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Then he hung up.
It was fifty yards to the trailer. He crossed it in big strides.
“Hey, James, you okay?” one of the guys called.
“Family emergency,” he barked out. He tossed open the door to the trailer, but it was empty. He backed right out. “Where’s Joe?”
The couple of guys gathered around shook their heads and shrugged. “Maybe down at corporate?” one of them offered.
Devin shucked his safety gear. “When he gets back, tell him I had to go.”
“Okay…”
“Terrell? You’re in charge.”
And then a voice came from behind him. A stupid, teasing voice. “What did your mommy want, James? Need you to come home and have your bottle?”
Devin ignored Bryce. He didn’t have time for this.
But as he headed for his truck, Bryce followed him. “Real nice, ignoring your employees while you’re running out the door halfway through your shift. Super responsible. I can see why you got the promotion over me.”
Real nice, ignoring your father. Worthless sack of—
Devin’s father’s words had no place in his head. Not now when he was on his way to help Zoe, to help her family, who had been better to him than his own flesh and blood had ever been.
“Maybe I’ll fill out one of those write-up forms you keep doing for me—not that anybody reads them.” Bryce leaned against the side of Devin’s truck as Devin went to open the door. “You know that, right? That nobody listens to you?”
Just try to report me.Devin’s dad had been stumbling, slurring.Nobody’s going to listen to you.
“Get out of my way.” Devin managed to keep from growling, but it was a narrow thing.
“Make me.”
Devin hauled open the door of his truck and got in, but when he went to pull it closed behind him, Bryce was still there.
“Seriously, James. I want to see you do it.” Bryce was in the way now, making it impossible to close the door. “Or are you too weak? Weak guy trying to boss everyone around.” His voice dropped. “Not a great look. Think all of them will still respect you when they see me walk all over you?”
Devin looked past Bryce’s shoulder before he could stop himself. Terrell and the rest of the team were back at work, but people were looking. Was that Bryce’s angle? Trap him like this? Make him back down? Rub it in his face the next time Devin tried to call him out?
When would it end?
All Devin’s life, he’d tried to keep his head down, work hard, stay out of trouble, and for the most part, it had panned out just fine. He had a great job, great friends. For the moment, at least, he had Zoe.
But what if it wasn’t enough to keep quiet and do things the way they were supposed to be done?
What if he’d stood up to his dad a long, long time ago?
Righteousness surged through Devin’s veins. “Move.” When Bryce didn’t budge, Devin turned. He got out of the truck, and that put him right in Bryce’s face, and he didn’t care. “Go back to work now or pack up your things.”
“Whatever—”
And that was it. Devin was done. “You’re fired.”
For the first time, Bryce flinched. “Wait.”
“Get off my site. Don’t come back.”
“You can’t—”
