Chapter 58
I swallow the lump of sand in my throat as I park the car. “This is it”
The front door opens and Gabriel comes into view, he waves and smiles as he walks down to greet
- us. “Hello.” He opens my car door.
nice for the children.
I look up at him and smile awkwardly. “Hello.”
Tall with dark hair and a jaw that could cut glass. He’s wearing blue jeans that fit snug in all the right places and a white T–shirt. I’ve only seen him in casual clothes a handful of times, luckily for me…because he looks damn well delicious.
“Ahem.”
I clear my throat as I try to clear my mind of its pornographic thoughts.
“Lucia.” He smiles as he bends and hugs her. “You look lovely.” He straightens the ruffles on her dress.
Doruinic gets out of the car and Gabriel smiles down at him. “Hello, Dominic.”
Dominic fakes a smile but doesn’t offer his hand or a hug or anything.
“Hi.”
Fuck’s sake, kid…be nice.
“Please…come inside.” Gabriel gestures to the house and we follow him up the stairs. We walk through the huge double front doors and are instantly hit in the face with opulence.
The foyer has a double timber staircase, and the floor is black and white marble tiles laid in a pattern. “Wow this is…” I grip my handbag with white knuckle force. “Nice.”
“It’s okay.” He walks us through to the oversized kitchen and living area and my mouth nearly falls open. The kitchen is the size of a restaurant and all white marble, and the living area has oversized white couches and a white rug.
Chapter 58
How do they keep all this white stuff clean?
“Woooah,” Lucia gasps as she runs to the back glass concertina doors. “Is that a boat?”
“Holy…” Dom gasps.
I peer out to see an infinity pool overlooking a flawless mountain view, there’s black–and–white striped deck chairs lined up alongside of it and a swim–up bar.
What the hell?
“There is a boat,” Dominic cries.
I look past the pool to see a lake with a floating rowboat tied up to the pier.
My horrified eyes meet Gabriel’s and he winces, knowing exactly what I’m thinking. “The boat on the lake is overkill, I must admit.” He shrugs.
“Can we go look? Can we go look?” Lucia bounces on the spot.
“Can we, Mom?” Dominic chimes in.
“Is it safe out there?” I ask.
“Sure.” Gabriel opens the glass doors and the kids go running out into the back garden.
I look over to the left of the property and see a house, smoke is coming
out of the chimney. Is someone living there?” I ask.
“Mark.”
“Mark Mark?” My eyes widen in surprise. “Your driver from New York
Mark?”
Gabriel chuckles. “Yes, Mark Mark.”
“Oh…
“He was looking forward to getting out of New York and wanted to start over with me.”
The smell of his after who my tool down how to god smetis, it’s a pity that wit
“Part time,” say as 1 walk to the the wwww the cup down by the lak
Nike here four days a week, that’s more the key the
York
He holds his hand up at air sarunding. Test how hak me
My stomach flips with nerves as we NENNE
“I’m going to tell them over dinner, w
“What are you going to say?”
“I’ve gone over the conversation in my head a million times and 1 keep coming back to one thing”
1
“What’s that?
“The truth?” I frown. “What do you mean, the truth? The truth between us is ugly”
Tim going to tell them that we were friends and we kissed and We had wex”
What?
“They’re too young for the sex part I whisper in a panic “Okay not the sex on the desk part” I nod
parte
“Til tell them we did it in a bed. He gives me a playful wink
“No sex talk at all,” I stammer “You can tell them all about the birds and the bees in five years.”
Chapter 58
“Deal, he replies without hesitation.
Five years.
We stare at each other and it’s weird… Something’s different tonight. We aren’t hating each other, or maybe I’m just sick and tired of hating him.
Either way…it feels nice to not want to stab him.
owhat’s for dinner?” I ask.
“Well…” He shrugs. “I was going to cook, but…”
“But you can’t cook?”
“Coming from you, that’s an insulting question,” he fires back. “I’ve ordered pizza to make the night
run smoother.”
“I wasn’t sure what they liked, so I ordered one of everything.”
“How many pizzas did you order?” “Ten.”
“Ten, I gasp.
“Nutella pizza for dessert. I got two of them.”
“Good, one for me and one for you.”
“Or both for me and none for you.”
“That too.” I smile at the return of the friendly banter we always shared. His eyes twinkle with a certain something as we stare at each other.
Stop it.
“I’ve made up the guest rooms for you,” he says.
“What do you mean?”
Chapter 58
“I thought you would want to stay too if they are? You know, until they settle in with me.”
“I didn’t plan on them staying. I haven’t packed them an overnight bag or anything.”
His face falls.
“You can’t rush this, Gabriel, let’s just get through tonight first. Who knows how they’re going to react. He nods, disheartened.
rey will stay, they’ll stay all the time. Just not tonight,” I tell him.
“Right”
I can feel his disappointment. “Did you order wine with the pizza?” I ask to change the subject.
“I brought my own from New York. I tasted your local wine last weekend, remember?”
I smile. “Ahh…of course you did. Smart choice.”
“Would you like a glass?”
“Maybe just one.”
His eyes hold mine for an extended beat as if he’s waiting for me to say something, and the air swirls between us. I snap my gaze away. Maybe I shouldn’t drink at all tonight.
(2)
Courted by a Billionaire After Divorce
100)
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
