“Can we not do the concerned-parent-at-a-PTA-meeting face?” I say. “It’s weird. I’m okay.”
“It’s okay not to be,” Adrian says gently.
There hangs the heavier silence that wraps around you when your friends see straight through the bullshit armor you’re still trying to wear. George’s absence feels like a bruise that keeps getting worse when you look away.
“No, seriously.” I force a smile. “I know I look like a guy one bad week away from adopting six cats and living in the woods, but I’m okay.”
Adrian raises an eyebrow.
“Mostly okay,” I amend. “And I appreciate you being here. All of you. I mean that.” I look at Holloway specifically. “You guys flew out. You didn’t have to do that.”
He’d canceled a sponsor’s meeting back in San Francisco, something Adrian unthinkingly dropped earlier. He said Holloway loves packing anyway, but we both knew the real reason. George isn’t here, and they’re making damn sure I’m not falling apart by myself before I move out. I know for a fact that their next stop is George’s place to check on him too.
Holloway shrugs like it’s nothing.
Trevor has been holding the same mug for a few minutes without drinking from it. He sets it down and grabs a tape to seal down a box.
“Called George,” he says, not quite looking at me. “A couple days ago, just checking in.”
Nobody says anything.
“He’s not doing real flash, mate. Not that he’d ever bloody admit it.” He pauses. “He might talk to ProMotive about the buyout.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
“That fucking idiot.” I let myself feel it. “After everything he’s put into that place, he’s just gonna hand it over to a corporate chain?”
Holloway leans forward. “Bradford, easy—”
“No, I’m serious. Years of holding that shop together and now he just folds.”
“Mate—”
“He’s the most stubborn son of a bitch I know. Works himself into the ground for everyone else and won’t take a damn thing back. And now he’s just fucking giving up—”
I stop, chest heaving, hearing myself. The raw shit I just said outloud. I blink.
Adrian raises an eyebrow, looking worried but amused. “You done?”
Trevor watches me for a long beat, then nods once, calm as ever. “Think we know what we need to fucking do.”
Adrian and Holloway exchange a quiet look. They don’t say it outright, but it’s clear. They’re not about to sit back and let this happen either.
I let out a slow breath and meet their eyes.
“I’ll be in Seattle…doing Seattle things,” I mutter. “You guys can deal with that human embodiment of a check-engine light without me.”
“You’re gonna be up late at night rebuilding his whole fundraising plan from scratch, mate,” Trevor says, not even looking up from the box he’s taping shut. “We all know it.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Bradford, you’ve never let go of a problem and let it be someone else’s. You’re not starting because you’re sad.” Holloway says. “Especially not for George.”
“I’m extremely capable of minding my own business.”
All three of them just look at me. I hold out for about ten seconds.
“Fine. Maybe I’ll glance at some numbers. Once. Out of curiosity.”
