reconciliation he’d been attempting was futile, Eli reached for the mail overflowing his inbox.
Bryce handled customer service. He kept urging Eli to hire a business manager. Maybe he had a valid point.
Eli grimaced as the stack of envelopes spilled onto the industrial carpet.
He gathered them up, glancing at the return addresses, until one crisp letter caught his eye. The staid font declared it was from the National Archives, Records of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Was it a coincidence he’d found this today? He’d mailed his inquiry months ago. Did he want to ruin the glow surrounding him and—hopefully—Alanso? He felt like they’d made some progress this morning. Maybe Alanso would finally believe he’d never shake Eli.
Unless something inside the envelope gave him reason to doubt again.
Eli cursed and ripped the letter open. He didn’t have to share the contents, though he didn’t believe in withholding info as a form of protection. Secrets always came back to bite you in the ass. Alanso had a right to know whatever was in this damn envelope. Maybe it was nothing. No news. Records were spotty at best in the government, right?
As he scanned the documents inside, his heart cracked.
It wasn’t nothing. It was something.
He knuckled moisture from the corner of his eye. Too many times lately, he’d resorted to that gesture. This was going to suck.
Fortunately the gang had made a lunch run, all but him. He’d told them he’d watch the pumps and deal with any walk-ins while they were hitting the diner downtown. Alanso had offered to stay behind, but neither of them wanted to act differently around the Hot Rods.
Even Tom had joined his “kids”. Shit. Eli could really use a sounding board right about now. Since it wasn’t possible, he did the next best thing.
Abandoning his desk chair with a loving pat, he made his way toward the garage. He couldn’t go for a drive, but he could sit in his car and devise a plan for how to break the news. In the garage, his fingers trailed over the high-gloss finish Sally had applied to his Cobra. The new product seemed almost like a thin coat of glass. The deep blue of his classic paint job shone even in the interior space and the contrast of the pearly white racing stripes made him sigh.
He loved this car.
Had since the moment he’d first seen one at a show his dad had taken him to as a kid. He’d sworn then and there he’d have one just like it someday. Once he made up his mind about what he wanted, he didn’t change it very often.
This Hot Rod was his for life.
“Cobra?” Sally startled him when she knocked lightly on the passenger window, though he could hear her just fine considering the topless car. “Can I join you?”
“You didn’t go with the guys?” He raised a brow at her.
“Nah. Wasn’t feeling up to all that commotion. Thought I’d enjoy some peace and quiet for a bit.” Her soft admission echoed in the emptiness of the usually bustling space.
Very unlike her to seek out solitude. She’d grown used to activity all around, being raised in a polygamous commune. Lack of company had never been an issue with untold brothers and sisters. When she’d first come to them, she’d often ended up sleeping at the foot of Alanso’s bed or on the futon in Cobra’s room because being alone frightened her.
Neither of them had minded.
The handle clicked as she pulled it and tucked inside, shutting the door carefully.
“You okay?” Eli scanned her from the Louis Vuitton bandana she tied her hair back with to the shit-kicker boots encasing her guaranteed-to-be-prettily-painted toes. She looked all right. Maybe a little flushed, but sexy as ever. Then again, the tough lady could be sitting there missing a limb and she wouldn’t let her pain show. “Need me to take you to the doctor’s this afternoon?”
“Oh. Nah.” She smiled as she angled herself toward him. Only someone as petite as her would be able to manage folding their
Bryce handled customer service. He kept urging Eli to hire a business manager. Maybe he had a valid point.
Eli grimaced as the stack of envelopes spilled onto the industrial carpet.
He gathered them up, glancing at the return addresses, until one crisp letter caught his eye. The staid font declared it was from the National Archives, Records of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Was it a coincidence he’d found this today? He’d mailed his inquiry months ago. Did he want to ruin the glow surrounding him and—hopefully—Alanso? He felt like they’d made some progress this morning. Maybe Alanso would finally believe he’d never shake Eli.
Unless something inside the envelope gave him reason to doubt again.
Eli cursed and ripped the letter open. He didn’t have to share the contents, though he didn’t believe in withholding info as a form of protection. Secrets always came back to bite you in the ass. Alanso had a right to know whatever was in this damn envelope. Maybe it was nothing. No news. Records were spotty at best in the government, right?
As he scanned the documents inside, his heart cracked.
It wasn’t nothing. It was something.
He knuckled moisture from the corner of his eye. Too many times lately, he’d resorted to that gesture. This was going to suck.
Fortunately the gang had made a lunch run, all but him. He’d told them he’d watch the pumps and deal with any walk-ins while they were hitting the diner downtown. Alanso had offered to stay behind, but neither of them wanted to act differently around the Hot Rods.
Even Tom had joined his “kids”. Shit. Eli could really use a sounding board right about now. Since it wasn’t possible, he did the next best thing.
Abandoning his desk chair with a loving pat, he made his way toward the garage. He couldn’t go for a drive, but he could sit in his car and devise a plan for how to break the news. In the garage, his fingers trailed over the high-gloss finish Sally had applied to his Cobra. The new product seemed almost like a thin coat of glass. The deep blue of his classic paint job shone even in the interior space and the contrast of the pearly white racing stripes made him sigh.
He loved this car.
Had since the moment he’d first seen one at a show his dad had taken him to as a kid. He’d sworn then and there he’d have one just like it someday. Once he made up his mind about what he wanted, he didn’t change it very often.
This Hot Rod was his for life.
“Cobra?” Sally startled him when she knocked lightly on the passenger window, though he could hear her just fine considering the topless car. “Can I join you?”
“You didn’t go with the guys?” He raised a brow at her.
“Nah. Wasn’t feeling up to all that commotion. Thought I’d enjoy some peace and quiet for a bit.” Her soft admission echoed in the emptiness of the usually bustling space.
Very unlike her to seek out solitude. She’d grown used to activity all around, being raised in a polygamous commune. Lack of company had never been an issue with untold brothers and sisters. When she’d first come to them, she’d often ended up sleeping at the foot of Alanso’s bed or on the futon in Cobra’s room because being alone frightened her.
Neither of them had minded.
The handle clicked as she pulled it and tucked inside, shutting the door carefully.
“You okay?” Eli scanned her from the Louis Vuitton bandana she tied her hair back with to the shit-kicker boots encasing her guaranteed-to-be-prettily-painted toes. She looked all right. Maybe a little flushed, but sexy as ever. Then again, the tough lady could be sitting there missing a limb and she wouldn’t let her pain show. “Need me to take you to the doctor’s this afternoon?”
“Oh. Nah.” She smiled as she angled herself toward him. Only someone as petite as her would be able to manage folding their
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