On a Roll by Beth Bolden (free ebook novel .txt) 📗

Gabe had to look away before the emotion overwhelmed him. He didn’t regret what he and Sean had had—he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it—but he did wish that it had ended differently. He wished that they could find a way to be friends, maybe in the future. Even if it would hurt.

“I should go,” he said. “The sign guy’s gonna be waiting for me.”

“I’m going to finalize the recipe and then clean up,” Ren said.

Gabriel grabbed his wallet and his keys, and on the way over, grabbed an iced coffee from his favorite cafe. It was hot, blazing hot, an August day where it felt like the sidewalks might start sizzling any moment.

Gabriel turned the corner and came face to face with a lot that was just as empty as he’d envisioned it would be.

He skirted around the side instead of walking through the middle—he couldn’t quite face Sean’s truck, not just yet—and pulled his keys out, even though he was pretty sure the sign guy didn’t need to actually get inside to replace the outside, rebranding and renaming his truck, finally. But he’d also ordered new shirts and new aprons, as well as new paper menus, and he hoped that he’d be able to stash them inside for the time being.

Glancing at his phone, he noticed that the guy was already ten minutes late. Gabriel told himself not to be annoyed, but he kind of was.

He paced in the truck, reassuring himself with the way everything still shone and gleamed, and was in one piece. Ever since the picnic table incident, Lennox had made sure that nobody was on the lot that didn’t belong there. But he still worried—and Gabe knew Tony worried.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be having Lennox install that ridiculous security system.

Glancing out the front window, he wondered if he’d be able to see the cameras, or if they were so small and hidden, he’d have to guess where Lennox placed them.

Knowing Lennox, he’d be searching forever before he spotted one. That guy was a sneaky bastard.

But the first thing Gabriel saw wasn’t a camera. It was the sign guy—and he was across the lot, talking to . . . was that Sean?

Gabriel stared, shocked. That was Sean’s truck—or else it had been Sean’s truck. The distinctive red and white was gone, replaced by a bright turquoise and an even sunnier yellow trim. He couldn’t quite read the name from this distance.

Had he . . .? No, Gabe insisted to himself. He wouldn’t have sold his truck and given up. Except . . . maybe he would have.

Gabriel, who had made himself a whole truckload of promises about how he wouldn’t force the issue with Sean or push him or make him uncomfortable in any way, was down the stairs and out the door in a flash, practically running across the lot.

He didn’t even bother to read who had bought the truck off Sean.

He only had eyes for the man he loved.

“Gabriel!” Sean didn’t look upset to see him, or surprised, or any of the emotions that he’d expected. He looked pleased.

Gabe’s heartbeat sped up—and it had already been racing from his run across the lot.

“What’s going on?” he demanded. “Did you sell your truck?”

“Is that what you’re so worried about?” Sean teased.

“Yes,” Gabe said. “I’m . . .” He gestured at the sign guy, who was staring at both of them like they’d just grown second heads. “I don’t want you to give this up, just because I was a stubborn asshole. I . . . I know I fucked it up. I know I pushed you too hard, but you can stay, right? I can be better. I can be . . . well, I can try to be quiet. I can do that, for you. I can do anything for you.”

A smile played across Sean’s lips. “You sure about that? I don’t think I can see you being all that quiet, Moretti. It’s not in your nature.”

“I told you. I’d do it. For you.” Gabe couldn’t quiet the panic streaking through him. Sean was going to leave, he was going to go away again, and he would never get a second chance. Or a third chance. Or whatever fucking chance he was on.

Maybe it was selfish—it was definitely the stubborn asshole in him—but he wanted all the chances that Sean would give him. He’d take them all and give Sean back all the love in the world. At least all the love that Sean would accept.

“Yeah, you did.” Sean glanced over at the sign guy, who was staring at both of them still. He reached out and signed the paper on the clipboard he’d extended in his direction. “Thanks,” he said to the sign guy. “Sorry I kept you a little bit longer, but I think we’re done here.”

“Yeah,” he said. “No problem. My next job is just over there.” He gestured in the direction of Gabriel’s truck. “So if you need anything else . . .”

“Wait,” Sean said suddenly. “Wait. You’re . . . who’s your next job?”

The sign guy shot Gabriel a look that clearly said, it’s this crazy dude, right here.

“You didn’t,” Sean breathed out, looking blown away. “You did.”

“I said it,” Gabriel said. “I said I’d do anything for you. I should’ve done it an age ago, when I first looked into it, but I was selfish. I wanted . . . it kept us together, you know? It kept us talking and arguing and god, I liked that too much.”

“I did too,” Sean said, and Gabriel’s heart was splintering. Was it possible for a heart to break from too much hope? Too much happiness? Or was it his heart being remade? Reforged with the belief that he’d finally done the right thing?

He glanced and now that he was closer and not completely distracted by the fact that Sean was here, now, he could finally see the name. Wrap