to take now that you finally noticed, I get it.”
Levi shook his head, sneaking one last peek as Angelo slipped his shirt back on, tucking it back inside the waistband of his pants.
“As I was saying before…” Angelo frowned, visibly confused over the best way to reference Levi’s outburst, “…your episode?”
Levi nodded begrudgingly, deciding that was probably the kindest descriptor he was likely to get.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything over the past year and a half since relocating to Wilde City, so I’m totally open to whatever. It would be great to find one job instead of getting shuffled around the city doing temp work to make ends meet.”
“That’s great to hear, Angelo,” Levi said, setting his chair back upright as they each sat back down. “The fact you're willing to jump in and do anything is great for us, and having some extra muscle around wouldn’t suck.”
“Indeed-e-oh,” Valerie whispered, her beauty-queen smile once again firmly in place.
“Awesome!” Angelo said, looking considerably younger when overly excited. “When do I start?”
“When can you start?” Valerie asked.
“Right now if you need me,” he said.
“Tomorrow would be fine,” Levi said, turning toward the lobby and catching movement out of the corner of his eye.
Jake waved at him, smiling sheepishly as the front door closed behind him. He pointed toward the chairs, indicating he would be taking a seat as opposed to turning back around and vacating the premises.
“What time would you like me here?” Angelo asked.
“Eight would be—”
“Nine o’clock would be perfect,” Levi said, unable to tear his gaze away from Jake.
“Or nine, that would be fine as well,” Valerie said.
“Huh?” Levi asked, seeing Valerie stare daggers at him. “Oh, sorry Val.”
“No problem, nine will allow us some time to get organized in the morning before you show up.”
“Good thinking,” Levi said, turning back to see Jake staring at him.
“If you need to go take care of that, we can finish up here without you,” Val said.
“Right,” Levi said, laughing awkwardly as he stood from the table and shook Angelo’s hand. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Mr. Goode,” Angelo said.
“Levi will do just fine,” he added, leaving them to it.
* * * *
As he rounded the corner of the conference room and slowly headed to where Jake was seated, that instant ache returned, making him wonder why Jake had showed up here when he’d made it pretty clear he hadn’t ever wanted to see him again.
Jake stood, apparently able to read the lack of enthusiasm on Levi’s face.
“I know I shouldn’t be here, Levi, and I apologize for showing up unannounced, but I couldn’t stand to let another day go by with you hating me.”
“I don’t hate you, Jake,” Levi said matter-of-factly.
“You sure as shit don’t like me,” Jake interjected, cringing when Levi didn’t jump in with any denials. “I need to talk to you, explain my side so you don’t think I’m a completely evil asshole.”
That irritated him, because frankly, Levi needed to think of him as an evil asshole and if the man had any ounce of chivalry he’d have already realized that and left him be.
“So who’s the guy?” Jake asked, nudging his head toward the conference room.
Levi turned to see Angelo was watching them, waving at them before returning to the paperwork Valerie had him filling out.
“He works here, Jake,” Levi said, offering no further information. “Is that what you came here for, to interrogate me about my business?”
Jake sighed, shaking his head. “Of course not. Look, could we get out of here? Let me buy you a coffee.”
“You’re not afraid I’ll accidently assume it’s a date?” Levi asked sarcastically.
“I deserve that,” Jake said, lifting up his hands in surrender.
“This really isn’t a good time for me,” Levi said.
Jake reached over and took his hand. “Please, Levi, give me thirty
Levi shook his head, sneaking one last peek as Angelo slipped his shirt back on, tucking it back inside the waistband of his pants.
“As I was saying before…” Angelo frowned, visibly confused over the best way to reference Levi’s outburst, “…your episode?”
Levi nodded begrudgingly, deciding that was probably the kindest descriptor he was likely to get.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything over the past year and a half since relocating to Wilde City, so I’m totally open to whatever. It would be great to find one job instead of getting shuffled around the city doing temp work to make ends meet.”
“That’s great to hear, Angelo,” Levi said, setting his chair back upright as they each sat back down. “The fact you're willing to jump in and do anything is great for us, and having some extra muscle around wouldn’t suck.”
“Indeed-e-oh,” Valerie whispered, her beauty-queen smile once again firmly in place.
“Awesome!” Angelo said, looking considerably younger when overly excited. “When do I start?”
“When can you start?” Valerie asked.
“Right now if you need me,” he said.
“Tomorrow would be fine,” Levi said, turning toward the lobby and catching movement out of the corner of his eye.
Jake waved at him, smiling sheepishly as the front door closed behind him. He pointed toward the chairs, indicating he would be taking a seat as opposed to turning back around and vacating the premises.
“What time would you like me here?” Angelo asked.
“Eight would be—”
“Nine o’clock would be perfect,” Levi said, unable to tear his gaze away from Jake.
“Or nine, that would be fine as well,” Valerie said.
“Huh?” Levi asked, seeing Valerie stare daggers at him. “Oh, sorry Val.”
“No problem, nine will allow us some time to get organized in the morning before you show up.”
“Good thinking,” Levi said, turning back to see Jake staring at him.
“If you need to go take care of that, we can finish up here without you,” Val said.
“Right,” Levi said, laughing awkwardly as he stood from the table and shook Angelo’s hand. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Mr. Goode,” Angelo said.
“Levi will do just fine,” he added, leaving them to it.
* * * *
As he rounded the corner of the conference room and slowly headed to where Jake was seated, that instant ache returned, making him wonder why Jake had showed up here when he’d made it pretty clear he hadn’t ever wanted to see him again.
Jake stood, apparently able to read the lack of enthusiasm on Levi’s face.
“I know I shouldn’t be here, Levi, and I apologize for showing up unannounced, but I couldn’t stand to let another day go by with you hating me.”
“I don’t hate you, Jake,” Levi said matter-of-factly.
“You sure as shit don’t like me,” Jake interjected, cringing when Levi didn’t jump in with any denials. “I need to talk to you, explain my side so you don’t think I’m a completely evil asshole.”
That irritated him, because frankly, Levi needed to think of him as an evil asshole and if the man had any ounce of chivalry he’d have already realized that and left him be.
“So who’s the guy?” Jake asked, nudging his head toward the conference room.
Levi turned to see Angelo was watching them, waving at them before returning to the paperwork Valerie had him filling out.
“He works here, Jake,” Levi said, offering no further information. “Is that what you came here for, to interrogate me about my business?”
Jake sighed, shaking his head. “Of course not. Look, could we get out of here? Let me buy you a coffee.”
“You’re not afraid I’ll accidently assume it’s a date?” Levi asked sarcastically.
“I deserve that,” Jake said, lifting up his hands in surrender.
“This really isn’t a good time for me,” Levi said.
Jake reached over and took his hand. “Please, Levi, give me thirty
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