Prologue

PROLOGUE

Lewis

" I fucking can't wait until January arrives and the start of a brand new year. It seems that the last couple of years have just brought nothing but pain and misery to my life," I snapped out as I threw the wrench down by my side in frustration, gritting my teeth against the underside of my lip. I pushed myself out from underneath the car I was working on. I wiped the grease off my hands onto my overalls before sitting myself up on the trolley next to the car I'd been working on. I let out a sigh, composing myself before I smirked at Ricky, my new apprentice, before pushing myself to stand off the trolley. I glanced up and noticed my boss, Eli Hendley, watching the interaction between the two of us before he walked through the entrance of his pride and joy—his first business—Eli's Auto Mechanics, and the place where I had just returned back to work after a long unplanned break due to my health. I'd not gotten back my once muscular frame to the level it once was prior to my diagnosis but I was proud of my current progress. My 5ft 10' frame had started to fill out now I was gradually doing light exercise again following the doctor's instructions. Then, considering my slight tan and golden-brown hair with blue eyes, I thought I finally began to look much healthier. I may even say I looked well. "It ain't been easy, you know." I muffled under my breath.

"Seems the boss is here to check up on things." Ricky chuckled as I scowled at the guy, hoping he'd show some damn respect to him. This is Eli's business; he could come here whenever he wanted. Even though I felt like it was as if he were here checking up on me. Eli had become ten times more overbearing since my surgery but that was another conversation. "Alright." Ricky nodded.

"Yeah, Ricky, thanks. And Lewis, I know it ain't been easy for you. Do you honestly think I thought it had been?" Eli uttered out as he placed his hands on his hips, before running his hand through his dark hair. I turned around to face him, cocking my head to the side wondering how the hell he'd managed to hear me. That little tidbit of information was for my ears only. It was a little bit of a ramble and moan for me. "That's why I'm here to see you, man," Eli chirped up with a cocky tone before he excused Ricky, as he scuttled off to tidy up from the last few jobs we'd done and give us time to talk. "Is he getting on okay? Is he helping ease the load for you? I mean you could have had another six months off work—a year easily with full pay on me after the surgery, man."

I couldn't help but tense up at his words, wondering if Kennedy or someone else had mentioned an issue with me pulling my weight. Was that why Eli was suddenly here in the automobile shop? I'd rarely seen him, apart from coming over to my place, or obviously at the hospital. If we want to talk about my cellphone on the other hand, then Eli has blown that up at every opportunity.

Since coming back to work only a few weeks ago, Kennedy Oslow had been walking around the place like the strong woman she was. After all, she was the new business manager for Eli's portfolio of businesses he had, and the person who had taken over from Finn, the guy I was used to seeing on the regular and dealing with in the past. Well, that was before things changed and he left and moved in with his long-term partner Callum in Manhattan, New York City. Prior to this though he used to live in Hope Springs and the nearby ranch of Maple Oaks Acres where Eli and his husband Kellan lived with their adopted daughters Riley and Ana and their adorable Pomeranian, Pip. I mean a lot has changed around here and very quickly. Finn regularly stayed in contact with Eli—if anything he has a better relationship with him now thanks to the space between them, even though he lived in Manhattan, New York.

I instinctively held my clenched palm up to my chest and the scar underneath it throbbed leading to the now normal rhythmic beating heart that lay underneath my overalls. You see only fourteen months earlier I'd received the call I'd been waiting for from Hope Liberty Hospital, and I let Eli know, at the busiest time of the year—the few months leading up to the Christmas stretch—they'd found me a donor match. I finally had a heart waiting for me. I'd prayed and hoped but, in my gut, I didn't think I'd be one of the lucky ones who would have a chance of a future. I was constantly warned to save my energy and rest. That exertion could potentially trigger a heart attack—potentially damage what output I had remaining—which would kill me one day. It was always a risk that something could happen rather than not. I know I should have given up work ages before—but when things looked bleak—I needed a focus to keep my mind active, so I didn't drown in despair and wallow. I mean my life was fading away before my eyes. I did the minimum I could manage—paperwork and the odd signing-in of customers, wishing I could become covered in grease and oil again. I just had to help out whilst wishing I could be back under that hood and working to my heart's content, even though every second was a wonderment if I'd be back the next day or not.

Eli couldn't have been more ecstatic for me—knowing that I was finally getting an opportunity to get a second chance of life—whereas I was numb and living in shock, worried and concerned about the implications ahead. It wasn't something I'd dared hope or dream of knowing that my chances were so slim to even begin with. I never once imagined that I'd be where I am now, just over a year later, feeling like a completely new man, not at all out of breath and struggling with basic tasks like before.

I get I had to take it easier at times and would always have to have regular checkups and medications for my health to remain at its peak, but if that was the price of my life then I'd take it. I mean even the huge panic I had about the costs behind my surgery and loss of income that weighed heavily on my mind, were wiped clean—thanks to the fantastic boss I had before me. It just goes to show how lucky I really was. I mean the fact he was a billionaire helped, even though he never boasted about his wealth—if anything he hid it away for a very long time.

It just made me wonder what this visit was all about. I may have had the odd call to check in on me, but a visit? Had something happened and Eli had bad news? I gulped harshly as the two of us made our way back into the office.

"Don't look so downhearted, man. You'd think I was here with bad news. I mean it is nearly Christmas after all…" He chuckled as I shut the door behind me. "I just wanted to pop in here with some news for you before setting off back to Kellan and the girls. They want to go running down that hill again with Pip." I chuckled at that, knowing at least we have no snow like the first year and it would just be a cool breeze they'd be running against this time. I mean I remember spending the whole time in hospital staring at the snow falling against the window panes.

It didn't stop me getting this warm feeling inside that Eli shared that special memory with me of all people. It meant a lot to me. Sometimes it was like the two of us were more brother-like figures than boss and employee with the close bond we had developed over the years, but then many people that lived in the local area between Maple Oaks Acres and Hope Springs looked out for one another. It didn't matter that we were in a small town away from the bustle of New York City—it wasn't too far to get there if we wanted that atmosphere. We had the best of both Worlds. The difference was Eli and I did more so than most. I watched his girls and, of course, Pip at his place when he and Kellan wanted some time alone and his parents Edward and Fiona couldn't have them for them.

I loved how Eli brought me into his close knit family circle. It was why this moment had me confused. Why hadn't Eli forewarned me he was coming down here? I couldn't put my finger on it and normally I could read the situation in front of me so well.

"Everything okay?" I asked cautiously, trying to break the ice. "I…"

"Strange seeing you nervous, Lewis. I thought nothing would make you like that again since the operation." Eli chuckled as he took a seat in the small office, full of invoices that desperately needed organizing and filing away. "It's like you're worried."

"I am," I blurted out, making Eli pause with shock. "Normally I know what to expect next from you but…" I began picking up the envelopes off the top of the pile of invoices addressed to me—noticing Eli's wandering eyes scanning the desk. I'd been in such a rush this morning getting out the door that I'd just grabbed them from the mailman as I left the house and walked the few blocks over with them in my hand that I thought was the safest place to keep them until the end of the day. That's what happens when you forgo your cup of coffee first thing. "I'll sort all this out…" I paused as I spotted the letter postmarked from the hospital and took in a breath knowing I needed to remember to check the contents of this one as soon as I could.

"Lewis… breathe." Eli placed his hand out and covered mine which was frantically trying to make some sense of the mess before us both. "It's fine. It won't take long to sort out." He nodded as I looked into his gaze and my shoulders sagged before I fell back finally into the chair behind me. "Now, I have an early Christmas gift for you, Lewis," he began making my ears pique up. "You now know Kennedy is overseeing all my portfolio, but I need someone to manage this place. I need you. Lewis…" Eli handed me a folded up piece of paper from the inside of his jacket pocket. "Here's your new contract and salary, if you'd like to accept. You've always been the man for the job. I just needed to make sure you were fine to cope with the pressures and strains of the job after the surgery. I didn't want to…"

"Eli… I don't know what to say," I gasped out in shock. I've always wanted the opportunity to prove myself to everyone and the capabilities I knew I had within myself, but this was beyond my dreams. "I… I'm…"

"Maybe," he shrugged his shoulders as he pointed to the piece of paper I held between my fingertips. "You'll open that up and check to see if my offer is okay with you," he asked. "Then maybe we could celebrate tonight at Penny Kin's Tavern? What do you think?"

I opened up the folded paper in my hand and I was grateful that I was already sitting down in the chair as I quickly blinked at the number staring back at me on the paper. I glanced up at Eli and stared at him for a second as he nodded. He knew exactly what was going through my head at that moment.

"It's too much, man. I can't…" I began as he held a pen out to me that he'd somehow found in the mess on the desk. "Shall we just agree to disagree about this? I'll end up paying you somehow, man. Just sign the damn paperwork. It'll make for one happy Christmas for us both."

"Okay." I sighed before swallowing harshly. I knew the man was right. I knew this wasn't a hand out, not really—he expected hard graft from me and to keep this place running like clockwork. I'd give him every bit of myself that I possibly could in the long run for the chance he'd shown me. "I really appreciate it."

"I know you do, but two things. Open that letter… don't think I missed the hospital postmark man and next time keep me informed," he ordered before letting out a short, sharp breath, "but tonight celebrate."

"Of course. I'll have a coke rather than water for a change." I chuckled which made Eli laugh. I wasn't taking a single chance with the gift I'd been given.

Now I best see what's in that letter and keep my word to Eli… I can't be breaking my promises to him already, can I?