“I know you, Tyler. I know seeing Lucy with a kid hurt like hell, but you did what you always do. You reacted before thinking things through.”
I remove the fan wheel and place it on the bench behind me, not bothering to look up before responding. “I really wasn’t in the mood for a heart-to-heart about how happy she has been since I left.”
Colton shakes his head as he steps closer to me, smacking me in the back of the head, “When are you going to pull your head out of your ass, Tyler?”
“What the hell is your problem, man? What happened to bros before hoes? I can tell Rylee and Lucy have gotten close since I was gone, but I didn’t think you would have such a vested interest in whether she and I got back together.”
I pause and think about Lucy and the little kid holding her hand when I saw her. Suddenly the obvious answer dawns on me “Or is there more? Do you want your problem to go away? Not only does the rugrat look like Lucy, but he also looks a lot like you.” I drop the socket wrench I was holding on to the ground and pull my fist back ready to punch Colton in the face. “How could you do that to Rylee? Wasn’t that shit with Tawny enough? You just had to go after my girl too.”
Colton must expect my outburst because he reaches forward, grabbing my wrist and wrenching it behind my body. I need to raise my heels off the ground to stop him from breaking my arm.
“I will let your cheap shot fly, but only because I understand you’re hurting right now. But don’t think for one minute I would risk my relationship with Rylee over a piece of ass. Tawny tried that shit already.”
He releases my arm, pushing me to the ground. I stand quickly, standing nose-to-nose with my boss and friend. “Lucy is so much more than a piece of ass,” I growl.
“You need to remember that before you lose two of the best things that ever happened to you. Get out my garage and cool off.” Colton sidesteps me and heads out of the garage, leaving his helmet on the workbench closest to the door.
“God damn it!” I shout, looking for something to throw or break to let out the anger filling my veins. I breathe in and out, my anger subsiding with every breath.
Colton is right, that was a cheap shot. I know the bullshit he went through when Tawny made the accusation that her kid was his, trying to take advantage of his memory loss.
“I’m a fucking asshole,” I sigh before I begin cleaning up the tool I threw. “I should have known better. There is no way Colton would do something like that to Rylee, not after everything she has already been through because of him.”
Even when he had no memory of her, Rylee stayed by his side through all that bullshit. He’s a different person since they finally got together, a better person. Just like I thought I would be when I came back here to figure things out with Lucy.
I grab a grease rag off the bench and shut off the lights; I have some groveling to do. I pull my cell phone from my pocket and dial Rylee’s number. It barely rings before she answers. “Check your text, I already sent you her address. She gets off of work around five. We are supposed to have wine and girl talk, but for you I’ll make an excuse.”
I smile. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“Nothing. Now don’t screw this up,” Rylee pauses for a moment, and I hear a tiny voice in the background. “Gotta go. I’m a princess in distress and shouldn’t have a cell phone.” She giggles quietly before ending the call.
Rylee must be at the House, the foster home she works at and where she spends almost all of her free time without Colton. I’m half tempted to call Kellen and see if he wants to blow off some steam with a couple of beers later, but knowing Rylee, she already informed everyone I have a prior engagement for the evening.
“Guess I should head home and change. If I am going to be asking for a second chance, I should smell like something other than motor oil,” I mumble into the empty shop as I shut the light off and head toward my car.
I pull up the text from Rylee and plug the address into my phone. It seems we have similar styles in houses. She only lives about a mile down the road from me. I’m not entirely sure if this is a blessing or a curse.
Chapter Six
Lucy
My day went from bad to worse after my supposed meeting this morning with Tyler. I couldn’t focus on anything and ended up having to stay almost an hour later than usual because I had to redo some purchase orders for the fundraiser.
“Man, what I wouldn’t give for a glass of wine and a hot bath,” I mumble to myself as I climb out of my car and head for the front door.
I texted Rylee to let her know that I would be running late. Thankfully she was already on her way to the house with Colt.
“Momma’s home!” Rylee chirps from her place on the couch with Colt as I walk through the door. He quickly slides down off the couch and comes barreling in my direction. I don’t even have enough time to brace for the impact when he runs right into my legs, wrapping his tiny arms around both of them.
“Hey, little man! How was your day with Rylee?” I drop my purse on the floor and pick him up, placing a wet kiss on his cheek.
“Ew, dat gross Momma.” He makes the most adorable face
