Pieces of Us (Missing Pieces #3) - N.R. Walker Page 0,2

I was stupid to pretend otherwise.

He stopped me at the door. “You sure you’re feeling up to work today?” Dallas asked. “How’s your headache?”

“It’s okay. And yeah, I need to work today.”

He grinned. “Good. Because I need you to work today. You’re part of the team, Juss, and I need all hands on deck this morning.”

And there he went, telling me how not useless I was without even trying. I was part of the team. He needed me. No matter how small a job I did, he needed me to do it. I gave him a nod and even managed a smile. “Okay.”

With that beautiful smile, he led the way downstairs. He had me open the front roller door and unlock the front gates; then he wanted me to check the stock levels and see if anything needed to be reordered.

I knew what he was doing.

He was making me not useless.

Sneaky bastard.

By the time Davo and Sparra arrived, I was actually feeling pretty good about myself. They were both keen to use the new coffee machine, so that gave us some time to talk about our weekends until we were interrupted by our first clients of the day.

Sparra and I went to work on an old Yamaha while Davo serviced an ATV, and Dallas did some time in his office until another client dropped off a KTM. “Hey, Juss, I need you with me for this,” he said.

It was gonna be a pretty big job. The rider had stacked it on the trails, and there was damage to the front forks, suspension, steering shaft, handlebars, and the front tyre would need replacing. The rider, the teen nephew of the owner, was okay, thankfully. But they’d learned an expensive lesson about going downhill on a loose surface using front brakes. Such a rookie mistake on an awesome bike.

And for a few hours, Dallas had me doing everything I could physically do. He let me take lead and he helped me when I needed it. He was proving a point—that I wasn’t useless—and when we’d taken the front brake hose line clamp off and we were on opposite sides of the bike, I watched as he ratcheted a bolt undone, concentration and sweat on his brow. He caught me smiling at him. “What?” he asked quietly.

“I love you,” I replied. I hadn’t meant to say those words, not in the workshop, not so blasé. Davo and Sparra hadn’t heard a thing, not that I cared. But holy shit, this man . . .

His smile became a grin, the ratchet in his hand forgotten. He seemed a little lost for words.

“I know what you’re doing,” I added. “Giving me jobs I can do, making me feel not useless.”

He chuckled and put the tool down. “Just proving a point. Did it work?”

“Maybe.”

“It totally worked.”

I laughed but met his eyes. “You do these little things for me, to help me, without having to say a thing. Everything you do for me, you do because you love me, and it’s like the saying ‘actions speak louder than words.’ I never really knew what that meant. But now I do.”

His eyes softened. “Juss . . .”

“It’s an amazing feeling knowing you’re loved, so I wanted you to know too. I’ve said it before, but I wanted to say it again. I need you to know, Dall.”

He walked around my side of the bike, took my face in his hands, and kissed me. It was all soft lips and scruffy beard and far too brief. He pulled back and put his forehead to mine. “I know you love me, Juss. But you can tell me as many times as you want.”

“I love you,” I whispered this time, and he closed his eyes and smiled as though he could just bathe in those words.

The shop phone rang right then, interrupting us, and Dallas stepped back and took the call. “Muller Mechanics.”

Sparra came over, looking concerned. “You okay, Jusso?”

I smiled at him. “Yeah.”

“Oh, I just looked over when I heard the phone and saw Dallas holding your face . . .” He smiled. “You two bein’ all lovey-dovey again, huh?”

I snorted and watched Dallas as he stood with the phone to his ear. “He’s kinda wonderful, isn’t he?”

Sparra put his hand to his heart and squinted at me. “Personally, not my type. Great bloke, but I prefer ’em a whole lot prettier. And, well, female.”

I laughed at that and Dallas turned to look at me, his face serious. “Justin’s right