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“That’s what you think,” I said easily. “But I think it’s better to test the theory and see if it works out, versus forcing it. That way if it fails, you don’t have to worry about it damaging your reputation. Your only concern is replacing an employee.”
“It’s safe,” Kyle said from behind me, “and it’s a good idea.”
Dad looked like he was ready to object further, but his gaze settled on Kyle. He nodded and forced a smile as he turned back to me. “Let’s get you out to the parts department so you can meet the people you’ll be working with.” He walked to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll accept your terms. Maybe after working here for a little while, we can get you to see the point of mine.”
I nodded and let him lead me out of the office. Kyle didn’t follow, he just stood outside Dad’s office with his hands in his pockets, a speculative look on his face.
I just hoped that this was the right choice.
Chapter 17
Cameron
Istepped into the apartment to see Adam waiting for me. “We need to go out,” he said in a tone that didn’t offer much room for argument. “I’ve got a new job and I need to party before I start my first day.”
“Do you have any cash to party with?” I asked. It had only been a few weeks, but he had gone through a lot of alcohol before I’d brought Grace back to the apartment.
While I was confident I fixed that issue, I hadn’t gotten the chance to address the other problems we had. Darius only left one-word answers in the group chat. I pulled my phone to send him a private message, mentioning drinks. I went as far as offering to buy a few rounds.
It gave me the chance to scroll through the chat, noting when Kyle left it. It had been quiet since he did. It was hard to believe that he had been the glue that brought us all together. Did I regret this?
“I got cash,” Adam said, his phone in hand. “It’s definitely something I can afford if you’re offering to buy a few rounds.”
“That was more to get Darius to join us,” I told him. “We’ve got things worked out here,” I said, gesturing between the two of us. “I’m not worried about you. Even if you move out, I’ve got rent and utilities covered. The only issue would be Grace.”
That got his attention, and he narrowed his eyes at me. “You don’t get to keep Grace for yourself.”
“That’s not really something I have control over,” I pointed out. “Neither do you.” I kept my attention on my phone, waiting patiently as three dots appeared on the group chat. It looked like Darius was typing up a reply. “What I have control over is making sure the three of us stick together. I haven’t heard from Darius since Kyle walked in on us. I want to make sure he’s all right.” I cleared my throat. “Things feel off without all of us together.”
Adam nodded and looked away. “I know a place we can go where the drinks won’t break the bank,” he said, his attention on his phone. “The staff is pretty hot too. It might offer a great . . . ”
I didn’t have to ask. I already knew where he was referring to. I couldn’t even find the willpower to tell him no. When Darius said to come get him, it sealed the deal.
Since it was the three of us, we piled into Adam’s truck. It seemed like the best plan because we could give Grace a ride too. Darius stood outside his apartment on the sidewalk, a pensive expression on his face.
I realized we’d waited too long to touch base with each other. When he climbed into the back of the truck, he shook it off. “I wasn’t sure if we were gonna cut our losses with each other and stop doing this or not. It’s been two weeks and nobody did anything when the game was on.”
“I might have overreacted after everything imploded,” Adam admitted. “I got fired, obviously.” He glanced back at Darius. “So, offering to work part-time during the holidays is off the table?”
“It’s been a while since I had to do that,” Darius said dismissively. “The only reason I did it was because I planned to propose. That didn’t work out. I don’t plan on going down that route anytime soon.” He turned to look out the window.
That was something that got Adam’s attention, and he braked a little hard. “We’re not gonna be able to do shit like that,” he said lowly to me.
“We’re going out because you got a new job,” I pointed out, gripping the handhold above my head so I didn’t get choked by the seat belt. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I didn’t think outside of the short term,” he admitted as he started the truck moving forward again. “If it goes long term, there’s no way we can announce this. We couldn’t get married.”
“You two finally started messing around?” Darius asked from the back seat. “I didn’t want to assume that there was something going on between the two of you, but it makes sense.” He snorted. “You can get married.”
“I’m talking about Grace,” Adam snapped. Then he turned to me. “Not that there’s anything wrong with you, I just like titties.”
I nodded. “Same. Plus, you’re a little selfish. I don’t think I could handle being with you without a guaranteed happy ending.”
“Fuck off,” Adam growled. “I’m not selfish.”
“Sure, sure.”
“You two are still involved with Grace?” Darius asked suddenly.
