Page 82 of Daily Grind
He was being unfair to Brian—the shop was his, after all. And once upon a time, he’d felt the same way about CirroBot. Until Greg blackmailed him. Until he’d looked in the mirror and seen his father. Until he’d collapsed from the pressure. He took a breath. “I worry about you.”
Brian said nothing, but did raise his head.
“The stress isn’t good, Bri.”
A grunt. “Yeah, but you telling me what to do doesn’t help that at all.”
This… was a spat. A fight. Rob almost laughed. The realization chipped away some of Rob’s anger. “I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do. Just… talk it through.” He reached out and took Brian’s hand. “It’s your business, Bri.”
“Yeah, it is.” He rolled his shoulders and sighed. “I know I should let Justin do the shift, but—I can’t let go of the guilt.”
That was an issue. Especially when it meant that Rob was the source—his pulling Brian away. “You can’t be there twenty-four/seven.”
“I have to be.” Soft words.
Rob let it go. The silence fell between them on the walk back and it lingered when they climbed into his car. There was nothing he could say or do.
Just hold on and hope that Brian would get the shop together before the stress destroyed him. Or them.
Chapter Sixteen
Brian watchedthe trees whiz past on I-79 as Rob drove back to Pittsburgh. He swallowed against the burning in his stomach. Justin was going to kill him.
Worse, Rob had gone silent. No smile. No quips. Not even music on the radio—only the sound of the tires on the road and his breathing, some of which fell into heavy sighs.
Yeah, he’d fucked up. Both with the shop and with Rob. He shouldn’t have gone so far from town—but he’d wanted Rob to see a part of his childhood. And now he was reneging on the whole day when Justin was perfectly content to slum it back in Grounds N’at for a few hours. He glanced over. “I’m sorry.” Whispered words. He doubted they’d bridge the gap that had formed between them.
Rob glanced his way—a quick meeting of eyes before he focused on the road.
“I know you are.” He slid his hands on the wheel. “And I understand how you feel.”
“You’re still mad.” That much was obvious. He’d had spats like this with Anita.
A furrowed brow. “Not mad. Disappointed.” He looked over again, and there was a good heaping of sadness in the lift of Brian’s eyebrows. “I’d been looking forward to spending time with you. Seeing you relaxed.”
Instead of the tense and tired mess he normally was. Brian scrubbed his face. He loved Grounds N’at. But every so often, a voice inside asked if it was worth it.
He didn’t know the answer anymore.
Regardless, he had a responsibility to his employees and customers. That was the pact he’d made when he’d opened. Be a good neighbor, locally and globally. That meant paying people well and sourcing the right coffee, teas, and pastries, and keeping the place open.
As much as he loved spending time with Rob, the shop had to come first. “It’s a bump. Things will get better.”
A small smile. Rob reached over, took his hand, and squeezed it gently. No words, but there didn’t need to be.
Brian exhaled. They could get through this. Somehow, he could balance the shop and Rob. He leaned back against the seat and let the warmth of Rob’s hand untangle the knots in his heart until they got too close to Pittsburgh for Rob to drive one-handed.
When they reached the Squirrel Hill exit, Rob finally spoke, his voice soft. “Do you want me to drop you off at the shop or at your flat?”
He had his hiking boots on and jeans and a t-shirt under a light jacket. He didn’tneedto go to his place—except for dropping off his camera. On the other hand, a few extra minutes to clean up wouldn’t hurt the situation. “My place.”
Rob nodded. They exited the Parkway and drove up Murray—past Grounds N’at, which seemed to be in one piece.
What did you expect? It to blow up while you were gone?Doubt gnawed in his stomach. Maybe they should have kept hiking. Too late to change his mind.
A few turns to put them the right direction for Brian’s street, and Rob pulled up against the curb. “Give me a call later?” Same soft voice, but tension lurked in Rob’s shoulders.
Shit. Heart in his throat, Brian nodded. “Not going to stop by the shop?”
