Chapter 6
Addison checked her lipstick in the visor mirror. Her makeup—flawless. Now if she could curb the stress in her eyes. After her lunch with Mark, there was no way she’d be going back to her old company.
“You need this job.” She blew out a breath and smiled into the mirror. Better. Between Lu’s dietary restrictions and her spending habits, Addison needed a job sooner rather than later, and from what Cade had told her about the position after the party the other day, she’d be a perfect fit.
This would be good. Eric McBride was a nice man. A happily married man. No worry of him hitting on her. Besides, Addison had learned her lesson. But that wasn’t what worried her about working at Busted Knuckle—it was the close proximity to a certain mechanic.
She closed her eyes and exhaled. If things became too difficult, she could always look for another job. Heck, she might not even get this one.
Yeah, right. From what Cade said, she was a shoo-in.
With one last deep breath, she smiled into the mirror, grabbed her resume, and got out of her car. She smoothed her free hand down her pencil skirt and crossed to the door.
A bell rang as she entered. Eric McBride stuck his head through the doorway of an office in the back of the reception area. “Addison. Right on time. Come on back.”
You’ve got this. She widened her smile, full teeth on display, and took slow, relaxed steps to his office.
As she passed the door to the shop, she peered through the wire-mesh window.
The muffled sound of air tools and music radiated through the steel door.
Her step faltered. Nash was under an old truck that looked like something her granddad would have driven.
His sleeves were rolled up and his arms were over his head, working.
The sight of his toned arms had her stopping dead in her tracks.
Shit. Sweat and grease looked good on him.
“Addison?”
“Yes? Oh, right.” Get it together, Addison. She hustled into the small office, handed Cade’s father her resume, and took a seat in the chair in front of his desk.
The room was full to the brim with manuals, parts—of which she didn’t have a clue what they were—and pictures. Her gaze landed on one of Cade and his brother.
“That was taken the day we opened in Gray Duck Grove.” Eric beamed at the photo of his sons.
Addison nodded, waiting for him to ask her questions.
He put on his reading glasses and looked over her resume. After a moment, he set it aside and folded his hands on the desk. “I see you were at a plumbing supply business. Do you know anything about automotive?”
“Not really. But, I know offices and parts inventorying, not to mention I’m a fast learner.
” Where did her years of pageant interview training go?
She was rambling. Centering herself, she inhaled deeply and tried again.
“As you can see from my resume, I am proficient in standard office software and inventory systems. If yours is different, I’m sure I can pick it up quickly. ”
He nodded. Intense eyes surveyed her, no doubt waiting for her to ramble again.
Not going to happen. Even though she felt like a kid in the principal’s office, she wouldn’t crack. Earlier was just a slip of her usual control. She blamed Nash for that. Just one look at him had her off her game. Well, no more.
“It’s an impressive resume. One question. You were at your old position for a long time. Why did you leave?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. She could feel the blood draining from her face. Tipping her lips into that perfect, polite smile, she said, “Cutbacks.”
It wasn’t really a lie. That’s the excuse Mr. Louis gave her when he had Hal usher her out of the building.
“Well, I think you would be a good fit here. Cade and Laney speak very highly of you.” He laid out the compensation package and salary.
Wow! Addison bit her inner cheek to hide her excitement. Busted Knuckle Automotive Repair and Restoration not only had a comparable benefit package, but her starting salary was an increase. Not to mention, she wouldn’t have the thirty-minute drive every day.
“When would you like me to start?”
“Is tomorrow too soon? I’ve been trying to juggle since Becca left.” He scratched his jaw, befuddlement in his expression.
“I’ll be here at eight.” She stood up, shook his hand, and calmly walked out. But on the inside, she was a twisted-up ball of excitement and anxiety. She had a job. Her cat wouldn’t starve. Only one drawback… she had to work with Nash Steele. Every. Single. Day.
In the car, she looked at herself in the mirror. “You can do this, Addison. Just last week, you agreed to be his friend.”
She groaned. She’d find out how it went soon enough. The job started tomorrow.
Now, she needed to burn off some of this energy.
Addison tied a double knot in her shoelaces, gripped her leg, then pulled it up to her butt.
An ache ran through her thigh. She did the same with the other leg before gripping her calves.
She never skimped on her stretching routine.
Five minutes later, she rolled her neck and gave a slow exhale. Ready to rock.
She popped her earbuds in, taking in the state of her flower beds along the front of the house.
They were still green but in need of some TLC.
She couldn’t blame them. It was early, and beads of sweat had already formed on her chest. She’d pull out the hose when she got back and give them a good drink. But now, it was time to run.
Music blared in her ears as her footsteps pounded to the beat. One block in, she was in the zone. By the third block, the song changed, and those delicate beads of sweat now flowed like a river between her breasts. Usually, she was on her sixth song before she felt like a swamp-ass.
Addison glared up at the sun. She ran five miles every day… on a treadmill… in air conditioning.
A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. The gym was next door to her old office. She made a mental note to cancel her membership and buy a new treadmill. Calculating her expenses as she ran, she paused. Maybe she’d order one once she received her first paycheck from Busted Knuckle.
She turned at the park and followed the trail through the trees down by the river.
Ah, shade. It was only a couple of degrees, but she’d take it.
Addison eyed the river. The temptation to jump in tugged her closer to the cold, rushing water.
It wasn’t just the hot day that had her body inflamed.
Her inner temp had spiked at the glimpse of Nash working on that vehicle earlier and hadn’t come down.
Seeing him today solidified her need to find a man. One who wasn’t a hot, muscle-bound player. A nice guy… a stable guy. One who wanted a future with a white picket fence and two-point-three kids.
Addison had dated the hot guys. Musicians.
Artists. Models. Personal trainers. Sure, the profession didn’t make the man, but she had a type, and they never stuck around.
Except for a couple of world-class moochers.
No way she’d be a man’s sugar mama. She was all for equal partnership, and not just the money.
That was it. Time to date against her type. She thought she had with Mark, but now she could see he was more of the same.
She came to the end of the trail and slowed to jog in place as she waited for a car on the corner to go by. Nice car. A pearl-colored Audi sedan. Just like… No, it couldn’t be.
She slid her sunglasses down her nose, trying to see into the car. Not him. She couldn’t get a good look with the tint on the windows, but the driver was too short to be Mark.
Shaking it off, she crossed the intersection and headed down Main Street. As she passed Rumor’s Café, the door opened.
“Addison.”
She pulled out an earbud and smiled at Laney’s brother coming out of the restaurant with another guy.
“Hey, Sawyer. What’s new?” She rested her hand on her side and walked in place to cool down. She still had another mile to go.
“Not much. Just grabbing some lunch with Ted. He’s back in town.” Sawyer slapped the man on the back. “Ted, you remember Addison Benedict.”
Ted scanned Addison from her sweaty head down to her running shoes. “The skinny kid who was always at your house? Laney’s friend? Wow. It’s been a minute. Good to see you.” He smiled and extended a hand.
She shook it but was still trying to place him. Ted? Ted? Then, like lightning, an image of Laney’s chubby neighbor popped into her head. That Ted was nothing like the lean man, with soft brown eyes and a long, straight nose, standing in front of her.
“Teddy the Turd?” She slapped a hand over her mouth. A muffled “sorry” came out from behind her fingers before she composed herself. “That wasn’t nice of me.”
“It’s okay. I was a turd back then.” He shrugged. “Well, it was nice to see you again. Maybe we can grab a coffee and catch up sometime?”
From the way he threw out the casual comment, it was clear he didn’t expect Addison to take him up on his offer.
She took a long look at the man in front of her. Tall. Nice smile. Kind eyes. No hint of a six-pack. Nothing about him screamed player. If she wanted to change her type, here was her chance.
“Does Tuesday work? We can grab a pizza at Merc’s and talk about the old days.” Addison didn’t know who was more surprised, her or Ted… or Sawyer, who stood with his mouth slightly agape.
“Yeah. I’ll see you at seven.”
“It’s a date.” Addison put in her earbuds and waved as she continued her jog. A smile curved her lips. One step closer to finding the right guy. Even if Ted wasn’t the one, she was changing her type. The goofy grin stayed on her face the whole last mile.
At her house, she did a cool-down lap around the yard before grabbing the hose. “See, I didn’t forget about you.”
Addison leaned behind the bush to turn on the water, but stopped. She slid her sunglasses down and stared at the marks in the soil. Footprints. Right outside her window. They were too big to be hers… and they were fresh. “What the hell?”
Straightening, she scanned the street. Peepers had never been a problem before. She couldn’t think of a single person who would spy on her. Addison placed a foot next to the print. Definitely bigger.
“It’s probably the meter reader.” Except her power meter was around back. She turned on the water, gave her plants a drink, then walked around the house, checking for more prints. There was nothing, unless she counted bunny tracks.
“Paranoid much?” There had to be a logical explanation for the footprints. One that didn’t include an axe murderer.
She wiped her hands on her shorts. Obviously, Laney’s attack last winter affected Addison more than she thought. Shaking off the feeling, she went inside.
Her heart rate dropped with the click of the lock. She toed off her shoes and leaned against the door.
Furious meows echoed through the room. Her little prince of darkness stood by his empty bowl, complaining.
“Don’t be so dramatic. I fed you this morning.” Addison rolled her eyes at her demanding pet.
His green eyes pierced her. Another loud meow filled the room.
“Alright. Just one more scoop.” Addison pulled a can of moist cat food from the cupboard while Lu entwined himself around her legs, his impatience on full display while he waited for her to set the bowl down.
“Lunch is served. Wow! Hungry much?”
Lu ate with the intensity of a high-powered vacuum.
Addison grinned. That was her boy. He let nothing get in the way of his mealtime.
She reached down and stroked a hand over his soft fur. She was risking her limb by petting his royal highness while he ate, but it was worth it. With each pass over his fur, another knot in her stomach dissolved.
“Thank goodness I have you.”
Lu looked up, licking his muzzle. The bowl was spotless. He didn’t leave so much as a crumb.
“Wow. That’s a new record.” She scooped him up and nuzzled him. She had a feeling with the new job starting tomorrow, she’d be needing a lot more of Lu’s calming snuggles.