As Eli returned with his firetruck, excitedly babbling about its ladder, Jason finally appeared. Unlike his wife, he wasn't overtly distrustful of Gray and greeted him and his son cheerfully.

Mandy continued admiring Eli's toy as Jason questioned Gray. The questions were difficult to answer. Providing the basic details—his MIT degree and former app development company—was easy, but the subsequent questions were trickier.

"I ended up retiring early and now work in recruitment," Gray finished lamely.

It wasn't technically a lie. The underground empire he'd built in prison was all about recruitment—mostly mercenaries and others with specialized skill sets.

He'd aimed to create an empire rivaling Hale Investments, but its public presence was small despite its extensive reach. His mercenary network extended across Canada and New England.

Now that Mandy was in his life, handing it off to someone else was in his best interest. He didn't want to risk returning to prison, now that he had something to live for.

His life had been solely focused on empire building. Without it, he'd likely become terribly bored. Permanent retirement wouldn't suit him. Perhaps it was time to brush up on his technology skills and return to app and game development.

Computers had been his solace in foster care. He'd found more enjoyment in coding and creating than anything else. But once his first apps became successful, and fame and fortune beckoned, he'd focused on management.

How long had it been since he'd personally created something? Catching up could be a delightful challenge.

Brittany raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, the picture of mistrust. "Why give up a company you created for recruitment? That's random."

Gray smiled, tweaking the truth slightly. "I like a challenge. Finding and utilizing new talent where it benefits others most isn't as easy as managing a business."

Unsatisfied, she began her next line of attack. "Do you have any family? Ex-wives or children?"

He found his lack of family at his age unusual. No ex-wives or children meant Mandy's mother wouldn't face potential rejection, which was good. But it also suggested something was wrong, given his lack of long-term relationships.

No matter what he said, she'd likely find fault. He tried to be honest, light, and pleasant.

"No, but I have a brother nearby. He's married with four children. I enjoy visiting them."

Brittany's eyes narrowed. "What are their names? What are they like? Have they met my mother yet?"

"Not all live in New York. Only my brother Aaron, his wife, and their daughter have met Mandy. My nephews are busy with school and careers. One's a professional baseball player, another is studying to be a rocket scientist, and the third is in culinary school," Gray replied.

He hesitated giving names. Many New Yorkers knew Aaron and Keeley Hale, even if they didn't know their children. If Brittany knew he was Aaron Hale's brother, she'd learn about his alias and murder arrest.

Brittany pressed, "Their names?"

Gray sighed. The truth would come out eventually—she'd meet Aaron and Keeley at the wedding—but on the first meeting? His luck was terrible.

"Violet, Kaleb, Oliver, and Nathan."

Thankfully, she didn't recognize the names. He was safefor now. Mandy, sensing his distress, found a lull in Eli's monologue to intervene without interrupting him.

She smiled at Brittany. "The ones I've met are lovely. Violet's a ballerina! You love ballet. Once she's out of physical therapy, we should all see one of her shows."

The mention of shared enjoyment softened the young woman.

"If she's a ballerina, I've probably seen her dance. I saw Cinderella last fall. Which part did she dance?"

He'd actually attended and knew the answer. His luck wasn't so terrible after all.

"She was Cinderella," Gray said. "She danced wonderfully, didn't she? I saw a Saturday matinee. Violet's quite talented; I hope she recovers soon."

The conversation flowed more easily until Eli's naptime. Brittany summoned her mother while Jason took Eli to the kitchen for cookies.

Ah, divide and conquer. Gray suspected a "long conversation" was imminent. He wanted to eavesdrop.

He chatted pleasantly with Jason about his job as a criminal defense lawyer for about twenty minutes. Assuming Eli was asleep, he excused himself to use the bathroom.

It was near Brittany and Mandy's room. He couldn't stay long—Jason would be suspicious—but he needed to hear at least part of their conversation.