He finally stops talking and jumps off the bed. Without even a word, he takes off running out the bedroom door.
Melissa and I both laugh at the tornado that is Cohen Cage. Damn, I love that kid.
“Sometimes I wonder if he just talks because he likes the sound of his voice. You know, almost every time he starts on his twenty questions, they end in him running off without even having one answer.”
I laugh because she isn’t wrong. But Cohen is a boy full of energy, and if asking a million questions and fighting imaginary villains is what it takes, then hey, I can work with that.
Melissa turns with her smile beaming. I thought I was being careful to mask my expression, but she must have noticed that my mood was off because her smile slips and she looks at me with wide, hopeful eyes.
“Beauty . . .” I start.
“Don’t you Beauty me, Greg. You promised you would make it clear to Axel that you weren’t doing anything work related today. It’s my baby shower, and while I know this isn’t something you have any interest in attending, it means something to me. Everyone is excited. Cohen is through-the-roof excited. And I was excited until I realized that you’re not going to be there.”
She takes a breath, but before she can continue, I interrupt her. “Melissa, if it were any other client, I wouldn’t even think about it. I need this woman taken care of before our girls get here. Axel can’t deal with her alone, Beck can’t deal with her at all, and Asher isn’t allowed to deal with her. With Maddox gone, it’s only me.” I lean my forehead against hers and take a deep breath. “She’s one of our highest-paying clients, Melissa, and even though we live a comfortable life, I can’t help my worries with our girls coming. We’re going from a family of three to one of five overnight.”
Her face softens and her eyes lose their wounded look. I know she wants me there—hell, I want to be there—but I’m not lying.
“It’s that terribly nasty trophy wife, isn’t it?”
She may think she has me fooled with that bored tone, but I know she and the other girls secretly plot ways to make Mrs. Hutchins disappear.
“Yeah, Beauty. It’s her.” I brace for it because I know it’s coming.
“I hate that plastic, home-wrecking, troll-trotting, skank bitch,” she seethes.
She isn’t unjust with her hatred either. Between her, Izzy, and Dee, each of them has witnessed her attempt at getting their men to stray. We joke about it, because they know we would never even think about it, but when it comes down to it, we all want her out of our lives.
“I know, and you aren’t alone. We agreed a few weeks ago that we wouldn’t take meetings with her alone anymore. She threw herself at Beck, which is why he flat-out refuses to even be near her. Asher is out of town so he can’t help. It’s just me, and baby, as much as I hate it, I can’t let Axel deal with her alone.”
She nods her head in understanding, “I know. I get it, I really do, but that doesn’t mean I like it.” She hugs me close, and I rest my chin on the top of her head.
“I’ll be there before you even open your first gift or play your first game. Promise.”
She smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I know you will. Now, go get Cohen dressed, please. No rain boots with shorts though!”
After getting Cohen dressed and waiting until Melissa was finally ready to go, I helped her buckle Cohen into her car before pulling her into my arms and giving her a deep kiss.
“Before the first gift, I’ll be there,” I remind her, hating that I’m letting her down, even just a little.
“I know,” she smiles. “I’m not upset, I just wish you didn’t have to go. I love you and everything you do for us. Missing a baby shower really isn’t a big deal. I’m sorry I made you feel bad earlier, but my hormones are all over the place.” She laughs, and the blush she seemed to adopt when she got pregnant spreads across her cheeks.
“I love you and your crazy hormones.”
She smiles and gives me another deep kiss. “I love you, too.” Laughing, she folds herself awkwardly behind the wheel.
I make a mental note to go straight to the dealership before the week ends and get her the minivan we’ve been talking about for a while now.
“But, Greg, isn’t there something else you can do? I just know that Harry is sleeping with that woman. I saw the way she looked at him. There is no way that a woman who hasn’t seen him naked would look at him like that.”
“It’s Mr. Cage, Mrs. Hutchins, and as Mr. Reid has gone over with you already, there is no evidence that points to any infidelity on your husband’s behalf. We’ve been watching him closely since the day you walked into our office for the first time. There hasn’t been a single grain of proof that we could even offer to you. I’m positive that this is a good report, correct?”