Page 9 of Teddy Tea Time

Nobody fucks with people I care about. This bitch absolutely knows where to hide a body and is friends with enough people with seven figures in their bank accounts to have top quality legal counsel… especially if it’s in defense of Jace.

“I-I-I’m B-Bradley S-S-Sommers. Social Services.”

The man is actually shaking as he digs out a business card to give to me. Meanwhile, I am struggling not to giggle at the fact that his name really is fucking Bradley.

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket for tonight.

“I need to check off the home inspection so that Gerald can be released into Mister Whitetower’s care tomorrow.”

I hold up a hand to stop the man from rambling on because there are things he just said that I do not understand. Who the fuck is Gerald and why is Jace dealing with social services years after he’s aged out of the system?

Instead of making the bumbling idiot stand outside in the blazing afternoon sun, I invite him into my home where the air conditioner is doing the Lord’s work.

Whoever sells the lie that it doesn’t get as hot as Georgia in the summer here needs to be castrated.

After starting a fresh pot of coffee, I send a text to let Jace know about his visitor. Considering he is not on the schedule for Mac’s or the D.C. tonight, he is likely working on something at the forge out by Round Hill Park.

His response comes faster than expected.

**:

shit!!! I thought they were coming tomorrow morning.

Me:

anything u wanna share with the class TB?

**:

I promise to fill u in later. Can u let him inside? I’ll be home in 15

Glancing over at the clearly ill-equipped man in the suit, I huff out my frustration. I’m not mad at Jace… Okay, I am a bit peeved that I am getting blindsided by heaven only knows what, but my friend always plays everything very close to his chest when it comes to his personal life. Hell, the only reason I even know the guy was even in foster care is because Jackson is his brother from the same foster home, and Jackson doesn’t know the meaning of TMI.

“He’s on his way home, but he says I can let you in to take a look at the place,” I say and grab the spare key out of my junk drawer. “But you need to explain why you were trying the door before I let you inside.”

Brad looks a bit sheepish as he explains that part of his check is to ensure that housing is secure. His mentor told him to try the doors and windows if the adult was not home to let him in because “if a person leaves their home unlocked, they don’t take safety seriously” or some bullshit like that.

“Or,” I say as I lead the way into Jace’s living room a few minutes later, “the person lives in a neighborhood where we all look out for each other at the top of a big ass hill where it gets noticed immediately if someone shows up uninvited.”

He actually has the smarts to look chagrined.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am,” he mumbles before pulling out a clipboard from his backpack. “I was thrown on this case at the last minute. I usually work cases in much… well different areas.”

The sorrow in his voice is enough for me to pack the bitch away – at least temporarily. I’m not a bully.

Plus, I appreciate the fact that he didn’t stumble over his words when it came to recognizing my gender.

When I went outside earlier, I was not wearing my pronoun pin nor a shirt with my maxi skirt. I had taken off the tank top when I spilled soup from my lunch on it and hadn’t bothered to put something else on because I was in my own freaking home. I put the top back on – stain and all – after getting the texts from Jace.

Maybe Bradley is a good egg after all. At least, I hope so because I can hear the roar of my biker boy coming up the hill.

9

JACE

Finding out that Mrs. Stevens had to move her plans up because her sister broke an arm has thrown me into panic mode. First, I had to go to the new workshop and make sure that the more adult side of my business was fully under lock and key so that no eight year old could happen upon those items. Then, I got the text saying social services were at my home… my barely moved into and might possibly still have beer in the fridge from Jackson home.

Storming in probably was a mistake judging by the way the guy in the suit flinches at the sight of me, but Ash places a hand on his shoulder to steady him.