Daddy Digs Deep (Blue Collar Daddies in the City #12)

Chapter 1 Adam

ADAM

I'd been staring at the candy rack for almost eight hours, just waiting for my shift at Quik-Fuel to end. Just seven minutes left before the clock struck seven and I could take my tired ass home

There was a gnarly headache settling in behind my eyes that was demanding sleep. Lots and lots of sleep.

I wiped down the counter for the third time in ten minutes then arranged the packs of cigarettes in their wire displays, even though they were already perfectly straight. My hands needed something to do, and I had already counted out the till. Twice.

As long as there weren’t any cash transactions in the next few minutes, I could consider the register balanced and get the hell out of there on time.

Working the graveyard shift was great because it was usually quiet and I had a lot of time to read, but those final minutes were always the worst. Exhaustion set in quickly, and I went from thoughtful and reflective to antsy and restless.

Only one thing made those last moments bearable, or rather, one person.

The bell above the door chimed, and I didn't need to look up to know who it was. My stomach gave it away by doing that silly flip it always did when Ellis stopped by.

Like clockwork, he came in every morning just as I was packing up my stuff. The man was six feet of solid muscle and looked like he could toss me over his shoulder and carry me away without breaking a sweat.

And I’d totally let him if he tried.

"Morning, Adam." His voice was rough like he hadn’t used it much so early in the morning.

I was already staring right at him as he met my gaze. "Morning, Ellis. Busy day today?"

"You know it." He went straight to the coffee machines to fill his thermos.

He prepared it the same way every day, but I couldn’t look away from his large hands as he went through the motions of adding two sugars to the bottle and screwing on the lid. Then he gave it a few gentle shakes before popping the sip lid and taking a drink.

I'd memorized his order after the first week I started working at Quik-Fuel, but I still got a little hard watching his eyes drift shut and his throat move with each swallow.

When he had his first drink out of the way, he came to the counter and pulled up the payment app on his phone. "How was your night?"

"Boring." I rang him up as I tried unsuccessfully to focus on his eyes instead of his mouth. "A few guys came in just after midnight who were a little loud, and one guy definitely shouldn’t have been driving, but that's about it."

Ellis clenched his jaw as he exhaled through his nose. "You shouldn't be here alone."

The concern in his voice made my chest tighten and my eyes snap back to his. "It's fine. I've been doing this for six months, so I’m used to the weirdos by now."

"Being used to it doesn't make it safe." His expression was both hard and concerned at the same time. "You got a gun or bat or anything back there?"

“Nah.” I chuckled and shook my head. "I wouldn’t know what to do with one anyway."

He wrapped both hands around his thermos. "If you’re gonna work in a place like this, you need to learn."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just shrugged.

"You’ll be here tomorrow?" He stepped backward toward the door.

"I’m here every day." I didn’t have to work seven days a week, but two hours of overtime was padding my savings account very nicely, so I grabbed every extra shift I could. “Be careful out there.”

"I’m always careful, kid." He smiled, and looked at me as he pulled open the door. "You’re the one I worry about."

My throat went dry at that. Was he serious or was that just a thing to say? "See ya then."

I watched through the windows as Ellis climbed into his truck.

Deep Roots Landscaping was painted on the side in green letters.

I'd googled the company a few times when I was bored, but there weren’t any photos of Ellis on the website, so I didn’t spend much time on it.

Reading about a company that specialized in native plants and sustainable landscaping wasn’t the best way to stay awake during a long night shift.

Before he was even out of the parking lot, my replacement showed up. Lisa was in her fifties and loved being chatty with the morning rush of customers. That was my worst nightmare, but it seemed to work for her.

She took one look at me and frowned. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." I scoffed and grabbed my jacket from under the counter. "It was a quiet night."

"They're all quiet, until they're not." She started counting out the register so she could take over. "You should get out of here before the morning rush. Go get some sleep."

I didn't need to be told twice. The sun was just starting to peek over the hills as I walked to my car. It might have been worth stopping to appreciate if I wasn't so damn tired. I'd been working nights for so long that daylight felt like something that belonged to other people. Day dwellers.

My car was parked in the back lot beside Lisa's. I fumbled with my keys because the battery in the fob died and I’d been too busy to order a replacement.

But in those moments when I just wanted to get home and collapse into bed, getting that little key into the littler slot felt like an impossible task.

Frustrated, I tossed my head back and sighed.

My exhaustion was quickly replaced with fear when I saw a black sedan parked across the street. It was the same make and model as Derek's, but there was no reason he would be there.

I stood there staring at the car and trying not to panic. It was probably nothing to worry about. Lots of people drove cars like that. I was tired and paranoid from working alone all night, and Derek wouldn’t just show up at my work.

We'd been broken up for months.

I looked away and forced myself to get in and drive out of there without looking at the sedan again.

My house was only ten minutes away, so I drove on auto-pilot until I was safely parked in the driveway of my little bungalow in an older neighborhood on the edge of the city. As soon as the engine was off, I grabbed my bag and hopped out of my car to finally end my day.

Then I saw a note. A small piece of paper was tucked under my windshield wiper that was obviously recent. There was no way that was there when I drove to work last night. My hands were shaking before I even pulled it free and unfolded it.

The handwriting was immediately familiar, and my breath caught as I read the neat block letters that used to be on love notes.

I miss you. We need to talk. -D

My legs felt like jelly as I stood there, but as soon as my brain kicked into gear, I rushed up the front steps and dropped down on my ass, still holding the note.

Derek had been watching me while I was at work. While I was alone and defenseless and had no idea he even knew where to find me.

The sun was bright and cheerful and completely at odds with the ice spreading through my chest. I didn’t know what to do.

Should I go inside and pretend nothing was wrong?

Lock the door and hope that kept me safe?

Calling someone seemed smart, and if there was someone to call, I would.

But there wasn’t anyone. No one in this new city… and no one anywhere else.

I was all alone.

I crumpled the note in my fist and stood up on shaky legs. A moment later, I was inside the house and scanning to make sure I was alone. It was exactly as I'd left it.

Empty.

Quiet.

After I locked the door behind me, I checked the windows and pulled the curtains closed. Then I stood in the middle of my living room and tried to convince myself I was overreacting.

Derek just wanted to talk. That was all. It was a harmless note that I could choose to ignore. Which I was pretty sure was my plan.

As I brushed my teeth and changed into jammies he hated and called childish, I reminded myself that I was a grown up and had agency in who was in my life. And after the way Derek treated me, he was not going to be part of my life ever again.

He didn’t approve of a major part of my life, and that was enough reason to ignore the note and the car and the icky feeling of being watched.

Everything was going to be fine. As I climbed under the covers and pulled my raggedy blankie out from under the pillow, I kept telling myself that.

But I didn't believe it.

And I didn't sleep.