Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“What’re we doing for my birthday?” Alec asked.

He watched Key’s shoulders tense, and his hands paused. Alec felt some of Key’s walls materialize between them. Not a lot of them, nothing like before, but enough that Alec could sense Key’s hesitation. Hmm, he wondered why exactly.

“I’m takin’ that day off,” Key said, not looking up, and his fingers stayed still.

Key had opened up on a very small scale about his cash flow problems at the tire shop by saying he really hoped the Christmas shopping season would turn things around for his small business. The reciprocation of birthday gifts wasn’t something Alec had considered when buying the truck. The give equally factor had never occurred once in selecting the truck. He studied Key as he walked back to the bike and dropped to his knees on the other side, partially blocking Alec’s view.

“I was hoping to sneak in another ride for my birthday. I bet when you look down over the hill you could see all the Christmas lights below.”

Key said nothing, but he suspected some of the shielding might have lifted as Key nodded. “Can you hand me the three-eighths Allen?”

“Sure.” Alec scooted off the stool as his phone vibrated in his pocket and the Echo beeped.

“What’s that?” Key asked, looking up over the bike.

“I connected my phone to the Echo so I can talk hands-free. I think that means I received a text,” he said to Key’s raised brow. “Alexa, read my text message.”

Her automated voice started reciting the details of the message. Alec handed Key the tool bit for the wrench and started back around to his seat when he heard his mother’s name as the sending contact. He hiked his leg over the stool, before flipping a playful Nash to his back, letting him attack his hand as he held the small pup and listened to the message.

“Alec, this can’t come as a surprise to you. Your father and I have done quite a bit of soul-searching and we’ve decided it’s in our best interest and our health to discontinue our relationship with you. You’ve always been a struggle for us to understand, and frankly, a constant source of disappointment. Your rebellion has grown old and tiresome. We can’t abide the man you have allowed yourself to become. December will be your last allowance installment, I encourage you to spend it wisely. There will be no more. Good luck to you. Please respect our wishes by making no further contact.”

Alec stared at the device, disbelieving his ears, not realizing that Key had risen and walked toward him until he came in his line of vision, drawing Alec out of his trance. His mister looked so concerned that Alec tilted his head, looking past Key, back to the bike to see what might have happened.

“You okay?”

Alec glanced back at Key who stood inches from him.

“They have never given me an allowance. Not ever. In school, my extra money always came from my grandparents. How don’t they know that they’ve never given me an allowance?” It was mind-boggling to him that they’d never bothered to make sure he had what he needed. It incensed him into deep anger and hurt for the little boy he’d once been, looking in on a family unit he didn’t understand and could never get on the same equal footing as his selfish, spoiled siblings.

Key just stared at him and nodded. Nash chose then to practice his attack skills and bit down on his hand. Alec yelped, grinning down at the squirming puppy trying to right himself in Alec’s arms to better reach his hand to bite again.

Oh man, that was the sweet reminder he needed. Whatever had happened in the past brought him to this moment, to his new family who loved him for him. This time, when he reexamined his feelings, he sensed a genuine transformation building inside him.

“You’re naughty.” Alec lifted the ferocious pup to his face. Nash barked. “And pretty adorable.”

Key’s caring hands covered his as he held Nash. Alec lifted his grin to Key who still had the worry lines etched in his face.

“Don’t worry. I’m good. Oddly, my only care seems to be the normal sibling rivalry. I’m tired of being hurt by people who don’t want me when I have everything right in the world standing in front of me.”

Key’s hand went to Alec’s cheek, his thumb moved slowly back and forth across his skin, his loving gaze never left Alec’s.

“Kiss me, then go back and finish the bike. It’s Sunday and we have a lot of leftovers to eat. I googled all the ways to use that turkey meat. I guess a fifteen-pound turkey was probably too big for the three of us.”

“My old man hated me, and there was never any denyin’ it. Told me so every day of my life. Your family’s so much worse, because they treat you differently in public, like they’re truly proud of you and that has to give you false hope that their act could possibly be real.”