“Running a business is different.”
Lucas looked away.
“That’s Dad's shop.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“The building your dad rented.”
“Same thing.”
Grizz shook his head.
“No.”
Lucas’s jaw tightened.
Grizz continued:
“If you open there because you want your father back, don't.”
Lucas stared.
“If you open because you want a business, build one.”
Silence.
“You sound like him.”
“I stole everything useful he said.”
Lucas looked toward the service bays.
“You think I can?”
“Wrong question.”
Lucas smiled despite himself.
“What changed?”
Grizz pointed at him.
“There.”
Lucas laughed.
He spent six months planning.
Actually planning.
Not grief planning.
Business planning.
Insurance.
Licensing.
Cash reserve.
Lease negotiation.
Equipment costs.
Parts accounts.
Software.
Taxes.
Expected labor rate.
Break-even calculations.
Customer projections.
He saved money.
Erin invested a small amount.
Grizz offered more.
Lucas refused.
Grizz invested anyway through a formal loan with written terms.
“Your father would haunt me if I gave you free money.”
Lucas appreciated that.
Ray Castillo sold him a used lift.
Tommy donated an old workbench.
Eddie Knox showed up with paint.
Black River Riders spent two weekends cleaning the building.
No one asked permission.
Lucas protested.
Grizz ignored him.
The old Bennett sign was gone.
Lucas had kept the letters in his mother’s garage.
He considered restoring it.
Then decided against it.
New sign.
BENNETT MOTOR WORKS
Not Cycle & Repair.
Not Daniel’s business resurrected.
Lucas’s.
Opening day was April 12.
Lucas was twenty-one.
Grizz arrived first.
Of course.
6:43 a.m.
Lucas unlocked at seven.
“You're early.”
“You were early at my place.”
“Three years ago.”
“I hold grudges.”
Eddie rode in at 7:05.
Same black cruiser.
Lucas stared.
“No.”
Eddie smiled.
“What?”
“You brought that here on opening day?”
“Needs service.”
“It does not.”
“Customer says it does.”
Lucas looked at Grizz.
Grizz shrugged.
“Customer always right.”
Lucas opened the work order.
Eddie described a faint hesitation at low throttle.
Lucas listened.
Asked questions.
Checked history.
Then walked around the motorcycle.
The side cover caught his attention.
Three years disappeared.
Cash on floor.
Dean laughing.
Grizz’s hand near his shoulder.
Easy, kid. You don't owe him anything.
Lucas smiled.
Eddie noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He removed the cover.
Checked the infamous connector.
Fully seated.
Clean.
No red marking compound.
Lucas nodded.
“What?”
Eddie asked.
“Just checking.”