Heart Unheard Read online

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Epilogue

  More from Andrew Grey

  Readers love Heart Unseen by Andrew Grey

  About the Author

  By Andrew Grey

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  Copyright

  Heart Unheard

  By Andrew Grey

  A Hearts Entwined Novel

  The attraction between Brent Berkheimer and Scott Spearman peels the wallpaper, but Brent is Scott’s boss, and they’re both too professional to go beyond flirting. Their priorities realign after Scott is badly injured in an accident that costs him his hearing, and Brent realizes what is truly important… he wants Scott.

  Scott pushes Brent away at first, fearing a new romance will just add to his problems, but perhaps he will find unexpected strength and solace in Brent’s support as he struggles to communicate with the world in a new way.

  Just as they decide the chance of a happy future together is worth the risk, Scott and Brent discover darker challenges in their way—including evidence that the “accident” Scott suffered may not have been so accidental.

  To Cheryl Hoffman and all my fans. You’re the reason I write, and you provide me with my source of creativity.

  Chapter 1

  BRENT BERKHEIMER sat in his small office and peered out the window. He sighed and craned his head, looking for Scott, then groaned softly. He needed to stop doing that. He’d already done it a dozen times today, and dammit, he needed to get his mind where it should be. The bay where the young mechanic worked was the closest one to his office, and Brent liked to watch him in action. Brent was the boss, though, so getting involved wasn’t a good idea.

  However, he had just talked it over with Trevor Michaelson, the owner and his boss, who told him that as long as he kept things professional at work and didn’t allow any drama or tension to creep into the workplace, he wasn’t going to tell him no.

  “Just be careful,” Trevor said, sitting across from Brent in his office. “I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other, and I know we’ve talked about things.”

  Brent nodded. He agreed—which was why he’d stayed away for almost two years. Scott Spearman had just turned twenty when Brent had taken over for the previous guy, who had stolen a great deal of money and nearly gotten Trevor into irreversible financial difficulty. So for the last two years, Brent had just watched, hoping his infatuation would die away.

  It hadn’t.

  Brent wandered out to the shop floor as Scott grunted and humphed from under the hood of the Firebird. He walked to the other side, sticking his head underneath to take a look. Cars weren’t his forte. Brent wasn’t a mechanic by trade. Rather, he was a manager and kept the business humming and everyone working at their best.

  “What’s the trouble?” He leaned forward a little more.

  Scott raised his gaze, and Brent swallowed hard as warmth flowed into Scott’s wide eyes. Brent watched his throat work before turning away. This was such a bad idea. “This nut won’t loosen.” Scott lowered his gaze and went back to work, but his hands didn’t seem to be moving and he glanced upward again.

  Heat built inside Brent, and he nodded without breaking eye contact, wondering what those eyes and incredible lips would look like in the height of passion. Shit, he needed to keep thoughts like that at bay. They were working, dammit. “Have you tried backing the seal? Tap it on the side with the wrench.” It was a trick he’d seen some of the other guys try.

  Scott released the wrench and gave the bolt a couple taps. He seemed skeptical, but when he turned it this time, the dang thing moved a little and then more. “Awesome.”

  “How much longer before you’ll be done?” Brent asked, but Scott kept his head down until he got the bolt off. This time when he raised his gaze, his cheeks were flushed and red.

  “A few minutes now.” Scott nearly dropped the bolt, and Brent pulled back from under the hood of the car, still watching Scott as he walked back around to the office and went inside, tugging a few times at the collar of his shirt to let some air in and cool the sweat that had formed under it.

  He met Trevor’s gaze for a second and snatched some papers off his desk to have something to take his mind off the sweet drink of walking temptation on the other side of the glass.

  His heart still beat faster twenty minutes later while he was discussing the state of business with Trevor and doing his best not to look out the window. It was best to leave things as they were.

  “I’m heading out,” Scott said as he stuck his head in the office door, his shaggy black hair falling almost to his eyes. He was a little on the lanky side, but with deep brown eyes that reminded Brent of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. He had pouty lips that burst into a bright smile at the drop of a hat. “I finished everything, and I called all the owners for them to pick up.”

  “Do you have something fun planned?” Trevor asked.

  “I need to get home and stuff. Lee and I are both off tomorrow, and we’re going swimming. It’s been so hot and the water is great, so I’m going to take him. His mom is going to drive us.” He was so excited, Brent grinned. Then Scott turned to him and his lips curled just a bit, his pupils growing bigger as his gaze heated slightly. Brent’s temperature rose and he smiled in return.

  “You have fun.” Brent couldn’t look away. The intensity in Scott’s eyes was the world’s best candy, and he wanted a bite. Brent was already sweating, and all Scott had done was poke his head in to say goodbye. Staying away from him was getting more and more difficult.

  “We will.” Scott left, and for a second, Brent pictured him in his bathing suit, one of those Speedos, dripping with water as he rose out of the waves James Bond‒style.

  Trevor stood and peered outside before closing the door. “Jesus. I think I need a shower.” He sat back down and fanned himself. “Man, it’s warm in here. You need to make up your mind and do it fast. Either tell him how you feel and then the two of you figure this shit out, or walk away. The energy between you is enough to light the block for a month. If you keep this up, you’re going to sizzle the paint off the walls.”

  Brent nodded. “I know. I keep hoping that things will work themselves out and that he’ll tell me what he wants or something. Scott is young and has his whole life ahead of him. He doesn’t need a washed-up guy a decade older tying him down.”

  Trevor shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder if you aren’t as blind as James. At least he has an excuse. Scott just sent you a message with exactly what he wants. Hell, he couldn’t have been clearer if he’d contracted Western Union to send you a damn telegram.”

  “I know. But… I’m not like you and Dean. You have enough confidence to approach anyone, and Dean is still working his way through the entire gay male population of Milwaukee. He’s got the slut thing down pat.” Brent grinned. “Sometimes I think he should give classes.”

  “He’s free and making the most of it. Dumbfuck Chuck really did a number on him, and I don’t think he’s going to change his ways until he gets whatever he has going on out of his system.” Trevor paused. “Nice change of subject. Look, my dad would tell you to shit or get off the pot. And that’s my advice too. Do something instead of standing around my business, eye-fucking each other until the end of time.” Trevor fanned himself once again, then pulled his ringing phone out of his pocket. “James, I’m leaving the garage and heading home… no, we’ll eat in.” His voice grew deeper, and Brent left the office to give him some privac
y. The last thing he wanted to hear was Trevor and James making plans for their certain-to-be-spectacular evening.

  Last summer Trevor had decided to take James boating, and the two of them, along with Dean and Brent, had rented a cabin in Northern Wisconsin. They had a great time… until that first night when James proved to have one hell of a set of lungs on him. Brent wondered if they’d had to add some additional soundproofing to the house to comply with noise ordinances.

  “Is there anything else you need from me?” Trevor asked as he came out of the office, closing the door.

  “I don’t think so. We’re booked solid for the next week, with half the appointments for the week after booked as well. Things are going well and everyone is getting along, at least for now. Lee is doing really great and seems happy. So be sure to pass that on to James.”

  “I know. James still sees him on an occasional basis, and apparently all Lee talks about is his time here and the fact that he has a real job doing things he loves.” Trevor grinned. “When I brought him here, I didn’t expect things to work out as well as they have.” He checked his watch. “I should be going.”

  A car turned off Brown Deer Road, steam pouring from under the hood. It was clearly overheating. The driver pulled to a stop and turned off the engine. A girl of about seventeen got out, staring at the cloud, and began to shake. “Can you help me? I was on my way home and it started doing this. I didn’t know what to do and then I saw your sign, and….” She shifted from foot to foot. “It’s my dad’s car and he’s going to kill me.”

  “I’m Brent, and this is Trevor.” Brent approached her slowly. “You did the right thing. We’ll let the car cool down, and then we can take a look and see what’s wrong.” He smiled, and she turned to him and then to Trevor, her eyes lighting up. Of course she’d respond to Mr. Gorgeous.

  “We have some coffee and water inside.” He led her inside to the waiting area. “Just relax and have a seat. We’ll do what we can.” Trevor went inside and returned with a few tools. The cloud of steam was becoming a trickle as the heat dissipated. Trevor got the hood unlatched and lifted. More steam billowed out, and then it gradually came to a stop. “There it is, just a loose hose.”

  Brent came over and nodded. He saw the issue as well. “We’ll need to let it cool some more. I’ll get a fresh clamp, and we can get this fixed in a jiffy.” He went to get the part and brought it back, along with the tools they’d need. After waiting a little longer and letting the air flow around the engine, they were able to get the clamp switched out and to add coolant. Then Brent started the engine and let it run. No more steam.

  “Here you go, miss,” he said when he brought her the keys. “It’s all fixed. Your dad should have the car looked at and checked over thoroughly, but you should be okay to get home.”

  “How much is it?” she asked, clearly nervous. “I mean, I think I have a ten, but….”

  “It’s all right. Just get home safely.” Brent smiled, and she thanked him half a dozen times before getting in her car. She started it and rolled down the window to thank them again before driving off. “You should get home,” Brent said to Trevor. “James is probably wondering where you are.”

  Trevor already had his phone out and was texting madly, using a voice app.

  Brent sighed and went back into the office to get things ready to close up. There wasn’t anything more he could do today, but he wasn’t interested in going home. He checked his watch again and went through his mental list to make sure everything he needed to do had been completed.

  Trevor came in behind him. “Do you need my help?”

  “Nope. I’ll take care of everything and drop off the deposit on my way home.” Brent walked over to the bays, lowered the doors, and started turning off the lights. By the time he got back to his office, Trevor had his things together and was ready to head out.

  Car tires crunched on the drive, pulling to a stop right outside, and Brent checked his appointment files. “I don’t have anyone bringing in any cars.” He stood to look out the window. “It’s Jane, Lee’s mother.” He left Trevor in the office and quickly walked over to where she was parked. “Is there something wrong?” He leaned on the door as the window slid down. Lee sat in the passenger seat, tears leaking from his unseeing eyes.

  Lee and Scott were partners and inseparable at work. Lee had been one of James’s students at the school for the blind and he loved cars, so James had suggested Lee come to the garage. He and Scott hit it off instantly. They were a great pair, both gifted with engines. And with Lee’s almost bat-like hearing, he could diagnose some problems quicker than anyone else in the shop.

  “Lee, I wasn’t expecting you.”

  Jane handed Lee a tissue and then turned to Brent. “We just got a call from Scott’s mother. He… he was in an accident on the way home. She said she was on her way to the hospital, and Lee asked me to take him to make sure Scott is okay.”

  “Mom, he was injured. She said so,” Lee said as he wiped his eyes. “We have to get there.” Lee’s voice broke, and Brent’s knees buckled. The only reason he didn’t end up on the ground was because he used the car to prop himself up.

  Trevor came up behind him. “You go do what you can, and tell Scott’s family that we’re all pulling for him and to keep us informed. Let us know if there is anything that any of us can do.”

  “I will,” Lee said, and his mother turned to them, clearly worried.

  “It’s bad,” she mouthed, sending a shiver through Brent’s gut. “We’ll ask his family to call. I’m sure it’s too early to know anything just yet.” She nodded and raised the window.

  Brent stepped back so she could pull away, then stood in the center of the drive as she turned onto the street. He blinked and managed to stay upright.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Trevor said. Brent had almost forgotten he was there.

  “You don’t know that.” Brent went inside and sat at his desk once more, not caring if Trevor followed him. There was nothing he could do. He had dithered and told himself to wait, letting himself doubt and vacillate for so long that now the Fates had acted.

  “Scott is young and strong, and that’s going to make all the difference.” Trevor pulled him into a hug. “Just be strong too. I know you have it in you.”

  That was well and good, but Brent wasn’t sure if he had it in him. The Fates had a way of shitting all over him, and this seemed like another of those times.

  “We’ve been friends for a long time,” Trevor said.

  Brent nodded.

  “You’re the strong one. You got me through the heartache with Chase when I didn’t think I’d ever be able to bounce back. You know, I used to hug you just because you made me feel safe.”

  Brent forced a smile. He knew he had an image to uphold. In their group, Trevor was gorgeous, the one who could get anyone, but now he was off the market. Dean was impulsive and tended to be wild, at least in the last few years. Brent was the strong, reliable, sensible one of the group. But he didn’t feel very sensible right now. Yeah, he was concerned about Scott because he worked with him, but the tightening in Brent’s gut and the waves of regret that broke over him again and again reminded him he felt so much more for him. Brent knew he was being completely stupid. He’d never approached Scott, even though they had teased and being in the same room with him sent his pulse racing. To Brent, that wasn’t strength, but pure cowardice.

  “Dammit,” Brent spat and returned to his closing checklist. “Go on home to James, and you two have a good night. You’ve kept him waiting long enough. I’ll call Scott’s family in a few hours, find out how he is, and let you know.” There was nothing anyone could do right now.

  “If you’re sure….”

  “I am.” Brent needed to be alone for a while. “I’ll see you soon.” He had to keep his mind on the task at hand. He completed prepping the money and checks for the night’s deposit, and once he was done, he locked everything up and went to his car. He dropped the bag in the nigh
t deposit drop on his way home. He’d brought the number for Scott’s emergency contact with him and dialed it through his car’s voice commands, then waited for it to connect.

  “This is Brent from the garage. How is he?” he asked once the call connected.

  What he got as an answer was a sniffle and then tears from Scott’s mother, he presumed. There was a shuffling sound before a male voice spoke. “This is Reggie Spearman, Scott’s dad.”

  “Do you know what happened?” Brent pulled to a stop at a gas station and brushed his eyes with the back of his hand. He couldn’t drive and have this conversation. It was affecting him too damn much. As soon as he switched off the engine, his hands shook and he clamped his eyes closed.

  Mr. Spearman choked up, making Brent regret asking. He should have kept his mouth shut. “He was stopped at a light and seemed to have slipped his seat belt off his shoulder. A car ran into him from behind, and he went upward and hit his head on the windshield and his chest on the steering column. He has a number of injuries, and they’re prepping him for surgery.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Not right now. He hasn’t been conscious since they brought him in.”

  “How did you know he’d been in an accident?”

  “The car registered that it had been in an accident, and when the service didn’t get an answer, they called authorities and then us. It’s the plan we put him on for safety. Help was there right away.” He spoke very softly, so Brent turned up the volume.

  “Please let me know if there is any change. All of us are concerned and sending him our most positive thoughts.” What the hell else could he say? That he hoped Scott was going to be okay so he could get a second chance? He’d clearly missed his first, and if he were lucky, he might get another. Fuck it all. He understood what they meant about a brave man dying one death while a coward dies many. He wished now that he’d had the guts to tell Scott…. He pulled his head out of his own thoughts as Scott’s father continued.