Horniness multiplier
twenty-one
. . .
horniness multiplier
It’s the first one I’ve written in a few weeks, mostly because I haven’t wanted to give up any time in my life now to make room for something that no longer fits.
It’ll never feel quite right to say I don’t have my parents in my life when people ask. The thing is, though, I’m finally at peace with it.
If I’d never left that place and them, I wouldn’t have what I do now.
A name for myself with a good company. A place of my own. A pickup truck I paid for that I can drive anywhere. Any food I want. The girl of my dreams.
It’s freedom, what I gained, and I thought family was what I lost. But the longer I’m with Delane, the more I feel like I've found family in hers.
Delane’s mom, Patty, has made it clear that I’m welcome in her home any time. There have even been a few times when Delane’s been out shopping with Mara, and her parents invited me over to do puzzles or help them deep fry a turkey.
I don’t even think Delane asks them to invite me, either.
And the crazy part is, I feel comfortable going. I want to go. I like being there with them.
As I stare down at the letter I just wrote my father, already neatly folded in thirds, I decide to put it in the envelope and add it to the rest. Only… it feels a lot like the last time. Because I no longer feel compelled to tell them I’m okay.
If they cared to know about me, they could easily find out.
Instead of giving another sheet of paper, another sad Dear Dad, I pull out another paper and sharpen my pencil, deciding instead to draw another page for Delane’s new notebook, the one I’m making for her.
I wanted to have it done by Christmas, but after Atti’s mom found some old mechanic’s books at a thrift shop and brought them by the shop, thinking they’d make “cute old decor,” I nabbed some of the pages out to make a collage front.
Atti promised he wouldn’t tell his mom, and Beau promised, equally, that he’d tell Atti’s mom he put them out front.
But the project is bigger now, and I don’t know if I’ll finish in time.
The second notebook–which is full of drawing and instruction–is nearly full, and the idea of giving it to her to keep with her other one is really starting to get me anxious.
She’s gonna love it.
It feels good to know her so well that I know what she wants and likes. It feels good to be in a relationship that has roots, friendship, and consideration that’s been blooming between us for years. It’s part of why we’ve fallen into such a serious stride after just a few months .
I mean, I feel serious about Laney. I feel like there is nothing I’d love more than to help her get the apprenticeship of her dreams, then carve out a life with her full of babies and family vacations and car trips and friends dinners and…
I want all of it. I want all the things I wanted as a kid, only now, I want them with her.
I want my own family with her.
But women are planners. And I know before Delane will consider looking that far ahead on the horizon, she’ll want to have her apprenticeship squared away.
Except, as I’ve been working on that second notebook, I’ve had a pretty good idea.
And this morning is the day, as Delane is at the dentist getting her teeth cleaned, to talk to Beau about it.
I finish the sketch of the exhaust system, spending time shading the catalytic converter and air injector tube above it. When it’s done, I stash the notebook away, grab my lunch and water, slip into my coat, give Salsa too much attention, then head to work.
It’s one of the days Delane didn’t sleep over. Since she had a teeth cleaning this morning and so did Mara, so she’s coming into the Kings late. I know it’s only been a few months but already waking up without her feels… off.
But despite the unease of missing her, I drive to work excited because… I really believe Beau will like this idea.
“And you’re buttering me up more than normal,” Beau says, taking a bite of the fresh chocolate croissant I picked up from Delilah’s Deli this morning.
I even got him a strawberry cruller and Atticus two bear claws.
They each got a bucket of coffee and promises of fresh chicken salad sandwiches for lunch–their favorite, also picked up from Delilah’s, as long as they sit and listen.
“I’m not going to lie. I’m trying to grease the gears a bit through your stomach.” I reach forward and stuff another tiny bite of strawberry pastry into his mouth, and he opens it to accommodate with a groan. “Is it working?”
He nods as he chews. “Probably. Now what you got for me?”
Atticus, whose mouth is full, sits adjacent to Beau, watching me carefully. I’d run parts of this past Atti to test the water, and when I wasn’t met with raucous laughter or looks of utter confusion, I knew I was onto something.
“You know how Delane wants to go through the apprenticeship program, likely here with you or him,” I nod to Atti, who is currently deepthroating his second bear claw. Beau’s eyes go to him, then back to me, keeping pace with the flow of conversation.
“What about you? You wouldn’t want to have her under you?” Beau asks, popping the white lid off his blue cardboard coffee cup.
“Oh, he wants her under him, alright,” Atti grins, slivered almonds poking out from the corner of his lips. Idiot.
“I think she’d be best off if it was one of you.
If it were me…” I trail off, imagining our lessons together so far.
I’d been able to teach her just fine, but that was before she was mine.
Now, I’m a little embarrassed to say I’m not sure I could leave her alone.
My hands like to wander when they’re next to her.
“I think it’s best if it’s one of you,” I decide finally, realizing they understand and need no verbal explanation.
“Got it. You’d be jackin’ up cars with your hard-on. Message received.”
I wince. I’m still adjusting to using vulgarity for no reason. Although, making Atticus’s head spin with random curse words is still pretty fun.
“Fuckin’ right,” I add with a grin, jarring them both with that one. In fact, Atti chokes on his coffee a little, earning a satisfied grin from me. “Still gettin’ used to it?”
He nods, wiping coffee from his beard, where it spattered out as he choked. “Yeah.”
“Okay, so back to Delane. She’s ready for the program. You know she passed her entry test with flying colors.”
Beau nods, sipping his coffee, and Atti is still trying to wipe away loose splatters of coffee from his Kings blues.
“You pay for her to go through the apprentice program,” I start, holding up a finger to slow or stop any possible interruptions. “I know you didn’t pay for me or Atti or any other mechanic, but here’s why you’d pay for her.”
“Aside from the fact she needs it,” Atti adds, building the case for Delane, too.
Even though she’s my girl, we’re family here, and Atti isn’t keeping a tally.
He wants the best for Delane, and that’s why I know I have the right audience.
I just have to make sure that Beau, the owner, is comfortable, not just Beau, the friend.
“Aside from that, you also pay for her to do an additional program. One that none of us have done. And she gets certified and works here, with that as her specialty.”
Beau scratches the side of his jaw. “I’m following. What’s the program?”
I grin. This is where it benefits both Beau directly and his greater causes.
“It’s the Tesla Start program. It’s a twelve-week course designed to go with the traditional trade school for automotive repair.
Basically, she'd be certified to work on EVs. And since you’ve added charging stations to all Wrench King locations, it makes sense to have an EV service.
And what better place to have the flagship EV service station than right here in Oakcreek, where the owner of the franchise lives and works? ”
He brings the paper cup to his lips and takes a long, slow sip as my insides bubble up, a lot like his hot coffee. His face is expressionless, and I can’t even bring myself to look over at Atti because I’m so nervous.
Delane would be great for this, and it would give her an entire operation here that belonged to her and only her.
I swallow nervously as Beau goes in for another sip. Finally, he lowers the cup to reveal a grin. “I love it. Let’s do it.”
“Yeah?” My chest immediately hollows with relief at his response.
“That’s a great fuckin’ idea, dude. I love it.” He takes his phone out, and I watch as his fingers quickly scatter across the digital keyboard. A moment later, it dings. “Alright, we have a meeting in place to get the program start on the books.”
“Beau,” I start, suddenly and unexpectedly clobbered by a tidal wave of emotion. Delane’s life is coming together, and that makes me feel so fucking happy.
He rises and claps a hand on the back of my neck, giving me a calming squeeze. “Two years of automotive school and a new program isn’t a big deal to me.” Jokingly and to ease my emotional edge, he adds, “you know, I’m very rich.”
“Thank you,” I say around the knot of emotion swelling in my throat.
He just shakes his head. “Don’t thank me. Investing in Delane is like investing in family. And it is quite literally investing in my own business, so really, don’t thank me.”
“Thank you,” I say again with a smirk.
“Hey,” Atticus says, finally joining the conversation as he finishes, then crushes the cardboard cup of coffee.
“You should be the one to tell her the news. You know, about Beau paying for automotive school, tell her she can apprentice here during school with either of us and tell her about the Tesla program.”
I shake my head. “That’s Beau’s news.” After all, he’s the one making it all happen.