“Where have I seen you before?”
Gemma blinks in confusion at first, then her eyes widen as recognition strikes. “Oh, yeah!” she exclaims. “I remember you. You’re that guy from the gym... with the crazy girlfriend.”
I arch an eyebrow at Kaden, who shifts uncomfortably in his seat, casting a sheepish glance between Gemma and me. “You two have met before?” I ask, my curiosity directed at no one in particular.
Kaden rubs the back of his neck, letting out an awkward chuckle. “Yeah, about that. I need to apologise for the way she spoke to you that day. She was completely out of line. Lucy can get a little jealous and possessive sometimes.”
A dry, sarcastic laugh slips out before I can hold it back, prompting both Gemma and Kaden to snap their heads toward me. “What?” I casually shrug. “I’m agreeing with you, although, I’d also add that Lucia’s plenty of other things too. Anyway, do I even want to know what happened?”
“His girlfriend thought I was hitting on him at the gym and completely lost it, when all we were doing was talking,” Gemma recalls.
I look over at Kaden, his attention glued to his tumbler as he anxiously twirls it between his fingers. Judging by the expression on his face, it’s clear he’s embarrassed by the whole ordeal. If I was dating someone like Lucia, I’d be feeling the same way too.
“Don’t take it to heart, Gem. She’s not exactly all there. She’s got what some might call a few loose screws,” I quip.
Kaden shoots me a sharp scowl. “Bro, that’s my girlfriend you’re talking about,” he mutters.
“My point exactly!” “Are you ever going to give her a chance?” Kaden asks, his tone tentative.
I walk around the counter until I’m standing beside him. He swivels to face me, and I take a steady breath before speaking. “Honestly, anyone who goes out of their way to deliberately hurt people and destroy relationships will never have a seat at my table. I’m sorry, Kaden, but I can’t imagine the three of us havingSunday afternoon BBQs like we used to when Skylar was still here.”
Kaden’s shoulders deflate a little, a subtle look of disappointment and hurt passing over his tired face. Call me harsh—I don’t care. But I stand by what I said. I’ll never accept that homewrecking wench. Ever.
I place a firm hand on his shoulder and jerk my head toward the door. “Now, come on, you’ve had your fill for tonight. I’ll drive you home,” I tell him, then shift my focus to Gemma, still watching us from behind the counter. “You good to go, babe?”
Kaden frowns at me. “Babe?”
I palm the back of my neck, letting out a sheepish chuckle. “Yeah, we’re casually seeing each other.”
The smug bastard smirks at me, then empties the rest of his whisky in one gulp before rising from his seat. As he brushes past, he murmurs something loud enough for only me and Gemma to hear. “Bout fucking time you got laid.”
He stumbles towards the door, his steps sluggish and uneven, and when I look back at Gemma, she flashes me a sly grin, clearly amused by Kaden’s remark. I follow her out, pausing every few seconds to say goodbye to the closing staff.
As soon as we step outside, I scan the area for Kaden and spot him leaning against the passenger side of my Ranger. I unlock the door for him, but just as he reaches for the handle, he suddenly turns the other way, bends over, and vomits on the ground.
“Ew, gross,” Gemma mutters under her breath.
We both stand frozen, watching Kaden hurl out the rest of his whisky, and maybe parts of his dinner too, while silently hoping he won’t need to go for a second round on the ride back to his place.
I walk into my house, appreciating the peace and quiet that greets me. Over time, I’ve learned that when the house is silent, it usually means Mila is tucked away in the library with a paperback or lounging by the pool on the deck, absorbed in an audiobook, while my son rests peacefully in his room.
Taking a quick detour to Jake’s room, I gently kiss his forehead before crossing the hallway to the library, only to find it empty. Mila is nowhere in sight. I make my way downstairs to the kitchen, pop open two beers from the fridge, and step out onto the deck.
There I find Mila stretched out on one of the pool loungers, the baby monitor resting in her hand, AirPods in her ears, and her gaze lost in the night sky.God, she’s stunning!
I take the seat beside her, and she immediately sits up. She pulls out her Airpods and greets me with a warm smile. “Hey, you just got in?”
Handing her a beer which she happily accepts, I nod. “Yeah, sorry I’m late. Had to drive Kaden’s drunk arse home from the bar. Had to wait for him to finish puking his guts out first.”
Mila scrunches her nose in disgust, and a soft laugh escapes me.
“Interesting night then?” she asks.
“Always,” I reply with a wink. “So, whatchya listening to over there?”
“Some billionaire romance audiobook.”
“I see. So you’re into rich, hot men, are ya?” I joke, a touch of curiosity in my voice.
