Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 37508 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37508 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
“No problem.”
I pushed up from the stool and stretched out the stiffness in my back. “I'd better get to it.”
“You got a shift tonight?”
“Nah.” I grabbed my keys from the bar. “Gotta finish up with the car.”
That earned me a smirk. “You’re really working hard for this girl’s attention.”
“Gotta do something, man, ‘cause she’s definitely got mine.”
“Careful, brother,” he chuckled. “That’s how it starts.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I waved him off and headed for the door. Minutes later, I was on my bike and driving back to the house. The ride was just what I needed to clear my head and to gain some focus, because damn, I needed it. Getting this car fixed was a real undertaking, and I was ready to get it done.
Once I made it back to the garage, I went straight to work, and the hours went by without me even noticing. I was just doing what needed to be done, and around midnight, I finally decided to call it a night. Early the following morning, I was back at it. I gave everything one last once-over and tightened a few bolts before easing behind the wheel.
“Alright, sweetheart. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Just as I’d hoped, the car started, and the engine sounded smooth as silk. I’d outdone myself. There wasn’t so much as a tick or rattle, and considering where I started, that was quite a feat. I cleaned up a bit, then grabbed my phone and sent Laken a message.
Me:
The suffering is over.
Laken:
She’s running?
Me:
Purring like a kitten. I’ll bring her by in a bit.
Laken:
I can’t believe it! Thank you so much!
Me:
No problem. Just glad to get you back on the road.
Laken:
You’re the best.
Before heading out, I called Smitty and told him to meet me over at Laken’s apartment in half an hour. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and drove Laken’s car over to her place. When I pulled up, she was standing at her front door. Her eyes grew wide as she stepped outside and gasped, “You not only got her running again, but you washed her, too?”
“Figured the poor thing deserved it after all she’d been through.”
Her face grew pale as she muttered, “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to repay you for this.”
“I have an idea.” Curiosity filled her eyes as she waited for me to say, “Have dinner with me.”
“How is that repaying you? If anything, I should be the one taking you to dinner, but this deserves way more than that.”
“I think it’s more than enough.” I leaned back on the hood of her car as I pushed, “Just need to know if you’re up for it.”
Her eyes searched mine for a moment, then a soft smile swept across her face. “Alright. Dinner it is.”
“Good deal. You free tonight?”
“I get off at five. Would 6:30 work?”
“Works great.” I heard my ride pull up, so I stood and said, “I’ll see you then.”
I slipped into the truck with Smitty, and as I closed the door, I glanced back at Laken and couldn’t help but notice the faint blush on her cheeks. Hell, that alone made all my hard work worthwhile. I gave her a quick wave, and a few hours later, Laken and I were sitting in the back of a quiet restaurant on the square.
It was small with creaking wooden floors and candles on every table, and there was a low hum of elevator music playing in the background. It was the perfect place for a quiet dinner where we could actually talk and get to know one another, and I intended to take advantage of every second. “So, where’s your sidekick tonight?”
“My friend Kayla is watching her.” Her smile widened. “She lives in our apartment complex, and she helps out when she can.”
“That’s good. Does Baylor like her?”
“She loves her,” Laken laughed. “Kayla spoils her rotten, but I don’t mind. Baylor deserves to be spoiled a little.”
She had her hands folded on the table, and her eyes were locked on mine. She looked absolutely breathtaking. Her hair was down and spilling over her shoulders, and she was wearing a soft sweater that fell just above her waist, which gave a teasing glimpse of skin above her long skirt. I’d never been one to think much of long skirts, but damn. On her, it looked sexy as hell.
And every time she smiled, I damn near forgot how to breathe.
“Baylor seems like a great kid.”
“She is. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Her smile faded momentarily, but then, she changed the subject by asking, “Enough about me. Tell me something about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, I don’t know a lot. Just that you grew up in a biker club, and that they call you Skid.”
“Yeah, my dad played a pretty big part in that,” I chuckled. “Guess it’s time you knew my real name. I’m Thatcher, but people close to me call me Thatch.”