Yeah, probably.
So much for that idea.
****
Gabe
It did something to my solar plexus when I pulled up to her house and found her waiting outside with the garage doorsopen. She was dressed in those sexy black yoga pants that first caught my attention all those months ago, a teal-green hooded pullover that made her blonde hair stand out, and a bright smile.
It felt nice to have a woman happy to see me. At the end of our marriage, Becky hadn’t even bothered to look up from her phone when I walked in the door. Gretchen had actually looked forward to seeing me.
Derrick and I had only been able to fit a little more than a third of her order in my truck bed, which I was okay with. It gave me a reason to have to come back at least two more times.
Rick had already wrapped the cabinets on Friday for transport because I’d told him one way or another, they needed to be gone by Tuesday. He was going to be beside himself when he found out he wouldn’t have to deal with that.
I was more than happy to take over all communications from now on with the former Mrs. Wainwright.
After backing into her drive, I grabbed the work gloves off the front passenger seat and hopped out.
“Hi!” she said warmly.
I knew I was grinning like a fool when I invaded her space and uttered, “Hi yourself.”
We stared at each other for a beat before she finally glanced at the back of my truck.
“Do you need any help?”
“Nah, Derrick should be here any sec. He’s going to help me.”
“That’s sweet of him. Should we invite him to have dinner with us? There’s plenty.”
I glided an arm around her middle and slipped my hand under her shirt. Skimming my fingers along her bare back. I whispered in her ear, “Not a chance. I want you all to myself tonight.”
I had to admit, the goosebumps on her skin and the way her body shuddered, made me feel like beating my chest. Fortunately, before my inner caveman could come out, I heard the exhaust from my brother’s Porsche as he drove through the neighborhood.
“Here he comes now.”
A few seconds later, Derrick pulled his Agate Grey Metallic Cayman into her driveway and got out.
“Hey, Gretch, long time, no see!”
She gave him a small wave. “Hi, Derrick. Good to see you.”
“How’s Laura feeling today?”
I shot him a look.
When I’d asked him to help me with Gretchen’s cabinets, he’d whined that she was probably going to ask him about her friend and try to feel him out about seeing her again.
“It’ll be so awkward!”
I’d assured him I’d run interference if that happened, yet here he was, two seconds out of his car, and already asking about her.
“Honestly, other than a text to make sure we each got home okay, I haven’t really talked to her. She has a big project that she’s working on for her boss, so she wasn’t available to chat.” The corner of her mouth lifted. “Why? How should she be feeling?”
The arrogant little shit puffed out his chest. “She was smiling when I left.”
Gretchen giggled. “That’s always a good sign. Better than scowling.”
