Page 92 of Love in Mission City

Oh, we’d used condoms. Religiously. But…crap happened.

Well, not crap. I had my son, after all.

Gil’d held me. Had let me cry. Then had informed me I was going to be a father, and I’d better start acting like it. I dropped out of university, got a job with a construction crew, and did my best to provide for my family.

Catherine appreciated my efforts and, when she was eight months pregnant, we married.

Our families were over the moon.

I hadn’t seen Gil in six months. He hadn’t come to the wedding, despite the invitation. I never thought I’d see him again.

Yet here I sat, across from him, and he held my hand.

“You’re wondering why I’m here.”

Gil cocked his head.

We’d been talking about him being alone, then I’d been silent way too long, and now I was starting down a different path.

“You said something about finishing your degree. Which is great, by the way—”

“I’ve taken a new job.”

“Okay.” Still, he held my hand. I didn’tneedhis support anymore, but I sure appreciated it.

“You remember how I always wanted to build things? Well, design things that got built.”

“I remember. Big projects, you used to say. Bridges and office towers and sustainable housing.”

“Yeah, I had big dreams.”

He squeezed my hand. “Nothing wrong with dreams.”

I ducked my head. But there had been. They’d been expansive and unrealistic. Most engineers focused on one area and honed their skills. I wanted to do everything all at once. Still, I persisted. “So I’ve taken a position with an engineering firm. Junior engineer on the ladder, so to speak.”

“That’s great. Congratulations—”

“It’s here.”

Gil’s smile faltered. He gazed around the store. “Here?”

I laughed. A really good belly laugh. “No. Mission City. Stop being so literal.” A quirk of his. Less so when it came to the law, but very much evident when dealing with regular people.

“Mission City.” He blinked.

“The job is hybrid. I work from home three days a week and am in the office the other two. Edith, my sister, has taken a job with the local school board. She’s not going to live with us anymore—she has for the last two years—but she wants to stay close. With my daughter starting junior kindergarten next week and my son starting second grade, we’ll barely have time to settle into our new home.”

“You bought a house?”

Regretfully, I shook my head. “Just a rental for now. Housing is so expensive…maybe when I’ve been working a few years and have received about thirty raises.” I was kidding. Sort of. Not really. Home ownership felt out of reach.

Gil winced.

“What?”

“I....own my house. I mean, I share it with the bank, but I was able to buy pretty soon after settling down. My grandfather gave me the down payment, and I had no student loans.”

“Thanks to the merit scholarship.”