“J?”
My eyes cut to my brother.
“You okay?”
I nod. “Yes. Sorry. I was just mentally calculating the statistical odds of finding my soulmate given the current trajectory of my career and the disproportionate amount of time I spend working.”
“Yeah, like I’ve said a million times, unless he walks through the front door, you probably won’t find him here.” Samuel squeezes my shoulder. “That said, I’m out there dating and haven’t found mine yet either. Aren’t you the one who tells me the order and timing of the universe is beyond our influence?”
I smile at my brother, realizing he was listening to me during one of my many space rants. “Right. Sometimes I need to remind myself too.”
“It’ll happen, for both of us, when the timing is right.”
“Thanks.” I nod in the direction of the stairs. “I better get back to work.”
“Me too. I’ll see you for lunch?”
“You bet.”
A week later, I’m standing in the back of the planetarium showroom, watching the simulation of a storm on Jupiter. I’ll never get tired of the swirling chaos and imagining what it would feel like to stand in the middle of it. If you even could. You’d have to be tethered to something above the surface to prevent the gravitational pull from dragging you to the core. But just being able to witness it would be astounding.
As the auditorium empties, I follow the group out, checking behind me for stragglers.
“Jeremiah? Can I speak to you for a moment?”
I turn in the direction of the voice to see Richard. What is he doing here? Someone is standing next to him, and as I near them and focus on the man, I’m left speechless. It's like he stepped off the pages of a men's fitness magazine, with muscle in places I didn't think muscle existed. His muscles have muscles. He's not terribly tall, but that's okay. Neither am I. But he's fit and tan and rippled gorgeousness. He stands out in this place that’s usually filled with space nerds or kids on field trips. I am immediately curious why he's here and why Richard is smiling awkwardly.
“Hi, Richard.” I smile, glancing casually at the stranger beside him.
“Hi, Jeremiah,” Richard says. “I want you to meet somebody.” He puts his hand on the shoulder of the handsome man. “This is my nephew, Gabriel. Today is his first day.”
“First day?” I question. “I didn’t know we had an open position.”
“We didn’t really,” Richard explains. “But Gabriel here comes with some great experience, and well, I’m his uncle. I’d like you to show him the ropes.”
I nod, still glancing at Gabriel, who hasn’t said anything, but looks slightly uncomfortable as he shifts from one sneaker-clad foot to the other, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.
“What kind of ropes, boss?” I clarify.
“You know, show him what you do around here.”
My brow furrows. “Um, sure, boss. Okay.”
“Great.” Richard smiles, but there’s a boatload of tension in it. “I’ll check in later.”
“Yes, sir.”
Richard walks away, glancing over his shoulder as he leaves his nephew with me. We stand in awkward silence while I try to process all of this. Richard tells me everything, but I’m sensing there’s more to Gabriel’s presence than he’s letting on.
“Uh, so, hey.” Gabriel pulls a hand from his pocket and offers it to me.
It takes me a second to shake it. I’m still stuck on his voice. It’s exactly how I think a guy who looks like this would sound. Deep, smooth, with an edge of cockiness to it.
“So, you’re training me for the director position?”
I pull my head back. “What?”
Gabriel glances over his shoulder in the direction Richard went. “The director position. That’s what Uncle Rick said I’d be doing.”
“He said...but I’m…” I shake my head, trying to calm down before I lose it. “Could you excuse me? I need to check on something. Just…” I wave my hands. “Look around.”
“Sure.”
I stomp off in a fury, heading straight for Richard’s office, which is next to mine. The door is open, and he’s standing in front of the window, looking out at the observatory.
“Richard?”
He twists around, his face falling when he sees me. “I don’t have a choice, Jeremiah. It’s complicated family stuff, okay? Just do me a favor and train him. I’ll figure something out.”
“Figure something out?” I rub my forehead. “I’ve been working my tail off for the director position for years. You told me it was mine as soon as you got board approval.”
“That’s still true. It’s just that I’ll have to present Gabriel as an option too.”
My heart crumbles in my chest while my blood boils in my veins.
“What does Gabriel know about running a planetarium?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“Nothing.” Richard grimaces. “But he’s very good with people.”
“Good with people.” I nod. “Excellent trait to run this place.”
“It can be useful, Jeremiah. Maybe you could pick up some tips from him in that area.”
I frown. “I’ve come a long way. You said so yourself.”
“It’s true, but it’s natural for Gabriel. You have to...try.”
I stand, stuck in place for a minute with my arms crossed over my chest. “Let me get this straight. My job, the position I’ve been building for two years, is now in jeopardy from your nephew who knows nothing about this place, and I get to train him?”
“Basically.”
“And if I prove to be the better candidate?”
“The board will consider both credentials equally.”
“I see.”
“And just in case you’re thinking of sabotaging his success, your ability to train is under consideration as well. It’s too important to mess up.”
“I would never do that. I have integrity.”
“I know. I just felt the need to say it, given the situation.” He takes a step closer. “It’s not ideal. I get it. You’ve worked hard, and I appreciate it.”
I nod, tight-lipped.
“Just give Gabriel a chance.”
“What choice do I have?”
Outside Richard’s office, I grip the metal railing, gazing down at the activity below me. Gabriel is standing under the massive hanging solar system sculpture, his eyes fixed on Jupiter.
If he thinks I’m just going to let him waltz in and steal everything I’ve worked for out from under me, he’s in for a surprise.
Gabriel
Gazing up at the sculpture above my head, I try to remember all the planet names from my days in grade school. The one with rings is Saturn. Pretty sure the big one is Jupiter. At least I can figure out which one is Earth. The rest are kind of hazy.
To say I’m in over my head is the biggest understatement ever. The guy I met this morning, my new trainer, seemed less than excited to meet me. Great. Just one more place I’m not welcome. All I know is I better figure out how to make this work, or my father will have my ass. I’ve disappointed him enough in the past two years. I need this opportunity to work out. Even if I know shit about science and space.