The Road to Us

✨ Chapter Six | Rock

— Colton —

I was just about to call it a day when my dad walked into his repair shop, his face lined with that no-nonsense look that always meant something serious was coming.

I'd been working out of his cramped space ever since the fire at Phoenix Cycles. As much as I appreciated having a place to keep the business alive, it wasn't ideal. My dad's shop was all nuts, bolts, and routine repairs... not exactly the vibe for my custom builds.

He sat down across from me at the small workbench, his tattooed arms resting on the table. The smell of motor oil hung heavy in the air, as usual. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his scruff gave him that rugged, laid-back look he always had... but today, his usual calm wasn't there.

"Colton, we need to talk," he said, his tone flat but heavy. My stomach tightened; I already had a good idea where this was headed.

"I've been covering most of the costs for repairs at Phoenix Cycles," he started, "but we're running out of options. We need more money to finish the job, and it's not going to come cheap. I need you to fork over whatever you've got so we can get that place up and running again."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I've been doing everything I can, Dad. But working out of here isn't exactly bringing in the big bucks."

"Then maybe you should focus more on the shop and less on going out on dates," he snapped, his words hitting like a sucker punch.

"...What?" I stared at him, trying to keep my voice steady. "What are you even talking about?"

"You let it slip earlier—about Hudson," he said, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing. "Don't think I didn't catch that. You've got other things to worry about right now. You can't afford to get distracted."

Anger flared in me, fast and hot. "Hudson isn't distracting me from anything. I'm allowed to have a life outside of this shop, you know?"

My dad's expression hardened, his voice dropping to that low, pointed tone that always hit harder than yelling. "You're letting yourself get sidetracked. Your mother was so proud when you started your own business. You think she'd be happy seeing you put all that hard work at risk?"

That one landed square in the chest, like it always did when he brought her up. 

My mom had been my biggest supporter, my rock... Losing her two years ago had gutted me, and my dad knew exactly where to hit to make it hurt.

I stood up, trying to steady myself, but my voice cracked anyway. "I'm doing everything I can to fix this mess, but I'm not giving up the rest of my life in the process."

"Maybe you should," he shot back, standing up now, too. "Because right now, all I see is someone more interested in running around with some guy than getting his business back on track."

I clenched my fists, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. "Hudson means something to me, Dad. And I'm not going to stop seeing him just because you think it's a distraction."

"Then don't come crying to me when it all falls apart," he said, brushing past me and out the door, leaving me standing there.

The weight of his words pressed down on me... For the first time in a long time, I felt completely lost.

Later that evening, I stood outside the shop, the cool air biting against my heated skin as I fumbled with my phone. My thumb hovered over Chuck's name for a second before I hit the call button. The phone rang a few times before his deep, laid-back voice answered.

"Hey, man. What's up?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the words. "Chuck... you got a minute? I need to talk."