by Cate Ashwood
Eventually, T&J would no longer be competition for me, but that didn’t help me today.
“Fuck,” I muttered, my mind scrambling to rearrange duties and responsibilities to cover the gaps and make sure we didn’t fall behind on our first day. I’d have to place an ad to hire as soon as possible. If we were short-staffed for long, I’d be royally screwed.
I slammed my finger down on the button, skipping to the next message. Dread filled my chest as I heard Mal in the second message, delivering pretty much the same news as Collin.
By the time I’d hung up, I learned I’d lost three of my twelve guys to T&J. They were all quitting. No notice. What the hell was I going to do?
I drafted a quick e-mail to LaborForce, a company who contracted out laborers, but the chance of finding anyone qualified on such short notice was slim, and I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
I wrote an ad and put it up online, praying to God someone answered it quickly. I could hear the cars pulling up on the gravel outside, and voices carrying up through the open window in my office. I shut my browser and steeled myself for a shit day. Three people had chosen to take off, leaving everyone else to pick up the slack.
“Hey, boss, you up there?” Jewel called from down below. Hands braced against the top of my desk, I stood and exhaled hard. I ventured out of my office, leaning against the railing and looking down at my shop. So much had changed since I’d arrived. I was already exhausted, and the day hadn’t officially begun.
Pain bloomed behind my eyes as a headache set in, and I did my best to smile down at Jewel, who was looking up at me with a wide smile. She was the only woman on my crew, but she pulled twice the weight of anyone else. She’d been hassled by some of the guys for being a female welder, but truth be told, she was the best one I had.
I was grateful she was still with me.
The rest of the guys filtered in as I walked down the stairs. They stood around, chattering. The energy in the room was high—I could feel it as I approached the group. Everyone was eager to get started, because seriously, what’s cooler than helping build planes for the Air Force? I hated to break the news and shatter the boisterous mood.
“Hey, guys,” I started. Everyone hushed and waited for their assignments. “We’re going to have to scramble a bit today. Things will need to be shuffled, and responsibilities are going to need to be shared. Collin, Mal, and Stefan all quit this morning.”
Several of the guys had something to say, all along the lines of “what the fuck” and “those fucking assholes.”
“It’ll be okay. I’ve put out ads to fill their positions, and I’ve contacted LaborForce in the meantime, but if anyone has a friend looking for work, or knows of anyone who might fit, please let me know. We’ll make it work.”
I spoke with more conviction than I felt. I knew we’d manage, but I still had no idea how.
By the end of the day, the headache that set in early in the morning had exploded into something that would only be cured with quiet darkness and lots of beer. I climbed into my truck and headed for home, desperate to get out of my coveralls and lounge in my underwear with all the lights off.
It wasn’t until I pulled up in front of my building that I remembered Chase was there. His car sat out front in visitor parking, reminding me I would have to play host, despite feeling like a bear with a thorn in its paw. Fucking Reid and his fucking bet. And fucking Chase for talking me into it.
I parked and nearly tumbled out the door, then made my way upstairs. I could hear the music coming from inside before I even had my key in the lock. When I opened the door, I was blasted with the sound, and I squinted, as though it might ease the decibel level.
It didn’t.
“Chase?” I yelled over the music as I crossed the living room and pushed the button to mute it. My ears were ringing, and the sudden silence nearly knocked me over. He wasn’t in the living room or the kitchen. I made my way into the bedroom, where I found a trail of clothes leading all the way to the bathroom. His tie was thrown on the bed, and everything else had landed haphazardly on the floor. I stood outside the door and knocked.
“You in there?”
“Oh, hey. You’re late,” he called back, the door muffling the sound.
“Yeah, long day.”
“There’s still pizza in the fridge if you want it. I’ll be out in a minute.”
I didn’t want pizza. I wanted to shower and wash away the stress hangover from work. I stood and waited, not wanting to sit and soil the blankets on my bed. Chase had lied. He was not out in a minute. He wasn’t even out in five. I gave up waiting and returned to the kitchen, dimming the lights as I went.
When I reached the fridge, I yanked it open, grabbed the first bottle I could see, opened it, and chugged it back. It felt good washing down, my belly cold with how fast the liquid hit it. A couple more of these and I’d be ready for bed.
Chase walked in a moment later, his hair wet and skin pink. He looked contented and carefree, and for some reason that pissed me off.
“How was your day?” he asked, walking up beside me.
“Shit,” I grumbled. “I’m going to shower and go to bed.”
“Oh.” He sounded surprised. “Okay. I’ll be there in a bit.”
I suppressed the disgruntled noise that welled up in my throat. I didn’t want him to be there in a bit. I wanted him to go home. I didn’t want company, and I sure as shit did not want to share my bed again. I didn’t know if I could handle one more sleepless night. Chase was my best friend and I should have been able to tell him to go home, but the way he was looking at me, eyebrows knit together in concern, and the way his hair was damp and sticking in all directions, softened my resolve.
He didn’t deserve my anger. Besides hogging the bathroom, he hadn’t done anything wrong. My shitty mood was not his fault, and so instead of telling him to fuck off, I said good night and walked away.
Chapter Five
Chase
I didn’t know what had crawled up Alec’s ass, but I was hoping it had managed to crawl back out again. I hadn’t talked to him since the night before, if you could count two grumbled sentences as talking. He’d downed two beers for dinner and gone to bed. By the time I’d slipped in next to him, he was dead asleep, one arm draped above his head.
His bed was never meant for sharing, I was pretty sure. It might have been queen-sized, but with Alec’s large body taking up a good percentage of mattress real estate, it seemed much smaller. At least it was warm. The man was like a furnace, heat pouring off him in his super air-conditioned apartment. That part was nice.
It was already Tuesday, and since neither of us had come up with anything better, we were meant to be going bowling. At least I thought we were. I hadn’t heard from him all day. The hours at work had dragged too, which gave me lots of time to text Alec repeatedly, but with no response.
Okay, yeah, so things were somewhat awkward between us. I’d never lived in someone else’s space before, and it was a bit like visiting relatives when you weren’t totally welcome. I got the feeling he didn’t want me there, but he was too nice to say anything. Truth be told, it wasn’t all comfort and relaxation for me either. I hadn’t anticipated how claustrophobic I would feel living with someone else. We’d only been cohabitating for a few days, though. Surely things would get easier.
Tons of people had roommates, and even more people were married. They made it work and I could too.
I clocked out and checked my phone, but there was still nothing from Alec. It had been nearly eight when he’d gotten home the night before, and I wondered if it would be another late night tonight. Were we still going out?
I walked to my car, and as I climbed in I made the executive decision to swing by Liberty to see if he was done.
When I arrived, the parking lot was mostly empty. Only his battered-up truck sat closest to the building. I let myself in through the side door. The warehouse was mostly calm and still. Everyone had left. I thought Alec was in his off
ice until I saw the spray of sparks exploding across the floor.
I walked toward it, keeping my eyes on Alec rather than the bright white light coming from whatever it was he was doing. I had no idea what it was he was working on, but I’d heard somewhere not to look at the light. Although as I approached, I saw he was wearing safety goggles, but they weren’t tinted or anything.
I’d been to Liberty before, but every time I’d shown up, Alec was up in his office, doing paperwork or other adminstrativey things. He looked… different. Grittier. His face was smudged with dirt or grease, I wasn’t sure which, and his hairline was damp with sweat. Not to mention how filthy his hands were. He’d taken his coveralls down and tied them around his waist, his white T-shirt pulled tight across his chest as he moved the grinder with expert precision. I’d never noticed the way his veins stood out against the long muscles of his arms.
For a moment, desire flared hot in my belly, and I looked at Alec in a way I’d never seen him before. Sure, I’d had a crush on him in high school, but this was different. This was some base-level caveman shit, and if I wouldn’t be risking our entire friendship, I would have dropped to my knees right then and there.
He stopped when he saw me and set his tools down.
“You’re still working?” It was a stupid question, but my brain had vacated the premises. Of course he was still working. “I mean, why are you still working? Everyone else left.”
He slid the goggles up onto the top of his head. “I needed to catch up. We’re already way behind.”
“The Air Force job?”
He nodded. I was confused. Alec was meticulous. They were only a couple of days in. He shouldn’t have been behind already.
“I had three guys quit yesterday.”
“Shit, seriously?” No wonder he’d been such a grump the night before. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Do you have a welding certificate I don’t know about?” His words held no heat. In fact, I could almost see a little smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Nope, but I’m pretty handy with a glue gun if that helps you any.”
“Don’t think so, but if any addendums come in for some glittery flourishes to jazz up the fighter jets, I’ll let you know.”
“Are you gonna be here much longer?”
Alec glanced down at what he was working on, then over to a set of blueprints spread out on a table I hadn’t noticed when I came in.
“I guess not. I wanna finish up this one piece, and then I’ll head home.”
“Are we still on for our date tonight?”
“Of course.” He’d obviously forgotten.
Two hours later, we strode into the bowling alley on First Avenue.
“Wow, talk about a stroll down memory lane,” I said as Alec held the door like a gentleman. The place was a little run-down, and I hadn’t been inside since I was a teenager. Laser bowling on a Saturday night was the cool thing to do until Alec had stolen his brother’s ID and was able to get us beer.
“It’s exactly the same.”
It still smelled just as I remembered—grease and feet—and I was hit with an overwhelming craving for onion rings. The lights were dim, and half the lanes were occupied by groups who looked like they all belonged to a league if the matching T-shirt horror was anything to go by.
“You grab the shoes, and I’ll grab the food. Deal?” Alec asked as we approached the desk. He toed his shoes off, then bent to pick them up for me.
“Sure.”
I found my way over to the front, where a kid who was definitely no more than twelve was manning the desk. I gave him our sizes and slid our street shoes across the counter. As he climbed the stepladder positioned in front of the bookcase that served as a shoe rack, my gaze slid across the room to Alec. He was leaning against the counter, talking to the girl who was currently pouring beer into a pitcher for him.
Even from a distance, I could tell she was giggling and absolutely enamored with him. Alec had that effect on people, both male and female. There was something about his dark good looks and easy confidence that drew people in, and once they got to know him, it was his wholehearted kindness that kept them there. Alec had his own gravitational pull he wasn’t even aware of, and at the moment, this girl was caught in it.
“Not a chance, honey,” I muttered under my breath. I watched as the girl’s flirting was completely lost on Alec. Poor girl.
“I’m sorry?”
My attention snapped back to the boy standing in front of me holding two pairs of very used shoes.
“Huh?”
“I thought you said something.”
“Oh, no. Sorry. Just talking to myself,” I said, grinning and trying to play it like I was not, in fact, a crazy person. The kid didn’t seem to care either way. Instead, I paid him and he handed me the shoes.
“Lane four.”
“Thanks,” I said, then hurried off to join Alec.
The girl was passing him the dish of onion rings when I walked up. The plastic tray was filled with food, all deliciously fried to a golden brown. Corn dogs, onion rings, hot wings, and chili fries. My heart fluttered at the sight, and I wasn’t sure if it was because Alec knew me so well or because my arteries were trembling in terror at the deluge of cholesterol about to flow through them. My guts were definitely going to hate me in a few hours, but right now, I was elated. And starving.
“It’s like you read my mind,” I said, grabbing one of the rings from the top of the pile and blowing on it quickly before shoving it into my mouth.
“I’ve known you for half your life,” Alec said as though that explained it all. It kind of did.
The girl looked crestfallen, but Alec thanked her and slid a couple of singles into the tip jar decorated with hearts that sat on the counter next to the till.
We carried the food and drinks over to lane four and set them on the table behind the computer screen. The lanes on either side were vacant, which made me happy. I hadn’t bowled in years, and my aim had never been all that great. There was a better-than-good chance that at some point during the evening, my ball would accidentally end up on one of the other lanes.
“Age before beauty,” I said, sweeping my arm to the side to encourage Alec to take the first turn.
“I am three months older than you, asshole,” Alec reminded me as he finished lacing up the atrociously colored shoes.
“Three long months.”
He rolled his eyes at me, then leaned over the computer. When he moved, I could see he’d entered our names. Or rather, he’d entered Alec on the first row and Dickwad on the second.
“Wow. Romantic,” I said trying not to let the amusement show on my face. “If this is how you treat all your dates, it’s no wonder you get laid so often.”
“What can I say?” He picked up a ball off the rack behind me and held it up, sliding his fingers into the holes. Somehow he made it look suggestive. “I have a certain charm men can’t resist.”
I laughed at him. “I’ve managed to resist that charm for years.”
“And yet, here you are, married to me.”
He had a point. “Bowl your fucking turn or we’re going to be here all night.”
He turned and strutted forward, then bent, swinging the ball through before releasing it. He stayed bent that way for longer than he had to, giving me a view of his ass as the ball rolled down the lane and toppled every pin.
“Lucky shot,” I muttered, pushing myself up to standing.
“You think it’s luck?”
“Yep. There’s no way you can do that twice.”
“You wanna bet on it?” The challenge was clear in his voice.
“Sure.”
“Loser makes dinner for a week and does the dishes after.”
“Deal,” I said, walking over to the ball rack with as much confidence as I could muster. I had no idea why I kept making stupid bets, and this was one I was sure to lose. I couldn’t bowl for shit. Then again, I couldn’t cook for shit ei
ther, so who was the real loser in this scenario?
I stepped up to the lane and squared my shoulders, trying to remember what my uncle had said when he’d taken me bowling for the first time. Something about arrows on the floor and follow through? For the life of me, I couldn’t remember.
I held the ball to my chest, gripping it hard. Knowing my luck, I was going to be the fucker who accidentally lost control and hurled the thing backward. If Alec ended up with a broken nose or a black eye, though, it served him right for taunting me. I took three steps forward and swung the ball out, releasing it and wincing hard as it landed on the wood with a loud thump, then seemed to magically change directions and beeline straight for the gutter.
I spun on my heels and pointed. “Did you fucking see that? There’s no way that just happened. It actually defies the laws of physics.”
“Didn’t you flunk physics?” Alec asked.
“That’s not the point. That ball changed directions.”
“Don’t get all pissy because you made a bet there’s no way you could win.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and walked back to the bench, formulating a game plan as I moved. I sat down and when Alec turned to take his place, I poured some of the beer from my glass into his.
Getting him hammered was going to be the only shot I had at winning.
An hour later, we’d decided on best two out of three. I was sure my plan was working, but despite Alec’s aim getting worse, he was still infinitely better than I was. If things continued, there was no way I was going to be able to catch up.
I jogged over to the food counter and bought another pitcher of beer. When I returned to our lane, Alec was looking more than a little sloshed. His eyes had gone soft, and his cheeks were pinker than usual.
“More beer?”
We were closing in on the end of our second game, and with the way things were playing out, it didn’t look like we’d need a third.
“We still have a few balls left.”