Page 159 of Mr. Infuriating

“Can I stay at your house this weekend then?”

“I don’t think your mom would go for that, kiddo.”

“Can’t you just trade weekends?”

“I don’t think—”

She put her hands in a prayer position in front of her chest and gave me her best puppy dog eyes as she begged, “Please? I can help out with Jake. He loves me.”

That was true. The little dude seemed to hang on every word she said.

“How do you think your brother’s going to feel about switching weekends?”

“He can still come next weekend. He’s sleeping over at Will’s tomorrow night, and then I think his team is having a big slumber party at the coach’s house after their tournament on Saturday.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to your mom.”

“I already asked her. She said yes.”

“She said yes? Just like that?”

“Yep.”

I narrowed my eyes at my eleven-year-old. I had a hard time believing my ex would acquiesce without so much as an argument.

“I think she wants to be alone with Aaron.”

Okay, that made sense.

“I still need to talk to her about it.”

My daughter seemed unfazed when she lifted her shoulders. “Okay.”

“Bit-nee!”

I looked over to see Jake arching his back, trying to get out of Gretchen’s hold as she walked toward us. When she was a few feet away, she relented and put him down, and he cametoddling toward us with his arms open and a big smile on his face. He didn’t stop until he had his arms wrapped around my daughter’s middle.

She hugged him back and exclaimed, “Hey, buddy!” then beamed at me over his head, as if to say, “Told ya he loves me.”

I stood to kiss Gretchen’s cheek but stopped short when I noticed her pull back and her body go rigid.

Yeah, you’re right. Probably not the best place for even innocent PDA.

I nodded subtly to convey I understood but still offered her a smile and wink as I told her, “Have a seat.”

She sat in the chair next to me, and I reached down to open the cooler and pull out a water bottle, which I handed to her, and an apple juice bottle that I handed to Jake.

Gretchen’s face lit up with a smile. I could become addicted to that smile.

“Thank you!” then she prompted Jake, “What do you say to Gabe?”

“Tank you!”

Just as Britt asked, “Where’s mine?” I produced a can of Sprite Zero and gave it to her.

Her sheepish grin when she took it told me she thought I’d forgotten about her.

“Thanks, Dad.”

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