Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Darius didn’t know what cool was, but he sure as fuck was cute.
Gray followed and looked up at the bright blue sky. Not a cloud in sight, not even a single breeze.
It was summer in Bakersfield. Well, summer by Gray’s definition. He could even smell barbecue.
“Come check this out, Gray,” Darius said. “It’s fucking gorgeous.”
Gray made a face and trailed over. Now he was going to start questioning Darius’s taste in everything…
“The one I had was an older model,” Darius went on. “This one’s an ’89.”
“Jesus, I wasn’t even born,” Gray muttered. He could feel Darius’s flat stare from behind his Ray-Bans, and Gray smirked. The man didn’t always like being reminded of their age difference.
“Anyway.” Darius cleared his throat and returned his focus to the ugly car. “It’s beautiful, Jayden, innit? New stereo, and look, custom-made bench seat in the front. That means you can sit three people up there.”
“It’s big,” Jayden said with a nod.
“It’s…brown,” was what Gray could offer.
“It’s black cherry,” Darius corrected. “Perfect condition.”
Gray watched him ghost a finger along the metallic surface. It did, admittedly, appear brand-new. There wasn’t a single scratch. Everything metal, like the bumpers and rims, gleamed in the sun.
“I gotta know what the catch is.” Darius looked over toward the open garage bay, presumably to find someone in charge.
“I think you’re looking at it.” Gray gestured at the vehicle. “Twenty-seven thousand dollars for a shiny pile of ancient junk. You can get a brand-new car for that kind of money.”
“Ooof,” someone said behind them. “Don’t let my brother hear you say that.”
Gray whipped around and spotted a smirking man Darius’s age stepping out of the garage bay.
“Sorry we didn’t hear ya come in,” he said. “We’re just fixin’ up some chow in the back.” So that was why it smelled like barbecue in the air. The man wiped his hands on a dirty rag. “Can I help you, guys?”
“Did you restore the Wagoneer?” Darius asked.
“No, that would be my brother—Cam. You interested? He’s in the back if you want me to get him.”
“I’m definitely interested,” Darius replied. “There’s gotta be a catch. She seems to be in excellent condition—and less than a hundred thousand miles for that price…?”
The man chuckled and retied the coverall sleeves around his waist. His white tee was nowhere near white anymore. “A lower price means a quicker sale. A quick sale means Cam can restore more cars.” He paused. “He and his hubby—they have a girl who dreams about the Ivy League. You could say it lit a fire under their asses to save more for her college fund.”
“Ivy League would do that,” Darius murmured in agreement. “Well, take me to your brother, eh? I wouldn’t mind a chat.”
“Sure thing.” The man nodded toward the back. “I’m Landon, by the way.”
“Darius,” Darius said. “Gray and Jayden.” He pressed a kiss to the side of Gray’s head before he walked ahead, following Landon.
Jayden snuck closer to Gray.
They walked underneath a car that was raised on some…apparatus. Gray didn’t speak Car Mechanic. He wasn’t his brother. Gage would feel at home here.
The “back” consisted of a paved lot packed with cars, old and new, and stacks upon stacks of tires. There was also a set of plastic lawn furniture, a grill, and two other men.
“Chase! Don’t burn my wings,” Landon hollered.
The man who was tending to the grill had his back to them but raised his middle finger in the air.
Landon introduced Darius to the other guy. “Cam, you got a potential buyer for the Wagoneer.”
“Sorry I’m late,” someone else said. Gray looked over his shoulder as a fourth guy joined them, carrying a takeout bag. “Austin’s not here yet?”
“You’re late,” the grill master, Chase, accused.
“That’s what I just said,” the newcomer laughed.
Gray was quickly getting overwhelmed. It was a fairly small space, and the summer heat suddenly wasn’t helping. Maybe because the smells of barbecue and motor oil were heavy in the air.
“Have a seat, boys.” Landon sat down and kicked out a chair for Gray. “You’re just passin’ through, I take it?”
Gray nodded absently as he saw Chase dip down and kiss the newcomer.
Were they all gay here, or what?
Not to mention rugged and tatted up. Only the newest guy seemed a bit younger.
Gray took a seat and scratched Jayden’s neck.
Jayden chose to step between Gray’s legs and half-sit on one of his thighs while he looked around curiously.
Darius and Cam were getting along fine, it appeared. One chuckled at something the other said, and then vice versa. It was all so casual, and it was a reminder that Gray wasn’t there yet. He couldn’t unclench and roll with the punches. Which he’d never struggled with before. He was social and outgoing. Well, he had been.
It was sobering, and it only got worse when a fifth man showed up. Unlike the others, this one wore a suit, sans jacket, and Landon called him Austin. Who apologized for being late and explaining tiredly that he’d had another fight with his ex-wife because their daughter wanted to stay with “us”—him and…Cam? Gray assumed so, because Cam excused himself from the conversation with Darius and joined Austin for a minute.