Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“I’ll just change down here,” Key said, going for the hall bathroom.

“Good. I’ll get you a drink and set the table.” His anxiousness was showing. Key even gave him an odd look and placed a palm on Alec’s chest—Key’s way of checking his heart rate. It had to be elevated, no news there.

“Get,” Alec said and cocked his head to the bathroom. After Key shut himself inside, Alec rolled his eyes again at his own stupidity, then headed for the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a shot just to relieve his nervousness.

=?=

Alec remained antsy even though he’d gone through two full glasses of wine in less than thirty minutes. Clearly, he had something big to share, but he was doing his normal stretching out the anticipation thing he got a big kick out of. So, Keyes sat in a state of tension, because this could go two ways. Either the surprise was really great or he’d be dropping his head between his knees, praying he didn’t pass out. Man, Alec could stress him the fuck out as much as his brothers did.

“When are you gonna tell me what’s up?” he finally asked, shoving his plate back a couple of inches to rest his forearms on the table.

“I’m nervous, and I’m messing this up,” Alec answered, adding a second helping to Keyes’s plate.

“Nothin’s messed up,” he assured him, trying for encouraging, reaching for the shrimp Alec added to his plate. “You went to a lot of trouble for a weeknight dinner. It’s nice. Just tell me what’s goin’ on.”

Alec put the spoon back inside the bowl and raised the napkin from his lap to his lips. He then reached for his wine glass before sitting fully back in his seat. Keyes watched Alec gather himself and followed Alec’s lead, mimicking his actions by picking up the glass of water nearby before taking a hearty gulp.

“Well, first, I tendered my resignation today,” Alec said.

“How do you feel?” Keyes watched Alec closely. He doubted the resignation had anything to do with his current state of anxiety.

“Good. Really good.” Alec nodded then nodded again. “I also formally accepted the new job. I signed my offer and emailed it back to Reed.”

Keyes’s smile erupted at that news. He pushed his chair back several inches and reached for his pilsner, lifting the glass in toast to Alec’s huge accomplishment. “That’s great. Everything was like you wanted?”

“Better than. It’s ready to pick up and run with. The money was right. I toured the Layne Construction campus—it’s beautiful. I’ll office there and couldn’t ask for better. Are you familiar with the Westlake area?” Alec asked. It wasn’t the first time Alec had brought up Westlake, but it was the first time he’d questioned him about the area.

“NASCAR and country. That’s all I really know.”

Alec grinned at him and nodded, staying silent.

“So, when do you start?”

“Soon. I’ll begin immediately learning the ropes and transitioning files over. I’ll be super busy until the end of the year. Some of my staff will be relocating from the DC area. I’ll have to go up there for a couple of days…soonish. My official start date is January second but Reed’s secretary has already started making contact. My last day in the DA’s office is December fifteenth.”

“That’s great. Will they pay you for the work you’re doin’ now?” he asked.

“Oh yeah, the salary started today,” Alec added with an exaggerated nod.

“That helps.”

“It does. You know, I’ve been vocal about my shifting priorities since we met. I’d like us to live off what I make.”

Oh, the topic just took an unexpected turn. No… The talk of money stressed him out. His shop barely covered the cost of Dev’s crappy one-bedroom apartment. He’d hired all those workers to help cover all the time he was gone. He’d be forced to dig into his super-secret funds before too much longer. Keyes couldn’t see ever making much more than he made right now.

“I should be helpin’ pay the bills around here,” he found himself saying, thinking about the money he made from Fox’s side deals. He lifted his beer, taking a drink, wondering if those secret runs would continue once the club was able to shake the DA and could once again be a little more open with his brothers.

Yeah, the idea of losing that extra money had him tipping the beer, draining the glass.

“Why in the world would you ever pay a bill here?” Alec’s cool demeanor morphed to a look of disbelief, as though the suggestion were absurd. “You kept your apartment. You haven’t officially moved in.”

“Most of my shit’s here,” he stated matter-of-factly, rising, taking his plate and glass to the sink, going for the refrigerator for another beer. “I just keep that place for show. I come here every day.”

Why was he arguing against the out Alec had just given him?