Chapter 5
Elodie
New Friends, Accusations, and Sleepless Nights
The buzz of power tools mixed with the rumble of engines greets me as I open the door to Clark Customs & Auto Repair, Dilynne’s garage located on a corner in The Village, a neighborhood of shops and restaurants centrally located in town.
I remember walking these streets and sidewalks with my parents each summer, visiting the ice cream shop and gift shops full of souvenirs and knickknacks, but many new stores have popped up since then.
Suddenly my lack of plans for the day has been solved as I plan to walk around and check out everything new after this stop.
A man behind the counter pops up from the floor, startling me and making me question if being here is okay
“Hey there. How can I help you?” Tattoos snake down his arms and gray and black whiskers dust his jaw, but his smile is extremely friendly.
“Hi. I’m, uh…looking for Dilynne. Is she working today?”
The man chuckles, scratching his chin. “Oh yeah, she practically lives here.” His words remind me of what Henley said about his sister. “Let me go see what she’s up to. Hold tight.”
I watch him walk through a door with a half-window into the garage where the sounds of metal on metal echo, making my ears ring. While I wait for him to return, I peek inside the stroller to find Remy blissfully sleeping still.
After seeing Henley off to work this morning at the bakery, I decided to stop by Dilynne’s garage to smooth over our rough introduction from yesterday and also prod a bit more about my boss.
Henley’s nerves this morning before he left made me soften even more for this man, which only adds to the list of inappropriate feelings I have toward him.
But it was sweet, how anxious he was about leaving Remy.
After assuring him that she’d be fine and that he should let me do the job he hired me to do, he reluctantly left the bakery, which gave me a moment to breathe.
The door from the garage opens, interrupting my thoughts as Dilynne, the man from earlier, and another woman I don’t know all stride through.
“Elodie? What are you doing here?” The three of them stare at me as Dilynne wipes her hands on a rag.
“Hi. I hope I’m not bothering you, but uh…”
Dilynne clears her throat, gesturing to me as she twists her head between the other two people flanking her sides. “This is Elodie, you guys. She’s Henley’s nanny.”
The woman on Dilynne’s left beams as her eyes shift to me. “Oh! Nice to meet you. I’m Laney.” She reaches out to shake my hand as her name rings with familiarity.
“Laney is my partner in crime,” Dilynne explains.
The man scoffs. “First of all, Laney would never commit a crime. And second, I thought I was your partner?”
Dilynne rolls her eyes. “Steven, this isn’t the time for you to complain about how we classify our relationship, okay?”
Finally. A name for this man.
“I’m not complaining. I’m just looking for validation.”
Laney shakes her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “Careful, Steven. Dilynne is already in a mood.”
Dilynne grumbles. “Well, this freaking engine is giving me trouble.”
“I’ll go take a look at it then while you all do your girl-talk thing. But if I figure out the problem, you have to admit that you couldn’t run this place without me.” Steven places his hand on the doorknob, waiting for Dilynne’s reply.
With a heavy sigh, she says, “Fine. Just don’t fuck it up further.”
Steven laughs. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”
Once he’s gone, Dilynne turns back to me. “Sorry. Steven really is my right-hand man, but he’s a lot to handle some days.”
Laughing, I say, “I can see that.”
Dilynne and Laney lean over the stroller, greeting Remy and gushing over how adorable she looks in her yellow onesie before Dilynne stands back up to full height. “Anyway, this is Laney, my best friend. She owns…”
“The beauty salon across the street,” I finish for her. “Your brother told me last night.”
“So he’s actually talking to you?”
“Yes.” Confusion builds in my mind. “I mean, it’s kind of hard to take care of Remy without communicating.”
A knowing smile spreads across Dilynne’s lips as she mimics Laney, crossing her arms over her chest as well. “And has he been on his best behavior?”
My brows draw together more, wondering what she’s alluding to. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
Dilynne’s eyes move up and down my body before she drops her arms. “Look, I know we don’t know each other, but I’m going to say something honest because that’s the only filter I have.”
“It’s true,” Laney interjects.
Dilynne shrugs. “And I don’t apologize for it. But, my brother is a bit of a manwhore, and well…you’re hot.”
A manwhore? Well, that’s interesting…
Unfortunately, Dilynne’s comment makes my cheeks burst into flames. “Oh, uh… Thank you?”
“Don’t be shy, girl. Own it,” she continues, leaning up against the counter resting between us. “But just be careful. I saw the way he looked at you yesterday.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say that his eyes were fixated on your ass as you walked around his house.”
Laney shrugs. “Sounds about right.”
“Don’t all men do that though?” I ask matter-of-factly while thinking back to how many inappropriate encounters I’ve had with men throughout my short lifetime, the most recent one scarring.
I developed pretty early, so at thirteen, I already had an ass and boobs that made me look far older than I was.
It was annoying and made me want to cover every inch of my body some days.
But as I got older, I just started calling out men for staring, which became way more fun and helped boost my confidence.
Dilynne taps her fingers on the counter. “Yeah, but my brother has a type, and I hate to say it, but you’re it.”
Uneasiness twists in my stomach. I thought my attraction to him was one-sided, but if Dilynne’s right, perhaps Henley feels it too, which only makes this situation more complicated.
“I’m glad he has you right now though, because lord knows I have no idea what to do with a baby,” Dilynne continues.
Stifling my laugh, I say, “Yeah, that was evident by your reaction to Remy’s poopy diaper yesterday.”
Laney snorts. “I’m so mad I missed that.”
Dilynne’s lips curl up in disgust. “It was vile, Laney. Insanely vile.”
I lean forward over the handle of the stroller. “She acted like a bomb exploded.” Laney’s giggles intensify as Dilynne dry heaves, reliving the scene. “Let’s just say I won’t be asking Aunt Dilynne to change a diaper anytime soon.”
Once Laney has composed herself and Dilynne gathers her wits, she narrows her eyes at me. “I like you.”
My smile is instant, a warmth spreading through my chest as the people-pleaser inside of me gets a huge dose of dopamine. “Right back at you. But I think Henley and I will be fine. I mean, he’s my boss. This is strictly professional.” The words lack confidence even to my own ears.
“Uh-huh. That’s what I told myself when I had to work a wedding with one of my brother’s best friends. Didn’t stop me from acting on my feelings for him,” Laney says.
With a jut of her thumb over her shoulder, Dilynne nods. “Yeah, delusion was her best friend.”
“No one is being delusional here though,” I counter quickly. “Henley knows I’m only here for a few months, and hopefully by then he’ll feel confident in his ability to take care of Remy. Besides, manwhores aren’t my type.”
Dilynne tilts her head. “I don’t know… I just have a feeling here, and my gut usually steers me straight. I mean, hell, I called it that Elliot’s fiancée was a witch in disguise.”
“Who’s Elliot?”
Laney and Dilynne share a look, having a silent conversation between themselves before they step out from behind the counter.
Dilynne motions me toward the waiting area.
I give Remy a quick check, finding her still out cold, so I brace myself for what I’m about to hear while also tickled within that I’m getting some adult interaction besides my new boss.
Back in Los Angeles, my roommates were all struggling singers, actresses, and creatives.
We were all in the city for the same reasons, so while it helped having roommates to keep costs down, there was also an unspoken competitiveness, which didn’t lead to close friendships.
But yesterday when I met Dilynne, I just knew she was genuine and honest, and for some reason, I want to trust her and hear what she has to say.
“So, I know you’re only here for a few months, but you need to understand what you’re walking into,” Dilynne starts once we’re all settled. “My brother has three best friends that he’s known since their freshman year of high school, and they’re sort of the glue that holds us all together.”
Laney clears her throat. “Actually, that’s you and me, Dil. Let’s be honest.”
Dilynne huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, you’re right. Men are horrible at making plans and remembering shit.”
Laney nods. “Anyway, Fletcher Adams is my fiancé,” she says, steering us back to the topic at hand.
I snap my fingers. “That’s where I recognize you from! My family loves football. I knew you looked familiar.”
She smiles. “Well, glad you’re not one of the women ready to fight me in the grocery store for taking him off the market.”
“Girl, you locked him down and have his ring on your finger. Be proud of that,” I say, grinning as her smile widens.
“Thanks.”
Dilynne clears her throat. “Yes, Laney and Fletcher are engaged, which her older brother, Rhonan, didn’t exactly love the idea, seeing as he’s also a member of the Blackjack Brotherhood.”
Laney shakes her head, glaring at her best friend. “Why do you call them that?”
Dilynne chuckles, holding her stomach. “Because it’s hilarious.”
“Blackjack Brotherhood?” My eyes bounce between the two women sitting across from me, waiting for more information.