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The garage phone rang, and Ryan answered it. "Coffee and Cars, can I help you?"
"Could I speak to Erin Moore, please?"
"She's a little busy. May I ask who's calling?" He'd take a message. Very few things were as important as getting rid of that car. And the slimy sponge.
"This is the Custs’ business manager, Mr. Peng."
That might be important. Erin needed to deliver the car someplace. "Hold on." He took the phone to Erin. "A Mr. Peng is on the line. Says he's Custs’ business manager."
She grimaced. "This is Erin." She listened, her frown deepening to a scowl. "You can certainly file and try to make my life difficult, which is what Mr. Cust undoubtedly wants, but I have a very good contract, one that specifies mediation first. Ms. Kerr wrote it for me. You won't win, and Ms. Kerr will get paid—by you. And I reserve my right to counter-sue for emotional pain and suffering. If Mr. Cust wants to cause me monetary and emotional pain, he's out of luck because he will pay the bills, and my lawyer will do all the work. I won't even need to be there." Erin smirked, waggling her brows. Ryan grinned, giving her a thumbs-up.
A glare took over. "Mr. Peng, I will not continue working on this car. Mr. Cust will never set foot on my property ever again or come within twenty feet of me anywhere else. Find someone else to finish the car, now. I will email you recommendations. I have already loaded all the parts I purchased into the vehicle and made it ready for transport." She listened, grimacing and pacing.
"Mr. Peng, my lawyer is filing for a protective order against Mr. Cust. I do not want to see him, talk to him, or have anything to do with him ever again. He attacked me in my place of business. I have filed a report with the Sheriff's Department, and if he files charges against my employee, who physically pulled Cust off of me, I will file criminal charges. Perhaps Mr. Cust downplayed what he did, but I will not be giving him a second chance. He assaulted me and told me he was going to have sex with me. That's attempted rape, Mr. Peng. Now do you understand why I'm being what you have the nerve to call stubborn?" She scowled.
If he'd known, Ryan would have pounded the jackass into the concrete, regardless of the missing fist. Rapists were the lowest of the low. Scum.
"I thought so. Let me know where to take the car. I’ll give you a week. That’s more than generous." She hung up and glared at the floor, her hand clenched around the phone. "I'm stuck with the 'Cuda for now, but I think he understands how serious I am about this. He actually seemed shocked for a moment." She snort-laughed. "I didn't think anything could shock that man. I guess I screwed up your afternoon for nothing." She grimaced, shaking her head. "Sorry."
Ryan waved her concern away. He'd done little, really. But he needed to get her mind off the problem and on to something positive. Neither one of them needed to brood and worry—it was over and done. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing. And since we're not delivering a car, and you already have the trailer hooked up, want to help me get my stuff out of my storage unit?" He smiled hopefully.
Erin smiled, clearly happy to do something else. "Sure. My pleasure. How were you going to do it?"
"Lots of trips and probably asking the guys at Kelly's for help." Buying lots of pizza and beer after, too.
"I guess it all worked out in the end then, didn't it? Come on, let's go." Erin grabbed her cell phone, and they walked out together after locking and alarming the building.
Ryan gave her directions to his storage facility. A comfortable silence fell. He wondered when the consequences of the event would hit her. Or maybe he was the only one who got reaction shakes. He didn't before, when he was whole.
They pulled up to the gate, and he gave her the code. He directed her to the unit, stopping the trailer right in front of the door. Ryan unlocked the padlock and raised the rattling garage door. There was less stuff in here than he remembered. With any luck, they could get it all in one trip.
They loaded the furniture first, put his boxes in the back of her truck, and drove back.
"Ryan, have you put anything else in the apartment yet?" Her voice had an urgency to it that didn't match the question.
"Nope. I've got a new mattress being delivered tomorrow." He could hardly wait to get a good night's sleep on it. Or any sleep. Bad dreams plagued him.
Erin nodded. "So, you're not staying there tonight, right?"
"Wasn't planning on it, no."
"Good." Her eyes flashed to his, then returned to the road. "Just in case Cust does something really stupid."
He hadn't considered that. "Do you think it's possible?"
"He's pretty pissed off, and the Sheriff hasn't talked to him yet, so yes, I think it's possible." She nodded, a resigned look on her face.
Shoot. "In that case, do you have someone else to stay with?"
"I suppose." She frowned at him. "But why?"
"Because he might go after you or your home, not your business. His car is still in your shop, remember?" The guy was stupid but probably not that stupid. Too bad. If he was, Ryan could take care of the problem permanently.
Erin scowled. "I am not letting that idiot scare me out of my house."
Ryan snorted. "I hope your couch is comfy."
"Why?" She glanced at him, her face puzzled.
