Give Me Strength: An Age Gap Billionaire Romance by Elice Nange

Author:Elice Nange [Nange, Elice]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fluffy Fox Publishing
Published: 2024-08-12T00:00:00+00:00

22

GILBERT

It’s not every day that Russell Hargrove calls to ask me for a favor, especially one that involves Ashlynn. I thought he was testing me at first since the favor was my giving Ashlynn a ride home, a system we’ve been working to find a good balance for her. That is, until he told me what transpired at her dance class this afternoon... and at school earlier in the day.

I hightail it out of the office before Russ is done talking. By the time I arrive at Brookfield Academy, the parking lot is almost empty. The sun is starting to set, casting a warm glow over the building.

I step out of the car and spot a man standing nearby. He’s tall, with dark hair and warm brown eyes, casually dressed in jeans and a fitted navy t-shirt. There’s something familiar about him, but I can’t place him.

He notices me and gives a friendly nod.

“You here to pick someone up too?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I reply, extending my hand. “I’m Gilbert. I’m here for Ashlynn. You?”

“Ernest Marchetti,” he says, shaking my hand firmly. “I’m here for Wynter. They went across the street to catch up.”

I turn to look in the direction of the café, as though willing her to appear. As I do so, the name clicks, and my gaze snaps back to meet his. “The Wynter Martin?”

He nods again. “We’re married. Sort of.”

I lift a questioning brow. “How does one sort of get married?”

The irony of my question doesn’t escape me. Isn’t that how Rachel and I came to be? Except… I doubt it’s the same situation. From his body language, it’s clear that he likes her. Although, that hint of familiarity claws at the edge of my mind, a loose puzzle I can’t quite fit.

Ernest scrubs a hand over his face. “It’s complicated. You and I, we’ve met, actually. Briefly, five years ago.” At my puzzled look, he adds, “Rose Tremblay was my niece.”

The rest of the puzzle pieces fall into place.

Small world indeed.

Rose was a patient at Aspen Grove nine years ago, and one of Rachel’s students at the time. She wasn’t my usual type of patient, and I was in between assignments at the time, so I took her on. I remember her clearly because their situation was similar to Ashlynn’s and mine’s. Rose’s parents had just died suddenly, and Ernest had been appointed her legal guardian since she was a minor at the time. I never met him then, but Rose spoke highly of him in our few sessions.

She was struggling with the sudden death of both her parents, and with her family’s reputation — specifically their strong ties to the Italian Mafia.

Her parents struggled with it too: her dad for being born into it, and her mom for marrying into it. She talked about how much worse her uncle had it. All three did what they could to keep her as far removed from the family as possible, but she still struggled to balance their expectations with her career plans.

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