Page 33 of Broken Boss Daddy

My earlier thoughts and worries came back to me in a rush at the nervous expression she wore.Why would she be acting this way?

Panic settled deep into my bones as my mind conjured up every single thing that could be wrong. My hands were sweating, and it felt like I would burst any second.

Jessica took a deep breath, forcing her shoulders to relax and spoke about her parents. Shooting me nervous look after nervous look, I was sure there was something she wasn’t saying. And a voice inside my head told me whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

Chapter 15: Jessica

Life wasn’t fair at times.

The past week had been hell.

Grant and I sat on a severely uncomfortable bench near a pond that we found on one of our outings a while ago.

We sat in silence, and that had me fidgeting with everything I could get my hands on. There wasn’t much, but I found it.

I’d spent the days after the dinner with Grant’s family wrapped in guilt and stressing over the fact that I knew I had to tell him about Abby. With the amount of worrying I’d done, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had a couple stomach ulcers.

Although there was some unsettledness in me from his father’s questions, the dinner actually went better than I thought it would. Besides my conscious eating away at me, that is.

I nearly blurted out the truth to Grant in front of his entire family. That was how much all the probing questions got to me.

Needless to say, I’d been avoiding Grant.

“So, how’s work been?” he asked, trying to start up some sort of conversation.

“Good. You?”

“Busy, but it’s going alright.”

We descended back into silence.

I could feel Grant’s eyes on me, watching and scrutinizing my every move. But I didn’t have the guts to face him this time.

“Jess.” Grant reached for my fidgeting hand. “About the dinner. I’m sorry about my father. No matter how hard I try, I can never get him to be at least a little tactful.”

He tried to get me to laugh. All it did was remind me of the very reason we were sitting there. “You don't need to apologize for him, Grant,” I eventually said.

“No, I guess not. He’s been like that my entire life. Let me tell you, it causes some very awkward situations.”

“I can imagine.”

“Growing up with a father like him…” Grant trailed off, searching for the right thing to say. “I don’t think I can describe it. You never know where you stand with him. Paul Adams gives nothing away, not even to his own family. At least to me.”

Our conversation took a turn I wasn’t expecting, but I was more than happy to prolong the inevitable.

“Do you know what he’s like with Maureen and the others?” I asked.

Grant shrugged. “Not really. I spent very little time with them as a kid. Truthfully, I always held some resentment toward them for occupying his attention all the time.”

“That’s understandable. Your situation wasn’t what you wanted and then suddenly you weren’t his only child. That can take a toll on anyone. Heck, when my father was occupied with the TV instead of playing with me, I’d throw a tantrum. I know it’s not the same, but I can understand where you’re coming from.”

Grant was quiet, fiddling with my fingers. Knowing that I had to tell him abouthimbeing a father, I swallowed my pride and opened my mouth. “Grant—”

“You know, when Jack told my dad that he was going to study engineering instead of medicine, my father had no problem with it.”

Guess not, I thought and realigned my thinking to his topic. “Really?”

“Yep. He was so ecstatic that Jack was going after his dream. When I expressed an interest in anythingbesidesmedicine, it was like the world was going to end for him.”

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