“First of all, don’t talk about yourself like that, Carter.” I’m getting angry in his defense. He was always exactly who I wanted him to be.
Still looking down, he continues. “So I just kept working. I put my head down and I kept working and seeing no progress. I felt like I was suffocating under my own expectations and failures and that’swhen–” Another look at me, his face and voice both dripping in guilt. “That’s when Taylor showed up.”
My stomach drops just from hearing her name in his voice, so I build up my shields, bite the bullet, and settle into the story.
“Tell me.”
11
THE DEAL
CARTER
1 month earlier
Iwas busy working on Miss Tina’s car when I heard another car pull up. At first I ignored it, figuring it was someone else’s problem, but as soon as I heard a woman talking and Paul responding, I stopped what I was doing and walked on over to investigate. Once I got a good look at the customer, I was glad I stopped.
First thing I noticed was that she was really young. Maybe twenty-one. She was also very pretty and carried herself well, but she clearly had no idea what she was talking about with her car.
“It makes a little rattle jiggle sound when I move the gear stick thing, and I just moved here, so I want to be absolutely sure my car is working correctly. I saw your sign and knew you’d take care of me. So, can you help me?” She’s leaning way over the counter while she’s talking, and Paul is zeroed in on her.
Her description made no sense, but Paul was Paul and just nodded like he already knew the problem. I stepped in before he could start spewing whatever bullshit he was about to let loose. “We will check it out and give you a better understanding of what’s wrong as soon aswe find out miss..?” Startled blue eyes found mine and she blinked at me a few times. “I’m sorry ma’am, but what’s your name?”
“Ta, Tay, Taylor. Taylor, but my friends call me Tay.” She kept blinking up at me, so I cleared my throat and looked over at Paul who was now glaring at me.
What?I asked him with my eyes. Paul didn’t answer my unspoken question.
Failed eye communication attempt #172 or somewhere around there.
“Miss Tay-lor,” he tacked on the ending when she whipped her head back around his direction. I couldn’t see her face, but he switched his tone quickly. “Miss Taylor…?”
“Harrison.” She clipped out. Then she looked back at me with a bright smile.
My pocked vibrated, and my heart rate sped up. Becky had to cancel our lunch plans earlier and I was eager to get my fix. A notification fromMy Perfect Fianceelit up the screen, which in turn I knew lit up my face. I resisted the urge to check it immediately, just the name was enough for now. Sometimes I lucked out and got special messages from my woman, and like hell was I risking Paul getting a sneak peek.
Beside me, I heard Paul continue talking, “—so I will probably just have to give you a ride back to wherever it is you live and maybe help you set up a ride for the foreseeable future while we get this all sorted.”
Seriously, this guy.
I butt in, again. “Hey Paul, I’m sure you’re too busy to be driving this lovely young woman all over the place all the time. The shop couldn’t run without you.” I tried being diplomatic, or maybe just a kiss ass. He didn’t look convinced. “There are plenty of us available to maybe take turns dropping her off where she needs to go until it’s time for her car to go back home.” It was not the first or the last time we’d done this for customers. Back before…well, before.
At this, Taylor stepped in, “Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you,” she stopped to read my shirt, “Carter.”
She lifted her hand towards my arm, so I looked to see if anything was stuck on it.Odd, nothing beyond grease and oil.
“Yeah, no worries.” Crisis averted, I turned around and quickly headed to the bathroom to check the message from my spitfire.
When I came back out with an extra pep in my step, it was to see Paul openly leering at the poor girl while she was in the waiting room.
He side-eyed me the moment I stepped up to him. “You’re first,” he said.
“Beg pardon?” I let plenty of my drawl leak into my words to annoy him a little. He liked to pretend he wasn’t one of us.
“You’re first. You decided that it was going to be all of us driving this bombshell all week long, so you get to start the process. You’ll take her home. Go clock out and come right back.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold your horses there boss. I’m not doing this for free. I’ll be spending my time and my gas doing this for the company.” I lean back against the counter and wait for his response.
He eyed me in disbelief. "You stepped in when I was offering for free.”
