Page 51

Once he got a thought in his head, nothing short of the devil himself could stop him. And for whatever reason, he’d made the decision that Ryan didn’t belong here, and Sawyer would do anything to get him out.

I was surprised to see the shop empty when I got there. Charlie tended to show up before I did—especially now that Ryan was in the picture—but I was grateful for the quiet. Summer was coming to a close, and everyone in town seemed to be taking last-minute vacations, which meant last-minute car services.

Once I was in the office, I smiled at the stack of paperwork that had to be input and filed away. Charlie hated office work on the best of days but chasing after Sawyer, it was a given that she would have fallen behind on it.

I made myself some coffee, and was about halfway through when I felt eyes on me. A slow glance up at the door, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Fuck, don’t do that!” I shouted. “Why are you just standing there?”

Charlie shoved off the frame and plonked herself down in the second chair. “I was trying to figure out if my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

“They’re not. I’m back full time. And not a day too soon—I was starting to go stir crazy.”

Charlie scoffed. “Sure, shacking up with your new boyfriend sounds miserable.”

I desperately tried to hide the blush creeping onto my cheeks by returning my attention to the papers in front of me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumbled. “Besides, I wasn’t working, but he was. It’s not like we spent twenty-four hours a day together.”

“Play coy all you want to. I’m happy for you kid.” Charlie stood and walked towards the door leading to the garages. “You okay with me working outside today?”

I nodded without looking up. “Have at it.”

My hand was still sensitive. I needed to keep it wrapped, and wear gloves where I could. I hated gloves, so naturally, I’d rather avoid the garage. I was a people person, and the customers loved me. Running the office and the lobby all day was fine by me.

“Are you ever going to bring that new girl of yours out of hiding?”

Of course the rumor mill had begun to turn once I left town.The man in front of me had been my high school football coach. He’d “retired” my senior year, but that was all a formality. He still ran that team no matter what any school board said.

“There’s no girl.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie.

“I thought I heard you spent a weekend away with someone.”

With a smile, I shrugged it off. “I just went to see Dad. It was time.”

He raised a skeptical brow, eyes flitting to my neck before he took his paperwork, wished me a good day, then left.

I nervously tugged at my collar, having forgotten about Ryan’s mark.

Telling Grace that I was interested in someone may have been a mistake. Between that and me vanishing for a weekend, it was no surprise that people talked, but I did my best to ignore it.

I was more than relieved when the last customer left. It was well past six and—to keep us from losing each other in work—Ryan and I had standing dinner plans twice a week. Our regular trips to Whole Foods had become our own mini vacations.

“Charlie!” I called, slamming my good hand against the garage wall to get her attention. “You okay if I take off? Dinner plans.”

She smirked and nodded, but called out to me as I turned to walk away. “How’d the hand hold up your first day back?”

I flexed my fist, wincing at the tight skin. “A little stiff, but it’s okay.”

Instead of leaving, I hovered in the doorway. I hadn’t told Charlie that Ryan let the “L” word slip. He hadn’t brought it up again, horrified that it happened in the first place. He was adamant that we didn’t need to address it, but I couldn’t get it out of my head.

I wanted to say it back.

“Charlie, could we maybe grab a beer or something this week? I need to talk about something.”

“Sure, but not tonight. I promised to watch the kids. Go get your dinner.”

“Tomorrow?”

That time, I didn’t hesitate to spin on my heel and hightail it out of the building. If the kids behaved, Ryan would already be waiting on me when I got home, and I was more than ready to see his face.

I’d always been like my dad: up before the sun, and home long after it had gone to sleep. Now? I found myself wondering how I could get into work late so I could spend more time wrapped up in him.