Page 1 of Full Throttle

CHAPTER ONE

Dom

Ihit the button, the large garage door rolling down smoothly into place. I engaged the locks then headed to the office, wiping my hands and shifting my shoulders. It had been a busy morning, and I had plans for another active afternoon.

Chase was shutting down the computer, his jacket already on. I laughed at his enthusiasm. “Anxious, kid?”

He grinned at me and shrugged. “I don’t want Hannah doing all the painting without me.”

I grinned back. The kid had it bad for his supposed “roommate.” He was already falling for her, and I had a feeling that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

“I’ll stop and get some cold beer and pop.”

“That’ll be great. Hannah’s mom is coming to help. Charly and Gabby. With all those hands, it’ll go fast. I know they have food planned too. We can eat before we start working.”

“Sounds great.”

“Thanks for doing this, Dom.”

I waved him off. “Anytime. I’ll see you at the house shortly. I’m gonna grab a shower. I got pretty dirty with that valve job.”

“Great. See you soon!”

He left, and I headed to the bathroom at the back, stepping into the shower. The hot water felt good on my shoulders, and I soaped up, my mind drifting as I thought about the direction my life had taken.

Not long ago, I had stopped at the garage, my vehicle giving me trouble as I was taking a drive on a nice day, exploring the countryside. I had been pleased to see Stefano Borrelli, a mechanic I had worked with previously, was in the shop. Between us, we found the problem fast, and as we chatted, he told me they were looking for experienced mechanics to help run the place. One thing led to another, and I met Maxx Reynolds, the owner of the garage. We liked each other, and before I knew it, I had a new job.

I found a small house in Lomand, a slightly larger town than Littleburn, where the garage was located, and I moved in to the furnished space right away. As the weeks went by and I settled, I discovered how much I liked the two little towns. The people. The garage.

They were a close-knit unit here at Reynolds Restorations and had accepted me as one of their own. It was the first time in years I felt the desire to settle in one place for a while. I had a feeling when I was with the group—as if I had found something I had been looking for. They were like a family, something I had longed for but never thought I would be part of. I liked being a member of the crowd, accepted for who I was. No questions, no judgments. They included me in their dinners, the after-work drinks. Family time.

I, in turn, wanted to be part of their projects. Help out where I could. I enjoyed the camaraderie and the time spent with them as a group or one-on-one. Chase and I were close, working together the most. He was a good guy, and he had shared his painful backstory with me. He was like a little brother to all of us, and I liked spending time with him. I also loved playing with all the kids, their innocent laughter bringing back memories that, at times, were painful, yet made me smile.

As I stepped out of the shower, I wondered if perhaps I would reach out again. Try to reconnect to a piece of my past that I longed to be part of my life. I sighed as I towel-dried my hair, already feeling the pull of disappointment. I knew it would probably never happen. Every time I had tried, it had failed. Yet, time and again, I attempted to bridge the large gap, hoping against hope this time it would work.

I studied my face in the mirror, shaking my head. I looked upset. I always did when I thought about the past. The things I regretted. I couldn’t think about it now. I had places to be and people waiting for me.

The person who wanted nothing to do with me needed to be dealt with another day.

I would soak up the good today.

The bad was always waiting.

I walked into Chase’s place, the sounds of laughter greeting me. I strolled into the kitchen, smiling at Chase, who was talking to two women. One was his new roommate, Hannah. Or Cinnamon, as he called her, referring to the hundreds of freckles scattered on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She was a police officer whom he had met on a bad night when he was intoxicated and down. And instead of arresting him, she had reached out to Brett, who had come to help him. Chase crushed on her immediately. She showed up when he was advertising for a roommate, and he was a total goner. It was amusing to watch him navigate his feelings and actions.

But it was the other woman who got my attention. Shorter than Hannah. Curvier. Brick-red hair hung over her shoulder in a thick braid. The loose shirt and tight leggings she wore were simple but incredibly sexy on her lush form. Intelligent, hazel eyes were set under delicate brows, and although her freckles were far fewer in number than Hannah’s, they were no less appealing. Our eyes locked and held, and for a moment, the earth stood still around us. She captivated me instantly, and from her frank appraisal, she approved of what she saw. Realizing I was staring, and we had an audience, I shook my head and set down the cans of beer and pop. “I, ah, brought refreshments.”

I held out my hand, needing to connect with the woman. “Dom,” I said, my voice sounding rough to my ears. I cleared my throat. “Dom Salvatore.”

“Hi,” the woman murmured. “Cherry Gallagher. I’m Hannah’s⁠—”

I cut her off. “Older sister.”

“…mother,” she finished.

I blew out a whistle. “Impossible.”

“I assure you, I am.”