Ellis was so in love with Nick it was bordering on ridiculous.
That was Rochelle's opinion anyway.
But seriously, the reporter had never known anyone who could be some in love with someone who they weren't even in a relationship with. She just couldn't understand it.
She was currently sitting at the bar listening to Ellis crap on about how it was so great that Nick had gotten a job. At the very bar (and technically still the only bar in town) they were seated in.
Ro just nodded along to Ellis' story. While it was great that the now ex con man was settling into a normal life, which she had never thought possible, she also couldn't help but notice something was missing in his life.
Nick walked over. "Oh, two of my favorite people" he said sarcastically, but giving them a friendly smile regardless.
Ellis blushed.
Ro rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She believed that if Ellis settled with Nick, Nick would ultimately break the mechanics heart and she couldn't allow that. Not after three years of the mechanic crushing on Nick to begin with. There had been exactly eight times she had talked Ellis out of asking Nick out. Rude, yes, but she cared so much for the younger man and was terrified that the sweet kid would get his heart broken.
And to be honest, she wanted to get Nick alone and ask him how he felt about Ellis before Ellis made a huge mistake, possibly embarrassing himself. More so than usual.
You see, the thing she believed to be missing in Nick's life was a relationship. But she didn't want that to be a bad thing for the person who he was in a relationship with.
"Can I get you two a drink?" Nick asked.
"Jus' another beer thanks Nick" Ellis said, picking up the almost empty bottle.
Nick nodded and looked at Ro. "What about you?"
"Can you get Ellis' drink? I want to talk for a minute." She put the money down for the drinks. "You shout next time El, I have no smaller notes."
"Okay."
Nick looked at Ro and quirked a brow, but nodded. "Sure." He passes the bottle to Ellis. "There you go sport."
"Thanks Nick" he smiled and Nick couldn't help but smile back. He passed Ro the change. "You leaving me a tip?" he joked.
"El will."
Ellis nodded.
Ro walked out to the corridor.
Nick followed behind, getting a bad feeling about it for no apparent reason. He leaned against the wall. "What is this about? You aren't going to ask me out, are you?"
She grimaced. "Ew. No."
Nick didn't particularly appreciate that response, but shrugged it off.
"What I wanted to ask you Nick, was… do you like Ellis?"
Nick raised a brow. He knew Ellis liked him, it was blazingly obvious, hut he hadn't acted on it because he wasn't sure if he would be moving to look for work, but now that he had work here, he would be staying put. Since Ellis had a job at the garage, he hadn't wanted Ellis to be conflicted between staying here and moving to a new place and getting a new job. Lame, yes, but in the interest of everyone's happiness, he would be a total asshole and just not confess. That could wait.
"So what if I do?" he finally replied.
Then it hit him.
"You told Ellis not to ask me out, didn't you?" He pointed his finger accusingly at her.
"So what if I did?" she smirked.
"Ro!" he was shocked. He never thought she would be the type to do that. But then she was probably 100% sure that Nick would break his heart.
"I didn't want you to break his heart, damn playboy" she murmured the last bit.
Okay, was he really that bad? Probably. Especially if Ro had gone out of her way to tell Ellis not to date him. She acted like a damn mother although there was only several years between her and Ellis.
"Eight times."
"Eight what?"
"The total number of times I have told Ellis over the last three years not to ask you out when he confessed to me that he wanted to."
"Really Ro?"
She nodded. "Yep. I really don't want him to get hurt, Nick" she continued. "He is such a sweet, sweet kid."
"I don't want to hurt him. I love him."
"Probably not as much as he loves you" she chuckled. "We don't talk about Ellis anymore, he is too busy talking about you."
Nick nodded, holding back a chuckle. So, the feeling was definitely mutual, as he had expected. Ellis loved him, he loved Ellis.
Nick looked at the door that led back to the bar, and to Ellis. He smiled and looked back at Ro. "I'm gonna ask him."
"Now?" she asked, surprised.
"Yeah, have a problem with that?"
"No, but at lunch today I saw him and told him not to ask you out."
"Really?"
"Nah, just joking."
Nick rolled his eyes. "Of course."
She chuckled. "Gotcha. Anyway, I have to go. Tell Ellis I said bye."
"Wh-?"
"Break his heart and you will be sorry."
"I can already tell."
She grinned and walked out of the main doors.
Nick smiled and walked back into the bar area. "Ellis."
Ellis looked at him, puppy dog eyes. "Where is Ro? What did-?"
"Nothing. She had shit to do, I suppose."
Ellis nodded, blushing from being in such close proximity to Nick.
Nick smiled. The moment he had been wanting for three years. Not that he would really admit it. "Ellis I-"
"Nick, can you come give me a hand over here?" the other barman asked.
Nick sighed, irked. "I'll be back in a minute El."
"I gotta go, sorry. Work tomorrow an' all."
"What time do you finish?"
"Two."
"Can I pick you up?"
"If you don't forget."
"I promise I won't."
"Jus' jokin' Nick. I know you wouldn't." He left a few notes on the table as promised.
Nick smiled. No way in hell he would miss this.
Ellis was jittery all day. Nick and he rarely caught up anymore. Not that the mechanic made a big deal about it, but he really did miss seeing Nick.
He finished the service on the car and looked at the time. In just ten minutes Nick would be here. And that was what made him nervous. He chewed his bottom lip.
"You finished?" Glenn, the owner of the garage, asked.
"Yep. 's all good to go."
"Okay, can I just get you to check the tire pressure of the car on the hoist over-?"
"Sure thing."
Glenn stepped back. "You're more cheery than usual. What's up?" Personally Glenn couldn't understand how the hell Ellis was so cheery. Then he found out that Ellis was single and had no kids. That would be all the reasons right there. Glenn was mid-forties, married and had four kids.
"Nothin' jus' havin' a good day.
"Glad to hear."
Ellis checked the tires, equalling the pressure in the front and then in the back.
"Nick will be here any minute" he mumbled. Nick was never late, and sure enough, at two minutes to two, Nick walked through the door.
"Can I help ya?" Glenn asked.
"Yes. Here for Ellis-"
"I'm here Nick!" the mechanic chirped, rushing over.
Glenn smiled, realising this must have been Ellis' crush. He was sure Ellis had mentioned he liked someone when one of the other two guys were pestering him. Ellis had refused to say more than the fact there was someone he loved.
"You can't leave 'til you finish that other cars service" Glenn teased.
Ellis rolled his eyes, smiling. "Can't. Not today man."
Glenn just chuckled. "I wouldn't trust you anyway with my wife car. Hell, she don't even trust me."
Nick had to laugh.
Ellis smiled. He knew what Glenn's wife was like. "See you Monday then, yeah?"
"Yeah, Thanks for coming in on a Saturday. Have a good rest of your weekend."
"Likewise."
Nick walked briskly from the garage, Ellis following.
"So, how is it working here?" Nick asked, attempting small talk.
"It's great!" Ellis beamed enthusiastically.
"So, what else is new?"
"Ahh… not much. Hey listen, um…I know it's probably a bad time an' all… but… Nick… um…" he sighed.
Nick was sure that this was the first time he'd seen the hick tongue tied and he found it adorable.
"I wanna ask you out. I want you to be my boyfriend."
Damn! Nick thought. He didn't think the hick would beat him to it! Maybe Ro had lied about telling Ellis not to ask him out.
Ellis bit his lip, scared of Nick's silence. He cautiously stepped back, but Nick grabbed his hand.
"I can't believe you beat me to it Overalls."
Ellis blushed, then laughed. "No way! Did I really? Yes!" he grinned, pumping his fist in the air. Then he paused. "That's a yes then, right?"
Nick grinned. "Absolutely it is."