Page 13 of Sparks Fly

I had gotten there before the rest of the crew again, which suited me just fine. The quiet before the day really started was the best part of the shop.

Ten minutes later the outer door banged open and Benji stumbled in like a raccoon someone had coaxed into daylight, a travel mug in one hand while his hoodie hung half-zipped and his eyes squinted against the brightness. His hair was still damp, curling at the nape of his neck like it had not decided what kind of day it was having yet.

“Morning, sweet cheeks,” I called across the shop without looking up from the metal.

Benji groaned as he set his mug down with exaggerated care. “It’s Monday morning,” he muttered while rubbing his face with both hands. “That’s way too chipper of a tone before noon.”

I laughed and tightened the clamp on the gate, the metal clicking clean and sharp beneath my hands. “How was the rest of your birthday weekend?” I asked while steadying the torch.

“I was hungover most of Saturday,” Benji said, rubbing his jaw like he was rebooting his brain. “Then yesterday I hung out with Tiff for a while.”

I grinned, Benji had it bad for his sister’s friend Tiff. I had known it for a while, but he still had not admitted it out loud. They were ‘just friends.’

“Oh yeah?” I asked. “How’d that go?”

“It was okay,” he said with a shrug as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured more coffee into the mug he brought from home. “I don’t know. She talked a lot about this Lilith date that had gone wrong.”

I paused for a second with the torch still in my hand before answering casually. “Maybe you just need to ask her on an actual date?” I glanced toward him.

“I would, but I don’t even know if she’s interested.” He said, hesitation before adding, “You know.”

“Didn’t you say you think she’s pan?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “New subject. What else did you do this weekend?”

“Saturday breakfast with Vic and the rest of the crew. We missed you. Then yesterday we went on a ride, and after that I worked in my workshop at home.” I hesitated for a moment. “And I, um, texted your sister a little.”

Benji blinked at me through the fog of early morning. “Addie? Yeah?” he said slowly as he leaned back against the table.

“Yeah, we connected at your birthday, and then she found me on Insta,” I said with a shrug, like I was commenting on the weather.

Benji blinked again. “Addie?” He said again.

“Mm-hmm,” I replied, returning my attention to the metal.

Benji tilted his head and studied me. “You’re interested?” He asked.

I shrugged one shoulder and kept my eyes on the gate. “I mean, I might be. Would you be okay with that?”

Benji let out a soft laugh that still sounded surprised. “I mean, she’s a big girl,” he admitted. “I’ve never really thought she’d let anyone else think she was anything but straight…”

“She doesn’t seem very straight in my DMs,” I said as I flipped my goggles back down.

That got him.

“Seriously?” Benji asked, straightening.

“Seriously,” I said while adjusting the flame. “She liked one of my photos from like thirty-something weeks ago,” I added dryly. “Then pretended it was an accident. That’s basically queer Morse code.”

Benji let out a slow whistle and dragged his hand through his hair. “Jesus Christ.”

“I’m not doing anything shady,” I added, finally looking at him. “She started it. I’m just… interested.”

Benji nodded slowly as he considered that. “She actually probably could use someone like you.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

He thought for a moment. “Addison has always been—put together… perfect.” She thought she had to be, for me—when I came out.” He paused again and then shook his head. “But I mean you’re complete opposites. She makes vision boards for fun. You weld fire to steel.”