Wish I Never Met You Chapter 4 Part 2
CHAPTER 4 · PART TWO
It was a first-love thing for both Seth and Gabby.
“At least he’s handsome and looks wealthy,” Gabby had whispered when she first saw him step inside.
He did look good—damn good.
The navy-blue tailored suit fit him like a glove, highlighting his broad shoulders and lean frame. His hair was sleeked neatly back, not a single strand out of place, giving him a polished, composed look.
But it was his eyes that always caught me off guard.
Dark. Calculating. As if he could see straight through people—though warmth surfaced whenever he smiled.
“Hello, Gabrielle,” he said, his voice smooth with a hint of hesitation. “I’m so happy I finally get to meet you.”
Gabby raised an eyebrow, arms crossing instantly. “Hmm.”
Seth’s smile didn’t waver, but his fingers tapped softly against the table, his leg bouncing beneath it. Seeing a man like him visibly nervous in front of an eight-year-old was oddly amusing.
Conversation started slow.
He asked about school, and Gabby answered curtly, clearly undecided on how much effort he deserved.
But the moment Seth mentioned being the “king of dodgeball” in elementary school—while being absolutely terrible at math—her interest sparked.
“Really?” she said. “My mom’s bad at math too.”
“Hey!” I shot her a playful glare.
“She is,” Gabby added, grinning.
Seth laughed, deep and genuine. “Guess we have that in common.”
And just like that—they clicked.
Soon, the topic shifted to hobbies.
“Have you ever paraglided, Gabrielle?” Seth asked.
Her eyes lit up. “Nope. Can kids even do that?”
“Of course. With the right instructors,” he replied. “What do you say? Can I take you this Saturday? With your mom’s approval, of course.”
Gabby whipped her head toward me, eyes pleading.
I hesitated.
“Yes,” I finally said.
“Thank you, Mom!” she squealed.
Seth leaned back, satisfied. “You’ll love it. I promise.”
“Hopefully,” Gabby muttered—though her excitement betrayed her.
Dinner settled into comfortable silence.
Zara and I had made lasagna with garlic bread and Caesar salad. After his first bite, Seth hummed in approval, glancing at me with an intensity I didn’t want to acknowledge.
I broke eye contact quickly.
“What job do you do?” Gabby asked.
“I’m a lawyer,” Seth replied. “I help catch bad guys and defend innocent ones.”
“Is that a cool job?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted. “Mostly it’s a lot of reading.”
“Mom said you have a son my age.”
Seth chuckled. “Kyle’s not exactly your age. He’s twenty-eight.”
Gabby whipped around. “Mom?”
“I assumed,” I said quickly.
That satisfied her—for now.
“How old are you?” she asked Seth.
“Forty-seven,” he said. “What about you?”
“Eight. Nine this fall.”
“Wonderful. When’s your birthday?”
“November ninth.”
“That’s a day after Kyle’s.”
Gabby beamed. “Mom’s is March fifth.”
Seth’s gaze flickered toward me. “Destiny, maybe?”
I sipped water, ignoring the warmth crawling up my neck.
“Why do you like my mommy?” Gabby asked suddenly.
Seth paused.
“Because your mommy is rare,” he said softly. “Someone only a fool would let go of.”
My throat tightened.
A loud bang echoed through the house.
Gabby froze. “Who’s that?”