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“I imagine those calls are only going to increase. I’d like to do a feature on you. It would mostly focus on your work, of course, but I like to include a little interview with the artist if you’re open to that.”
Is she kidding me? Would I like my business featured in a wildly successful publication that will lead to me having more clients than I can handle? Would anyone turn this down? “I’d be very happy to be included. Thank you so much.”
“Fantastic. Let’s chat then.”
For the next thirty minutes she has my full attention. Thankfully, the questions aren’t too personal. She’s focused mainly on why I wanted to be a photographer, where I went to school, why I decided to open my studio here. She’s going for a hometown girl does good vibe from what I can tell. I let her know that I’m at the beginning of a rebranding and that my business name will be changing. She promises to mention that in the article as well so there’s no confusion when clients try to find me. We go through my photos and choose the ones she’d like to include. We need permission from the parents, but that’s quickly solved with a couple of phone calls.
By the time she leaves, I’m bursting with excitement and I can’t wait to tell someone. A glance at my phone tells me Tori is at work, probably in front of a classroom right about now. It’s a few minutes past five o’clock. The guys might have headed home for the day, but Oliver will likely still be at Stokes Brothers. I’ve been doing my best to give him the space we both need, but I’m going to stop in to share my news and see how he’s doing.
Milo’s truck sits parked beside Oliver’s car, but it looks like the others have gone home. The door is locked since it’s after hours, and I’m greeted by loud rock music when I let myself in.
Milo hangs up a set of keys on the peg board, then turns to see me. “Hey!” He reaches under the counter and turns the music down to a level where we can hear each other. “I didn’t know you were coming. Everything alright?”
“Everything’s great. Maybe I just missed you.”
His big chest shakes under a gruff laugh. “Of course you did.”
“Things good here?” I ask, glancing around.
“Same as always.” He leans over and drops his voice. “Take a peek into the garage.”
Curiosity grips me as I follow his direction and look around into the bays. There’s no music blaring in there, but a set of earbuds are tucked into Oliver’s ears. He sits surrounded by a bunch of metal parts that I couldn’t identify if my life was at stake. He’s streaked with grime. While I watch, he rubs his hand up his forehead, knocking his sweaty hair back but leaving a smear of what looks like oil. His brow furrows while he studies the part. I’ve seen that look on Alden’s face a hundred times. On him what looked like frustration or concentration was pure joy. He was in his element.
Oliver picks up a small wrench and begins to work on the part. I can’t take my eyes off of him. Staring at the dirt-streaked jeans, dark gray fitted shirt, and the small smile that appears when he gets whatever he’s working on accomplished is like looking back in time. Alden would’ve loved to see this side of him.
Without letting him notice me, I slip back into the lobby area. “He’s working on a bike.”
“He’s building a bike,” he corrects.
“He told me you were teaching him the mechanic side of things, but I thought he was still mainly working on the business stuff.”
“He’s doing both, bouncing between them, and learning fast, but he doesn’t seem to take to the numbers like he used to. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the mechanical skills before, or at least the ability to learn them, he just wasn’t interested. He once said he’d leave the monkey wrenches to us monkeys, and Alden threw a bolt at him.” Milo pauses to look at me after he shrugs into his coat. “He’s changed. That blow to the head rearranged him, I guess.”
Rearranged. That’s a good way to put it. He’s not damaged or broken. He’s rearranged.
“He’s doing alright, though?”
“He’s doing a hell of a lot better than I would be if I had his problems riding on my shoulders. That’s a strong fucking man out there.”
Oliver walks in, putting an end to the conversation. He stops short when he sees me, and a smile rises on his lips. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“I stopped by to see how things are going.”
Milo scoops up his keys. “I’m out of here. I left that work order on the desk in the office.” Oliver nods at him and he takes off.
“How are you doing?” I hate how awkward things feel now.
He walks around the counter, putting it between us. “I’m okay. Working a lot. How about you?”
“Same. Working. I’m rebranding my studio like I talked about before. And I had a writer from Modern Motherhood magazine visit me today. They’re going to do a feature on my infant photography, so I don’t think I’ll have a shortage of clients anytime soon.”
“That’s fantastic!” His smile reaches into my stomach. “Congratulations. You deserve it.”
“I’m excited about it.” I notice a drip of blood leak out of a band-aid wrapped around his middle finger. “You’re bleeding.”
He curses under his breath and pulls the first aid kit from under the counter. “I was installing a new rotor and the wrench slipped and slit open my finger.”
“Do you need stitches?”
