Chapter 25 Sleeping with the Enemy
Chapter twenty-five
Sleeping with the Enemy
Jo
“Jo, I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve completely transformed this office,” Jack says while looking around at everything I’ve done. “Everything in here is incredible.”
“Thanks,” I reply. “I’m thinking maybe I should have slowed down a little bit because I have nothing to do.”
“Well, I was thinking about that.” He sits on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Now that the office is in order, I was thinking that we can start having you out in the bay. The guys and I can take turns teaching you how to actually work on cars.”
“Really?”
He nods. “If that’s something that you want to do.”
“Yeah!” I say, probably a little too eagerly. “I would love that!”
“I know you already know how to do some basic stuff, but I figure we can show you some more to get you ready to be a technician. I’m not sure how much longer we are going to have Adam since he just got his degree. Even if he decides to stay, having an extra set of hands would be helpful.”
“Sounds great. I’ll learn whatever you want to teach me.”
“If we are really busy, I’m sure it’ll be more grunt work for you, but we will do our best to teach along the way.” He pauses a moment. “I can’t promise you will be able to avoid Beau.”
“I don’t care,” I tell him. “I’m totally fine working with Beau. It’s him that you may have to break the news to.”
“I already did. He seemed fine with the idea.”
“Really?” Just hearing him say that gives me a huge sense of relief.
“I mean, he may just be acting that way because I’m his boss, but I think he will be fine. If he gives you any problems, let me know.”
I agree, but I know that even if Beau was an absolute ass to me, I wouldn’t tell Jack. Beau’s behavior is a direct result of my own behavior, so I’d just deal with it.
Jack and I talk a bit more about specifics before he takes me out in the bay.
We spend the rest of the morning going over a few things about a Ford that he’s working on.
Some of it I know–merely from listening to my brothers–and some of it is new to me.
But I do my best to take it all in like a sponge.
After lunch, Jack has to go home to take care of Liz and Beth, who apparently are battling a couple of awful colds. So, he asks Beau to take over on the Ford that needs to be done by tomorrow morning.
When Beau and I are alone, we stand in an awkward silence for a few moments, and I think he’s getting ready to flip that switch. You know, the one that turns him against me.
But I’m beyond surprised when he says, “I know what you did at the bar the other night.”
“What?”
“I know that Russ was talking shit about me, and you standing up for me is a contributing factor as to why you were arrested.”
“Oh–”
“Jo, I don’t need you to protect me anymore. I can fight my own battles.”
“I know,” I stammer. “I just saw red. He was talking about my siblings, and him bringing up you just pushed me over the edge.”
He nods. “I get it. Just don’t let Russ be the reason you end up in jail. That asshole is not worth it. Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
“Good point.” I have no idea what else to say. Most guys would probably feel emasculated that a girl stood up for them. Maybe they’d be mad about it.
But not Beau.
Instead of being pissed, he’s telling me not to get myself into trouble.
He takes a deep breath and says, “Okay, are you ready to learn a little about cars?”
“Ready when you are.”
The next few hours are spent diagnosing and fixing things on the Ford.
The rapport between Beau and myself is strange.
We haven’t talked about our history. We haven’t argued.
We are just talking about the car. There’s a familiar connection–although anyone who didn’t know us would think we are just coworkers doing their jobs.
Although I miss hanging out with him like we used to, this is nice. I feel like maybe he’s coming around and this will be a turning point for us.
Or maybe he’s just doing what Jack asked him to without making waves.
Every once in a while, he puts his hand over mine to show me how to do something or lines up his large body behind me. I can tell it isn’t meant to be sexual in the slightest, but something about it is still putting dirty thoughts in my mind.
Maybe my libido isn’t on hiatus. Maybe it’s just confused and aimed in the wrong direction.
Everyone else in the shop is getting ready to leave, and we are finishing up on the job at hand.
I’m surprised when he says, “I know it’s getting close to quitting time, but if you’re up for it, we can start working on the Chevy over there…unless you have big plans tonight.” He gives me a smile that I haven’t seen in years.
“No big plans.” I smile back. “Let’s do it.”
“Alright, let’s take a fifteen minute break, and we will get started.”
“Sounds good.”
When he walks away, I do a little happy dance because I feel like we are finally getting somewhere. I hope that this is the beginning of a fresh start for us.
When Beau leaves, Jamie comes walking into the bay. I thought he had already left for the evening, but judging by the backpack slung over his shoulder, he’s on his way.
“Hey, Jo,” he greets. “I have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Would you want to come to the Halloween dance with me?”
“When did the town start doing the dance again?” I question. They stopped it back when I was in high school because they wanted to focus on the Fall festival instead.
“Last year,” he replies. “I figured we could go as friends if you’re interested.”
Honestly, if I’m going with anyone as a friend, I would want it to be Beau. No offense to Jamie, but it’s the truth.
“Uh, do you know who all is going from the shop?” I ask, hopefully implying that maybe it could be a group thing.
“I think Adam said that he might go, and Drew will probably go with Ronnie, but I don’t know about Jack and Dylan.”
“And, uh, what about Beau?” I ask, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“Well, I heard that Christie asked him, so I imagine he’d go with her.”
“Christie who?”
“Christie Dunhill.”
“No way,” I mutter.
“Why is that weird? Those two fuck all the time.”
This has to be some kind of cosmic joke. Beau is screwing Christie? She was awful to him in high school. She was awful to everyone in high school.
I’m hitting jerks who bad-mouthed him, yet he’s sleeping with the enemy?
Fuck that.
“Sure, Jamie. I’d love to go to the dance with you.”
“Great! I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Beau comes walking back in as Jamie walks out. “What was that about?” He asks.
“Oh, Jamie just invited me to the Halloween dance.”
“What did you say?”
“I said I’d go.”
We both stare at each other for what seems like forever. Each of us wants to say something but not actually uttering any of it.
Finally, Beau says, “You know what? I actually need to get going. We can work on this more later.”
“Fine by me.”