Ace

Sensing the sudden urgency to get going, Trooper stands up, looking between Ryan and the door. He yawns, his large mouth showing all of his teeth and his tail wags once as he waits.

Alec lifts an eyebrow at Ryan's suggestion that she return sometime and with lunch to boot. He couldn't help but wonder if she really meant it, or if it was just a passing thought that would be forgotten. Had he curbed whatever craving she had to see someone in jail or was she a more dedicated visitor?

Watching her leave, he remains silent, seeing that Trooper followed her back out. The room became deathly quiet again and he could hear his own pulse thumping in his head. He couldn't stop the feelings that rose, reminding him that he had enjoyed the company. He hadn't wanted it. If asked, he'd say he didn't care. But on the inside... he wished for more. He'd get it though...

Having had one leg tucked up under the other, he reaches down to his pantleg, sliding out a playing card. Flipping it over, he runs his thumb over the ace of spades. Ryan would be back.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. Not time yet."

"She's usually here early."

"Well where's Leo?"

"Don't know that either. He's been gone a lot lately."

Eli stands to one side of the shop, fiddling with a wrench as he listens to the other guys talk back and forth while they worked. It was true... Ryan was late and Leo wasn't around... again. Eli had been meaning to ask Ryan about it. Leo, that is. He'd been evasive lately... never available in the evenings, often times on the phone with a woman, and distracted. But he wouldn't talk about it. Eli had his suspicions, but he hated to accuse Leo of two-timing Ryan. If that's what it was though, he'd find out and he'd get justice. No one two-timed his sister.