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1.
Gary likes to think of himself as a salt-of-the-earth kinda guy. He knows most people around town, knows about the others, and has a generally decent sense about which people are good, and which people aren’t.
He’s known Wayne Munson most his life. Hard not to, when you both grow up in the same one-horse town. He thinks if he hadn’t found his Melissa, and if Wayne were into Alphas, they maybe could’ve been something. Almost had been, at one point, if that’s not just the rose-colored glasses he had on as a teen.
But he found his Melissa, and she’s the stars in his night sky and the only sun he needs, and he’s happy.
He still knows Wayne. He knew Wayne when he took in his nephew, all of eleven years old and curly hair shorn down to his scalp, too-big ears and too-big eyes—too scared, too, on a pup that young—and hiding behind Wayne’s jacket most days.
He watched as Eddie grew into himself, met other pups at school and formed a small pack of his own, as he grew his hair out and stepped into the role the others had laid out for him as the town freak.
He never once believed Eddie killed that girl.
He knows him too well. He’s a good pup, soft and gentle as they come, and it’s a simple matter of wrong place, wrong time. When the police report comes out saying it was Henry Creel, well now, Gary remembers something of the sort happening to young Creel’s family, and really, it’s not that far-fetched to think something of the sort would come from him.
And anyways, he always knew it wasn’t Eddie.
It’s part of why he hires Eddie. He keeps a close eye on him not because of that, but because he likes him, because he’s a good pup, because maybe Gary feels a certain responsibility towards him.
It’s because Gary watches him that he notices the way he acts and, more importantly, reacts.
He’s talking with Brian one day, a new hire, about his wife. “Knocked her up, y’know?” He shrugs, leans against the wall. “Wasn’t really in the plans, but I married her. Least I could do, I figured.”
“Well,” Eddie says, with no small amount of humor, “I think the least you could’ve done was nothin’, but okay, you married her. Don’t wanna mate her? Or just haven’t gotten to it yet?”
Brian shrugs. “I mean, I married her, didn’t I? What’s the big deal? I give her a kid, a house, what more’s she need?”
Eddie blinks at him. “Dude,” he says, entirely judgmentally. “Do- you don’t love her?”
Brian snorts. “No offense, man, but I’m not a kid. I don’t believe in that fairytale crap anymore.” He shrugs. “It’s all well and good if you do still, but I know better.”
“I believe all that fairytale crap,” Eddie says, “because I live it. I mated my wife in an emergency, sure, because he would’ve fuckin’ died otherwise, but that doesn’t mean that for one second I didn’t want it, or tried to get out of it. He’s the best thing in my life and it’s my mission to make sure he lives each day as happy as he possibly can be. Because I love him, and he loves me.”
Brian snorts. “Wait till you have kids. That’ll change your tone.”
Eddie crosses his arms. “I have three, with a fourth on the way. I love him just as much, if not more, than when we first got mated.” He takes a breath, shakes his head. Says, a little quieter, “it’s worth it, you know. Finding your mate. It makes every day you looked for them worth it.” Another shake of his head, and a nod to Brian’s side. “Hand me that wrench?”
2.
After the Brian Incident, as Gary’s taken to calling it, he keeps a closer eye on Eddie. Not because he’d done anything wrong. He hadn’t bared his teeth at Brian, hadn’t raised his voice. But Gary knows the kind of man Eddie is, knows he can’t stay silent when he sees something.
So when a skittish omega comes in, Gary sends Eddie to help him. He’s a skinny little thing, and Eddie’s all exuberant motions and big smiles until the omega, Josh, is cracking a small smile of his own, explaining to Eddie what the problem is.
Eddie moves too quickly, just once, and the omega flinches. Just a little, and if Eddie hadn’t been looking, he wouldn’t have known.
But he was looking.
He puts the tool down, faces Josh. Open posture, rounded shoulders, looking him in the eye as he speaks softly.
“You gettin’ hurt?” He asks. The omega hesitates, and Eddie holds placating hands up. “I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to,” he promises. “I know better’n most what can happen if news like that reaches back home.”
“It’s just- it was my fault,” Josh explains. “She’s not asking anything impossible of me. I didn’t have dinner finished by the time she got home, and I’d forgotten about the laundry, and-”
“Josh,” Eddie interrupts quietly. “Did she touch you?”
“It was my fault-”
“That’s not what I asked,” Eddie says, kind but serious.
Josh hesitates. “Yeah. She… she does. Did.”
“Does,” Eddie repeats. “I’ve got an in with Chief Hopper. I can call him right now, he’d be here in less than ten minutes.” He cracks a smile. “You’ll probably end up with a new pack out of it, too, he’s got a tendency of picking up strays.”
Josh shakes his head. “I don’t want anyone to go through all that trouble.”
“Then talk to my mate,” Eddie beseeches. “Let me call him, you two can talk while I fix you car, yeah? I’d like if you went over, let him dote on you a little, maybe get you a cup of tea or coffee. Meet our pups, if you want, if they’re there.”
Josh frowns. “If they’re there?”
Eddie waves a hand, unconcerned. “They have so many grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles. They’re passed around like hot potatoes. Our pack is big, and a little spread out, but we’re very closely knit.” He smiles kindly. “Do you have a pack?”
Josh hesitantly shakes his head. “She- she says I don’t need one,” he explains. “That I’ve got her, and a mate is all an omega needs.”
Eddie works his jaw. “I’m gonna call my mate,” he tells Josh. “I’d like it if you’d speak with him.”
“Okay,” Josh says, and follows him to the phone.
Eddie dials, waits for a second. Smiles. “Hey, baby,” he murmurs. “No, everything’s fine, I’m fine, I’ll still be home on time. Yes, I remember what I’m getting from the store. I’ve actually, uh, I’ve got someone here who I’d like you to talk to, if you’ve got the time.” A pause. “Oh, it’s not my business to tell, but you’re so sweet, ‘course he’s gonna tell you soon as you ask.” He chuckles. “Yeah, baby. I love you. Okay, here’s Josh.”
He steps away, holds the phone out for Josh, who takes it.
Eddie turns away, and Gary catches his eye, motions him over.
“He alright?”
Eddie follows his gaze to Josh. “I hope so. I know I’m just paid to work on cars, but I can’t stand by and let someone like that stay in the position they’re in if I have any say in the matter.”
Gary nods. “Why do you think I gave him to you?” He smiles encouragingly. “Y’got a good heart, Ed. You keep using it, and there’s nothing you can’t do.”
Eddie chuckles, ducks his head. “Glad you think so, Bossman.”
Soon enough Josh is on his way out, and Eddie sidles over to Gary. “He’s on his way to Steve,” he murmurs. “Just thought you’d want to know.”
Gary claps him on the shoulder. “Good man,” he says.
3.
The next time Gary’s watching Eddie, he sees his metaphorical hackles rise when an Alpha walks up to him. He gets closer, just in case.
“What are you doing here?” Eddie asks her.
“My car’s making a weird noise,” she says, “or isn’t this a repair shop?” She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I didn’t know you even worked here.”
Eddie takes a step back. Takes a breath. “Okay. I’ll take a look. You got any more for me than just a weird noise?”
She shrugs. “How are you?”
“Fine,” he says, oddly stiff. “If you don’t mind, Nancy, I’m not really paid to stand around and talk.”
Nancy shrugs, gestures to the car. Talks as he’s inspecting it. “You’re just fine?”
Eddie sighs. “What do you really want to know, Nancy?”
She throws her arms out. “Anything! No one’s talking to me. Even Mike won’t tell me anything.”
Eddie sighs. “We’re good. We’ve got three pups, number four fit to burst any day now. We’re happy.” He finishes the inspection, turns the car on for a second, nods at the sound. “Yeah, I see what you mean. Should be an easy fix, you’ll be outta here in twenty minutes.”
“Good,” Nancy says.
“Have you ever considered,” Eddie starts, unusually cautious, “that no one’s talking to you because you’re the one in the wrong here?”
She stares at him for a long minute. “I thought you said you’re not paid to talk.”
Eddie sighs and gets back to work.
It is an easy fix, and the conversation stays every bit as stilted as it started, until finally her car is finished and she’s driving away. Eddie doesn’t fully relax until she’s out of sight.
Gary calls him over again. “That Nancy girl. What’s going on with her?”
Eddie works his jaw. “Lots of personal stuff,” he says. “Not really to me, but to my mate. Enough that I could’ve challenged her.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I threatened to,” Eddie admits. “I didn’t last time because her history with Steve is long and complicated, but at the end of the day, Steve still considers them friends. And it would’ve made him unhappy if I challenged her.”
“So why’d you fix her car?”
Eddie blinks. “Because it’s- it’s my job? She came in, car’s making a weird sound, okay, I don’t care who you are, long as you pay your tab I’ll get you square.”
Gary nods thoughtfully, lets him go on working.
He’s got some thinking to do.
4.
The next time it happens, at least, it’s a happier instance. It’s a young couple, new to town, one baby on the hip and one on the way. Eddie grins at the parents, wiggles his fingers at the pup. Asks the mom how old she is.
“Seven months,” she answers, smiling down at her pup.
He grins at her. “Yeah? She crawling yet?”
She chuckles. “Scooting, more like. You have any pups?”
“Three, with number four on the way.” He leans in, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he admits, “I’m hoping for another boy.”
They chuckle. “How many boys do you have right now?”
“Just the one. Our oldest is a girl, then we had twins, a boy and a girl.”
“How old are they?”
“She’s six, almost seven, and the twins just turned two a couple months back.”
“Do you know the gender of your fourth?”
Eddie chuckles. “We didn’t know the genders of any of ‘em till they were born.”
“You love ‘em?”
“God, more than anything,” Eddie laughs. “That is besides my mate, Steve.”
“Yeah? How’d you meet?”
“Oh, man,” Eddie chuckles. “That’s a story. He was the most popular guy in high school, right? And I was a nobody. We actually didn’t interact much at all, even though we both knew of each other’s existence, right? We both fell in with this pack, made primarily of middle schoolers, and we got involved in a whole bunch. Him first, I got involved way later. Totally not important, gist of the story is we’d been flirting back and forth, right, until something happens and he…” he cuts off, heaves a dry laugh. “Well. Let’s just say our mating was an emergency one.”
The husband covers her mouth with a hand, pulls her wife a little closer. Eddie nods, a sad sort of smile playing on his lips. “Thankfully the mating worked, the bond took hold. I asked him if he wanted to dissolve it, when he woke up, and he said no.” He smiles. “And now it’s been seven years, and we’re as happy as ever.”
“That’s so sweet,” the husband gushes. “We don’t have a story like that.”
“Well I’d hope not!” Eddie laughs. “Emergency matings aren’t fun. How’d you meet?”
“Childhood friends,” the omega answers succinctly. “She moved into a house down the street from me when I was eight. We went to the same schools growing up. The worst we went through was probably my first year of high school, when I thought I looked good with short hair.” She rolls her eyes teasingly.
“Not quite, darling,” her husband answers. “Remember the rejection sickness when I dated Thomas?”
She waves a hand. “That doesn’t count, we weren’t together.”
“No, I just broke up with him after three days and immediately began courting you.” She rolls her eyes back at her wife.
“But we weren’t together,” she insists.
Her husband sighs, looks fondly at her. “No, we weren’t. You’re right.”
“Ah,” Eddie says, speaking to the husband. “Self-sacrificing?”
She snorts. “You know it. Your omega like that too?”
“Hell yeah he is. ‘Course I pretend like it annoys me, and it does sometimes, when he puts everyone else’s needs above his own-”
“But you wouldn’t ever change it,” she nods knowingly, wrapping an arm around her wife’s waist.
Eddie grins. “Exactly.”
With that, he slides under the car and gets to work.
The conversation keeps flowing, just more muffled, so Gary can’t hear, but he does hear numbers being exchanged and the promise of dinner together.
5.
The next time, it starts with Flo, their receptionist, sticking her head out of the office. “Eddie? Phone for you, darlin’, sounds like your omega.”
Eddie pops up from under a car like a fuckin’ prairie dog, all wide-eyed and curious, immediately heading to the phone.
He goes to the closer one, the one in the garage, so Gary can hear his half of the conversation. “Hello? Hey, baby, what’s up?” His shoulders tense. “Shit, I’m sorry, if I’d known I’d have never come into work today. No, no, baby, don’t apologize. There’s nothing to be sorry for. It’s okay, we’ve done this twice, we know what to expect.” He turns to glance at the clock. “The twins are down for their nap, right? And Amy’s at school. Okay, you hop in the shower, okay, baby? I’m gonna call Joyce and Wayne. She’ll pick up Amy, and he’ll watch the twins. As soon as I get off the phone with them, I’ll head home. I’ll be there before you’re out of the shower, okay? Is there anything else you need from me right now?” A small chuckle, “Always, baby. I love you, so much. Okay. Go get in the shower, and I’ll see you soon, okay?”
They hang up, and Eddie’s immediately dialing another number. “Joyce! Hey. Any chance you could pick up Amy for us this afternoon?” He hums. “Yeah. Yeah, he just called me, I’m about to leave work. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much, Joyce, seriously, we owe you one.” He blushes. “Okay. Okay. Thanks, Joyce.”
He ends the call, then again dials another number. “Pops? It’s happening. Can you get to our place, watch the twins? I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Thanks, I owe you one. Love you too.”
He hangs up, then turns to Gary, grinning. “Bossman! Sorry to do this on such short notice, but I’ve gotta run.”
Gary snorts. “Yeah, I noticed. What’s going on?”
His smile widens. “Steve’s going into labor.”
Gary tilts his head. “You’re very calm about all this.”
“Oh, I’m really not,” Eddie laughs. “Trust me, I’m gonna be a mess in the hospital, but Steve needed me calm and rational, so my own feelings had to take a backseat just now.” He shrugs, pulls on his jacket. “Mind apologizing to Mr. Goldman for me? I was supposed to work on his car today, that Buick, y’know?”
Gary snorts, claps his shoulder. “Get outta here. I’ll do it. Go take care of your mate.”
Eddie grins again. “Sir, yes sir!”
With that, he runs out to his car.
+1
“Scuse me, son,” Gary says, as soon as Steve opens the door. “I’m Gary, the manager at-”
“The garage!” Steve gasps, then gasps again. “Is- is everything okay? Eddie?”
“Everything’s fine,” Gary placates. “Sorry, didn’t mean to make you worry. Just wanted to stop in for a quick chat.”
“Oh, of course, come in! Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee? Tea?”
“Water’d be great,” Gary agrees, thanking Steve when he brings a glass back.
Steve glances at the clock, then calls into the house, “Liam! Liza! Thirty minutes ‘till nap time!”
Silence greets him, and he winces. “Excuse me for just a minute,” he says, and darts off. “Liam, Liza, you two had better not be in Mama’s drawers again!”
“Mama no!” Liza whines, darting out of their room and pushing on Steve’s legs. “We pwayin’, go ‘way!”
“I don’t think so,” Steve says, softer. He crouches in front of her. “That’s not how we ask for things, baby.”
“Mama, we pwayin’!”
“That’s not how you ask, Liza. How do you ask me to go away?”
Liza turns big, round eyes on him. “Pwease?”
“Please is exactly right,” he tells her, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “I’ll leave as soon as you and Liam tell me when nap time is.”
“Lee!” Liza yells into their room. “Mama says nap.”
“Give me strength,” Steve mutters. “No, Liza, I didn’t say nap time right now. When did I say nap time?”
She looks at him again. “I dunno.”
“I said in thirty minutes. When’s nap time?”
“Firty minutes.”
“Exactly. Go tell your brother, please.” He presses another kiss to her head, then stands again. Just as he’s made his way back to Gary, a wail starts up somewhere in the house.
He makes a comically pained expression. “And that would be Ezra, wanting a snack. Give me one more second, please.”
Gary chuckles. “I got three of my own, you take all the time you need.”
“Thank you,” Steve whispers, and Gary can tell he’s truly thankful.
He disappears down the hall, and is back in a minute with the baby and a blanket thrown over his shoulder. He smiles at Gary. “I’m sorry, I’d really love to talk, but he nurses still. Would you be comfortable moving to the couch so we can talk? Or would you rather wait?”
Gary chuckles. “Think I should be askin’ you that, son, it’s your house.”
Steve chuckles. “I’m fine with it, if that’s what you’re asking.” He gestures to the living room, and follows Gary in.
They get settled, and Steve gets Ezra settled underneath the blanket, and finally he’s paying attention to Gary.
“Now, I meant what I said before. Eddie’s fine. He’s not in trouble. But this is about him.”
Steve frowns, nods. “Okay.”
“I just wanted to talk for a minute. Get to know you, not the version of you Eddie’s told us about, though I’m sure he’s been nothing but truthful.”
Steve snorts. “I wouldn’t be too sure. I know he likes to embellish.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Gary agrees. “I did have a few questions, too, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.”
“He tells me he does, but then obviously he would, considering I’m his boss. Does he actually enjoy working at the shop?”
Steve laughs. “Are you kidding me? He came home over the moon when you hired him. He came home from his first day working with stars in his eyes saying how nice you were to him, even with…” he waves a hand. “Well, you know.”
“I know,” Gary agrees solemnly. “I also know Wayne. And I know there ain’t no damn way Wayne raised that kid just for him to snap outta nowhere.”
“And we appreciate you for it,” Steve tells him softly. “Our mating was an unconventional one, I know, but it’s what needed to happen.”
“I’ll admit I don’t know much,” Gary tells him. “Eddie just calls it an emergency mating.”
“It was,” Steve nods, voice quiet. “I was dying. Would’ve died if he hadn’t mated me. After that… we were pretty inseparable. We were packing his things, so he could come live with me, when a stress heat hit. During that, my mother found out about us, and she wasn’t happy, to say the least. Threatened to kick me out if I didn’t end it with him. So I moved in with him and Wayne instead. Ended up pregnant with our first, Amy, who’s at school. Stayed with Wayne for a while, then moved out here.”
“Last I heard, this was Hopper’s old cabin.”
“It was,” Steve agrees. “He gave it to us. It’s served us well.”
“Sure looks like it,” Gary agrees. “Never thought Hopper’d be the homey type. Always pegged him as more spartan, but this is very nice.”
Steve preens. “Thank you.”
“But Eddie likes his job? Oh, damn- I forgot to mention. This has no effect on whether or not he keeps his job. I know sometimes people work places just for the money, and I’m not gonna fire him for not loving the job the way I do. This is just my curiosity.”
“No, he loves the job, really. The only reason he doesn’t work longer hours than he currently does is because of me and the pups.”
Gary chuckles. “I told you about my three, didn’t I? I understand.”
“Yeah,” Steve chuckles in response.
“How’s he treat you?”
Steve’s gaze goes soft and contemplative. “Better than I knew I deserved,” he finally says. “I could fill a book with all the things he does for me. The second I’m awake, he’s offering me coffee. He wakes up before me sometimes, gets Amy up and dressed and fed, feeds the twins, and I think if he could he’d feed Ezra too.” He chuckles. “No matter the day he’s had, he always tries to make my day better. He regularly sweeps me off my feet.”
“He sounds like a fairytale character.”
Steve laughs. “Have you met him? Half the time he pretends he is a fairytale character.” He peeks under the blanket, shifts Ezra a little. “He’ll read to me, sometimes. If I just want it, if I have trouble sleeping, whatever. He’s… he’s perfect, for me.”
Silence for a second, that’s then broken by a scream and sobbing. “Mama!” Liam yells, running out of their room.
“In the living room, buddy,” he calls, craning his neck to see down the hall. “Come here, it’s okay.” He gets Liam situated up on the couch next to him. “What happened?”
Liam sniffles. “Liza hit me.”
“Where?” He pouts, points to his arm. There’s no mark, so Steve sighs, rubs his arm. “Liza,” he calls. “Come out here, please.”
No answer. “Liza Marie,” he calls, “come out here.”
She slinks out from their room, looking very sullen.
“Liza,” Steve starts, “did you hit your brother?”
She pouts. “Wanned the caw.”
“You wanted the car,” he repeats. “So you hit him?”
“He wann’t shawin’!”
“That doesn’t mean you get to hit him, baby.” He sighs, cranes his neck to look at the clock. “You know what happens when you can’t play nice.”
“No,” Liza whines. “Mama, I be nice!”
“You should’ve been nice the whole time,” he tells her. “You know the rules, baby, if you can’t be nice, you get early nap time. C’mon, let’s go get you two in bed.”
He returns a few minutes later, apologizing profusely for making Gary wait again.
He just laughs, shakes his head. “It’s my own fault for showing up unannounced,” he tells Steve. “So Eddie. He’s good to you.”
A happy blush covers Steve’s cheeks. “He really is.”
“And the pups?”
“He’s a great dad. Fun, playful, but knows to be serious when the situation calls for it.” He sighs, fidgets under the blanket, then pulls it down and props Ezra against his shoulder so he can burp him. “I really couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“That’s good. I’m gonna be honest here, Steve. I wasn’t askin’ about Eddie to see if he actually likes his job and deserves it. I was askin’ to see if he would do well in my place.”
Steve furrows his brows. “What do you mean, in your place?”
“I’m retiring soon, son. I need someone to take over the garage, and I thought Eddie was the right fit. I just needed an outside point of view to be sure.”
“Oh my god,” Steve whispers, cupping a hand over his mouth. His eyes fill with tears, and he sniffles and laughs. “Fuck, sorry, just- we’re trying to move, this house is getting too small for us, but we can’t on Eddie’s salary.” He wipes his eyes, smiles tearfully at Gary. “I mean obviously, you should pick who you think is best, but… if you pick Eddie, it could be really good for us.”
Gary smiles. “Do me a favor and don’t mention it to Eddie yet? Imma talk to him tomorrow, let him know, get him set up.”
“Thank you,” Steve whispers, still tearing up. “God, thank you. Can I- this is improper, I know, but… can I give you a hug?”
Gary smiles crookedly, stands, and pulls Steve into a careful hug, watching out for Ezra.
“Thank you,” Steve whispers again, and Gary shushes him.
“Not a word,” he murmurs. “He’s getting this because he deserves it.” He pulls back, motions for Steve to sit again. “It’s not very often I see love like you two have. One of my employees married his wife because he knocked her up. It was out of duty, not love. He and Eddie were talking about it one day, and that’s the day I realized I need someone like Eddie to run the shop. People who care like Eddie does…”
“They care with their whole heart,” Steve nods.
“‘Xactly,” Gary nods. “The way I saw him care when he sent that omega here. What’s his name, Josh?”
“Yeah,” Steve nods. “He’s fine, by the way, we kept in touch. He got out, is living in those apartment off Main and Denver.”
“Good,” Gary nods. “That’s why I’m choosing him.”
“I know I’m biased, but I think he deserves it.” Steve grins, wraps Ezra in the blanket he’d had covering himself.
Gary leaves soon after, whistling to himself as he drives away, thinking about how he’s going to tell Eddie.
BONUS:
“Eddie,” Gary calls, motioning him into his office.
The office, he well knows, is only used for serious conversations, and Eddie’s brows are furrowed as he walks in, closing the door behind him. The noise of the shop instantly cuts in half, and a headache that’s been brewing all day suddenly recedes. He sighs, relaxes a little into his chair. Motions for Eddie to sit.
He does. “What’s this about, Bossman?”
Gary purses his lips, raises an amused brow. “It’s about that, actually. Bossman.”
“Do- do you not like it? I don’t mean anything by it, I swear, but if you don’t like it-”
“Eddie,” Gary interrupts, and chuckles. “I don’t mind. It just won’t be true for much longer, is all.”
Eddie’s smart, so it only takes a moment for his brows to hit his hairline. “You’re retiring?”
“I am,” Gary nods. “And I need to find someone to take over.” He lets Eddie squirm for a minute, then nods at him. “And I want you to be that person.”
Eddie blinks. Blinks again. “I- you- me?”
Gary grins. “Congratulations, Bossman,” he teases.
“Holy fuck,” Eddie whispers, then louder, “Holy shit, Gary! What the fuck!”
Gary just laughs. “Yup,” he agrees. “Of course there’s some legal things we’ll need to talk over, some papers to sign, but nothing too hard. Mostly we’ll take the next few months, I’ll teach you everything I haven’t yet, ‘bout the business side of it. Soon as I think you’re ready, it’s yours.”
“Shit,” Eddie whispers. “You don’t know how much this means to us. We’ve been trying to move but can’t afford it with my salary. This is… shit, man, this is a game-changer.”
Gary grins, nods. “You deserve it, kid. You really do.”
“I- shit, I need to call Steve- can I-”
Gary inclines his head. “Go on, kid. We can talk logistics later.”
Eddie runs out, and Gary watches through the window as he bounces on his toes while waiting for the line to connect. He watches the slope of his shoulders, the way they curve in, as if to protect even the phone call.
Watching Eddie, Gary reaches for the phone on his desk.
It’s been a while since he’d gotten Melissa flowers.