Making Waves

By Marie Sexton

A Wrench Wars Story
Best friends since they were teenagers, Ward Kent and Dean Zimmerman work together at Reggie’s garage, where the reality show Wrench Wars is filmed. Outside of work, Dean's a notorious player, and as far as he’s concerned, Ward’s the best wingman ever. Little does he know, Ward's much more interested in the gentlemen than the ladies.

Then Dean’s younger brother, Ash, comes to work at the garage. Ash may be seven years younger, but he’s had a crush on Ward for years, and he’s not shy about going after what he wants.

Admitting his best friend and his brother are gay is one thing. Seeing them together? That’s a bit more than Dean can take, and he’s about to force Ward to make a decision: lose his best friend and his job, or give up Ash forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marie Sexton
• Release date: May 16, 2023

Marie Sexton

Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

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Table of Contents

Making Waves

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Making Waves

By Marie Sexton

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Making Waves

© 2016 Marie Sexton.

Cover Art

© 2016 Garrett Leigh.

http://blackjazzpress.com

Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, email [e-mail]

Original Digital ISBN: 978-1-63477-460-4

Originally Published by Dreamspinner Press September 2016 v. 1.0

Published by Marie Sexton 2022

Printed in the United States of America

A Wrench Wars Story

Best friends since they were teenagers, Ward Kent and Dean Zimmerman work together at Reggie’s garage, where the reality show Wrench Wars is filmed. Outside of work, Dean is a notorious player, and as far as he’s concerned, Ward’s the best wingman ever. Little does he know, Ward is much more interested in the gentlemen than the ladies.

Then Dean’s younger brother, Ash, comes to work at the garage. Ash may be seven years younger, but he’s had a crush on Ward for years, and he’s not shy about going after what he wants.

Admitting his best friend and his brother are gay is one thing. Seeing them together? That’s a bit more than Dean can take, and he’s about to force Ward to make a decision: lose his best friend and his job, or give up Ash forever.

Chapter 1

Dean Zimmerman had been Ward Kent’s best friend since middle school. They’d learned to drive together and taught themselves how to repair engines together and rebuilt trannies, side by side every step of the way. They’d tromped through junkyards in search of just the right stock parts and double-dated to the prom and moved halfway across the country together before enrolling in automotive school and eventually landing jobs at the same garage. After more than fifteen years, Dean was like a brother to Ward, and so when Dean told him he had a big surprise lined up for him at work on Monday—a surprise so great, it’d taken Dean two weeks of scheming to pull off, rubbing his hands together dramatically and promising Ward it was going to be the best surprise ever—Ward did the smart thing when the Monday in question rolled around:

He called in sick.

You’re not sick, Reggie said.

I am. Really. I have a fever, I swear.

You’re just avoiding Zimmerman.

Ward sighed. He’d never been good at lying. Can you blame me?

Not a bit, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook. I got the new kid showing up today, and I’m counting on you to show him the ropes.

Can you at least tell me what Dean’s planning?

Reggie didn’t quite laugh, but Ward could hear the amusement in his voice. I promised I wouldn’t. But honestly, I don’t think it’s as bad as you’re expecting.

Ward wasn’t reassured.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Dean. Not exactly. It was more that Dean had tunnel vision. He tended to assume that what was great for him was great for everybody. Most of Dean’s surprises consisted of introducing Ward to the less-than-enthusiastic best friend of the girl Dean was trying to seduce, and so when Ward walked into work thirty minutes later, he felt like a condemned man walking to the noose.

He had one thing working in his favor: they worked on opposite sides of Reggie’s garage, Dean in the red zone, where the reality TV show Wrench Wars was filmed, and Ward on the south side, or the pit, as the other mechanics called it, where cameras were strictly forbidden. With any luck, he’d be able to avoid Dean all the way to quitting time.

The garage was a madhouse. As if Mondays weren’t bad enough, it was the first day of filming for the new season, which meant an extra two dozen people milling about the place, getting in each other’s way. Ward peeked around the doorframe of the break room, scanning the crowd for Dean’s perfectly styled black hair. He didn’t see him, and even better, he didn’t hear him. Dean had a voice that announced itself long before he entered the room.

The coast was as clear as it would ever be.

Ward ducked quickly through the crowd, aiming for the coffeepot. He kept his head down, ignoring the talk of lighting and boom mikes and all the equipment it took to make reality into reality TV for millions of dedicated viewers. He grabbed a mug, poured steaming hot heaven into his cup—Reggie didn’t skimp on the coffee budget—and added a bit of unflavored creamer before lifting it to his lips to take a sip.

This is it! Dean crowed from just behind him, slapping Ward so hard on the back that he spilled half his coffee down the front of his work shirt. My big surprise arrives today. Are you excited?

Ward groaned, scolding himself for having stopped in the break room at all. You bet. He set his cup on the counter and ripped a paper towel off the holder to wipe himself off, glancing around to make sure no cameras were rolling. None were visible, thank goodness, but most of the people in the room were now looking their way. I can barely contain myself. Can’t you tell?

C’mon, man! I’m telling you, you’re gonna love it.

I doubt it.

Ye of little faith.

Ward wiped the bit of spilled coffee off the tile floor and tossed the wadded-up paper towel toward the garbage can in the corner before turning to face his best friend. Name one time I’ve actually enjoyed one of your big surprises.

When I took you to Vegas.

I had the flu. I spent the entire weekend in the hotel room, drinking canned orange juice from the minibar for eight dollars apiece.

I took you to see Randy Travis in concert.

I hate country.

How about when I threw you that surprise party for your twenty-fifth birthday?

You mean when you forgot my birthday completely, then invited people over to our house after work a month later for an all-nighter, even though I had to catch a flight at 5:00 a.m. the next day?

How about when Susan dumped you—

And you showed up at my house with a hooker?

"She was a professional escort. Big difference."

Never mind that