Page 24 of Broken Boss Daddy

“That can’t be true.”

“It is. I was in med school. Something I thought I wanted but I’m not enjoying it. I’m honestly considering dropping out and moving to some barren island.”

“Can I join you then?” I chuckled, but trailed off when I realized what I’d just said.

“Seems like I’m not the only one having a rough time of it lately.”

“You wouldn’t be wrong.” I stared down into my drink, not really seeing it.

Grant stayed quiet, waiting for me to continue with my story if I wanted to. I liked that about him. Most people would push until I gave them some half-assed version of the truth. But because he wasn’t doing any of that, I felt comfortable enough to give him the full truth.

Which might or might not have been the best idea.

“You see those doors?” I pointed to the ones just behind us.

“Yeah?”

“My cousin’s wedding party is just through those doors. Those doors are the gateway to my personal hell.”

“How so?”

“Have you ever felt completely out of place in a room where you should belong?”

“All the time.”

Grant’s response surprised me. I didn’t think that he would really understand. Considering what he’d just told me about his father, I could see why he did. “It’s like I don’t appreciate my family,” I continued. “It’s just that, I don’t feel liketheyappreciateme.”

“Life is funny like that sometimes. It takes everything you think you know, and turns it around on you like you were the stupid one to believe the face value of it in the first place.”

“Is it sad that I understand that so much?” I tried to joke.

Grant’s mouth lifted into a soft smile. “Not sad. Just comforting.”

The memory faded from my mind as quickly as it came. I sat at the kitchen counter once more, facing my mother with a warm cup of coffee in my hands.

Abby slept quietly upstairs, her afternoon naps becoming less and less frequent. When I managed to put her down, I always took that rare time for myself. That day, I took it with my mom.

It had been two weeks since I went out with Grant, and we’d been meeting up whenever we could. Sometimes we went for coffee or a quick meal, other times we went on a drive. But my favorite times with him were spent in his apartment, making love on every surface.

“What makes you smile like that?” my mom asked, eyeing me up and down.

Heat flooded my face. I hadn’t told her anything about Grant coming back into my life, or about me sort of seeing him. Half the time, I couldn’t believe myself that I was seeing him after being so adamant that I wanted nothing with him.

He made me want to rip my hair out, but he also made me feel like the most important person in the world.

I hadn’t felt that way for the longest time.

“Jessie? Is there something bothering you?” She used my childhood nickname, which she knew would get me to open up about anything on my mind.

Damn that woman. “There is, and I’m not sure you’re going to like it.”

“Okay, young lady. Spill it.”

“Do you remember Grant?” I asked hesitantly.

“Grant? As in Abby’s Grant?” my mom whispered, afraid of spying ears.

“Yes. Him. He’s sort of back.”

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