Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what’s happening to keep us connected this way, but I’m Alec’s employer and I believe we’ve crossed a line. Since he’s my lead attorney, I can’t ask him for the law in this situation…” The dark screen made it difficult to know for sure, but Arik sounded like he had humor in his voice.
“Is your father still there?” Dev asked. Man, he hoped he wasn’t.
“I am.”
Dev dropped his head between his shoulder blades. There was no denying the amusement in the older Mr. Layne’s voice, even in the two words spoken. He rolled his head to look at Keyes, who had gone completely red-faced.
“Mr. Layne, I’m sorry. Please don’t share what you heard with Alec. Just until I give him the bike. It’s a Christmas present…” Keyes started.
Arik interrupted him. “I feel like I should tell Alec that he’s asking for too much in the bedroom…” Laughter had the rest of the sentence going unsaid.
“No. I’m embarrassed for Alec. I didn’t mean it like it might’ve sounded…” Keyes shook his head when Arik laughed uproariously.
“No need for embarrassment, son,” Mr. Layne said. “Arik and I will happily hold your secret until the first of next year, but I feel certain Arik’ll have to tease you both about the other someday. It’s a quirk in his personality. He never lets anything go.”
As if he deflated, Keyes’s elbows went to his knees, his hands splayed out as he mouthed, what the fuck.
“It’s okay. Alec’s gotta be used to the embarrassin’ things you do by now,” Dev said quietly, truly meaning to help. Keyes’s eyes widened as he reached out a foot and knocked Dev’s chair, rolling it a good distance away. Dev barely stayed upright and got to his feet.
“I believe we’re good to go,” Mr. Layne said good-naturedly. “Send me an invoice for the deposit so we can get this started.”
“Thank you,” Dev said, watching Keyes almost silently bang his forehead on the small tabletop. “When Keyes recovers, he’ll shoot the invoice over. Let me know about the seat design. We have time.”
Dev grabbed the back of Keyes’s T-shirt, pulling him to his feet. “Say goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” Keyes said as instructed. Dev pushed him from behind to get Keyes moving out of his space.
“Goodbye,” he heard both men say. Dev reached over and shut the lid of the laptop.
“Stay the course,” Dev said, trying for encouragement. “Forget all about that. And get to work. You have a lot to get done before January. And send Millie in. I got shit to do.” Dev shoved Keyes out the door, feeling his supportive friendship quota was met for the day.
Keyes dramatically rolled his eyes, his head following the exaggerated motion until his body rolled with it, turning to leave. His shoulders slumped as he walked down the hall to the reception area.
“Good sale,” Dev called out. “This one’s big.”
“Alec’s gonna fuckin’ die.”
Dev chuckled and began straightening his desk. There was no lie in Keyes’s words.
Chapter Five
Alec
December
The workshop behind Keyes and Alec’s home had become the regular Fox-James/Dixon-Pierce hangout. Both families spent an enormous amount of time in this large rectangular metal building together among the new machinery and work bays, ready to churn out new bikes.
This evening, Dev’s Harley had all the attention. Keyes was lost in finding whatever problem Dev experienced. Dev was bent down on one side, Keyes on the other. Dev’s only job was to provide moral support to Keyes. Dev’s strength was in the arts. Mechanics, not so much.
“Is there anyone else we need to invite?” Alec asked from his perch on top of his regular barstool. He had a pad of paper in one hand and a pen poised to print the names suggested for their first annual Christmas Eve bash.
“Who you got so far?” Keyes asked distractedly, never lifting his head.
“We can’t come to your party,” Mae piped up, running in circles as the dogs chased after her. “We’re spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Mama. Daddy’s letting her have Christmas at our house, so we don’t have to move around so much.”
Abi sat against the outside shop’s wall next to the door. She was on the ground, sitting crisscross with her cell phone stuck to her hand.
As much time as the girls spent there, it was apparent Abi was becoming increasingly detached from everyone. The phone was her life source, much to Dev’s repeatedly stated aggravation.
“Mae, take the dogs outside. You’re gettin’ ’em too riled up. They’re botherin’ everyone,” Dev said, his head bobbing up over the top of the seat as the dogs began to bark.
“Who’s on your list?” Cash asked as Mae ran outside. Cash generally followed along with Dev but rarely participated in anything more than dinner, where he shined, and gave Alec hope. He’d never tasted a healthy dinner so good.