Page 45 of The Billionaire and the Librarian

“Who else knows it’s here?” I ask.

“The Potters…and Bastian.”

Now my curiosity goes into overdrive. I bite my lower lip to keep myself from asking, but in the end, my need to know prevails. “How exactly did you meet Bastian?”

Adam’s eyes dance with both sadness and happiness all at once in a way I didn’t think was possible. “I fell in love,” he starts.

My eyes widen.

He chuckles. “Not with Bastian.”

“Oh,” I mutter, feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment.

“I was in love with a woman. Stephanie. And I followed her to Paris. It was shortly after my parents were killed. Looking back…I don’t even know if it really was love, but sure as fuck felt like it at the time. One night, I was working late, and I came home to find her in bed with another man. She swore it was nothing and begged me to forgive her. I did, but I began to have the man followed. Turns out, he was dating someone else too…a man.”

Adam pauses and gives me a knowing look and I can feel my mouth drop open.

“No fucking way?” I say.

“Fucking way,” Adam replies. “The man was with Bastian. I learned Bastian was a cook and bartender. I visited the restaurant where he worked and struck up a conversation with him. I didn’t plan on becoming friends with him, but there was just something about the man. Like…he was meant to be my friend…my brother.” Adam pauses as if remembering something and then continues. “Anyhow, let’s just say the next time our significant others met up, Bastian found them. He came in the next day to work, told me about it when he saw me, and I fessed up. He was angry at first. I went home and ended my relationship, and so did he. I ended up at the bar drunk the next night and he offered me a couch at his place which was just down the street. We lay on the floor of his living room sharing a very expensive bottle of wine and lamenting about our failed relationships. And when the sun rose that next morning, I asked him to join my staff and move back here with me. I’m not sure why he agreed to such a leap of faith, it was the craziest thing I’d ever done, but here we are, nearly seven years later, and I’ve never regretted that decision.”

I grin at the end of his story. “I’m glad he came here. Bastian is a good man.” Adam nods.

“You said you…hate women…is that why?” I ask, feeling brave.

Adam looks away for a long moment and then back at me. “Yes. I promised myself I’d never be vulnerable again. I’d given her everything. I needed her. After my parents died, she was all I had. And then I had nothing. I won’t ever put myself in that position again,” he explains.

“Ever? But what about Bastian? You trust him,” I ask.

“That’s different,” Adam states. “He’s seen me at my worst and was still my friend.”

“That’s sad,” I say as I spin away from Adam.

“Is it?”

“Yes. I know being vulnerable to others is scary, but why live if we can’t share our life with the people we grow to love?” I state.

He doesn’t reply right away. “Maybe it’s better that people don’t grow to love me,” he answers. But before I can respond, he says, “Come on, the helicopter is waiting. I don’t want us to be late.”

“Late for what exactly?” I ask as I follow him toward the back of the house.

“The Wellington Family Foundation’s annual gala,” he says.

My eyes widen. “As in, your family’s charity?” I ask as he removes his tuxedo jacket and puts it over my shoulders.

“Yes. Come on, let’s be quick. It’s cold out,” he states as he ushers me toward the helicopter behind the kitchen. Mrs. Potter waves at us from a side door. I wave back as a pilot shuts our door.

I glance over at Adam as he hands me a headset to put on. “I’m your date toyourgala?” I ask loudly as the helicopter’s blades begin to spin.

“You are.” He turns toward the pilot who gives us a quick safety rundown before we rise into the night sky, heading toward the city. I watch the lights of our small town grow fainter. I turn to Adam.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask.

He laughs. “It’s the best idea I’ve had in a long time.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” I mutter as I see the lights of the city begin to emerge from the darkness in the distance.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

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