Read Online Test Drive (Crossroads Book 3) by Riley Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Riley Hart
Ads: Link
asked, “Have you always been close?”
“Yeah,” Landon replied. “Always. I think that’s why it bothers her so much that Jacob isn’t close to his brother. I could see the tension between them at the party. Could you?”
Yes…yes he could. He also knew about it from Drew. There was a small twinge of guilt at that, like Landon was opening up to him and Justin was keeping something from him. “Yeah. And what do you mean it bothers her?”
“She just wants them to be close. I think this—what’s happening with us has to do with it as well. She called me angry the other day because she got in an argument with Jacob about his brother. I guess she wants to involve him more in their lives, bring them closer, but Jacob isn’t having it.”
First, Jacob sounded like a dickhead to him. What the fuck was his problem with Drew? It all sounded pretty superficial to Justin. Second, he realized Landon and Shanen really were close. They leaned on each other and spoke to each other. He envied them that. And third, he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring up the fact that he and Drew had spoken, flirted, spent the night together—even if Justin had been passed out on the couch—and that he thought he wanted to hang out with the man again. He didn’t want to cause any problems within his new family.
Which probably meant he shouldn’t spend time with Drew at all.
Justin didn’t respond because they’d pulled into the parking lot of Nick’s. It was a nice restaurant. The sign boasted about their unique comfort food.
A fucking restaurant.
It wasn’t that he had a problem with working in one, but it just added to the already massive mountain of changes in his life. He’d finally decided to pursue a career he would love, and now, even though it was temporary, it felt like going backward instead of forward.
They made their way inside to see Nick standing at the hostess counter waiting for them. The dark-haired man held out his hand for Justin and he shook it. “Hey, Justin. It’s good to see you again.”
“Good to see you as well. I appreciate you giving me this job under the circumstances.” The truth was, he’d likely only work a day or two a week. This wasn’t permanent. When his father passed, he’d go back to North Carolina. That couldn’t be the kind of employee Nick was looking for.
“It’s no problem. Seriously. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to. It works out perfectly, actually. One of my waitresses took a semester off college so she’s looking to pick up hours, but not permanently. She can take the hours you don’t, and then when you leave and she’s back in school, I can hire someone else on. It helps her out, and she’s a good kid, so that’s important to me.”
That was nice of him. Justin respected him for it. Not a lot of employers would look at it that way.
Nick gave him a tour of the restaurant, a uniform, and a few other things. He’d already filled out all of the information he needed to online.
If he was being honest, he hated it. Hated this whole situation. He didn’t want to wait tables a day or two per week. He wanted his life back, but he also knew that he couldn’t continue doing nothing. Some days he felt like he would burst at the seams from all the pent-up energy.
It wasn’t long before they were on their way out again. Just as he turned for the driver’s side, Landon grabbed a hold of his arm. “Listen…I was thinking I’d like to take Dad out on my motorcycle before the weather changes and…before he’s not able. Not right now, but soon. Shan said I should talk to you about it first.” Landon let go of him and ran a hand of over his face. “And hell, part of me is nervous to do it at all. It feels like…like too much. Because I’m still pissed at him. So fucking pissed it hurts to look at him. I don’t know how you do it, man. How you let go of that, but I know it’s important to try.”
Justin’s gut rolled and his muscles went rigid.
“Yeah,” Landon replied. “Always. I think that’s why it bothers her so much that Jacob isn’t close to his brother. I could see the tension between them at the party. Could you?”
Yes…yes he could. He also knew about it from Drew. There was a small twinge of guilt at that, like Landon was opening up to him and Justin was keeping something from him. “Yeah. And what do you mean it bothers her?”
“She just wants them to be close. I think this—what’s happening with us has to do with it as well. She called me angry the other day because she got in an argument with Jacob about his brother. I guess she wants to involve him more in their lives, bring them closer, but Jacob isn’t having it.”
First, Jacob sounded like a dickhead to him. What the fuck was his problem with Drew? It all sounded pretty superficial to Justin. Second, he realized Landon and Shanen really were close. They leaned on each other and spoke to each other. He envied them that. And third, he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring up the fact that he and Drew had spoken, flirted, spent the night together—even if Justin had been passed out on the couch—and that he thought he wanted to hang out with the man again. He didn’t want to cause any problems within his new family.
Which probably meant he shouldn’t spend time with Drew at all.
Justin didn’t respond because they’d pulled into the parking lot of Nick’s. It was a nice restaurant. The sign boasted about their unique comfort food.
A fucking restaurant.
It wasn’t that he had a problem with working in one, but it just added to the already massive mountain of changes in his life. He’d finally decided to pursue a career he would love, and now, even though it was temporary, it felt like going backward instead of forward.
They made their way inside to see Nick standing at the hostess counter waiting for them. The dark-haired man held out his hand for Justin and he shook it. “Hey, Justin. It’s good to see you again.”
“Good to see you as well. I appreciate you giving me this job under the circumstances.” The truth was, he’d likely only work a day or two a week. This wasn’t permanent. When his father passed, he’d go back to North Carolina. That couldn’t be the kind of employee Nick was looking for.
“It’s no problem. Seriously. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t want to. It works out perfectly, actually. One of my waitresses took a semester off college so she’s looking to pick up hours, but not permanently. She can take the hours you don’t, and then when you leave and she’s back in school, I can hire someone else on. It helps her out, and she’s a good kid, so that’s important to me.”
That was nice of him. Justin respected him for it. Not a lot of employers would look at it that way.
Nick gave him a tour of the restaurant, a uniform, and a few other things. He’d already filled out all of the information he needed to online.
If he was being honest, he hated it. Hated this whole situation. He didn’t want to wait tables a day or two per week. He wanted his life back, but he also knew that he couldn’t continue doing nothing. Some days he felt like he would burst at the seams from all the pent-up energy.
It wasn’t long before they were on their way out again. Just as he turned for the driver’s side, Landon grabbed a hold of his arm. “Listen…I was thinking I’d like to take Dad out on my motorcycle before the weather changes and…before he’s not able. Not right now, but soon. Shan said I should talk to you about it first.” Landon let go of him and ran a hand of over his face. “And hell, part of me is nervous to do it at all. It feels like…like too much. Because I’m still pissed at him. So fucking pissed it hurts to look at him. I don’t know how you do it, man. How you let go of that, but I know it’s important to try.”
Justin’s gut rolled and his muscles went rigid.
Similar Books
