entrance.”
Billy took a deep breath. Hell, he’d rather just stay here.
C HAPTER S EVEN
S O THIS is how the other half lives . Billy looked around the bar in the country club. Not much like the places where he hung out with the guys on his crew. Not too much like Anthony’s either. People here might be giving each other blow jobs, but they weren’t in the bathroom; it was out in the open over business deals. Funny, the drinkers seemed half twitchy and half bored. Totally weird to be on a triple date with his sister and her fiancé and a gay couple. And him dressed like some fashion model with a rich blonde on his arm. Jesus . He’d never have believed it if someone had told him.
“Cheers.”
Billy turned back to the group. Mitch held his glass of scotch on the rocks up in the center of the table. Everyone else raised their glasses, so Billy did too.
Shaz smiled, which was an amazing sight all by itself. “To love and happiness for our soon-to-be newlyweds.”
Rhonda beamed. “I would wish that for all of us.”
Sissy put a hand on Billy’s arm. Nice nails. A soft beige with little white tips. She squeezed. “So you’re a builder, right?”
Billy shrugged. “Not really. I work construction.” He looked up in time to see Shaz’s boyfriend glance away like he was bored. Billy turned his eyes back to Sissy. “I’m a construction supervisor.”
Shaz sipped his champagne. That was sure the right drink for the guy. He grinned. “Too bad you’re not a contractor. I’m going to be needing one for the new building.”
Rhonda leaned in. “Billy is more than qualified to be a contractor, believe me. We just haven’t been able to get him to take the test.”
Damn. Change the subject .
Mitch nodded. “Yeah, man, you should do that. Take the test. Shaz needs someone he can trust.”
Shaz put a hand on Billy’s arm beside Sissy’s. Warmer. “Is there a chance you’ll be completing the test in time? We’ll be going to bids in about a month. I’d love to include you.”
Shivers ran up his arm. “Uh, no. I won’t be doing that.” Shaz took his hand away, and Billy’s arm felt cold.
Rhonda was so on it. “Why not, Billy? That would give you a goal. Imagine getting to bid on a job right away. What a fantastic idea.”
The boyfriend, Giles, practically sneered. “I hardly think it would be wise to hand over our project to an untried individual just because you think he’s cute.” He raised an eyebrow. “No offense.”
God, give me strength not to hit the idiot . He should keep his mouth shut, but…. “Actually I’ve been a construction super for almost five years. So I have more than enough experience to qualify, and my company relies on my bidding skills.” Jesus, he should sink in the floor. Why was he bragging about this shit? Easy. Because this dude was a rude asshole.
Shaz glanced some daggers at his boyfriend, then looked at Billy. “Almost five years. You must have been a baby.”
He shrugged.
Rhonda glared at Giles. “Yes, he was made a supervisor when he was twenty-one. That’s how professional he is. You should see those big men who are older than Billy by decades all following his lead.” She patted Billy’s arm. “He’s inspiring.”
Well, hell, who’d have thought she’d ever say that ?
Shaz clapped his hands. “It’s settled. Billy’s going to get his license and bid on my job. Yay!”
Sissy clapped too.
Holy shit, this was a runaway train. “No. I can’t.”
Shaz cocked his head. “Why not?”
He stared at his beer. “I can’t take the test.”
“Why not?”
He always said the same thing when somebody asked him, but he didn’t really want to say that to Shaz. Still, he didn’t have another answer. “I’m not smart enough to take the test.”
Rhonda snorted. A real live snort. “Nonsense!”
Shaz’s hand came back to his arm. Billy’s eyes locked on those long, slim fingers, with blue polish now. The guy’s high voice was soft.
Billy took a deep breath. Hell, he’d rather just stay here.
C HAPTER S EVEN
S O THIS is how the other half lives . Billy looked around the bar in the country club. Not much like the places where he hung out with the guys on his crew. Not too much like Anthony’s either. People here might be giving each other blow jobs, but they weren’t in the bathroom; it was out in the open over business deals. Funny, the drinkers seemed half twitchy and half bored. Totally weird to be on a triple date with his sister and her fiancé and a gay couple. And him dressed like some fashion model with a rich blonde on his arm. Jesus . He’d never have believed it if someone had told him.
“Cheers.”
Billy turned back to the group. Mitch held his glass of scotch on the rocks up in the center of the table. Everyone else raised their glasses, so Billy did too.
Shaz smiled, which was an amazing sight all by itself. “To love and happiness for our soon-to-be newlyweds.”
Rhonda beamed. “I would wish that for all of us.”
Sissy put a hand on Billy’s arm. Nice nails. A soft beige with little white tips. She squeezed. “So you’re a builder, right?”
Billy shrugged. “Not really. I work construction.” He looked up in time to see Shaz’s boyfriend glance away like he was bored. Billy turned his eyes back to Sissy. “I’m a construction supervisor.”
Shaz sipped his champagne. That was sure the right drink for the guy. He grinned. “Too bad you’re not a contractor. I’m going to be needing one for the new building.”
Rhonda leaned in. “Billy is more than qualified to be a contractor, believe me. We just haven’t been able to get him to take the test.”
Damn. Change the subject .
Mitch nodded. “Yeah, man, you should do that. Take the test. Shaz needs someone he can trust.”
Shaz put a hand on Billy’s arm beside Sissy’s. Warmer. “Is there a chance you’ll be completing the test in time? We’ll be going to bids in about a month. I’d love to include you.”
Shivers ran up his arm. “Uh, no. I won’t be doing that.” Shaz took his hand away, and Billy’s arm felt cold.
Rhonda was so on it. “Why not, Billy? That would give you a goal. Imagine getting to bid on a job right away. What a fantastic idea.”
The boyfriend, Giles, practically sneered. “I hardly think it would be wise to hand over our project to an untried individual just because you think he’s cute.” He raised an eyebrow. “No offense.”
God, give me strength not to hit the idiot . He should keep his mouth shut, but…. “Actually I’ve been a construction super for almost five years. So I have more than enough experience to qualify, and my company relies on my bidding skills.” Jesus, he should sink in the floor. Why was he bragging about this shit? Easy. Because this dude was a rude asshole.
Shaz glanced some daggers at his boyfriend, then looked at Billy. “Almost five years. You must have been a baby.”
He shrugged.
Rhonda glared at Giles. “Yes, he was made a supervisor when he was twenty-one. That’s how professional he is. You should see those big men who are older than Billy by decades all following his lead.” She patted Billy’s arm. “He’s inspiring.”
Well, hell, who’d have thought she’d ever say that ?
Shaz clapped his hands. “It’s settled. Billy’s going to get his license and bid on my job. Yay!”
Sissy clapped too.
Holy shit, this was a runaway train. “No. I can’t.”
Shaz cocked his head. “Why not?”
He stared at his beer. “I can’t take the test.”
“Why not?”
He always said the same thing when somebody asked him, but he didn’t really want to say that to Shaz. Still, he didn’t have another answer. “I’m not smart enough to take the test.”
Rhonda snorted. A real live snort. “Nonsense!”
Shaz’s hand came back to his arm. Billy’s eyes locked on those long, slim fingers, with blue polish now. The guy’s high voice was soft.
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