“That right guy will come along,” I said. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “I’ll have to see if I know any straight guys.”
Zach threw his head back and laughed. “You do that.”
When we got back to my apartment, Zach parked and I got out. “Goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow at work.”
“Hold on,” he said. He got out of the car, came around, and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you again for everything you’ve done to help me. I haven’t had a friend like you since I was a kid. It’s really nice not to have to do this on my own.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him tight. “It’s my pleasure. I’m glad I was able to help you.”
And then I felt the soft pressure on my head and knew I hadn’t imagined it the last time. Zach had kissed the top of my head. “Goodnight, Miguel. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
I stood frozen on the spot while he got back into his car and pulled away. My heart was racing, and I wanted to call him back and show him what a real kiss was like. But I couldn’t because he was straight—or at least he didn’t seem open to thinking he was anything else. I couldn’t keep waiting for him to have that ah-ha moment, especially since he would be living with me. I pulled out my phone. It was time to get back on the apps again.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
ZACH
Tommy’s Harley shop was bigger than I expected. He not only repaired Harleys, but he was also a certified dealership. The man looked to be in his early to mid-forties with short dark hair liberally sprinkled with gray. He had broad shoulders and looked pretty fit. He walked with a slight limp, and then I caught the unnatural motion of his left foot and realized he was wearing a prosthetic. His bearing and overall attitude screamed former military and probably an officer, so I straightened my posture out of long habit.
Tommy chuckled and said, “At ease, soldier. It’s been a long time since I wore the uniform.”
I relaxed and gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry, sir.” I shook my head. “I mean, Mr. Chambers.”
He held out his hand. “It’s just Tommy.”
I shook his hand. “Okay, Tommy. Thanks for giving me a chance to interview with you.”
“Marco had good things to say about you,” Tommy replied. “He said you assessed the problem with his bike in less than five minutes and was able to get it running again in less than ten.” He motioned for me to follow him through the repair bay into a small office. He sat behind his desk and indicated I should take the single chair set in front of it. “Do you always carry a battery charger in your car?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. You never know when someone will need a jump.”
“True,” he replied.
I liked Tommy already, so I wanted to be upfront with him. “I don’t know if Marco told you, but I don’t have my certification to repair late-model Harleys. I’m certified to repair older models.”
Tommy nodded. “He told me. He also told me you knew more about his bike than he did. He was impressed when you told him you learned everything by reading repair manuals and watching YouTube videos. I’d say it shows a hell of a lot of dedication.”
I felt my face heat with embarrassment. “I couldn’t afford the late-model class and taking the time to get up to Bloomfield was tough. When I took the six-week early model course, my boss gave me a hard time for leaving early on class days.”
Tommy frowned and clenched his jaw. “Where do you work right now?”
“Jeff’s Garage in Bradley Beach. I’ve been working there since I was sixteen.”
His frown deepened. “Jeff Healy?”
I looked over at him in surprise. “You know him?”
He grunted in the affirmative. “He was friends with my oldest brother, who’s twelve years older than me. Jeff was always a miserable prick. I guess he still is.”
I choked, trying to hold back a laugh. “He seems to have a real problem with me going on my training weekends for the National Guard.”
“Probably because he was dishonorably discharged from the Army after only two years in.”
I blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know that.”
“Not too many people do. I only know because my brother told me. He wouldn’t tell me what Jeff did. He just said it was pretty bad.” He grimaced. “I’m surprised he didn’t try to talk you out of joining the National Guard.”
Somehow, that bit of information about Jeff didn’t surprise me. “He didn’t know,” I said. “Nobody but my sister, Allie, knew about it. I didn’t want to deal with anyone giving me shit for joining.”
