“He really doesn’t,” Penny piped in. “What he does have time for, my dear brother-in-law, is a quickie. Since I know you don’t want details, we’re going to hang up now. Oh, and don’t forget the board meeting in twenty minutes, and the staff meeting after that for the upcoming Tough Mudder event.”

“I’m coming,” Aidan said.

“Me too,” Penny said cheerfully, and disconnected the call.

Aidan shook his head and rubbed his eyes to dispel the images of Gray and Penny knocking it out, but he’d probably need an entire bucket of bleach for that.

And shit. He still had to call Lenny, who answered sounding hung over.

“What?” Lenny snapped, not friendly.

“We need to talk,” Aidan said.

“No can do, compadre. Got a date with my bed.”

“It’s important,” Aidan said. “It’s about work.”

“I called in sick today. I’m off the clock.”

“Sick or hung over?” Aidan asked.

There was a pause. “We used to agree those two were one and the same.”

“That was before we got responsibilities,” Aidan said.

“Aw, shit,” Lenny grumbled. “Don’t talk down to me, man. And I haven’t had any caffeine yet. This conversation is way too heavy without caffeine.”

Aidan scrubbed a hand down his face. Lenny wasn’t taking this seriously, but Aidan felt a huge responsibility. He’d been the one to vouch for Lenny when he’d needed a job. “I’m coming over after my meetings,” he said, reluctantly realizing that this was going to require a face-to-face.

There was another beat of silence and then all levity drained from Lenny’s voice. “Just say what you want to say.”

“Not what I want to say,” Aidan said. “But what needs to be said. This DUI is strike two—”

“You’re counting?” Lenny asked in disbelief. “You? The guy who once got arrested for possession of pot?”

Aidan had been sixteen and stupid. No doubt. But he’d grown up in the decade plus since then.

Way up.

“Lenny, you got a DUI when your job is to drive large pieces of equipment. Our insurance company—”

“Skip the legalese,” Lenny said. “I get it. You hired me when no one else would. You’re a saint, I’m a world-class fuckup.”

“You’re not—”

“Let’s not sugarcoat anything,” Lenny said. “I messed up last night and I know it, okay? It won’t happen again.”

“Lenny—”

“I promise you, A.”