“I have a great assistant. Right now, it’s really important for me to spend time with Sandy and get to know him better. I’ve had forty years without him; I don’t want to waste any more time.”
He opened his door, stepping out and hurrying to her side to open the passenger door for her. He offered his hand to help her down, which she took with a small smile. A thrill zinged up his arm at her soft touch. His work roughened hands, permanently stained with oil, seemed too harsh to be touching her flawless skin, but he shoved the thought aside.
“Come on inside with me. I need to take down your information so I can get in touch with you after I figure out what’s wrong with your car. I do have to say, that’s a seriously beautiful machine you have there.”
“Thank you so much. I really love it.” Her smile lit up her face, taking her beauty to another level.Damn.He needed to make her smile again.
“It suits you. You’re a beautiful woman; drivin’ such a kick-ass car makes you even more exotic.” He grinned, enjoying flirting with her. His heart was beating faster, and just talking with her made him feel lighter than he had in a long time.
In an instant, her demeanor changed. “Exotic?” She crossed her arms over her chest and popped out one hip. Her tone was no longer cheerful and flirty. He’d stepped in it, apparently. “Maybe you’ve lived in a small southern town so long you don’t know any better, but calling a woman of colorexoticisnota compliment. She spun on her heel, stalking away from him toward the garage, her cell phone clutched in an angry fist.
“Well, shit,” he muttered under his breath. “Wait!” He called out after her. “Please, wait a second. I’m sorry.”
She froze and turned, arching a brow in question, with impatience painted over her features. “Wait for what? You got more insults to throw at me? Is this the sort of thing I can expect to deal with down here?”
Nolan was contrite. “No, ma’am. I didn’t mean to offend you, I swear. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you are. Rednecks like you must hate it when your bad manners are pointed out,” she snapped angrily. Seemed Sally had a hell of a temper. He liked it, even as his own anger rose in response.
“Redneck,huh? Now who’s throwing out stereotypes? Seems to me I have all my teeth, I don’t chew tobacco, and I have enough brains to run my own business. I don’t have a gun rack in my truck and I’ve never killed a deer. Got any more insults to throw at me?”
“The better part of valor is discretion,” she responded.
“Shakespeare?” He crossed his arms over his chest, his anger fading.
“I’m surprised you know it,” she scoffed. “You probably read it on a Snapple lid or something.”
“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” She looked at him with a confused expression, so he continued. “That one is Sun Tzu. Don’t know him, do ya? Still think I’m a dumb hick?”
“It’s not relevant to this conversation.”
Nolan’s eyes couldn’t help but travel to her luscious chest where her arms were still crossed. “That’s where you’re wrong. The chaos is now. You and me fussin’. The opportunity is this conversation, even though you may think it’s an argument. I like talkin’ to you, even if only in obscure ancient quotes from old dead guys.” He was hoping for a smile, but no such luck.
“We done?” She turned on her heel and stomped into the garage office.
“Oh, no, we are not even close to being done,” he spoke under his breath as he followed her inside. This woman’s sass and fire were heating his blood, waking his brain and libido after years of indifference.
Once inside, he ignored her standoffish body language and pulled a form from under the desk, sliding it across to her, along with a pen. “Please fill this out. Don’t worry about the registration and insurance information, I’m sure I can find those in your glove box.”
“Yes,” she snapped, quickly filling in the form with her name and contact information. “I’m assuming I can also skip the address? I’ll be staying with Sandy while I’m here. Small town such as this, you’re no doubt aware of where he lives.”
He smiled, no longer able to hide his delight in this woman. “Of course. I can arrange for your vehicle to be dropped off there once it’s fixed. Maybe take you to get somethin’ to eat afterward?” His courage at asking her out surprised him. He hadn’t meant to do it, it had just slipped out.
“Seriously? You’re asking me out?” Her face was tight with fury and her posture seemed to stiffen even more. “I’m here to spend time with my father. Not to go on dates with men who think I’mexotic. I’m a woman, not a novelty.” Without giving him a chance to respond, Sally spun on her designer heel and left the office, the door banging shut behind her with a crash.
“Well, that was awesome.”
Nolan turned his head to find Drew standing in the doorway to the garage, smirking and wiping his hands on a red shop towel.
“Screw you, boy. Get back to work.” Nolan turned his back on Drew and scowled at the form in his hands. He stared at the phone number she’d written, thought about calling her and apologizing again, but decided against the idea before it fully formed. He’d stepped in it, big time. She was a classy woman from the city; even if he hadn’t insulted her, he didn’t think she’d want anything to do with a small-town grease monkey like him. Staring at his palms, the lines long since stained black from years of turning wrenches, he knew he wasn’t good enough for her. She drove a Mercedes for fuck’s sake. He couldn’t provide things like that for her. Designer labels and luxury vehicles were her staples. His truck was ten years old and he bought his jeans at the Walmart in Tupelo.
With Drew’s help, Nolan got Sally’s car into the garage and settled in to work. The sooner he got it done and back to her, the sooner she could be on her way and away from him. No doubt as far as she could get. He kept telling himself her rejection didn’t bother him, but, deep down, he knew that was a lie.
Chapter 14
I’ve spent a wonderful six weeks in Green Springs with Sandy, Barbara Jeanne, and the rest of the Patrick family. We’ve laughed, cried, shared stories, and disagreed on the best flavor of ice cream. I’m so happy to have a father, uncle, aunt, and cousin. I no longer feel the gaping hole that an only child possesses when losing their only relative. And Barbara Jeanne seems more like a baby sister than a cousin. She’s spoiled and wildly spirited, but I’m confident I can help her become the refined young woman I know she can be. Barbara Jeanne’s mother, Saundra, is more than a bit pretentious and takes her job as a small-town socialite seriously. Initially, she seemed to be struggling with the fact that this black girl from Chicago is joining the family as the long-lost daughter of the current patriarch. But then I heard she decided to embellish my back story quite a bit so she could claim her position as aunt to a successful Chicago businesswoman with connections to Oprah! I laugh every time I think about it.
Shortly after arriving in Green Springs, I felt like I could breathe for the first time in months. The sense of fear residing in the back of my mind since the mugging disappeared as I happily settled into small town life. I quickly realized I belong in Mississippi and have no desire to return to the big city and my solitary life there. Some might call it reckless, making such a life-altering decision so quickly, but my instincts are rarely wrong. I know moving to Green Springs is the best decision for me. Mississippi feels like home in a way Chicago no longer does, not since Mama passed.
