“They’re just cars and there’s no reason I’d put them before my family.”

“I’ll have your father call you when Danny gets out of surgery.”

He spoke with her a little longer, and then once they hung up, he headed back out to where Mick and Carmella were talking.

“Everything all right?” Carmella asked.

“My brother got into a car accident. He’s in surgery now.”

“What airport do you want to fly into? I’ll make your flight reservations for you.” Carmella hadn’t asked what he was going to do. Unlike his mother, she’d known there was nothing else Duke wanted to do.

Still, he wasn’t sure they wanted him there. His mother had put him off to the point where he had second thoughts about rushing anywhere until he’d heard from his dad.

“Probably LAX. I’m waiting to hear back from my father before I decide for sure. Thank you.”

“Okay. I’ll transfer your calls to my office so you don’t miss anything. Unless you want to go home now.”

He wanted to hug her but Mick was standing nearby so he resisted. That’s when she hugged him instead.

With a sigh, he gave over to how good it felt. Let himself take comfort in the gesture meant to do just that.

“I’m here to help with whatever you need,” she told him before she went back to her office.

“Me too,” Mick said as Duke came back to that pile of parts.

“Appreciated. Let’s work awhile. I need to get as much as I can done if I do need to run down there.”

“We’ll hold it down up here. You know that. Do what you need to do,” Mick said.

Trouble was, he didn’t know what he needed to do. He knew what he wanted to do. But that wasn’t the same.

Carmella kept an eye on him as the morning progressed. He’d immersed himself in that engine and everyone had pretty much left him alone. Asa or Mick would pass by here and there, but no one bothered him for very long.

Their first client consult of the day was coming up so Carmella grabbed all the paperwork and slid it into a file folder before she took it over to Asa’s office.

She held it up once he’d waved her inside. “This is the paperwork for your upcoming consult.”

“I’ll look it over. Thanks.” He took her in with serious eyes. “Have his parents called yet?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. I have the phone in my pocket, though, so it’ll ring right to me if I’m not in my office.” She was worried about Duke. About the way his features had gone so carefully blank when he’d said he wasn’t sure if he was going to fly down immediately.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. The stuff between him and his family is complicated. Like most families, I guess.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing. So I’m glad my aimless wandering is working out.”

Asa’s snort made her smile.

“You’re not in his face, which he’d hate. But you’re there. That’s what he needs. I don’t normally give advice, that’s usually Duke’s gig. But without telling tales, for as long as I’ve known Duke, he’s gotten the backup he’s needed from us. From his friends. We’re going to get him through whatever happens with his brother. He’s maybe a little off balance right now because love fucks you up.” He gave her a quick grin that had her responding in kind. “And because he’s used to being needed and maybe they don’t see that in him so much. Because, and this is my biased opinion, they don’t see him at all. They don’t understand him.”

And Duke craved that. She knew him. He wanted people to see the best in him. Wanted people to see him as a man worthy of respect. And he was. Always there for the people he cared about. Including her.

Carmella nodded at Asa. He’d told her to be there for Duke because his family would most likely fail him. And that Duke had trouble being the one who needed help instead of the one who gave it. Which she already knew, but it was nice that she wasn’t the only one who saw to the heart of Duke Bradshaw.

“Thanks, Asa.”

He tipped his chin. “Can you remind him about ten minutes early? Mick will probably tell him, but you’re nicer to look at.”

And she wanted the chance to check in with him again anyway.

“Got it.” She headed out.

*     *     *

“Again my day gets better when I look up and see all my gorgeous right in front of me,” Duke said, meaning it. He looked at the clock on the wall. “Did my family call?”

“Not yet. Your meeting is at one. So if you clean up now, you can eat the lunch I have waiting for you in the break room before you go in. You haven’t eaten all day and you know how you get when your blood sugar drops.”

He grinned. “I do.” But she did too. How lucky he was. And it was exactly what he’d needed. “Will you take your lunch with me?”

“Of course. I like looking at you.” Her smile was prim and just for him.

“You must be worried about me,” he murmured as he passed by her on the way to clean up.

That made her laugh. “Why do you say that?”

“Openly flirting? We’re at work, Carmella. I know we’ve talked about that at least five dozen times.”

“I know. But just because you say words, Duke, doesn’t mean I agree with them,” she repeated back his usual response.