Coming Home- Rock Bay 1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

T-shirt. “I can’t have customers disrespecting my business decisions. And you, Tally, were a business decision. I needed an employee, and I decided you were right for the job.”
Thanks for the reminder. I was hoping you hired me because you want to strip me naked and fuck my brains out.
Which was on some level true, or at least it had been the day before when he was drooling over Lex’s gorgeous, um, assets. But it was also not the best thought avenue to meander down if he planned on keeping his job.
“Well, thanks all the same. I appreciate it after the reception I’ve gotten in this town.”
Lex looked honestly perplexed. “Did you expect anything different after the way you treated people?”
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but what’s your problem with me? I don’t even know you! Besides, I figured most of it was about my father.”
Lex appeared to consider that for a few seconds. “No. I think what happened with your father was an excuse. People never liked how you treated them, but they were scared to turn away from you. You were the mayor’s son: rich, super popular, and athletic, but not very well-liked—at least outside your little crew of stooges. After your dad’s… thing, they didn’t have to like you anymore, so they didn’t. And then you just disappeared—never did a thing to redeem yourself.”
Harsh. But probably true. And weirdly accurate. “Who are you?” Tally was all of a sudden not so sure that Lex was a well-informed newcomer.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m just saying, you’re going to have a long, steep road ahead of you convincing people around here that you’ve changed. Me included.”
Tally sighed. Hearing out loud what he already knew didn’t make the situation any more pleasant. “I’m not trying to be the prom queen. Just want to get my life together so I can leave again. Get away from the damn stares.”
“Understandable. Why did you come back here anyway? You had to have known how it would be.”
“Didn’t really have much choice. Ran out of money and have never been a big fan of either homelessness or prostitution, you know? Listen, I’d rather not talk about it. Would you mind?”
    T
HE words could’ve come out rude, or like a joke, but instead, to Lex, they sounded tentative and worn down. Like Tally couldn’t stand to even think about his mess of a life. Lex found himself feeling a little bad for the guy. Hey, remember this is the asshole who stuck your head in a toilet! The memory of running out of the school in the middle of passing period, humiliated, with toilet water dripping down the back of his shirt, was enough to make Lex’s spine stiffen—like he could still feel the cold, wet slide of the water running down his skin and into the waistband of his pants.
    “Yeah, whatever,” Lex replied and turned to go to his office in the back. “Let me know when a customer comes. I’m going to do some bookkeeping.”
    Lex was glad to escape into the blissful solitude of his office. It had been one hell of a morning. He had no idea why he’d pushed Tally so hard, but the man had risen quickly and gracefully to the challenge, working so well with Lex that it felt like he’d been there for weeks rather than a few hectic hours. And that first part wasn’t true. He did know why he’d pushed Tally, why he’d piled tons of information on him and basically ordered him to run with it or walk out the door. Lex would’ve thought he was over high school enough, grown up enough, that he wouldn’t have to kick a guy who was obviously so down that he was nearly lying in the street. Apparently, he wasn’t. Perhaps it would be best to let Carrington go if he couldn’t act more professional around him, but that would be even worse—act like a big asshole and then fire him. Nice.
    He took a deep breath and stood, ready to go out to his shop and act like the mature business owner he was instead of some vengeful kid. He would’ve done it too, if Tally’s head