Page 93 of Family Bonds- Gabriela & Luca

“It’s not my mom,” Jonah said.

She coughed—harder than necessary.

“It’s my ex,” Brian added easily. “But, you know, we’re working things out. Baby’s due in a few weeks.”

Of course she is.

“This should clear up well before then,” she said, already standing. “If it doesn’t improve by the time the antibiotics are finished, or if it worsens, please call and bring him back in.”

She opened the door, rolled her computer into the hallway, and didn’t slow until she turned the corner.

The moment she was out of sight, she shook out her arms like she’d brushed through some creepy crawling things.

“Are you okay?” Cassie asked.

She exhaled. Since she rushed through that appointment, she had to get this off her chest. “You want a funny dating story?”

Cassie’s grin spread. “Always.”

“Oh, I’ve got one.”

She leaned against the wall and lowered her voice. “Okay. So. Really fast. A couple of months ago I went to a mixer here in Boston.”

Cassie’s eyes lit. “Okay. Tell me, did you just see him here?”

“Saw him. Treated one of his kids,” she said. “And he was sending me the same look in the exam room as he did in the bar. Thankfully, he didn’t realize who I was.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Men like that, they don’t really absorb anything. Three kids, different mothers, thought he was charming. Turns out he’s apparently collecting kids like loyalty points.”

Cassie covered her mouth. “No way.”

“Yes. Fourth baby on the way. His son just let that slip. And it’s with the ex. Due in a few weeks.”

Cassie winced. “So he was out cruising women while he had another baby on the way?”

“He was,” she said flatly. “Smirking. Making a dirty joke aboutoral antibioticsin front of his kid.”

Cassie groaned. “Oh, that’s foul.”

“I ignored it,” she said. “It was hard, but I pushed through with full professional mode. I smiled. I redirected. Then treated the cold sore. But the whole time I’m thinking—dude, are you actively shopping for Baby Mama number five while your ex is pregnant with number four?”

Cassie laughed. “At a pediatric visit.”

“At a pediatric visit,” she repeated. “Like I’m going to look at this situation and think,Yes. This is the life path I want.”

Cassie shook her head. “The audacity of some people.”

“Tell me about it.” She held her fingers up in a pinch. “I was so close to asking him if he was working things out beforeor after the mixer when he’d made a comment about making it work.”

Cassie snorted. “I would have paid to see your face.”

“Oh, I was calm,” she said. “Too calm. That’s how you know it was bad. I got out of that room in record time and immediately felt like I needed a shower and to find the closest place for a sage cleanse.”

Cassie laughed. “Well, look at it this way. At least you dodged that bullet.”

“Dodged it?” she said. “I watched it whiz past my head in slow motion and thanked every life choice I’ve ever made allowing me to see a loser on the first glance.”