You and Dexter, or Jim, as everyone called him (his secret alias), worked together at Fred’s. It was a hunting shop.

It was very apparent, that Dexter was too old for you. He was 50, quite literally old enough to be your father, with some room to spare.

Yet that didn’t stop you from majorly crushing on him. Obviously, Dexter knew. You weren’t exactly discreet about it.

Dexter’s code was to fit in. As Jim Lindsay, he had the tools to fit in perfectly. But dating a very young adult? Well, that might’ve raised some flags.

But lately, Dexter was finding it harder and harder to ignore. Not because it freaked him out, but because he was starting to reciprocate feelings.

That was a problem.

People would notice that big of an age gap, it would be the talk of the town in no time, everyone knew everything as soon as it happened in a small town like Iron Lake.

Could he put his need to blend in aside for a relationship that probably would not last? Well, that was a question for Dexter, not Jim.

It was another day in the store. As usual, you were running late, and came in 15 minutes after Dexter did, but Fred didn’t seem to mind. So neither did he.