Elodie’s long-haired friend stood by her side, though her approach had been stealthier, like she’dappearedrather than walked, and offered her hand too. “You should apologize for those two. I told her she didn’t need ’em, but her agent insisted.”
“Paige is just being extra careful after what happened to CJ in Utah,” Elodie said. “And she didn’t knowyouwere coming with me.”
Shay’s interest piqued; that inferred Elodie’s friend was more capable than her two hefty bodyguards combined. She assumed they were here to pick up the Brewster; maybe they were staying in the city and would be at a loose end. Shay had a hookup arranged with Rosie tonight, but she’d bet Rosie would be happy to entertainElodie’s friend together. The friend’s lips quirked slightly, clearly registering Shay’s interest.
Elodie’s friend motioned to Gabe. “Twenty bucks,” she said to Elodie and held out her hand. “Pay up.”
Elodie rolled her eyes. “Subtle, Ice.”
She smiled at them, and Shay bit her lip. Elodie was a touch too hard and her hair too short for Shay’s usual taste, but there was still something undeniably magnetic about her that made Shay swoon. She looked again at the friend Elodie had called Ice. Melting her seemed more achievable than a night with Elodie now that the infamous player had taken herself off the market to play happy families with a celebrated investigative journalist.
Elodie pulled her wallet from the inside pocket of her jacket and opened it. “We had a bet about how big you were compared to my friend Dak,” she said and handed a crisp twenty-dollar bill to Ice. “She won.”
Shay could almost feel Gabe preen beside her as she stood a little straighter and puffed out her considerable chest.
“Am I bigger or smaller than your friend?” Gabe asked.
Elodie’s smile grew wider, clearly recognizing Gabe’s fragile ego. “Bigger, like Ice said you were. I didn’t think regular women came much bigger than Dak.”
Shay heard “Oh my God” at about the same time as the sound of a tray of coffee hitting the ground echoed down the alley.
“It’s really you,” Woody said.
Shay turned to see Woody pulling her phone from her pants pocket. She shook her head and motioned for her to stow it.
“It’s okay,” Elodie said. “I’m happy for you to take photos, but maybe we could go inside.” She gestured toward the passing pedestrian traffic at the top of the passageway.
“Absolutely.” Gabe opened the side door.
The bodyguards entered first then everyone filed in except Woody, who stooped to pick up the wasted coffee. Putting a little more Shay into her sashay, she made sure to precede Ice, whocame in last.
Ice caught hold of her wrist. “I appreciate the show, but we’re heading straight out of town.”
Shay groaned lightly. Had they beenanywhereelse but work, she would’ve suggested they connect in the backseat of the SUV. “That’s disappointing,” she said, though she’d been more interested in a hard-body sandwich with Rosie than taking on the dark and dangerous stranger alone. She waited for Woody to come in with the soggy remains of their coffee cups and closed the door behind her, while Ice sauntered away in Elodie’s direction.
“I can’t believe Elodie Fontaine is in our garage,” Woody said. “I wish she’d brought her wife though; she’s beautiful. I love a curvy woman.”
Shay nodded. “I think we all do.” She followed Woody into the back where they’d been storing the Brewster since the auction.
“You’re driving her all the way to LA?” Gabe asked.
“Yep.” Elodie ran her hand over the Brewster’s grill. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”
“No.” Shay opened the digital lock box on the wall to retrieve the Brewster’s keys. “You’ll need to keep her at around three thousand rpm for the first five hundred miles, then you can increase to four thousand. After a thousand miles, take her up slow and steady. We’ve customized a V-8 engine to fit, and we’ve switched out the sliding mesh three-speed to a constant-mesh six-speed gearbox, so you won’t be lacking power.” She handed the keys to Elodie. “A two-k mile drive is going to be a great way for you to get used to her.”
“Erm…” Woody cleared her throat.
Shay looked across at her. “Did I forget something?”
“God, no, of course not.” Woody held up one of the digital SLRs she kept at the garage to document their restorations. “It’d just be great to get a team photo of us handing Ms. Fontaine the keys.”
“Of course,” Elodie said. “Take whatever you need. Where do you want me?”
Anywhere and everywhere would be great. Shay suppressed a smirk and didn’t look at Gabe for fear of them both laughing like teenagers.
“What about Solo?” RB asked. “She won’t be happy she’s missing out.”
Shay checked her watch. “She’s normally here by now. The triplets must be acting up.”
