Chapter 1 #2
“You’re having way too much fun with this, and you know what that tells me?”
“What?” Ricky asked, still sputtering.
“That your brother didn’t beat your ass enough when you were kids,” I muttered as I pulled the keys from the folder.
Ricky didn’t take offense. He just laughed harder, and I knew he’d be giving Dante every detail of this story the next time he saw him.
“I’m gonna change the oil and do a quick inspection, and then I guess I’ll be taking a fucking drive.”
Ricky slapped me on the shoulder. “I knew you were the right man for the job!”
“I should make you take care of this while I work on that pile of invoices on my desk,” I threatened, not willing to admit that this service order intrigued me.
Rather than suspecting a major mechanical failure, I bet on something simple.
I also knew that tracking it down would be a hunt, and honestly, I was overdue for a good hunt.
I frowned at my friend. “Don’t you have some work to do, Pardo? ”
“Oh, no, not the mean look! Don’t make me cry again, Duvall!” Ricky pleaded in mock terror. “I’m gonna tell my big brother and get him to beat you up!”
“When I tell Dante about this fucking work order, he’s gonna beat you up!”
“Dad!”
I looked toward the open bay doors and saw Raylee standing just outside, waiting for permission to come into the garage like I’d taught her when she was little. I waved her over and only then noticed the beautiful woman standing beside her.
As they walked toward me, I took a moment to study her, swallowing hard to make sure my mouth wasn’t hanging open like a cartoon dog’s.
“Hi, Biscuit,” I said when Raylee got close enough. “What’s up?”
“I think I got a job!” Raylee whispered excitedly as she tiptoed up to kiss my cheek. “Be nice to her, please!”
I frowned at Raylee, still not fully understanding why getting a job was so important to her, but I pasted on a smile when I remembered that I’d read establishing independence was good for her and should be encouraged.
“That’s great, kiddo,” I said, glancing at the gorgeous woman who was chatting with Ricky like an old friend.
Ricky saw my interest and smiled. “Shiloh, this is La Donovan. She’s one of Jolie’s sisters.”
“Hello!” she said, extending her hand.
I looked down at my grease-stained hand and grimaced, but she grabbed it anyway. “I’ve enjoyed talking to Raylee this afternoon. You’ve raised a wonderful young woman, Mr. Duvall.”
Her handshake impressed me. Over the years, I’d learned that a handshake said a lot about a person. Some people tried to be delicate, which always made me feel like an ogre. But La’s handshake showed she meant business, which was something I could appreciate.
“She’s the best,” I agreed. “Please call me Shiloh.”
“And you can call me La or Lara.”
Ricky just smiled, so I knew it had to be an inside joke. It made me wonder how long and how well the two knew each other.
“I brought my car in for a scheduled service,” Lara continued, “and I was hoping you’d have a few minutes to talk about Raylee’s application.”
“Of course.” I set the work order on the roof of the SUV and turned toward her. “We can sit in my office. Would you like something to drink?”
“I’d love a bottle of water.”
“Raylee, I’ve got another carburetor for you to look at if you’re interested in making a few bucks.”
“Definitely!” Raylee said eagerly. “It was nice to meet you, Lara. I’ll be around if you have any questions after you’re done talking to my dad.”
“I’ll make sure to find you,” Lara assured her.
“Go get changed, Biscuit. I’ll call you into the office when we’re finished.” As Raylee walked off with Ricky, I motioned toward the office. “She’s gotta put on coveralls. The last thing we need is for her to ruin more clothes working in the shop.”
“Does she work here often?” Lara asked as she walked beside me.
“Not officially, but when we’ve got something we think she might enjoy, we call her in.”
“It’s great that she’s learning to work on cars. I wish I knew more about them,” Lara admitted. “If I did, then I could change my own oil instead of bringing it here.”
“She’s spent a lot of time in garages with me, so it makes sense she’d pick up some skills here and there,” I said. “She’s got a knack for carburetors and other things that make most of us crazy.”
“Well, when my carburetor has a problem, I’ll know who to call.”
“What do you drive?” I asked, opening the office door and letting Lara walk in first.
“I bought a new SUV last year and . . .”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “If you’re driving something younger than you, it doesn’t have a carburetor.”
“Oh. Then what does it have?” Lara asked curiously.
“Fuel injection.”
“So a carburetor is part of the gas tank?” Lara laughed as she sat down and smiled up at me. “Don’t even bother explaining it. The information will go in one ear and out the other because I don’t care. As long as it starts when I push the button, I’m good.”
“And if it doesn’t, that’s what guys like me are for.” I handed her a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and then sat down behind my desk. “You had some questions about Raylee?”
“Honestly, she’s old enough to get a job, but I wanted to make sure her parents understood it would be during regular business hours.”
“She takes online classes and actually prefers to do her work in the evenings.”
“I don’t know that I possessed that kind of dedication at her age.”
“Raylee’s . . . different,” I said carefully.
“Different isn’t bad. She seems like a great kid, and I can’t wait to get to know her better.”
“Good. She’s only met a few people since we moved to Marlboro, so she could use a friend.”
“Since you’re friends with Dante, surely she’s met Nica.”
“They’ve become friends, and Nica introduced her to her cousins Colbie and Quinlee.”
“My nieces.”
“Yes.”
“I’m surprised I haven’t run into her before since I live in the same building.”
I frowned, trying to find the right words to explain Raylee’s quirks. Lara must have noticed because she asked, “Has she ever been to Dante and Jolie’s?”
“No. As funny and outgoing as she seems, socializing isn’t her strong suit. I’m working on that, but it’s a process, especially since I’m not exactly sociable myself.”
“Working in retail will definitely bring her out of her shell,” Lara assured me. “If anything, I’m even more excited to have her at the boutique, even if it’s just for the social interaction.”
“Good, because it’s not like she needs the money,” I said quickly. “Our bills are paid and . . .”
Lara laughed. “I’m sure she wasn’t even thinking about that. Every teenage girl needs a little spending money, and it’s even better if she earns it herself.”
“I’m sure your kids will appreciate your understanding. It drives Raylee nuts when I’m too dense to get on board with her ideas.”
Pain flickered in Lara’s eyes. “I don’t have any children of my own.”
“Well, you can borrow mine part-time as long as her grades don’t slip.”
“Thank you for the loan.”