Page 58 of Broken Boss Daddy

“—stop mucking around and do the best thing for your future, Grant,” he finished, although I missed most of what he had said.

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll decide by the end of the week. I need to get back inside.”

With a quick goodbye, I walked back into my home where a grinning six-year-old greeted me. My father wanted me to do what was best for me, and so did Jess.One problem, I thought with a heavy heart,someone was going to end up disappointed in me—again.

Chapter 25: Jessica

The late afternoon sun felt fantastic after spending most of the day inside a stuffy classroom.

It had been a long day at school. Although every day seemed to take forever the past week, I knew it was really just me. My mind had been somewhere else completely, and I wasn’t giving my students the attention that they needed.

Taking a deep breath as I continued toward the parking lot, I told myself to get my act together. So what if Grant still hadn’t decided? Abby and I were going to stay here, so it wasn’t like our lives were going to change drastically.

As much as I tried to convince myself of that, a part of me knew it was utter bullshit. Grant walking out on us would cause more damage than I consciously knew.

Thinking of Abby and Grant, a small, yet sad, smile appeared on my face. They were spending the afternoon together again as Grant’s day off was the following day. Letting him have that bit of time alone with her was a tremendous step for me, and I had anxiety for practically the entire time they were together.

But it went great, even with his decision hanging over our heads. It was that very thing which had me more open to the idea of them alone. I wanted our daughter to have as much time with her father.

The fact that Abby didn’t know that hewasher father yet almost seemed irrelevant at that point.

Besides, I had the afternoon to myself to do anything that I pleased. Though, all I really wanted to do was to spend it with them.

Shaking my head, I thought about maybe going to get a manicure. My nail beds desperately needed some tender love and care.

Inspecting my nails, I was startled back a step when I glanced up and found a fancy black car parked next to mine. But what made me pause was the sight of Paul Adams leaning against the front hood.

“Jeez, you scared me,” I said anxiously. Seeing him at my workplace couldn’t mean anything good.

Except there was no way for me to avoid him. Clearly he came here to look for me, I just didn’t have a clue why.

“That wasn’t my intention.” Paul stood up with his hands in his pockets.

He wore one of those suits that high-end doctors always appeared to wear. Come to think of it, I had never seen Grant in one of those. The differences between father and son, besides their identical looks, became greater with every confrontation I had with Paul.

For the umpteenth time in weeks, I feigned confidence with a smile that felt just as fake, and walked toward him. “How are you doing, Dr. Adams?”

“Alright, and you?” His voice was gruff and full of seriousness.

“Good. Okay. I mean, I’m okay. Sometimes good. Sometimes not.”Why the hell was I rambling?

Paul nodded his head while I let out a nervous chuckle. It grew awkward, so much so that I searched for literally anything to say. Although, he was the one that just showed up so really,heshould be saying something.

The longer he kept quiet, I knew he wouldn’t talk first.

Looking around skeptically, I asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

He exhaled deeply, and that scared me more than him being in front of me. “We need to talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yes. I’m afraid some things have come to my attention about you and Grant that worries me.”

“Worries you?” I could barely string a sentence together.

“Ms. Flynn—”

“Jessica, please.”

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