Page 27 of Tell Me It’s Right

He grimaces and reaches across the bar for some napkins. “I know. Sorry I’m late. Tommy fired someoneagain, leaving just the two of us with a slammed calendar all day. It’s a miracle I made it out when I did.”

“What’d they do this time?”

“Fucking breathed too loud, I don’t know. Thanks, Fletch.” Leo accepts the beer from him and takes a long drink. “What’s up with you?”

“Oh, you know. Living the dream.” Fletcher pops his eyebrows, wets one of the cleanup rags, and hands it to Leo.

Leo winces and scrubs at his hands some more. “How’s the home improvement project going?”

“If you want to help knock some shit down, you can come see for yourself,” says Fletcher.

“You never invited me,” I say.

Fletcher braces his hands on the bar and raises his eyebrows. “Do you want to come work on the house?”

I smile. “Not even a little bit.”

Leo laughs as the front door swings open behind him. Fletcher sighs and exchanges a wave with the newcomers.

“Regulars?” I ask.

“They sit at the bar for at least three hours and never tip,” Fletcher says out of the corner of his mouth before heading that way.

“How’s everything with the shop?” asks Leo. “My sister making you regret hiring her yet?”

“No, she’s doing a really good job so far, actually.”

Leo turns the corners of his lips down as he sips his beer. “It’s only been a week. Give her some time.”

I chuckle. “Why? Things not working out well with your new living situation?”

Leo tries to hang on to his smirk, but the fondness in his eyes whenever he talks about Gracie is plain as fucking day. I don’t care what he says. I know he’s thrilled she chose him over their parents. To anyone who doesn’t know them, their relationship probably looks contentious—full of bickering and shit talking. But I know they both love every second of it.

“Okay, so it’s nice having her around again,” he mutters. “It was weird having her so far away for four years.”

“How’s Keava doing with it?”

He shrugs. “Good, I think. She’s got three sisters, and I know she misses them. I was hoping she’d like having another girl around, you know? And since she and I got together while Gracie was off at school, they’ve never really had the chance to get to know each other.”

I hum noncommittedly, my mind drifting to the conversation I had with Gracie the other day at the shop—to the weird vibe of Keava’s questions in the kitchen, even as Gracie got visibly more uncomfortable by the second. I don’t know why the memory makes me clench my teeth.

But maybe Leo’s right. She and Keava are basically strangers to each other. It could just take some time for them to feel each other out. It’s an awkward situation on both sides, and Leo’s too fond of both of them to be anything but oblivious.

“And Gracie always said she wished you were a girl, so,” I offer lightly.

He smirks. “And there’s that.”

“I’m a little surprised Gracie asked you, to be honest.”

“Oh, it was my idea.”

My eyebrows rise, and he shrugs. “I love my parents, but those two extra years I stayed with them while I wrapped up trade school?” He shakes his head and raises his eyes to the ceiling like he’s watching it all back. “Made me feel like I’d neverfeellike an adult, you know? Just didn’t want that for her. Especially because I could tell she’s been taking the job hunt hard. Anyway, how’s everything going with your family?”

“Who the hell knows?” I mumble as I drink my beer. “Called anemergency family meetingtomorrow night.”

“Oh God. What for?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

---