Secret Daddy - J.R. Gray Page 0,34

to remember who I was oversharing about now. “But I can’t stay too late. I have an interview tomorrow.”

Adam turned towards me, his brows pulling together. He was serious all of a sudden. “Is this for the big regional job?”

“Yes, conservation and protection. I can’t believe I got an interview. They are so few and far between.” It’s what my degree was in. I’d gone to school online while working full time for Adam’s parents for five years and then another two years for my masters while working in forestry, only to be unable to find a job for the past four years.

“Where is it located?”

“I don’t quite know yet. I have to drive down to Denver for the interview.”

His frown deepened and I wasn’t sure what I’d said to upset him.

“What?” I asked when he remained silent for a while.

“Does Aiden know?”

“No…” I said, unsure what he was getting at.

“You do know why his ex and he broke up?”

“Because he cheated and then ghosted on him?” I said, not sure Adam had told me more. “I’m not going to move away and ghost him.”

“It’s exactly what Avery did to him, too. People are forever moving to the city and abandoning him.”

I waved him off. “There is very little chance I’ll get it anyway. I’m shocked I got an interview. These things all are based around nepotism. They’ll give the job to the governor's nephew or something.” All government jobs were. I was lucky enough to get the forestry job up here because I knew the area intimately, which put me in front of the pack.

“Be delicate with it and remember what he’s gone through.”

“Did Avery leaving mess with him that much?” I asked, having not thought about it too much.

“It did. Those two were closer than him and I ever were. Avery already treated him like his kid with the age difference.”

I nodded like I understood, but I didn’t. I’d never had a bond like that with anyone. When the foster homes I’d lived in had other kids it was a rivalry, not a team. There was always affection and food to be competed for. Even the best socks were a point of contention in the places I’d been. I couldn’t imagine the closeness I’d witnessed in the Adler house even seeing it firsthand. It seemed like a concept out of my grasp.

“He’s sensitive is all I’m saying.”

“I know,” I said, and I did to some extent.

“I’ve got to get to work. See you later, ya?”

I nodded and was left with my thoughts. Was it best to stop things before they started? Not put Aiden through the possibility of me leaving? I didn’t want to do that. I wasn’t going to cheat on him or ghost him. Or get sick of him for that matter. But was that enough? Would he believe me? There were a lot of maybes involved in all of this.

I wasn’t going to borrow trouble. There was no point in bringing an issue into a new relationship when it would turn out to be nothing. If I got the job, I’d tell him and we’d talk about what it meant for us. I’d give him a choice all along the way. It was the best I could do.

I showed up for dinner in my best button-down. One of the two I owned. I didn’t have much use for fancy shit, but this seemed like one of the situations I should be in one. I wore the sleeves rolled, exposing my forearms and the top two buttons undone. Jeans and boots finished off the look. People here were too sensible in the snow to do more than this. Unless they were crossing over and going to the bars near the resort.

I sloshed through puddles, the heavy snow turning into a right muck as cars went through it all day. It would turn into a deadly sheet of black ice as it refroze tonight. Light snow started as I walked into the bar, to coat the whole mess with a pretty white cover. Lots of accidents for the sheriff to deal with tomorrow. More reason for me to take Aiden home with me. I knew my driving skills and I didn’t need to worry about the rest.

A blast of heat hit me when I pulled open the door. Adam had both fireplaces going, and the bar was packed. A fair amount of people taking in the last few nights before the resort filled for the holidays and