“Well, maybe, but can I ask you something first?”
“Sure.” He pulled out his shorts and tank, similar to mine. Our bindings would show a little on the side, but a lot of Lactin Brotherhood members worked out here, and we considered it a safe space for us. “What’s going on? Trouble with the boyfriend already?”
“Not exactly, but I helped him with something that was business- but also family-related, and I think I might have messed it up for him.”
“How so?”
“His uncle thought I was trying to scam him or something. So, I fucked it up simply by being there.” I threw my hands up. “That’s the last thing I wanted.”
“Huh…give me the details here.”
I went through everything that happened, including how excited Gilly had been and how crushed he was afterward. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“Is that your question?”
“I guess. What should I do?”
Eric pulled his tank over his head. “At this point, stay out of it. If Gilly needs or wants more help, he’ll ask. Otherwise let it go and let him work it out.” He clapped my shoulder. “I know the Daddy in you wants to fix everything, but even if he’s your boy, he’s still his own man and an adult.”
“I know. But it’s so hard.” I’d always struggled with where to draw the line which was one of many reasons I’d avoided relationships in the first place.
“Of course it is. Everything in life that’s worth a damn is going to be hard. Speaking of hard, let’s get busy.”
We headed out to the main workout space, and I knocked out a few bench presses, but then started leaking through the damn padding.
Fuck my life.
23
GILLY
The Newmyer job was going to be more complicated than most and required scaffolding to reach the top floor. I wasn’t fond of exterior jobs, but they paid well, and we needed all the business we could get. Most people could or would paint interiors themselves, but exteriors, not so much. It could be intimidating, especially those two-story jobs like this one. While the crew tackled that prep, I pulled the paint out of the truck to show the homeowners for a final sign-off, then we got to it.
Before noon, Uncle Clay showed up and called me down to the truck. “Hey, Uncle, what’s going on?” I expected something business-related, but he didn’t jump in right away. First, he hugged me, and I needed that from him more than I’d realized. Things had been strained between us since the meeting, and I hated that.
“Gilly, you’ve always been a good boy, and I don’t ever want to see you hurt.”
“I know.”
“Even when I’m the one who hurts you.”
“You didn’t?—”
“I did. Now, quit interrupting. I’m trying to tell you something important here.” He bit his bottom lip and stared at the ground. “I’m, uh, I’m sorry. I was upset and afraid. I didn’t want someone else telling you what to do. I know he’s your boyfriend, but if this is what you want, that’s different than him pushing you into it.”
“Uncle, between Mom and Dad, you, and Grandpa, I was raised to be independent.” Uncle Clay knew I’d been pretty much taking care of myself since high school. “Yes, I had him help me, but only with the business side of it, the paperwork and proposal. I wanted it, I want this. He’s only helping with information and, like, technically putting it together. What’s that called, the PowerPoint and spreadsheet?”
Uncle Clay nodded. “Yeah, I understand.”
“It’s my decision. All of it.”
He nodded as if he was making up his mind about things. “I get it, I really do. I looked it over a few more times, and honestly, it’s a good deal for both of us. Plus, I checked out his company, which seems legit. That’s why I’m accepting your offer, only I don’t want you to use as much of your savings as you’d proposed.”
“But—”
“No. Let’s chop some off the purchase price. Here.”
He handed back the summary page of the proposal with the price marked out in sharpie and a new price written in. It was about a third less than I’d offered.
