Drilled by K.M. Neuhold

Chapter 20

APOLLO

The guys have given us a few days off before expecting us back at the office, which is fortunate because it turns out I need every second of that time to get myself back together after walking out of Ridge’s apartment.

I pick up my phone a dozen times to text him but end up putting it back down every time. I want to say something to reassure him, and myself, that we’re not going to lose our friendship again, but everything I try to type ends up being some version of I miss you or I think I’m in love with you and this is killing me.

As I pull up in front of the Four Bears Construction office, my stomach is in knots from both wanting to see him and being terrified to all at once. Fuck, maybe everything that happened in the woods was a mistake after all.

I reject that thought immediately. It wasn’t a mistake. I just need to learn to compartmentalize it. I’m sure, eventually, I’ll look back at the past month as the best one of my entire life.

I park next to one of the work trucks and get out, the gravel of the parking lot crunching under my boots when I do. A car pulls up behind me, and Ridge gets out of the backseat.

“Did you take an Uber to work?” I ask as the car pulls away.

“Yeah, I need to stop over at Big Bull and get my car. The past few days have just been…” He trails off, shrugging one shoulder.

“Mm,” I hum, and because Ridge gets me, he gives me an understanding smile at the implied yeah, me too of the sound.

“We should…” He jerks his head toward the door, and I nod.

We step inside the office, and in a weird way, it feels a little like coming home. It looks like West nearly has a bingo on the board, with vintage porn, “surprise” found in a wall, damage from a self-installed stripper pole, and pissed on by a dog. All he needs now is hardwood under carpet, which is pretty much a slam dunk.

A few months ago, West put a giant papier-mâché dick in the office, and it now sits proudly on display with a hardhat balanced on the head of it. The whole place smells like coffee, sweat, and sawdust, but fuck if it doesn’t instantly relax me, even if I know we’re about to be descended on by this damn pack of jackals. And I call them jackals with all the love in the world, truly.

The morning chatter of all the guys echoes down the hallway, beckoning us around the corner to the coffee station where everyone is congregated.

“Welcome back,” Ollie says, lifting his iconic Just Married…Again coffee mug in our direction before taking a sip.

“Mm,” I grunt in greeting.

“Aw, man, we barely had this one domesticated. Maybe a month in the woods wasn’t the best idea for him,” West teases.

“Yeah, you might want to watch out, he might start marking his territory all over this place,” Ridge warns, edging around Stone to pour himself a cup of coffee.

To my surprise, he fills the mug, and instead of lifting it to his own lips, he holds it out to me. Everyone stares for a second, a few knowing smiles bouncing around the crowded hallway. When he realizes everyone is staring, a light blush creeps over his cheeks.

“Thanks,” I murmur, taking the mug from him.

“So…” Cole looks between the two of us with a grin. I dart a glance in Stone’s direction. Surely he told everyone about the lube incident. He gives a quick shake of his head.

“I probably have about a million emails I need to check,” Ridge says before everyone can set in on pestering us about what might have happened. With his coffee in hand, he quickly ducks into the office that has desks for Miller, him, and me all set up.

“I suppose there is work to do,” Ev agrees, topping off his coffee and then disappearing into his own office. Everyone else starts to follow suit, and I linger for a few seconds, sipping from my mug and waiting for the chance to go after Stone.

I catch his office door right before it swings closed, stepping inside and shutting it behind me.

“Listen, uh…thanks,” I say a little more gruffly than I intend to, already reaching for the doorknob with my free hand.

“No need for thanks. You were right, we were all kind of being asses about it. Besides, unless you two fucked on the first night there, I lost the bet anyway. No way do I want any of those other assholes getting the money either.” Stone winks.

I grunt what’s meant to be another thanks.

“You planning to keep it a secret from everybody forever though, or what?” he asks.

The question tightens the knots in the pit of my stomach. “Nothing to keep a secret.”

He gives me a cut the shit look. “Come on, man.”

“It’s already over, so there’s nothing to tell.”

Genuine shock crosses his expression. “What? Why?”

“Because he tried to fuck me using cooking ingredients as lube,” I say blandly.

“Ha-ha,” he says flatly. “For real. What happened?”

“It’s not meant to be. We’re friends again, and that’s all it will ever be.”

“Damn. Well, for what it’s worth, you two seemed good together.” The sympathy in his voice makes me want to claw my own eyes out.

“Yeah. I’ve gotta get to work.” I practically sprint out of his office before he can say anything else that’s meant to be helpful or nice, or whatever the hell he was trying to do.

It doesn’t matter if Ridge and I are good together. It is what it is.

In the hallway, I linger outside our shared office for a minute, working on getting myself into the right place to go in there and spend the rest of the day crammed into that small space with Ridge. Thankfully, Miller saves me by stepping out at that exact moment with a small stack of papers.

“I’ve got a couple of consults I was just about to head out on, you want to take a few?” he offers, and I snatch the papers immediately.

“Yup, I’ve got these.” I’m out the door without a backward glance.

Apparently, I need a little more time to get it together around Ridge because not being friends isn’t an option again. It’s just not.

I spend the day talking to clueless homeowners in my best customer-service voice, which means minimal grunting and only the occasional scowl, and in between houses, I give myself a continuous pep talk about putting the last month in the past and moving forward with Ridge in the right way.

By the time I get back to the office in the afternoon, I’m fully ready to face him.

He’s still at his desk, or again at his desk, I’m not sure which. I give him a nod of greeting and sit down at my own computer.

“I was watching some stupid fucking show last night that made me think of you,” I say offhandedly as I log on to the software we use to write up bids.

Ridge snorts. “Gee, thanks.”

My lips twitch in a grin. “You’ll like it. Next time we hang out, I’ll put on an episode.”

He’s quiet for a beat or two, and I glance up from my screen to see a smile on his lips. “Cool.”

“Cool,” I echo.

When we finish up for the day, he pulls out his phone, likely to get another Uber. “Let me take you to get your car.”

“You sure? I was going to have the Uber take me there,” he says.

“It’s just up the road,” I reason. “Besides, isn’t that what friends are for?”

He chuckles. “These aren’t the kind of friendship benefits I was hoping for, but they’re better than nothing.” He grimaces after making the joke, no doubt worried that he took it too far.

“Yeah, I’d rather offer you a different kind of ride too, but this is the best I can do,” I tell him with a wry smile.

“I guess I’ll take it then.”

RIDGE

“Thanks for taking me to pick up my car.” I probably could’ve walked over, it’s not like it’s that far, but I wasn’t about to turn down a ride from Apollo.

He grunts, which is obviously Apollo for “You’re so very welcome.”

I drum my fingers against my thigh, resisting the urge to reach over and touch him. That’s over now. We’re friends again, and friends don’t grab other friend’s thighs while they’re driving. I’m sure the urge will pass eventually, right? It will get easier and easier to just love him the way I always have without all these mixed-up feelings of lust and longing and pointless dreams of forever?

“We’re here,” he says needlessly as he pulls into the parking lot of Big Bull Mechanics. The large, neon bull on the sign is a nice touch, in my opinion. I expect Apollo to just let me out and take off, but to my surprise, he pulls into a parking spot and gets out with me.

I spot Tallahassee just inside the first open bay, so rather than heading inside to the lobby, I beeline toward him. The place is buzzing, the whir of an electric impact wrench filling the air, the scent of tire rubber and oil tickling my nose, guys bustling about inside.

I recognize them all from a get-together at Demetri’s place a couple of months ago. Auggie, Demetri’s neighbor, is elbow-deep in the engine of a classic Mustang while one of the other guys, Red if I’m remembering correctly, leans over him, a hand on Auggie’s shoulder.

Another one of the guys catches my eye, his overalls hanging down around his waist, his upper body fully exposed. That can’t be safe, can it? Not for him, and certainly not for anyone else, with a body like that distracting them. Damn.

“Ridge, hey,” Tallahassee greets me with a friendly grin, wiping his greasy hands on the front of his overalls and striding over to me. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too. You remember my friend, Apollo.” I gesture to him.

“Yeah, hey.” Tallahassee offers his hand, but Apollo just scowls at it for a second. Jesus, I can’t take the man anywhere. I’m about to tell him to play nice when he reluctantly shakes. Someone give the man a treat.

I pat Apollo on the back and turn my attention back to Tallahassee. “Thanks again for taking care of my car for me and letting me leave it here so long.”

“No problem. Let me go grab the keys, and I’ll get you out of here.”

“Oh, what do I owe you?” I reach for my wallet, but he waves me off.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I can’t let you cover it,” I argue. I didn’t even sleep with the man, the least I can do is pay for my own car repairs.

“Tell you what, I’ll accept payment in the form of another date.” He gives me a smile that’s a charming combination of playful and flirtatious. Six weeks ago, that look would’ve had me swooning.

“Uh…” I drag a hand through my hair, trying to come up with the gentlest way to let him down easy. He’s a great guy and certainly nice on the eyes. I’m sure there’s someone out there for him who isn’t uselessly in love with their best friend.

Apollo saves me the trouble of coming up with anything by throwing an arm over my shoulders.

“Ah, gotcha,” Tallahassee says, looking between the two of us with a that figures expression. “Consider the timing belt a favor for a friend then.”

“If you’re sure?” I check one more time.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” He gives another easygoing smile to Apollo. “Down, boy. Consider your territory sufficiently marked.”

He strides off to get my keys, and Apollo pulls his arm back.

“You’re welcome,” he mutters, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“I’m welcome?” I repeat dryly. “Gee, thank you so much for saving me from getting ravaged by a greased-up, muscle-bound mechanic.” Not that I was going to take him up on his offer anyway, but seriously…I’m welcome?

He growls under his breath, and I roll my eyes. He doesn’t want me, doesn’t want anyone else to have me, what the fuck am I supposed to do with that?

“You know what? If you’re so jealous, why don’t you—”

“Here are your keys,” Tallahassee says, darting an awkward glance between the two of us.

“Thanks again.” I take my keys and throw one more glare in Apollo’s direction before striding over to my car and getting the hell out of there before I say something I’ll regret.