Page 78 of First Chance

“I found out two and a half years ago that he got a woman pregnant. She thought they were in a relationship, but he did not see it that way. When she told him that she was going to have a baby, he completely cut her off. Filed a restraining order based on nothing, blocked her from contacting him in any way. I was devastated that he would do something like that, but I wasn’t surprised.

“Of course, when I protested his behavior, I became enemy number one. He was pursuing his career, he was the victim.” I roll my eyes, remembering the stupid excuses my parents gave.

“That’s a pathetic excuse for a man,” Lochlan says, affirming my beliefs.

“I’ve never been brave enough to stand up to my father, but I looked him in the eye and told him what Conrad did was despicable. How could a man do that and still sleep at night?”

My father’s face has aged over the years, the texture of his skin has roughened, and his wrinkles have gotten deeper. The youthfulness has faded from my memories, but I will never forget how he looked when the blood drained from his face in shame.

“He was stricken with guilt, and I knew immediately he had done the same thing.”

Lochlan doesn’t speak, urging me to continue as he sits down beside me.

“I spit into so many little tubes, putting myself on every genealogy website and DNA app. I waited almost a year before I finally got a match. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you. Maybe to protect Jackson’s privacy.” I shrug. “I always wondered why there was such a big gap between me and Conrad. Turns out my father had Jackson from an affairwith the gardener during that time… He and my mother went through a rough patch because of it.” I roll my eyes incredulously.

“Instead of doing the right thing, he cut off Jackson’s mother, never claimed him, or supported them in any way.”

“And Conrad’s kid?”

“I get an allowance every month from a trust that will be paid out when I turn 25. I’ve been sending most of the money to the mother of Conrad’s child. I wrote her a letter and told her that she could never speak about it, and I’d deny doing it, but I’d help her as much as I could until the baby turned three. Give her time to get on her feet, I guess. That’s next year sometime, I’m not even sure when his birthday is.”

“A boy?”

“I don’t know his name, and it breaks my heart. I have a nephew, and I don’t even know him. He doesn’t know half of his family, but it’s probably for the best. My family wouldn’t deserve him anyway.”

“Is that why you needed a job so badly?”

“I was running low on money and needed to make it look like I wasn’t, so my parents didn’t find out and retaliate. I was afraid of what they’d do if they found out I was helping them.

“But, once I turn 25, I’ll be able to get all my money and take off. They’ll never know what I did and they’ll never see me again,” I explain coldly. I’ve had plenty of time to come to terms with it.

“When do you turn 25?”

“The week after summer semester ends.” I stand up from the porch steps and straighten my dress. “So, you can take this as my termination notice. I’ll be out of your hair then, too.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jo

“Idon’t want you out of my hair,” he admits right behind me, following me to the guesthouse. He stops in the doorway as if he’s afraid to go further.

“You’ve made it clear that you do.” I avoid eye contact by sitting down to finish my makeup.

“You don’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“From here on out, I don’t want there to be any confusion. I am your boss, you’re my employee. That’s all,” he states seriously, stepping forward to look at me in the reflection of my little mirror. Except, his eyes are trained on my lips as I apply chapstick.

“You don’t want me to come over and watch movies, or eat ice cream?”

“No, you can still come do that.”

“Then I shouldn’t walk with you around the property?” I ask, drawing a line of nude lip liner around my lips.

He steps closer, his gaze never wavering from my mouth. “You can walk with me.”

“What exactly is it that you’re wanting then?” I smear thenude lipstick across my bottom lip, and his hands grip the back of my chair.

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