wasn’t his brother. Gage would feel at home here.
The “back” consisted of a paved lot packed with cars, old and new, and stacks upon stacks of tires. There was also a set of plastic lawn furniture, a grill, and two other men.
“Chase! Don’t burn my wings,” Landon hollered.
The man who was tending to the grill had his back to them but raised his middle finger in the air.
Landon introduced Darius to the other guy. “Cam, you got a potential buyer for the Wagoneer.”
“Sorry I’m late,” someone else said. Gray looked over his shoulder as a fourth guy joined them, carrying a takeout bag. “Austin’s not here yet?”
“You’re late,” the grill master, Chase, accused.
“That’s what I just said,” the newcomer laughed.
Gray was quickly getting overwhelmed. It was a fairly small space, and the summer heat suddenly wasn’t helping. Maybe because the smells of barbecue and motor oil were heavy in the air.
“Have a seat, boys.” Landon sat down and kicked out a chair for Gray. “You’re just passin’ through, I take it?”
Gray nodded absently as he saw Chase dip down and kiss the newcomer.
Were they all gay here, or what?
Not to mention rugged and tatted up. Only the newest guy seemed a bit younger.
Gray took a seat and scratched Jayden’s neck.
Jayden chose to step between Gray’s legs and half-sit on one of his thighs while he looked around curiously.
Darius and Cam were getting along fine, it appeared. One chuckled at something the other said, and then vice versa. It was all so casual, and it was a reminder that Gray wasn’t there yet. He couldn’t unclench and roll with the punches. Which he’d never struggled with before. He was social and outgoing. Well, he had been.
It was sobering, and it only got worse when a fifth man showed up. Unlike the others, this one wore a suit, sans jacket, and Landon called him Austin. Who apologized for being late and explaining tiredly that he’d had another fight with his ex-wife because their daughter wanted to stay with “us”—him and…Cam? Gray assumed so, because Cam excused himself from the conversation with Darius and joined Austin for a minute.
A waft of barbecue-scented heat washed over Gray, and he started tapping his foot restlessly.
“So, where’s my girl now?” Landon asked.
“At home with a friend,” Austin answered. Then he loosened his tie and caught sight of Gray and Jayden. “Hello.” He smiled politely.
“Oh, right.” Landon gestured to Gray and Darius. “They might buy the Wagoneer.”
“Ah.” Austin accepted a beer from Chase and was visibly relieved. “Thanks. Have you offered them anything?” he asked Landon pointedly.
Landon smirked and slid his gaze to Gray. “Austin and my wife help me be a better man. You want anything to drink, kid?”
Gray shook his head and felt his chest grow tight. “Thanks, I’m good.”
How long was this gonna take?
He heard Landon offer Jayden a soda, but the words sounded far away. Someone added insult to injury and put on music in the shop too. Rock music poured out. Everyone was having a good time. Through bits and pieces of conversation, Gray understood they were close friends and family, and they met up for dinner once a month. Landon mentioned last time at their place. Austin spoke of next month at their house. Jayden gulped down some Coke from a glass bottle and said something Gray couldn’t decipher. He stared at the boy; he saw his lips moving, but he couldn’t for the life of him hear any of it.
His heart started hammering.
He blinked and wiped sweat off his forehead.
Nausea crawled up his throat.
“Darius, come quick!” Jayden yelled.
Oh God.
Gray choked on a breath. It felt like someone had tightened a rope around his neck, and the edges of his vision were turning black.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Hey! Everybody back off.” That sounded like Austin, but Gray wasn’t sure.
And then it didn’t matter because Darius appeared in front of him and cradled Gray’s face in his hands.
Darius was repeating something over and over, too quietly for it to rise above the rushing sounds in Gray’s ears. Gulping in some air, he did his best to focus on Darius. Panic threatened to overtake him—just you and me. Gray blinked, unsure if he had heard the words or thought them.
“Listen to my voice, knucklehead. It’s just you and me—somewhere else.”
Their game…
They’d done it on the yacht. They’d done it after they’d been rescued from the island too. They’d pretended it was only them in the world. Just the two of them, somewhere else.
“Just you and