to help with anything. If he does, he can ask me. He knows I’m here.
I watch him work until he asks me to hold something, and I do what he asks, but I remain quiet. I notice out of the corner of my eye when my favorite barn cat wanders out the door, sauntering around like he owns the place.
I didn’t adopt the cat, but it appears he’s adopted me. There are three around who seem to wander here from time to time. But he’s the one who sticks around the most. The others don’t stay here most of the time, and I find myself wondering where they go when they aren’t here. I’m not jealous.Okay, maybe a little.
I just don’t think anyone else can give them a better home. I put the good food out for them every day—costs a pretty penny, but I don’t mind. I make sure they have fresh hay in the barn where they like to sleep and even buy them toys and treats.
But if they want to explore, who am I to judge? Though I’ll never understand that. If I didn’t ever have to leave my property, I sure as hell wouldn’t.
“Cute.” I realize Gabe’s gaze has followed mine as he eyes my cat. “What’s its name?”
I look back at Gabe and frown, hanging onto the post he’s having me hold while he’s supposed to be working, not asking about my cat. “That’s Marvin.”
