Page 26 of All Our Ghosts

HOLDEN

Ispend the rest of the week working on the 1947 Knucklehead that I inherited from Cole’s father before he passed away. A project I’ve been trying to finish for years, but a good stint in prison put a delay on my plans.

Some days I miss prison. Three square, although horrible, meals a day, a bed that didn’t reek of sweat and alcohol–I really need to clean my place up–and endless time to read whatever the library had to offer. I didn’t have to sit with the constant ache in my chest that I have now or the idea that everything that has happened to me and Becca has been the result of my careless actions. I don’t regret going to prison. I regret that I ever had any amount of trust in Stokes and that it took so much time away from Becca and the club. Not even twenty-four hours after getting out my life fell apart. It was supposed to be one meeting. One meeting with Stokes was all it took to lose the one person I loved more than anything in this world. I should have been there, I shouldn’t have let her leave the compound, not while we were away. I feel a hand grasp my shoulder, pulling me back to reality.

“You okay, Holden?” West asks as he rounds the table. Wyatt West, the youngest prospect the Hounds currently have, and even though he is young, the kid is smart. I like to give him shit, but I do like the kid. I wouldn’t have done prison time if I didn’t.

I glance out at the parking lot, realizing that the sun has now turned the sky a deep shade of orange.

“Yeah, West. I’m good.”

Wyatt nods, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cut. “You’ve just been really quiet today. Scottie told me not to bother you, but you look…” His voice trails off, making me furrow my brow.

“I look what?”

He shrugs. “Sad…”

Did I really look that pathetic?I think as I stand, wiping my hands against the already grease-covered rag. After the blow-up at the laundromat, I’ve kept to myself. I’ve avoided the office as much as I can because now, I have no idea where I stand with Kadence. I shouldn’t care but there’s something deep in my chest that does.

“I’m fine, West.”

Wyatt shakes his head “Forget I said anything… Are you going to Marlowe’s?”

“Yeah,” I grumble, tossing the rag onto my workbench.

“Okay, well I’ll see you there then.” Wyatt flashes an awkward smile before jogging out of the shop.

I watch as Wyatt makes his way across the parking lot. West is a good kid and lives with his Aunt. Like me, Wyatt had to grow up fast in order to survive. I see the good parts of myself in him, I just hope that he doesn’t share the bad ones.

“Shit.”

I hear muttered from the office.

“Stupid thing, just work!” Another soft hiss.

Kadence must still be working. No one is left in the shop other than the two of us and I figure Cole would have told her to quit working once the guys did. I should have expected it though, I think every day she’s been working here she never leaves early or before the sun goes down.

“Goddamnit.”

I hear again, another slew of curse words behind it. I try to bite back a chuckle listening to her fight with whatever has pissed her off. In the back of my head I know I should just leave it and let her take out her frustration on whatever she’s cursing, but my feet start to carry me to the door. I’ve done everything I can to keep my distance this week and now I can’t help myself.

Kadence and I have been circling each other all week. I steal glances at her whenever I get a chance and it’s not lost on me that this is the first time in weeks that I’ve spent more than ten minutes actually working in the garage. I tried to make a connection and it blew up in my face. I still have no clue what happened between dropping her off and going back to the laundromat. She tosses me looks whenever she catches me watching her, which unfortunately is often. I feel distractedandthe most focused I have in a while.

I lean against the frame, watching her inspect the ancient air conditioning unit in the window of the office. Smacking it with the palm of her hand as it sputters and whines back at her.

“You were working not five minutes ago. What the hell…” She bends over, trying to look at the bottom of it, but as she does, my gaze falls to the curvature of her hips and the way her shorts ride up just enough to see the cusp of her ass. The sight makes my heart begin to hammer against my ribcage and the traitor in my jeans alert.

Get it together, Nash.

I clear my throat, causing her to stand upright, almost hitting her head on the unit.

“Everything okay?” I muse, trying to bite back the grin on my face as she looks back at me, her brows furrowed in the exact way I pictured and her cheeks pink from the heat.

Kadence rolls her eyes at me. “Clearly not,” she grumbles. I know she’s pissed, I can see it on her face and it doesn’t help that I find it cute.

“AC go out again?”

“It was working five minutes ago!” Kadence smacks it again with her palm, wincing slightly as she hits the corner of it. I grimace, watching her. “Stupid thing just won’t fucking work now,” she mutters as she begins twisting and turning the knobs.

---