Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Um, yeah.”
He nodded. “Good. There’ll be a raise coming too. You did good, kid.”
I gaped at him, and he grinned. “Now, eat. Charly’s pie is not to be missed. After, we’re going to go over the plans. You can sit in.”
And the rest was history. Now Maxx and I were as close as he was to Stefano or Brett. He was like a brother to me. They all were. I moved from runner to managing the office when Brett decided to travel with Kelly. I shared the responsibilities with Dom Salvatore, and when Brett was around, the three of us split everything. I took a course on upholstery. Taught myself how to customize interiors. I was learning new things every day and loving it all. And I enjoyed having a gofer to do all the tasks I used to handle, although on occasion, I still enjoyed a road trip to pick up parts. I planned on going to school to become a certified mechanic, but I was waiting for the right time.
Dom came in, carrying a cup of coffee and holding a donut. He lifted it in a mock salute. “Thanks, kid. I was running late this morning. I needed this.”
“No problem. Everything okay, Dom?”
He leaned on the corner of his desk, nodding. He was tall and broad. Well-muscled with tattoos on his arms and chest. He had a thick swatch of scruff, and his hair was brushed high off his forehead. His voice was low and gruff, and he looked stern and unflappable. Confident. But he was a great guy. Dependable and knowledgeable. Friendly when dealing with customers. The opposite when handling a problem. Then he became no-nonsense and clipped, and he didn’t mess around. We got along well, and I was learning a lot from him.
“Just had to wait for a new stove to be delivered. The one in the apartment crapped out.” He chuckled. “The fridge last month. The stove last week. I imagine the dishwasher is next.” He shrugged. “The landlord isn’t happy but it’s not my problem.”
“I should replace the ones in my kitchen,” I mused. “They’re pretty old.”
“Don’t you rent?”
I grinned. “I bought the house last night. So soon, I’ll be the owner.”
“Congrats, kid. That’s great. Real estate is a good investment. Any luck with a roomie?”
“Yeah. Found a good one.”
He took a sip of coffee. “I’m enjoying the peace of my own place. I was living with two other guys in Toronto. You sort of have to, with the prices there. But they were getting on my nerves.”
I bit back my grin. There was one nerve in particular I hoped Hannah would get on. A lot.
He stood and rolled his shoulders. “I have that engine rebuild today. You wanna be in on it?”
“For sure.”
“Great. Everything okay with the schedule?”
“Yep. Going over receivables today and will send out reminders, then start on calls.”
Luckily, we had very few receivables. More businesses than individuals. It was a matter of chasing down their accounting department and reminding them the work on their company vehicles needed to be paid before we did any more. Most of the time that worked. Our reputation was too good for them to risk taking their business elsewhere and getting shoddy service.
“Great,” he said, looking past my shoulder. He whistled low in his throat. “Isn’t she just a pretty little thing,” he mumbled. “Always liked the redheads.”
I turned and saw what or whom he was referring to. Hannah was walking in the garage, headed to the office. She’d been here once before and knew where it was located. I turned back to Dom, narrowing my eyes. “Way too young for you,” I snapped.
He looked at me and my clenched fist then chuckled. He clapped me on my shoulder. “I hear you, Romeo. Off-limits. I got it.” Then he winked. “And for the record, far too young for me. I like them my own age. Midforties and wiser. But she is still a pretty thing to look at.”
“She’s my new roommate.”
His eyes widened, and he threw back his head and laughed. “Well, this should be fun,” he said. “I think I’ll get another donut.” He nodded as he passed Hannah. “Miss. Have a good day.” She smiled in return, her cheeks flushing a little. It was sorta cute.
She paused in the doorway. “Am I interrupting?”
God, she was pretty. Her hair was a mass of red-gold curls around her shoulders today, glinting in the light. She wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, but the denim hugged her curves and the shirt was slightly large and hung off one shoulder. The temptation to touch the skin it showed was strong.
I managed to resist. For now.
“No,” I assured her, hoping Charly wasn’t around. “What’s up?”
“I have a big favor.”
“Sure,” I replied. “Whatever you need.”
“I wanted to look at these paint swatches in the house. Any chance I could do that? I mean, would you trust me enough to loan me a key? I’ll return it fast, I promise.”