Page 53 of Ace of Spades

“What should I tell him?”

He snatches the phone out of my hand a second time and turns his back to type something quickly, then sends the message.

I grab the nearest pillow off his bed and whack him on the side of the head with it.

“I said don’t ever do that again. And you are a neanderthal, by the way.”

A ding for a reply comes in instantly and he looks down smiling before handing me the phone.

Me

Depends… can I bring my cousin?

Brody

Of course! Family is always welcome.

“See,” Julian says. “Uncle Brody gets it.”

As annoying as Julian can be, it does make me feel better to have some backup.

If I’m going to be chatting with my biological father who I know barely anything about over some sweaty athletes that beat each other up on ice skates… it’d be nice to have Julian to keep the awkward conversation flowing.

* * *

The next morning, I’m early to work at the shop. For the last two days, Levi Steele has had me shadow him for everything.

And I’m starting to see why he doesn’t have a foreman already for the shop.

For one, the man can’t let go.

He has to oversee pretty much everything. Making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

But, by doing so, thingsarefalling through the cracks.

Builds are behind schedule. Parts are getting lost in transit. There’s no clear system of organization, unless you count the playing card notes that the crew uses as their personal messaging board.

Today, there’s a new vague message, nailed onto it.Skid did it.

“Skid did what?” Levi says, eyeing the board.

I startle at the sound of his voice. He wasn’t supposed to be in for another hour.

“Oh,” I grab onto my chest. “You’re early.”

“So are you,” he says, dropping two lunchboxes onto his desk. “What’d Skid do?” he repeats.

“Don’t know. That message was here when I got in.”

“Hmm.”

The sound of metal clinking to the ground inside the bay has us both jumping up. Levi hauls ass out of the office.

I follow him out to see him pick up a handlebar that fell onto the floor.

The culprit? A cute little girl wearing her own little SKC uniform. The name Josie is embroidered onto it. She’s covering her ears as we approach.

“Well, hello,” I say with a smile. “I didn’t realize we hired another mechanic.”

---