Page 53 of Archer

Bram clinked glasses with us but shook his head. “Speak for yourself, my friend. I’m running a new business, so I don’t have time for a boy right now.”

“Trust me, if the right boy comes along, you’ll find time,” I said.

“I barely have time to take a shit at this point.”

“I told you that you need to hire some help.” Hitch shook his head and took a sip of his drink.

“No kidding.” Bram rolled his eyes. “The problem isn’t hiring help. It’s keeping it. I’ve had the worst luck. They either show up late, don’t know what they’re doing, or they’re straight-up thieves. It sucks, man.”

“Someone stole money from you?” I asked.

“Not money, baked goods. I’d left out some brioche bread to go stale to make bread pudding with the next morning, and when I came back in, it was gone. At first, I thought maybe it was thrown away by mistake.” He shrugged. “But then the next day, I came up missing two loaves of herb bread that were on the bread rack that had been for a special order.”

“Bread, seriously?”

“Yeah, and it kept happening. I was able to figure out who was working when it happened and had to let him go.”

“That’s a silly way to lose your job,” I said.

“Honestly, he was on borrowed time anyway. He couldn’t make it on time in the morning either, so I was already about ready to let him go. That was just the last straw.”

“Hey, guys!” Crispin called from across the bar. He was headed our way, dragging Elton with him. Poor Elton looked a little shell-shocked. My guess was he hadn’t been coming into the bar at all since he was wearing a pair of pajamas with unicorns on them. “Look who I found.”

“Hey, Crispin, Elton.” Hitch shook his head and let out a sigh. Then under his breath, where only we could hear him, he added, “At least he has shoes on.”

When they reached us, Elton hung back, but Crispin came straight to me and gave me a kiss.

“How was your last class?” I asked.

“It was great. I finished up with my singing bowls, and they loved it. They said if I added a sound bath meditation, they’d all sign up.”

“What’s a sound bath meditation?” Hitch asked.

“It’s a meditation that uses sound waves to promote relaxation, healing, and mindfulness,” a voice said from behind Crispin.

He turned and stepped to the side to reveal Cort standing there.

“You’ve done a sound bath meditation?” Crispin asked.

“Nope, but I read about it on your new website.”

“Cool.” Crispin grinned. “Did you have any luck at the soup kitchen today?”

“No, unfortunately none of the teens Monica remembered him hanging with showed up this week, either. But I’m closer than I’ve been since I started the search, so I’m hopeful.”

“You’re going to find him, Cort. I know it. Let’s go sit in a booth, Elton.” He kissed me again and dragged Elton with him to the booth.

I watched them go, and then I turned back to the guys. “I’m so glad Crispin and Elton have become friends. I think they’re good for each other.”

Hitch let out a wry chuckle. “Oh, you think so?” Then he motioned their direction, and I turned and looked. They had their heads together, whispering. Crispin was motioning with his hands, and Elton shook his head. Then he leaned back in and said something, and Crispin’s face lit up. “They’re up to something.”

“See.” Bram pointed in the boy’s direction. “What did I tell you? Ain’t nobody got time for that.”

“I do, my friend.” I smiled. “I do.”

Crispin

“I can't believe he still hasn't found him yet,” Elton said.

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