Ethan hung up the phone, grabbed a coffee mug and filled it before walking out to the shop to retrieve the wrecker keys from the locked box on the wall. He tried to hurry, not wanting to give himself too much time to think this through. What was the saying? No good deed goes unpunished? Yeah, that was it. Ethan got the feeling he was about to learn exactly what that meant.
Once he was outside, the icy February wind sent a chill right through the lightweight shirt Ethan had on. Damn, he’d forgotten his jacket again too. Looking forward to the heater in the truck, he made quick work of locking the main door and then went around the side of the building to the wrecker.
Managing to block the brunt of the wind by closing himself inside the wrecker, Ethan twisted the key over and flipped the heater on full blast. After scrubbing his hands together to warm them, he twisted to glance behind him as he backed the giant flatbed truck down the short gravel driveway.
It wasn’t until Ethan hit the main road, about ten minutes from his destination, that he noticed a familiar truck in his rearview mirror. Fucking hell. What the hell was Blake doing following him? Ethan didn’t even ponder the answer to that question. Shit, half the time he didn’t know why Blake did anything he did. But, considering how possessive Blake had been lately, Ethan shouldn’t have been surprised.
As he drove, Ethan recalled the last conversation he’d had with Blake two weeks ago, the morning Blake had quit:
“You’re late,” Ethan muttered when Blake walked through the open bay door at seven. Just the day before, they had agreed on six being the starting time so they could cut out early in the afternoon. Apparently, Blake didn’t intend to work a full day. Not that he ever did.
“Yup,” Blake offered enthusiastically. “Don’t deny it, you just missed me.”
Ethan held his tongue, not wanting to let the nasty response slip out of his mouth. He wasn’t in the mood to argue. There was too much to do, not enough time, and the last thing he intended to do was spend the morning fighting with Blake.
“What do you want me to work on this morning, boss man?” Blake called out as he headed into the office, probably looking for coffee. Too bad Ethan hadn’t made any yet that morning. The guy deserved it, considering Blake knew just how much Ethan hated being called that.
Wait for it… wait for it…
“Where’s the coffee, E?”
There it was.
Ethan didn’t respond. Wiping his hands on one of the shop towels he kept close by, he returned to what he was doing and went in search of the file for the truck that he was working on. The one Blake had taken on a little over a week ago and should’ve been long gone by now.
“Why’re you working on that one? Thought you wanted me to do it?” Blake asked, moving in to stand close. Too close.
“You’ve gotta show up to work for that to happen,” he mumbled, angry with himself for saying anything at all.
“Cut me some slack, E,” Blake retorted, snatching the file out of Ethan’s hand.
Ethan rounded on the man, coming face to face as Ethan looked down at Blake. “I’ve cut you enough slack. I’ve covered for you when you don’t show up, I’ve handled your responsibilities when you disappear for days. You don’t give a shit, do you? You’re just taking advantage of me because you know I can’t sit back and let it go,” Ethan disputed.
“Me? Taking advantage of you? That’s rich, Ethan. If I recall correctly, you’re the one who keeps saying this thing between us isn’t a real relationship.”
“Fuck, what the hell does that even have to do with it?” Ethan bit out, taking a step back. “This is work, Blake, not a fucking reunion. I don’t show up here to spend time with you in case you haven’t noticed.” Ethan turned away, took a deep breath. He wasn’t interested in having this conversation and he knew exactly where it was headed.
“How about this?” Blake began, his laid-back tone laced with anger. “You admit what we’ve got here, and I’ll work when I come in.”
“So nice of you to offer,” Ethan said, his temperature spiking from the anger erupting inside of him. “You fucking get paid to work here, Blake. You don’t own the goddamn place, so you’re expected to show up on time and do what you’re being paid to do.”
“Oh, but you own this place, huh? Yet you’re the fucking saint who shows up every day and works. Never taking time for yourself. Oh, unless you’re fucking me, is that it? Perfect little angel, lets his brothers control it all and walk all over you.”
“That’s not the way it works, and you fucking know it,” Ethan yelled.