Chapter 7
“Fuckin’ A!” Nash rubbed his head. He dropped the ratchet for the third time today. This had been the longest week of his life.
“Yeah. I’m just having an off day.” Nash wasn’t about to admit the reason he was all thumbs today was from a pair of tan legs that were currently inventorying the parts room. Addison had started four days ago, and every time she walked into the shop, Nash’s focus shifted.
“You may need to start wearing a hard hat to work.” Leon chuckled in the bay across from him. “That woman walks into the shop and you get flustered like a schoolgirl.”
Nash threw a shop rag at him, but he couldn’t deny it. Something about Addison tied him in knots. “Speaking of school kids, I talked to Davey last night. He’s stoked about seeing your boys this weekend.”
“Mine too. I was thinking you all should join us for pizza tomorrow night.” Leon’s boys were a couple of years older than Davey, but they got along well.
“Sounds good. Shoot me the time and we’ll be there.” Nash rolled a cold can of Red Bull over the crown of his head.
“Cade, you and Laney should join us. Trish would love to see you guys. She had a blast gabbing wedding stuff at the party. I don’t know why women love that shit.” Leon shook his head.
“Thanks. Sounds fun. Let me check.” Cade pulled out his phone and started two-finger typing. No doubt he was asking Laney if the schedule was clear.
Addison entered the shop on her way back to the office. She waved, even smiled at them, Nash included. He just about fell over from shock. Maybe they were becoming friends?
Cade turned to Nash. “You should see if Addison wants to join us.”
Nash cracked open the energy drink and took a healthy swig. Friends did dinner, didn’t they? It wasn’t like a date. The whole gang would be there.
He ran a greasy knuckle over his chin, thinking.
Hell, she hadn’t thrown anything at him all week. That was a good start. He could chance a dinner invite. It was a group get together after all.
Nash set his tools on the bench and wiped his hands on a rag before following her into the office. Hoots and chuckles came from behind him. He didn’t look back, just flipped them off over his shoulder.
Soft clicks of the keyboard sounded over the low eighties rock music coming from the speaker. Eric’s office door was closed, which meant the boss was on a call.
Addison’s green eyes chilled slightly at the sight of him. “Good afternoon, Nash. What can I do for you?”
She was always the professional, even though her expression screamed “go away.”
He stood next to her desk and half smiled. “How’s your first week been?”
“Good.” She continued scrolling through a spreadsheet, her focus on the monitor.
“Eric’s a good guy to work for?” Small talk is good, right?
“He is. Do you need something?” She stopped scrolling. Pools of lush green blinked up at him.
“Just being friendly.” He cranked up the wattage on his smile. Nothing. Shit, this was more strained than his parts budget.
Deadpanned, she stared at him. After what seemed like a whole minute, she blinked.
So much for small talk. He cleared his throat. “The guys in the shop are getting together for pizza tomorrow night. Do you want to come?”
“Oh, thanks, but I have a date.” She turned her attention back to her computer.
“A date? Anyone I know?” He leaned on the reception desk and waited for her to answer.
“No. He just moved back to town.” Click. Click. Click. Her nails rapidly tapped the keys.
Nash’s jaw clenched. He wasn’t sure if it was from the fact she had a date or the damn typing.
He wanted to slam a hand over hers and force her to look at him.
Really look. Instead, he swallowed back his frustration and softened his expression.
“Okay. Well, if the date crashes and burns, we’ll be at Merc’s. ”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her fingers kept moving a mile a minute as she continued to work. “Anything else?”
Yeah. Lots. But this wasn’t the time or the place. Hell, there might never be the right time or place for what he wanted from Addison. “That was it.”
“Have a good weekend.” She gave him a smile this time, the one he’d seen her use in social situations, but not the one she used with her girlfriends. Yeah, she was the queen of cool responses, and something inside Nash wanted to break through that icy exterior she reserved just for him.
“You too.” He pushed through the door.
“Look at that expression. Denied.” Leon shook his head. “I never thought I’d see the day that pretty boy Nash Steele got shot down.”
Nash gave his coworker the one-finger salute. At his workbench, he put his tools away and locked his toolbox. “I’m going to head out. I have to drive up to get Davey.”
“No game this weekend?”
“Nope. They got a break this week. Tomorrow, I’m surprising him with an early birthday present.” Nash couldn’t believe that in one month his little boy would be a teenager.
“Are the puppies ready?” Cade grabbed a pry bar and leaned back into the engine compartment while he talked.
“Yeah.”
“Cool. I’ll come with you. I sort of promised Laney a dog.”
Nash laughed. “She sure loves Roscoe. The woman plays with him every time she sees him.”
“The dog loves her too. I tried to talk Mom and Dad into letting us take him so they could travel more, but they weren’t having it.”
“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Nash headed to the locker room to change. He waved to the body shop guys on the way by. The one was an intern, just learning the ropes. Nash wondered how long this one would last. Eric ran a tight ship. Some of the newbies didn’t make the cut.
But from what Nash could see, Addison would be sticking around.
She had the office cleaned up and the work orders all in the system by her third day.
Eric better watch out, or she’d have his personal office decluttered in no time.
That man loved his organized chaos. Hell, Eric actually spent time working in the shop this week. That hadn’t happened since Becca left.
Cleaned up and changed, Nash grabbed his keys and headed out. He glanced at the office door. Why was he trying so hard with Addison? She wasn’t the type of woman he and Davey needed in their lives. Maybe it was the challenge that had him tied in knots—that and her curvy little body.
Forget about her. Good advice. But could he take it?
He slid behind the wheel of his 1966 Chevelle SS and turned the key. The engine roared to life. Putting on his shades, he caught movement through the lobby window. Addison.
Nash waved, and she stepped back. Before she was out of sight, he caught the grimace on her beautiful face.
He grinned. The ice princess wasn’t fully immune to him after all.
Nash pulled the car into the garage. Davey wiggled in his seat. “Can I go see the puppies?”
“I swear the only reason you want to come visit me is to see Mrs. Dahl’s dogs.” Nash grinned when his son gave him a “seriously” expression. “Okay. I’ll be right over.”
Davey bolted from the truck.
Nash shook his head, picked up his son’s backpack, and carried it into the house. Walking outside onto the patio, he texted Cade.
“Hi, Mrs. Dahl.” He waved to his elderly neighbor sitting on her deck.
Davey sat in the middle of the yard, a dozen black and white puppies jumping and rolling around him.
“That boy loves dogs. No doubt about it.” Mrs. Dahl relaxed back in her lawn chair.
Nash crossed the yard, went through the gate, and stepped onto the deck. “They are getting bigger by the minute.”
“So’s your boy. Here.” She pulled a couple of bills from her pocket and handed them to him.
“No. You keep those.” He waved her off.
She huffed. “If you won’t let me pay you for mowing my lawn, at least let me give you a puppy. I mean, look at that boy. Davey was meant to have one.”
“I might take that deal.” Nash totally planned on paying Mrs. Dahl for the dog, but he’d figure out how to do that later, when Davey wasn’t here.
“I have another forever home lined up for one of them.”
“Oh? That would be great. My Molly’s pregnancy wasn’t planned. That pesky Rufus down the block jumped the fence one day.”
“Knock. Knock.” Cade appeared around the corner.
“Hey, Uncle Cade.” Davey jumped up, two puppies in his arms.
“Hey, sport. What do you have there?” Cade ruffled his hair, then took a puppy from Davey and looked it over. “She’s a beauty.”
Nash watched the joy wash over his son’s face, then he leaned toward Mrs. Dahl. “When are they ready to go?”
“You can take one today. Molly weaned them last week.”
“Which one do you like?” Nash asked his son.
Davey’s face lit with excitement. “Really? I can have one?”
“It will have to stay at my house. Your mother is allergic.”
Snuggling the little black and white furball to his chest, Davey raced around the yard, careful not to step on the puppies chasing after him. At the end of his lap, he darted up the deck stairs and hugged Nash, the puppy still in his arms. “Thank you, Dad.”
The surly preteen was nowhere in sight. Instead, an ecstatic kid with excitement in his eyes cuddled the little, squirming bundle of fur. “What do you think, boy? Do you want to come home with me?”
“Hold it one minute. This is a big responsibility. When you are here, you will feed it.”
“Uh huh.” His head bobbed.
“And pick up after it?”
“Yes, sir.” Nash doubted Davey would be this enthusiastic about scooping poop when the time came to do it.
“Okay. What do you say to Mrs. Dahl?”
“Thank you, ma’am.” He nodded to her.
“You’re welcome, young man. Say, can you do me a favor while you are here this weekend? These critters need a lot of exercise. Are you interested in coming over and tiring them out?” Nash’s neighbor lady winked at him.
Davey looked to his dad and then back to Mrs. Dahl, excitement clear on his face. “Yes, ma’am. I’m here all week.”
“And you? Looks like that little girl picked you.” She nodded toward the female pup in Cade’s arms.
“Mrs. Dahl. Nice to see you again.” Cade stepped onto the deck, absently stroking the puppy’s fur.
“Cade McBride. I hear congratulations are in order.”
“Yes, ma’am. Laney and I are engaged. I’d like to get her this pup as an engagement present.”
“That’s a mighty fine idea. I’ve known that girl her whole life. She loves dogs.”
“So true.” Cade asked the price.
Mrs. Dahl hemmed and hawed before giving him a very reasonable number. Cade pulled some bills from his wallet.
“I’ll be back later to pick her up. Time to head to the Farm and Fleet for some supplies. Then, I’ll be back. I can’t wait to surprise her with this little beauty.” Cade gave the pup one final pet before setting her down to run off with her siblings.
“What are you going to name her?” Nash asked.
“I’ll let Laney pick.” Cade checked the time. “Gotta go. See you later.”
“You can leave Davey here for a while if you need to go get some dog supplies as well.” Mrs. Dahl said.
“Thanks, but I already stocked up.” Nash pushed off the chair. “Davey, we should go make some lunch.”
“Okay.” He scooped up his dog and waved to the neighbor. “I will come back later to help you with the puppies.”
“Sounds good.”
Once they were back in the house, Nash took the pup from his son. “Let me get a good look at you.” The markings were beautiful. He had a shiny black coat with a splotch of white on his chest and one white paw. “What should we name him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Bingo?”
Davey crinkled his nose. “No. It should be a tough name.”
Nash held the dog up and looked into its eyes. Its tongue rolled out and slurped Nash on the chin. Nothing about this puppy screamed tough. “Max?”
Davey took the dog from him. “Mad Max? Yeah, maybe.”
He squinted at his son. “Have you seen that movie?”
Davey shrugged, not making eye contact with his dad. “At Josh’s house.”
Shit. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Jillian about the boys’ viewing habits. “Does your mom know you watched an R-rated movie?”
“No. Do we have to tell her?”
“We? No. But you do.”
“Aw, Dad. I promise I won’t do it again.”
Nash frowned. They’d already had the talk about mature video games.
Davey swore all his friends were playing them, but Beth and Nash agreed, no games or movies that weren’t age appropriate.
It wasn’t easy with an almost teenager. “Fine. But if I hear you were watching adult-rated movies without your mom’s or my consent, there will be consequences.
Now, why don’t you grab the new dog dishes from the laundry room and give Max some food and water. ”
“Okay. Come on, Max. I will show you the house.”
Nash watched his son and dog disappear through the door. He was a good kid. Hell, at Davey’s age, Cade and he were sneaking out to go to the high school parties.
Nash frowned. No. Not Davey. Maybe it was time he put the tracking app on his son’s phone. Just to be safe.