Maverick (The Family Simon 3)

Shit. Had he just thought of the R-word?

The phone went dead and he pocketed it once more. I know, he’d said. What a bunch of bull, because Maverick didn’t know shit. Charlie Samuels was rocking his world but he had no idea how long the ride would last.

And for the first time in his life, he realized that he wanted it to last a long, long time. The ball was in his court so to speak, so the question was, what was he going to do about it?

Chapter Twenty

Charlie should have known that Saturday was going to be a shit show. Davis was sick—down with the flu—and not only was her shop full, she’d promised Jackie from the diner that she’d get her car back to working order. The fuel pump was toast and her carburetor was running like crap. Of course the fuel pump she’d ordered hadn’t come in on account of another snowstorm moving into the region, and she had more oil changes than she could handle.

And for what had to be the tenth time in less than an hour, the business line rang and by the time she reached the phone, whoever the hell it was on the other end hung up without leaving a message.

Charlie glared across the garage at the extension, extending her middle finger when the bright orange light lit up as the darn thing rang again. No way was she running for it. If they didn’t want to leave a message, then screw ‘em.

She glanced around her shop and sighed. It’s not like she had time for anymore work anyway.

She decided to get her oil changes done so that she could move the vehicles out of her shop. With the Shelby taking up her last bay, she was short on space.

The Shelby

.

She eyed the Mustang with an appreciation that was genuine. Damn, but it was a hot looking piece. She just wished….

She wished her dad were here to see it.

As always, thoughts of her father brought a lump to her throat, and today Charlie didn’t have time for lumps or phone calls or even another cup of coffee. She got to work and wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the door to her shop swung open. She smiled when she spied Ava and when she saw the take out bag from A Charmed Life, she fist pumped.

“Please tell me that’s chowder,” Charlie said, reaching for a rag. The fact that she had no time to spare didn’t matter when it came to Jackie’s husband’s chowder. She caught a whiff and her stomach growled. Loudly.

“I heard that,” Ava said with a giggle, setting the bag on the workbench. They both slid onto the high stools and while the radio played some old Lynard Skynard, Charlie and Ava dug into hot biscuits and the best clam chowder on the East Coast.

“Thanks for this,” Charlie said after she’d eaten half of her bowl. “I was starving.”

Ava shrugged, a soft smile on her face. “I thought you might be. Davis is home sick with the flu and I know that Rick is gone for a few days, so I thought I’d help a girl out.”

Charlie bit off the end of a biscuit and raised an eyebrow. “You could help a girl out by filling her in on the current status of your relationship with said girl’s best friend.”

Ava’s face broke wide open with the biggest smile ever. “Oh my God, Charlie. I know right?” She frowned. “Wait. He didn’t give you any details?”

“Nope. Nothing.”

Ava stirred her bowl of soup for a few seconds. “That’s so sweet.”

“Yeah. I guess it is, except I want to know how the hell it happened.”

Ava burst out laughing. “Well, Charlie you take A and insert it into B and—“

“That’s not what I mean.” She made a face. “And ewwww. Not only have I known Davis my whole life, I work with him every day. I don’t need to picture him buck naked doing the nasty with you.” She paused and winked. “In the hot tub.”

“Holy hell, but the hot tub was amazing. He did this thing where he—“

“You’re veering away from the details that I want,” Charlie said, giggling. “Seriously. It took you forever to hook up when everyone in town knows it should have happened years ago.”

Ava took a biscuit from the bag and nibbled on the end of it. She shrugged. “I’ve always liked him. You know that. I mean, he’s Davis. He’s got everything. Looks. Personality. But he was always a player.”

“Most guys are until they meet the one the girl who knocks them on their ass.”

Ava frowned and shoved another piece of biscuit into her mouth. “I know, Charlie, but he’s Davis. The guy can charm a nun out of her panties. He flirts with everybody and the few times that I thought maybe there was something there, well, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I didn’t do anything about it.”