Tommy gave me a crooked smile. “Well, I’m only an asshole occasionally.” Snorts of laughter came from the other two mechanics and Tommy flipped them off. This was going to be a fun place to work.
When everything was settled, I thanked Dante and Andrea again for their help. “No problem at all,” Andrea said. “Hey, Liam said you might be interested in playing D&D.”
“Yeah. I’m surprised he remembered. That was a few weeks ago.”
Andrea smiled. “Liam has a good memory. So what do you say?”
“I’d like that,” I replied. “But give me a couple of weeks to get settled here.”
“Sure thing, Sarge.”
Dante started to laugh. My brow furrowed. “What’s so funny.”
“That’s what Andrea calls Marco when we’re working together.”
Now I was more confused. “But he’s Navy.”
“That’s the joke,” Andrea said.
“Okay, I guess. As long as he doesn’t care.”
Dante put his hand on my shoulder. “No worries. Marco’s got a good sense of humor—most of the time.”
Andrea snorted. “We’ll see you soon, Zach. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. Thanks again.”
I headed home to shower and change. It was only a little after four o’clock, so Miguel wasn’t home yet. I thought, again, about calling him to tell him about my day, but I didn’t want to bother him at work. I’d tell him when he got home. Maybe we’d be able to go out and celebrate. I could introduce him to Robbie.
I texted Robbie when I was done, and he asked me to meet him at the bar in The Asbury Hotel. When I got there, he met me with another hug and led me to a small table near the bar. There weren’t many people since it was still early. Robbie had changed into jeans and a soft-looking dark-blue short-sleeved button-down that accentuated his light-blue eyes.
I couldn’t stop smiling. “It’s so good to see you. I know I already said this, but I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.”
“Really?” He fidgeted with the straw in his drink. “I thought a lot about you when I got this job down here. I thought about looking you up, but I wasn’t sure if you were still here or would want to see me.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.
“Well, you never answered my letters,” he replied, his voice quiet.
“Letters?” My stomach twisted. “You sent me letters?”
He nodded. “Ten, I think, before I gave up.”
“But I never got any of them. How…?” In a blinding instant, I knew. “My father.” My mouth twisted with fury. “Thatbastard,” I ground out. “He must have taken them out of the mailbox before I could see them.”
He blinked and tilted his head. “I don’t understand. Why would he do that?”
“Because he’s a homophobic prick.” I clenched my fists in an effort to contain my roiling emotions. The implications of what my father did hit me. My chest tightened. I looked over at my friend, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “You must have thought I hated you or something.” I ran my hands through my hair. “God, after everything you went through. I’m so sorry, Robbie.”
He stood and came over to my side of the table. He gestured for me to stand. “Come on, get up.” Once I complied, he wrapped his arms around my waist. “It’s okay, Zach. I’m here now. We can be friends again.”
I enfolded him in my arms, trying to convey sixteen years of missing my best friend. “You’re still short,” I murmured.
He shoved at my chest in mock annoyance. “Not everyone can be a giant, you know. Besides, I’m not that short.”
I stepped back and smiled down at him. “True. You’re not as short as Miguel. He’s pocket-sized.”
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Miguel, huh? Tell me all about it.”
