Page 15 of Beck

JOEY: In your dreams.

ETHAN: I didn’t know you cared so much, Beck.

BECK: You’re a prince, so Joey says. I think I deserve a prince.

ETHAN: You truly do, and you’ll find one.

FINN: You’ve finally persuaded Kole to come and work with us?

The conversation stalled for a moment, no responses at all, and then Joey started typing.

JOEY: How the fuck…?

JOEY: Yes. Kole is coming to work for us.

Beck’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at the words, questions tumbling through his head in no particular order. When? Why? How? Where?When? He licked his lips, needingto ask the question, but not wanting to appear too keen. Luckily, though, Dallas beat him to it.

DALLAS: Yes! When is he starting?

The doorbell of the shop rang, and Beck glanced at the time, cursing when he realised it was time to open up. He shoved the phone into his pocket, even though he needed to know the answer like he needed to breathe. The doorbell sounded again, and he jogged down the stairs and to the door.

“Hold up!” he called, unlocking the door and flipping the sign to “open.” “Sorry about that. I was…”

He trailed off when he was met with a familiar face, and suddenly, he didn’t need to know the answer. He was staring at it—him.

“Hey. Joey said it was okay to drop in today. To see how things worked. Is that…okay?” Kole asked, still standing on the threshold.

Beck blinked. “Yes, of course!” He stepped back. “Come on in. I’ve only just been told the good news, but I wasn’t told when you were starting.” He closed the door and focused on opening the blinds. Inhaling, he faced the man who had made him want to fall asleep because he saw him in his dreams—when his brain let go of the nightmares, that was.

Kole winced. “Sorry about that. I hadn’t realised they were keeping it a secret.”

Beck waved him away, even as his stomach flooded with butterflies at being so close to the guy again. “It’s all good. It was a good surprise, that’s all.” He rounded the desk to see the calendar. Nothing said anything about where Kole would be working from. “I’m not sure where you’re going to be, but I’m sure you could use Dallas’s studio today. He’s on his travels today.”

Kole shook his head. “I’m good just sitting in one of these chairs and doing my thing. I doubt I’ll have many people wanting me to do something for them.”

Beck smiled. “You will. As soon as word spreads that you’re working for us, that you were the one at the Bonser event, people will start flocking. I know it.”

Kole licked his lips and lifted his chin, though Beck could see the uncertainty in him. “I don’t know about that, but thank you for saying it.”

“Do you want a tour, or have they done that already? Wait. Where are you staying?”

“Joey found me a small flat not too far away. It works for now, but maybe I’ll find something else, eventually. I don’t think it’s my forever home.”

Beck nodded. “I can understand that. There are so many places, good and bad, in London that it may take a little while for you to find something you like.”

“Same everywhere then.” Kole grinned and put his bag on the counter. “I’ll just sit here and wait until Joey or Ethan are around.”

Beck didn’t want him to feel unwelcome or unsure, so he settled on giving him a task. “How about you draw some designs for us to put on the wall? Like these.” He moved to the designs covering the walls. “Each of us has designs on there that people can choose from or they can request something from the designer of their choice. Or bring something in themselves. Either way, if you get some drawings done, something with your flair on it, we can put them up and see what happens. I bet you’ll get more work than you think you will.”

He could see Kole wasn’t convinced, but he nodded. “I’ll start scribbling.” Settling into a chair in the waiting room, Kole pulled his things from his bag, laying them on his lap. He opened a regular artist’s pad, chose a pencil and tapped it against his lipas he stared at the blank page. Beck knew all this because he watched. He couldn’t help himself. He took in the way he held his pencil. The way he scraped his teeth across his lower lip while his hand brushed across the page. The way he tilted his head when he paused to study what he’d already created.

Beck only stopped when the bell rang to signal someone had opened the door. Blinking and shaking his head, he focused on the newcomer, and stood, smiling.

“Leyton! How’re things? Not seen you in a while.”

Leyton was a huge mofo, originally from Nigeria, and he had a huge array of tattoos over his entire body. There wasn’t much space left for big designs, but smaller intricate ones would work in the spaces left. Beck had thought the man had been messing with him when he told him he was a preschool manager, but once he’d seen him in action at an event they’d been invited to at the preschool itself, Beck had known it was a role Leyton had been born for. The man had settled onto a chair, rested his arms on a table on each side, and let the children colour his tattoos. He’d sat there for hours.Hours. And the kids loved it. It was why he always had only outlines done on his arms and legs. The rest of him was a waterfall of colour.

“I’m a busy man, Beck. Especially now I have a baby to look after.” Leyton grinned.

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