Page 19 of Mr. Infuriating

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Gabe

She doesn’t know who I am.

That much was obvious by the way she was smiling at me.

I caught Derrick’s eye as he pulled my beer from the tap, and he quickly pointed to Gretchen and mouthed, “That’s her!”

What were the fucking odds? I was sitting next to the woman who, not more than two hours ago, sent me a text telling me what an infuriating jerk I was and that her attorney would be in touch, and now she was flirting with me.

The same woman I’d been unable to tear my gaze from the first time I saw her. Tonight wasn’t faring much different.

She was even prettier up close. I could see the freckles across her nose and cheeks, and the floral scent of her perfume sent my olfactory receptors into overdrive.

I knew I should come clean right then and tell her who I was, but I liked the way she was looking at me too much. If she knew I wasGabeMitchell—infuriating Jerk of the Year (her words—not mine) her playful smile would surely morph into a scowl, maybe even a right hook. I didn’t want that, at least not yet, and I definitely didn’t want the punch.

I decided I’d enjoy my time with her while it lasted, but I knew I needed to fill my brother in with the CliffsNotes version of what was going on with her, so he didn’t blow my cover.

“Hey, Derrick—did you bring that card for Mom for me to sign?”

That was a code we’d been using since we were kids. Fortunately, he didn’t miss a beat.

“Yeah, it’s in my office. Why don’t we go back there; it’s less likely to get something spilled on it if you sign it on my desk.”

I gave Gretchen a wink as I slid off the barstool and told her, “Save my seat for me.”

“Of course. Hurry back so I don’t have to fight anyone for it.”

“I won’t be long, darlin’.”

Did I just call herdarlin’?

Yeah, I did. It had come out without a second thought.

I was going to need to be on my A-game around her, so I betternurse my beer.

“What’s going on?” Derrick asked once we walked into his office, and he closed the door.

“That Gretchen chick? Yeah, she’s a client, and she tried to cancel her custom cabinet order—afterI finished them.”

“Oooh, not good. I’m assuming you told her no.”

“Yeah, but… she… well, she heard me tell Rick that unless she wanted to ride my dick there was no way that was happening since we had a contract, and they were already finished.”

“Oh shit!”

“Yeah, it, uh, gets worse.”

“It gets worse?”

“Our attorney served her with an intent to sue today.”

My brother started laughing. “Ohhhh, fuuuuck.”

“Obviously she doesn’t know I’mGabe Mitchell, so, let’s keep it that way. Don’t mention what I do, or what our last name is.”

“I wondered why you introduced yourself as Gabriel. I thought maybe you were trying something new.”

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