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TATE

I’m about to step into the shower after being away from my house for more than two weeks.

It’s been a nightmare of epic proportions.

At one point in time, I was barely making ends meet, getting my feet wet in all the ways of the world, having to fight to get my name and product out in the diesel industry.

My company is the one that will set up the fuel tanks on job sites.

That way, companies don’t have to bring it in by the truck load.

I’ve been dealing with securing the contracts for one of them in Texas, so not a hop, skip, and a jump by any means.

If I’d known it would take me this long, I would have said fuck it, even if the contract was worth more than a few million dollars in revenue a year.

“Hello,” I answer the phone. The shower is running, and I’m stripped down to my boxers when I grab the ever-present cell phone that’s practically superglued to my hand these days.

“Who the fuck pissed in your Cheerios this morning?” a voice says on the other end of the line. I didn’t bother looking at the screen, knowing whoever it was that I wouldn’t be talking business. It’s Sunday, for fuck’s sake. They’re lucky I’m even answering at all.

“Fuck, it’s been a minute. How ya doing?” I say. Deke chuckles into the phone. We don’t talk all that much unless it’s to plan a poker night at his place or he needs something set up at a job site and can’t get it done when he wants it, how he wants it. Needy shithead.

“Good. You making it to poker tonight? It’s been a while since you’ve joined in.” He’s not wrong. Used to be I’d get the weekends off. Lately, with shit booming the way it is, I’m lucky to get a morning to myself.

“That’s the plan, as long as the phone doesn’t keep me away.

” That and I get a damn shower. An emergency happened early this morning where a guy at a job site noticed a fuel tank was leaking.

No one else was answering their phones except me, which meant I was the one driving to the site, getting dirty, and fixing it until a welder could come to repair it.

“Good, it’s been too damn long. What, a few months now?

” More like five months. That first time I went over, there was no doubt about it that my eyes were searching for Emily.

The girl who left me while I was still sleeping.

Just because I said one night, that didn’t mean I was done with her.

In fact, I’d planned on eating her for breakfast, letting her return the favor, maybe slide deep inside while she rode me reverse cowgirl.

That didn’t happen, though. She was gone the next day, needing to be back for work, leaving me high and dry, wanting another taste of her.

The last time I was at Deke and Kelsey’s, Emily was nowhere in sight, and with my fucked-up schedule, I haven’t been back.

“Something like that. I’ll bring the IPA you like. Same time, I assume?” I wasn’t going to call him. The invitation has always been an open one. Ever since he found Kelsey and settled into the life he has here in Alabama, he’s held a guys’ night.

“Yep, don’t need anything, but I won’t complain about beer either.

This time, try not to take all my damn money, will you?

” One time, I wiped him clean. Fucker isn’t hurting for money, just like I’m not.

In fact, with the way his construction company now branched off in Alabama, I’ll bet you they’re raking in the money even more.

That doesn’t mean the Hart family isn’t humble.

None of the siblings and their parents let money take precedence.

The same could be said for myself, minus the house I bought above asking price to get my own little slice of heaven on the beach.

A two-story house on a small area with a private beach away from the tourists, fully remodeled, cost a fucking mint.

It was worth it to me, not having the time to worry about contractors or someone doing a shit job and having to fire them.

“Can’t guarantee I won’t walk out of there with none of your money, but I’ll grab the beer. If you need anything else, let me know.” I’m trying to end this. Standing here stinking of diesel fuel isn’t my idea of fun.

“Alright, later. Oh, by the way, Kels will be here. Her sister might stop by, too.” I look down. It’s like my cock has ears of its own, hearing that Emily will be there tonight, because the fucker perks right up.

“Later.” I don’t respond to the Emily comment, already knowing I’ll once again jerk my cock to the memories of that night, like I have been all along.

It’s not that I want a relationship, because I don’t.

This job requires too much traveling, time away for weeks at a time, which leaves no time for a woman in my life.