“I know you are.” Jordan shot her a grim smile. “I couldn’t have asked for a better lead on this project. You’ll get them.”
The silence lingered until James stood and started fussing…probably to take their minds off heavier topics. He went to toss his napkin and it tumbled off the heap to the floor. “Look at this pile of crap! Did no one teach you how to clean up after yourselves?”
He waved toward the overflowing garbage. His sister, Laurel, shot him a wry grin that made Ace pretty sure she had similarly lectured James when he’d been a kid.
James grumbled, “Someone better take the damn trash out.”
“I thought you were obsessed with being our Alfred,” Ace teased, just to rile him. He should probably stop doing immature shit like that—antagonizing the people he cared for most. It drove Liam nuts, but it was too fun not to instigate every once in a while.
“Ace. Get it straight. I always wanted to be Robin. The cute sidekick with bright, bulge-enhancing costumes. Besides, Alfred was a butler, not a maid. And I’m neither.”
It was worth James’s crossed arms when Ace got a glimpse of Ruby’s smirk. At least she thought he was funny.
Hiding his own chuckle behind his hand, Ace soothed James’s ruffled feathers by doing as asked and emptying the too-full can. With a glance at Lucas, he hefted the bulging industrial-sized sac with his left hand. It felt weird, but Lucas was correct. It would be easier to learn to do more with his good side than to constantly be stressed about whether his bum arm would hold or give out at the worst possible instant. He could get stronger like this if he worked at it, even if it was from simple shit like garbage duty.
When he kicked open the back door, someone scurried away from the steel as it swung outward.
“Son of a bitch, Ace!” Eli stumbled backward.
“Sorry, bud.” Ace chucked the thick black bag into the dumpster. He didn’t mean to be a loose cannon, but it seemed he came by it naturally. He caught and held the swinging door for the head Hot Rods mechanic, who was a cousin of Joe from James’s original Powertools crew.
Everyone knew everyone around Middletown. It was nice to be surrounded by friends.
“What can we do for you?” Ace asked right before he noticed the neon flash of James’s ever-more-ridiculous car, glowing in the lot beyond. He couldn’t wait for everyone else to get an eyeful of what he was seeing. Ace leaned into the doorway and shouted, “James! Everyone! Come quick!”
Of course that lead to a damn near stampede of spies with hands inconspicuously on their various weapons as they poured from the building. They knew it wasn’t dangerous or he would have given them a heads up but still, everyone was rightfully on edge and, frankly, never entirely trusting.
It was a hazard of their profession.
Ace braced his hands on his knees and bent over laughing hysterically. It felt good to shake off some of the tension that had been stalking them at work, and at home now that he and Liam had to watch themselves and Ruby was thrown into the middle of their bullshit.
“What the fuck isthat?” Tavish pointed at the tiny car, which was overwhelmed by armored sides, bulletproof glass, and now a ten-foot-tall snorkel. Given Tavish’s thick brogue, ginger coloring, and his insistence on wearing a modern black kilt with combat boots, it had to be both impressive and outlandish to make him feel it stood out.
And he was right.
Eli disguised a chuckle with a cough, then said, “James’s car is even more badass than before. It’s waterproof and can drive through your pond back here if he feels like it.”
It looked like one of those poisonous beetles found in the jungle, tiny but dazzlingly bright to warn would-be predators to stay away. And yet, Ace had the feeling the thing was cursed. After being backed into, having a tree fall on it, and then rolling into their pond…yeah, it didn’t have a great track record.
James stood straight and held out his hands for the keys. “Perfect. Thanks, Eli!”
He acted like the guy had added something practical like a set of snow tires in winter instead of…that. Lucas and JRad exchanged a perplexed stare while the rest of Shields took bets on how long it would be before some other catastrophe threatened James’s pride and joy.
Still cracking up, they headed back inside together, Jordan triple-checking the exit was secured and the alarm reset while the team congregated in the lobby, making plans for evening workouts, movie screenings, or coordinating the overnight shifts.
“Hey, Wren, didn’t you say you had something to tell everyone?” Kennedy asked as the Shields got ready to disperse.
“Nah.” Wren leaned up against Kason’s side. He automatically wrapped his arm around her waist as she smiled over at their husband Jordan. “It’s not the right time with this stuff going on. It can wait.”
“In that case, I’m going to take these two for a dip in the hot tub.” Kennedy motioned toward Marcus and Knox.
“A skinny dip?” Legend asked with a wry grin. “Tavish and I will be sure to go upstairs to shower instead of interrupting you after we’re done lifting.”
“Probably for the best.” Knox took his lovers’ hands and led them down the hall toward the pool and locker rooms off the gym.
“Call me if you need me. Otherwise, take care of yourself,” Sola murmured to Ruby before hugging her goodnight. “And let them do that too.”
Ace appreciated the good word and that Ruby’s closest friends seemed to understand that he and Liam would do whatever they could to help her.