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I glanced at the lights on the counter, and he stopped. I must have looked helpless. “It might come as a surprise to you, but I’m not well versed in installing brake lights. Would you be able to help me? Or someone else?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and pulled his phone from his pocket to check the time.
“Any other night, I would, but I’m about to clock out, and I have plans.” He glanced from me to Nellie, then back. “But lemme go check in the garage. I’m sure there’s someone who can do it. It won’t take long.”
I pressed my hands together. “Thank you so much, Dante. You’ve been a huge help. If your manager’s around, let me speak to him or her about giving you a raise. You deserve it.”
He shuffled his boots, offering me a sheepish grin. “Thanks, ma’am. Just doin’ my job.” He jerked his head toward the direction of the garage attached to the store. “I’ll send someone out to you.”
Nellie waved to him. “I hope you like your burrito, Dante.”
If my flattery hadn’t been enough to get Dante moving, Nellie’s cuteness had done the trick. At this point, I didn’t care who fixed my brake lights. I just wanted it done quickly so I could get home, pour myself an oversized glass of wine, and kick off these heels.
Chapter Five
Jake
I wiped the grease off my hands with a stained rag and gave my shoulders a roll. I’d been under a hood all day, and I was feeling it. It was time to get out of here, grab some food, and go home.
This week was coming at me hard and fast, and it was only Monday. I never left the garage without cleaning my tools, though, so I got to work polishing the ones I’d used.
“Anyone have ten minutes to spare to change a couple brake lights?”
I looked up from my tools, finding the kid—Dante—swiveling his head left and right. The mechanics scattered around the shop, pointedly not looking at him. Dante’s voice carried. No doubt he had been heard, everyone just had full plates, and they weren’t looking to add another thing that would slow them down.
I wasn’t the only one looking forward to crashing at home.
“Dante,” I called, motioning him over.
He jogged toward me, but it was so slow he should have walked. “What’s up, boss?”
I cringed at the title. To me, “boss” would always be my dad. “It’s just Jake.” Dante nodded, but he didn’t appear convinced. “I was about to ask you the same thing. What’s up with you trying to pass off work?”
“No, no.” He waved his hand. “It’s not like that. I was on my way out, but there was a customer who needed help, so I stayed to assist her. She’s pretty clueless about her car. No idea how to change out the lights. I told her I’d ask if anyone could do it. I would, but I really do have to blow out of here.”
I tossed the rag aside. “I’ll do it, no problem. Good job helping the customer.”
He cocked a grin. “She said she was going to tell my manager I need a raise.”
I chucked. “Keep going the extra mile, and I can see that happening. Where is the customer?”
He nodded toward the attached store. “In the front, wearing a red dress. She’s got a little girl with her. Chatty as hell. You can’t miss ’em.”
“Got it. Get out of here for whatever you’re chomping at the bit to do.”
Dante hightailed it the moment I’d finished talking. If I were a betting man, I’d put money on him having a date.
I stopped to wash my hands. There was no scrubbing off the gray stains from beneath my nails, but I managed to get them relatively clean before heading to the front.
The woman in red was easy to spot, but Dante hadn’t done her justice in his barely-there description. Her plump, heart-shaped ass and wide hips filled out her dress just right. Almost as well as—
Nah. Now wasn’t the time to start thinking about my biker fantasy woman. Who knew if or when I’d see her again? Filling my head with thoughts of her very fine ass would only serve to drive me crazy.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I heard you need some help.”
Her shoulders became rigid at the sound of my voice. If I hadn’t been watching closely, I might’ve said they’d jumped with surprise, but no, it was a snapping of muscles.
Tension.
