Interesting name and logo with the skull and wrenches.
As we get closer, a woman wipes her hands on a rag before walking our way. Her name tag reads Sloane. I’m surprised to see a woman in the garage. I know it happens, but this woman could be a model rather than a mechanic.
“Hey, can I help you?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’m looking for the owner. Is he around by chance?”
The woman looks at the two kids, then at me with distrust in her eyes.
“What do you need to see him for?”
I lick my lips, about to answer, but Mac comes jogging out behind her, helping relieve some of my anxiety.
“Jane, what are you doing here?” he calls out as he reaches Sloane’s side.
The distrust evaporates as she looks at me with new eyes.
“Jane? You’re the new office lady, right? Oh, thank God. Mac said he wasn’t sure you were taking the job, but Gunner is going to be ecstatic.”
Oh shit. She thought I was showing up with two kids, asking for this Gunner guy. I didn’t realize how that would look.
“I haven’t said yes yet. I wanted to check the place out,” I tell her.
“Come on. I’ll take you to meet Smoke. He is in the office. Sloane, can you hang out with the kids for a few minutes?” Mac says, looking to me for approval.
“Tanner, keep an eye on Emily. Don’t touch anything,” I tell them.
“Come on. I can show you all the cool things I get to do with cars,” Sloane tells them, walking them around the edge of the garage.
My body tenses as soon as they are out of my sight.
“She’s taking them to her project car. They have it over to the side today because they needed the extra bay. It’s safer for them outside of the garage,” Mac answers my unasked question.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“I’d like to say it gets easier, but I honestly don’t know if it will. Let’s go. Smoke is going to be happy to see you.”
“Wait, didn’t she say Gunner?” I ask as he leads me into the building.
“Gunner is her man. He runs the place for the most part, but Smoke is the boss. He has been helping Gunner when he can. His wife has been too. So basically, we have been swamped with paperwork no one wants to deal with.” Mac laughs.
“So you volunteered me for the shit job,” I joke.
“Absolutely. You’ll hate it.” He winks at me.
It feels good to talk to a man without worrying about what I might say, but it doesn’t last long. That familiar fear grips me, making my smile fall.
Mac doesn’t say anything, but I know he notices. We walk the rest of the way in silence. When he knocks on the door, I hear a male voice call out.
My nerves are on edge, but Mac lightly touches my back. He moves slowly enough that I don’t immediately recoil from him. Instead, I take the slight comfort he is offering.
“I will be right there by your side. You are safe.”
I nod once before stepping into the office.
A large man with messy dark hair, almost black, sits behind the desk. He’s got facial hair somewhere between a five o’clock shadow and the start of a beard. Something about him screamsalpha male, but at the same time, he doesn’t give off the vibe that he would hurt me.
“Hey, this is Jane. Jane, this is Smoke. He is the owner of this wonderful establishment and the president of the Saint’s Outlaws.”
