Page 22 of On The Run

This got Gray off the couch though, and he bounced toward the front door before I could get there. “Gray, don’t open the door without me!” I shouted as I made my way over to him.

Gray was standing on his tiptoes, peering at my phone as I opened the security app. “It’s Uncle Bronx!” Gray said, bouncing on his still bare feet.

Bronx? What was he doing here this early? “Alright. Go ahead and open it. Good job checking first, bud.”

Gray beamed at me, his missing front teeth making his smile even more adorable, before wrenching the door open.

“Hi, Uncle Bronx!” He was holding his arm out in front of him, his hand in a fist. I rolled my eyes as Bronx squatted down and the two of them performed the most complicated fist bump I’d ever seen. I swore, every time they saw each other, they added a new element to it. But Gray thought it was the coolest thing ever, and that was just how Bronx was. He was always going to do anything to make the people he cared about happy.

“Hey, little man. How’s it going? All ready for school?”

“Yup!”

I stared at Gray sternly. “Oh really? So, are you planning on going to school barefoot?”

Gray looked down at his feet and then back up at me with his best innocent smile. “Oops?”

Sighing, I ruffled his hair. “Go on and get your shoes. I’m gonna talk to Uncle Bronx for a minute.”

“Ok, Daddy!” Before scurrying off, he looked up at Bronx. “Are you coming to the coffee shop with us, Uncle Bronx?”

“You know it, little man. I wouldn’t miss it.”

He was? Well, this was news to me. Frowning, I watched Gray scamper off before turning to Bronx. He’d finally walked all the way into the house and closed the door behind him. He was wearing his motorcycle jacket over his work clothing and had his helmet in his hand. He must have ridden here this morning instead of taking his truck. How had I not heard that thing driving down the road? I was more distracted than I realized.

“You’re coming with us to the coffee shop?”

Bronx smiled brightly as he walked past me and into the kitchen. I watched, dumbfounded, as he started rummaging through my cabinets. What was he doing?

“Yes.” That was it. No other explanation, no clarification, just yes. Typical fucking Bronx.

“Any particular reason why.”

Bronx shrugged casually, but I saw the concern in his bright-blue eyes when he looked up at me. Bronx and I were polar opposites in pretty much every way. He kept his wavy golden-blond locks long, nearly to his shoulders. Today it was pulled up into a stubby ponytail by his neck. Even as a kid, his hair had always been long, and he hadn’t given a crap about what the other kids used to say about it. Where mine were dark and serious, Bronx’s round eyes were a bright ocean blue, and even at his most serious, there was always a hint of humor gleaming in them. His porcelain-like skin made him look so fragile, like just the smallest caress may break him. Of course, the first time I saw him cliff jump into the water below without a moment’s hesitation rid me of any concerns about his fragility. But it threw people off.

I knew Bronx had always had a hard time with people taking him seriously. With his innocent looks that made him appear much younger than his 36 years of age, his long blond hair, and the fact that he barely reached 5’5”, he was easily dismissed. His carefree attitude and party-boy tendencies didn’t help him either. But it’d never bothered Bronx. He let his brilliant mind and reputation speak for themselves. You obviously didn’t become one of the most respected aerospace engineers in the field based off looks.

“Today’s your first breakfast back at the café since your date, right?” Bronx phrased it as a question, despite knowing the answer.

I tried to keep the emotion out of my voice when I answered. Where was he going with this? “Yes? So what?”

“So what? Max, you called me in a near panic on Saturday. How many hours did you spend sitting in that damn parking lot by that kid’s car? I would suggest finding a new place for breakfast, but I know your stubborn ass is never going to give up now, so I’m here to look after you while you obsess over the boy.”

I had too many conflicting emotions about what Bronx just said, so I stayed silent and processed while I watched him pour himself a glass of milk and pull out a couple of the cookies I kept in stock for Gray. Wait, was he eating milk and cookies right now?

I shook my head. Not my biggest problem. On one hand, I felt a wave of affection for my best friend who’d always been there for me no matter what. Because he was right. While I briefly considered finding a new breakfast spot for Gray and me, I immediately squashed that thought. I still had no idea how everything went so wrong, but I knew my feelings weren’t one-sided, and I wasn’t quite ready to give up on whatever was brewing between Aiden and me. Also, I was worried for the guy and my conscience wouldn’t let him go without at least making sure he was safe. So, I prepared myself for a really awkward breakfast and a change of plans on how I approached Aiden.

On the other hand, I was kind of bristling that Bronx kept calling Aiden a kid and a boy. Yeah, he was young, but once he met him, Bronx would see what I saw. I didn’t think Aiden had ever truly been a kid.

I really didn’t know how to respond to Bronx, so I said the first thing that came to mind. “I know how to take care of myself.”

Bronx agreed good-naturedly. “Sure, you can. Doesn’t mean you don’t need someone to have your back occasionally.”

Gray came pounding into the kitchen and, thankfully, was completely dressed, including his light jacket and backpack. And of course, he narrowed right in on the damn cookies. “Can I have one, Uncle Bronx?”

“Of course, little man.” Bronx handed him a cookie as he also shoved the last one in his mouth whole. I threw my hands up and looked at the ceiling. How did today already get so far off the rails?

“Alright, both of you, let’s go.” I glared at Bronx. “It’s like having two children, I swear.”

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