Chapter 174 Chapter 174
Blair watched the three vans pull out of the drive before turning back to the shop. The last twenty-four hours had been rocky. Devin finally convinced his father to leave by agreeing to go with him. The two men were recovered enough to transport and were being taken back to the Alliance headquarters for questioning. Blair didn’t even know where that was and didn’t think he wanted to.
Kobie’s clan was a roller coaster of emotions right now, with two men found, but no news of the rest. She’d gone for her run yesterday and then spent the rest of the time avoiding him. He scowled, he wasn’t used to that at all, a female avoiding him. Then again, they’d had an awful moment, where harsh words were spoken when she came back.
He looked at the big excavator parked in the yard and smiled at it. A task he could focus on to get out of his head. He had missed this. Turning, he looked at Gary as he walked out of the shop, “does it run?”
Gary grinned, “non-stop, that’s the problem.”
Blair tilted his head and looked back at the machine, “a challenge.”
“Kelsey tried something yesterday and ended up tossing a wrench at it and walking away.” Gary shrugged and walked around the corner of the shed to whatever piece of equipment was there.
Blair grinned and put his hands on his hips and looked at it. “We’re going to communicate, you and I,” he motioned between the machine and himself, “I need a win today.” He started walking toward it, then bent down and picked up the wrench sitting on the ground. “I’ve got enough situations and problems to keep me occupied—so let’s work together on this.” Setting the tool tray on the bumper, he climbed up to open up the engine hood.
“Kelsey’s good with an engine, so you have secrets…” he mumbled as he started going over obvious things, but he wanted to cover all his bases. He hadn’t been exaggerating, he had enough to occupy his brain, he needed the distraction. This is exactly why he’d volunteered to come over and lend a hand and left Jake at the house painting more rooms with several women ‘helping’ him. He grinned, they helped, but it was like having a meeting with four bosses present and no workers. Everyone had their idea of how it should be done. Maybe it was cruel to leave him there to sort it out, but he needed to do something.
Kobie had been sitting in with her brother since finding out that Robbie and Niles had been found. It was going to take days to get them here. There just wasn’t enough of the Alliance team freed up right now to go escort them here. Jesse was headed that way, but even then, he’d been told Niles wasn’t up to the long trip just yet. No one was sharing why and that upset Kobie, and all the women of the clan. Daisie had been oddly quiet since finding out about her dad, but Cortney was now energized and she wanted to get the whole damn house done—in an hour, or so it felt.
Blair blew out a breath and leaned over the engine looking at it, but not really seeing it. He’d had words with Kobie, she wanted to go get the men. Not even an hour after him saying he didn’t give her orders; he had basically ordered her to stay put because she was not going.
“Need a hand?”
Blair looked to see Noah standing there, looking up at him. He shook his head, “I don’t know yet.”
Noah smirked, “I thought with all the mumbling you were doing, you were struggling.”
Blair straightened up and leaned back. “Oh, I’m struggling all right, but it has nothing to do with this,” he motioned to the engine.
“It’s been a hell of a ride for you, huh?”
Blair smirked, seemed like Noah had developed a sense of humor since he’d been away. “It’s been a hell of something, that’s for sure.”
Noah looked over to see Gary waving a hand for an assist. “Well, when you’re done riding out the storm, just know I’m behind you one hundred percent of the way.”
“Thanks.” He’d already figured out that Noah was fond of Daisie and would be her protector forever after, but it was good to hear it. “I just have to survive the damn storm.”
Backing up a step or two, Noah bobbed his head, “it takes a brave man to fill that place, but I think you’ve got it.”
Blair watched him walk over to Gary. Did he? Have it? Damned if he knew. He wasn’t even sure which storm Noah was referring to. The disagreement with Kobie didn’t bother him as much as other things—well, his own behavior pissed him off, he didn’t enjoy going all territorial jerk on her. He wasn’t even sure the upset women were an issue. He was starting to think he was the issue.
Seriously, none of that was something he could fix, even if he knew how. Those that had lost loved ones, well, he wasn’t God, he couldn’t soothe that. The ones that had no answers, he couldn’t do a damn thing about either. He frowned at the engine and paused for a second. “Won’t stop. There’s got to be something jamming, gummed up, or broken off—” He leaned down further to look more.
Jay had accepted him, for that he was thankful. If her twin was against him, Blair knew that would have been a problem as far as Kobie and him ever getting together. Blowing out a breath, he gave his head a slight shake, best not to think about that at all.
Now two more males from the clan were coming back. Blair didn’t know how he felt about that. He was happy they were, happy for their family that was waiting, but was he going to butt heads with them? He had gotten their women this far, so surely that counted for something.
He pushed against the valve, if he had been gone, regardless of the reason, and came back to some strange man taking over, how would he feel? He scowled at the engine; he probably wouldn’t be too accepting. Hanging over the edge, he grabbed a screwdriver, “maybe you just need some attention, huh? A little adjusting.” He grinned. With his luck lately, the chances of this excavator tossing something at him he didn’t understand were high. He pushed against the valve again. Seemed to be a little smoother. “Okay, let’s see how you like that.”
Sitting up, he turned to climb down and saw Kobie standing on the ground, grinning up at him. He’d been so lost in his head, she’d managed to sneak up on him. His heart picked up, “Is everything okay?”
She nodded, “at the house, yes, I just needed to get out of there.”
Swinging his leg over the engine casing, he sat on the edge of the bumper, “painting going that well?”
She smirked, “your friends may regret offering to help. Cortney is on a mission."
Pointing the screwdriver in the direction of the house, he nodded, “and that’s why I’m over here today.” He frowned, “I like to think that makes me a smart man and not a coward.”
Kobie tucked her hands into her jeans, “we both may be cowards.” She looked at the machine he sat on. “What is this and what are you doing to it?”
“This,” he looked from one end of it to the other, “is an excavator and she doesn’t want to stop once she’s started.”
Kobie raised an eyebrow, “she?”
Blair shrugged, “this one is because she’s a mystery.” He smirked. Pointing to the cab, he gave her a hopeful look, “want to give me a hand?”
“I know nothing about things like this.”
Jumping, down, he held out his hand. “You don’t need to. I just need someone to turn it off and on when I say.”
“If it gives me an excuse to avoid the house, okay.” She took his hand and then let him lift her up to the first step. Climbing up, she looked in the cab. “There’s a lot of switches and gearshifts, and far too many things to hit in here.” Kobie glanced over her shoulder at him, “are you sure you trust me with this?”
Blair grinned, “I trust you—and I won’t be near anything that can crush me.”