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I hadn’t, and that was on purpose. “I chickened out. I was so excited about it, but then it just seemed really overwhelming. What if he doesn’t want to talk to me? What if he’s mad Wilma Allen left me the store? What if he tells me why she never had a relationship with Mom and it’s really bad? What if he’s not a nice man? He might be to you, but what if he’s not to me?” These were the kind of thoughts I obsessed about sometimes.
“All those feelings are totally understandable. This is a big thing. You never knew?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t even know Mom was adopted.”
“No one here knew either. Word travels, though, and once she passed, the news got out that she’d left the store to a grandson no one knew she had. I’m not sure how everyone found out it was your mom.”
“I want to know the story, but I’m nervous to know it too.”
“I can see that. Take your time. You don’t have to rush, but like I said yesterday, Gene is a good man. He’ll want to talk to you. He will love you because Wilma did.”
The words thank you lingered on my tongue, but I struggled to set them free.
Gideon took a bite. Was it strange that I was watching him? The way his throat moved when he swallowed, and hoping for some indication that he liked it.
“I got food on my face or something?”
“Have food on my face, and no. And I don’t have an eating kink either. There are a lot of unique kinks out there. I’ve read about them. But I don’t think I have any, and if I did, it wouldn’t be watching hot guys eat. I just wanted to see if you think it’s good.”
Gideon laughed and snorted and maybe sucked egg up his nose. I couldn’t tell. “You might be the greatest person I’ve ever met.”
I bit my lip again. That was new…and annoying. I didn’t get it. Well, I knew I liked him thinking I was great, but I wasn’t sure why that made my smile try to take over my face.
“And yes, it’s delicious.”
I stayed there watching and chatting with him while he finished the omelet. It meant a lot to me that he liked it, but when he was finished, I forced myself to tell him, “I’m going to work now.” I stepped around the counter.
He eyed me, his gaze raking me from head to toe, and…did he like me too? He said I was attractive. “Are you getting dressed first?”
“Oh shit. Yes. And I have to shower. Eep! I’m late.”
“You don’t have to be there at a specific time.”
“I’m still late,” I replied, then ran for my room. I gathered my things and headed to the bathroom. I hoped he didn’t need it, since we had to share. I made it quick, cleaning up, getting dressed, and brushing my teeth, all in less than twenty minutes.
Gideon was in his room with the door closed when I came out, so I left. I would see him later…at work or at home because we lived together. So unusual to think.
I headed downstairs to my bookstore. I made phone calls, setting up appointments for quotes and other odds and ends. From there I took measurements and made supply lists for the things I knew I could do myself. I was lucky that I had always been good with my hands. When I was younger, I used to watch videos online about building, then did what the videos taught, hoping it would make my dad relate to me more. It hadn’t, and I was over him, but I kept on learning and making things. Mom had signed me up for classes so I could hone my building skills, not because she considered it as a career for me, but because even though she was overprotective, she also wanted me to be able to take care of myself in any way I might need to.
The whole day I was either thinking of Gideon or of Gene—Gideon because he was hot and my friend and he thought I was great, and Gene because he was Wilma Allen’s lover, someone who could tell me so much about her.
I would call him. I’d known I would at some point, but I was pretty sure I suddenly wanted to do it now, like right that second. He’d even pushed Gideon out of my thoughts, and all I could think about was the man who had lived with her and loved her.
And maybe, if I didn’t take advantage now, I would chicken out again.
Still, I didn’t call Gene because…well, I didn’t know why.
There was a knock on the glass door before it slid open. I looked over to see Rachel coming in with a mini-Rachel. Oh great. I was in a weird mood. I hoped Cammy was chill.
