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As funny as that would’ve been, I shook my head. “No, I’ve got this.”

“But this is Gabriel.”

“Yep.” I crossed my arms. “Trust me, no one’s more miserable than he is.”

Gabriel stumbled out of the car. He ran halfway to me and then returned to the car for his other child.

God, he was so terrible at this.

What had he been thinking, having kids?

He probably didn’t want to.

The thought hit me and I shook my head to dispel it. Even if he didn’t want them, he didn’t need to let it show this badly.

“She’s here?” Gabriel asked, breath coming in heaves.

“Yep. In the hole.”

“In the . . .” His gaze traveled from me to the pile of dirt. Deep inside, Agnes was still working away. “That works?”

“For now. She was really something this morning.”

“How did she find you?”

“Does it matter? She snuck out. At five. What are you even doing?”

“I was asleep.”

“Still.”

Gabriel sighed and looked away, but his cheeks were dark.

Good. He could still feel shame.

A hand shoved in between us. “Hi. I’m Mollie, the new owner of Bennie Grove Farm.”

“I know.”

She blinked. “You know?”

“How?” I asked. “I thought you left this place in the rearview mirror.”

Gabriel paused and I could practically see the gears in his head turning. “Atticus gave me an update.”

“That’s a lie.”

“I-it’s not.”

“Then look me in the eyes, Gabriel. It’s the least you can do considering I already saved your ass with your kid.”

Silence stretched between us.

It was finally broken by Mollie. “I’m gonna just . . . go inside.” That’s all we heard before footsteps ran from us. I’d apologize to her later.

I didn’t look away from Gabriel. His shoulders sank.

“I’ll go get her.” Gabriel said nothing else as he walked. I was tempted to stop him, but I forced my muscles to stay still.