Chapter Fourteen
Savannah looked up when Harvey stuck his head out through the door from the office and called, “I’m going to head on home. You kids should think about heading out soon.”
She frowned and looked around for Jake. He was doing an oil change on Cara’s Civic, and she’d been under the hood of the Explorer, double-checking his radiator installation and topping off the coolant.
She wanted to tell Harvey he didn’t need to leave because of her.
He’d said he was going to go just after lunch, but they’d talked him out of it.
As much as she appreciated him wanting to give her and Jake time alone together — and she knew Jake did, too — this wasn’t about that.
Of course she was enjoying working alongside Jake, but if she was going to do it on any kind of regular basis, she didn’t want to feel like she was chasing Harvey out of here every time.
Jake came over, wiping his hands on a rag. She knew he was thinking the same thing when he said, “You don’t need to go yet, Harvey.”
She loved the sound of Harvey’s raspy laugh — she always had — but she had to bite back her own smile when he said, “I’ll stick around if you need me to, boss. But I’m about ready to get home and watch my shows.”
Savannah checked her watch and was shocked to see that it was already five o’clock.
Harvey laughed again. “It’s true what they say — time sure does fly when you’re having fun.
And I reckon all three of us have had fun this afternoon.
You two look like you’ve worked together forever.
And I won’t say I was shirking on my paperwork, but I can tell you that whenever I looked through the window, it was fun for me to watch. ”
Savannah went to him and gave him a hug. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of this.”
“I have as well, Savvie,” he said, giving her a squeeze before he stepped back.
“I’m hoping this won’t be the last time we do it, either.
” He winked at her before jerking his chin toward Jake.
“But I guess that’ll be up to the boss. And I reckon if I get out of the way, you might stand a better chance of persuading him without me around. ”
She rolled her eyes at him, and Jake chuckled. “We all know that I hope we’ll have lots more days like this.”
He shook Harvey’s hand and pulled him into one of those one-armed man hugs that always made Savannah wonder why they couldn’t just come out and hug each other for real.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Harvey. Thanks again.”
Harvey chuckled and told Savannah, “I reckon the world would be a better place if there were more bosses like Jake who thank their staff at the end of every day.”
Jake punched his arm gently. “You’ve never even had a boss before, have you? And we both know you’re the one pulling the strings around here anyway.”
He and Savannah smiled at each other as Harvey turned and ambled out to his car, his laughter ringing in their ears. He waved as he pulled away, and Jake slung his arm around Savannah’s shoulders.
“Sorry I kept us working so late.”
She shook her head. “It’s not late, and I didn’t even notice. I was the same as you — I was about to tell Harvey he didn’t need to leave so early just because of me.”
“Well, we can call it a day now. Do you need to get going, or do you want to help me close up?”
Her heart sank. She hadn’t realized it was this late, and she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him.
He leaned in to brush his lips over hers.
“What do you think? Just because we’re closing up here…
” He gave a small grin. “I shouldn’t even ask.
You probably want to go home and put your feet up — this is your day off, after all.
But I’m going to ask anyway. What are you doing this evening? Do you want to hang out?”
She grinned. “I’d love to. I don’t feel like going out or anything, but…”
“It’s okay if you’ve realized you have other stuff you need to do.” A small smile played on his lips. “I can just go sit at home and pine for you. No pressure or anything.”
She slapped his arm. “It’s not that I have to do something else. It’s just that I was going to say it would be nice to spend a chill evening just hanging out — eat something easy to make and maybe watch a movie or something. But then it hit me.”
“What did?”
“We don’t have anywhere we can do that. I mean, we do, but Josh is home at your place, and Tiff’s at the apartment. Not that I have anything against either of them — I love them both, you know that — it’s just…”
He nodded slowly. “You’re right. It’s not ideal, is it?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Life rarely is. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of it. What do you think? Do you want to come over to the apartment? I know Tiff won’t mind — she keeps telling me I should invite you over. And if we watch a movie or something, she’s fun to hang out with.”
“Okay, let’s do that. I’d say you should come to my house instead, but I know Josh has some Zoom meeting or something this evening, so he’ll probably be glad I’m not home.”
Helping him close up the garage took Savannah right back to the days when she used to help Art lock up at the end of the day. She still missed that old guy, and it felt fitting somehow that Jake was the one bringing new life to the garage.
~ ~ ~
Jake followed Savannah back to her apartment, and when he pulled up in the little parking area out front, it occurred to him that he probably should have gone home to shower first.
He’d been so eager to spend more time with her that it hadn’t occurred to him.
She let them in, and he followed her up the stairs, realizing that he hadn’t even seen inside her place before.
It felt like a big step, even though, if he were honest, it was only a small step on the journey he hoped they’d take together.
When she opened the apartment door and stepped inside, he smiled when he heard Tiffany call, “Hey, babe. How was your day? Did you have fun playing mechanics with Jake?”
Savannah smiled at him as she said, “I did. In fact, I had so much fun that I brought him home with me.”
Jake stepped inside, and Tiffany appeared in the doorway to what he guessed was her bedroom.
“Oh, hey. That’s awesome. I didn’t realize you were coming. I’ll be out of here in a minute.”
“No–” Savannah began.
“You don’t need to do that,” said Jake.
Tiffany just laughed. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you guys if you were planning on using me as a chaperone, but I’m out tonight. I’m going to the gym.”
Savannah gave her a puzzled look, and Jake understood why. Tiffany didn’t strike him as the kind of girl to hang out at the gym. He’d never seen her in there anyway.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not as though I plan to start lifting weights or anything. But I have a self-defense lesson.”
“I thought those were on Tuesdays,” Savannah said, sounding suspicious.
Tiffany rolled her eyes at Jake. “Wouldn’t you think she’d trust me enough to believe what I say by now?”
“I do, Tiff. I’m sorry.”
Tiffany waved a hand at her. “I’m only playing with you.
Relax. And you’re right, the actual classes are on Tuesday night.
But it sounds like everyone who goes has been doing it for a while, and I didn’t want to feel like a total noob on my first night.
So when I talked to Alexis, who runs the classes, she said she has some free time tonight, and we could go over a few things before I show up to the main class tomorrow. ”
“Okay,” said Savannah. The look on her face made Jake wonder if she believed her friend, but her next words made it clear that wasn’t what she was looking so puzzled about. “Do you think I could come with you?” she asked. “Tomorrow night, I mean.” She smiled at Jake. “Not tonight.”
“Sure. That would be awesome if you want to come. You might have to watch yourself, though, Jake. Alexis told me that she likes everyone in the class to have someone they can practice on.”
“I don’t mind volunteering to be your punch bag,” he said with a smile. “Not if it will help the two of you learn some self-defense.”
Even as he said it – and meant it – he hated the idea of either of them needing it.
Tiffany edged past them and grabbed her jacket from the back of the door. “You might regret volunteering for that,” she told him with a smile. “I’m going to need all the practice I can get.”
“What do you mean?” he asked. “If you have a problem, this is me volunteering here and now to help you out with it. You don’t need to defend yourself. I can help.”
“Oh, look at him.” Tiffany grinned at Savannah. “You’ve got yourself a good one here, babe.”
She turned back to Jake. “And I appreciate the offer, but honestly, I’m doing this more for the fun of it.
I wasn’t lying when I said I know how to take care of myself, but I’ve never had any official training.
” She looked a bit less sure of herself when she added, “And I figured it wouldn’t be a bad thing to join the class.
It seems like most of the women around here go, and I don’t know that many people yet — not outside the salon, anyway.
You guys have fun. I’m going to stop at The Boathouse for dinner on the way back, and I’ll text you before I leave. ”
“You don’t need to do that,” said Savannah.
“I know, but I want to. Have fun, kiddies.”
“Can I make a suggestion before you go?” Jake asked.
She gave him a stern look. “You can, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go along with it.”
He chuckled. “I’m just trying to make life easier for all of us.
I’m guessing that you plan to stay away until I leave, and while I feel bad about that, I won’t say I don’t appreciate it.
I know you’re fine walking around town by yourself; this is about me soothing my guilty conscience about kicking you out of your own home for the evening. ”