Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(67)

Alec’s laughter brought him back to the conversation. “You make me laugh when you get so silent. I spooked you,” Alec declared confidently.

“No…” He tried to deny it. He wasn’t necessarily scared, just needed a minute to settle into the idea, which spoke volumes to the comfort and care Alec handled him with.

“It feels like a longer drive, but I think it’s about the same for you. Listen, babe, I called you because I’ve been invited to dinner with Reed and Arik Layne, the property owner. I’ll be late at best. I didn’t want you to worry,” Alec said.

“I was gonna text you.” A crack of thunder clapped hard, sending a rolling vibration rumbling through the street.

“What was that?”

“Thunder. It’s startin’ to rain.” He looked over at the guys standing inside the warehouse, just kind of gathered together, and he nodded toward the parking lot, encouraging them to head out for the day. “I got a text. We got church tonight. I gotta go.”

“What’s goin’ on with that?” Alec’s voice filled with concern.

“Don’t know. We’re all expected to be there. I was thinkin’ I’ll probably stay down here though,” he said, except he hadn’t thought that at all. Last night sucked. He hadn’t slept well without Alec there with him. He worried, and he liked it so much better knowing Alec was safe at home, and he was the one being called away.

“The meeting’ll run so late that you can’t come home afterward? I miss you, Key,” Alec whispered, his happy tone turning to disappointment.

“You go enjoy yourself. Celebrate. You deserve it,” he said.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Alec said again quietly.

“Hmm,” he murmured and tucked his chin to his chest, stepping out of the way as the guys left through the door he’d entered.

“I think that hmm means you’re gonna miss me,” Alec said, and Keyes gave a chuckle.

“Hmm,” he murmured again in response, and Alec laughed.

“Okay, well, if anything changes, come home. We have a lot to celebrate. Or I could even come to you, but I know you won’t let me.”

“No, not a good idea. So, does this mean you’re puttin’ in your notice?” he asked, lifting his head, looking around the warehouse, so self-conscious of even indirectly talking about the DA’s office out loud.

“Yes. By accepting this job, I’ve agreed to hit the ground running by January second. Listen, I’ve got to run. Call me later,” Alec said.

“You call me when you’re finished,” he shot back and reached inside his jeans pocket to make sure the key fob was there. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, babe. I love you. Bye.” The phone went dead as he pivoted around, heading back out the door. Louis was waiting for him on the other side, everyone else must have scattered.

“I’m headin’ out too. The storm’s supposed to last. Go home,” Keyes suggested as the driving rain picked up in intensity. He got a lifted hand response, and Louis darted out of the building in the opposite direction of Keyes’s new truck. He followed suit, locking the door then running across the parking lot as the clouds opened up, dumping a shit load of rain on him.

Keyes hurriedly jumped in the truck and hit the start button, staring out over the building. They needed something, maybe off to the side, that protected cars from the elements and kept business operating during bad weather. Maybe start with something big enough to hold a couple of vehicles. Make it covered, see if it was even needed. He dropped the gearshift into reverse and backed out, wondering what something like that would cost. Business was better, maybe he could afford it now. It’d be nice if he could start collecting a real paycheck again.

As he drove toward the club, he thought about what it would take to accomplish. He could ask his brothers tonight. With the club’s help, he’d just be out the cost of the material. Couldn’t be that hard. Keyes contemplated the ins and outs until he pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse. He quickly shrugged off his warm Carhartt and donned his cold leather patch.

The rain hadn’t quite made it to the clubhouse, and while walking inside, he used his phone to google the different kinds of designs available for what he wanted. His eyes locked on a rectangle awning setup that helped with wind gusts…

“Hey, man.”

Keyes stared down at one of the prospects that sometimes hung out between Fox’s shop and the clubhouse. He’d probably been introduced before, but Keyes had no idea of his name, so he lifted his chin and watched the guy open the clubhouse door for him. “Lookin’ good in the new ride.”

Keyes looked back at the truck, then again down at the guy. His brow furrowed. What a kiss-ass thing to say. That made him take a closer look at the guy, making sure he committed him to memory, just in case he made it out of the prospect stage.

“Right,” he said, stepping through the door, turning back to the open room of the club.

“You’re here early,” Ace called out from behind the bar where Keyes found a stool and took a seat then resumed searching on his phone.

“Not by much. The rain shut us down early,” he mumbled, taking the Bud Light put in front of him. “Know anything about an outside bay I could add to Tires?” he asked before taking a long drink. Even with the cold weather outside, the cold beer hit the spot.