de her, hands on hips, glaring as Liam came out. She pointed to her engine. “I may not know a carburetor from an alternator, but I know what the whole thing looks like. That is not my engine.”
“Of course it’s your engine. It’s in your car.” Not that he really thought that would work.
“Don’t play dumb with me. I helped your daddy rebuild my engine the first time. I know what a rebuilt one looks like. Even freshly done, it doesn’t look that clean. What did you do?”
“What had to be done,” he repeated. “Your engine was shot. I put in a new one.”
“Well, I can see that. And what the hell was that bill for parts and fluids you gave me?”
“The rest of what I did to it.”
“Liam, you can’t just buy me an engine. That’s not like a gift of chocolates or flowers. We weren’t even together when you did this.”
“I didn’t buy you an engine.”
She flailed a hand in its general direction again, color rising. “Then what the hell is that?”
Oh hell, he knew that look. There was only one thing that would disarm the fit of stubborn she was about to unleash.
“I didn’t buy it. Dad did.”
Riley blinked. “What?”
“The last time he worked on your car, he saw this coming. It’s in the service records at the garage. He picked up a replacement engine at auction. It was just sitting in the warehouse collecting dust.”
She softened. “Your daddy...” One hand rubbed over her heart, as if to soothe an ache.
Liam knew the feeling.
“Then I need to pay back the garage. Or your mother. Or somebody.”
“No you don’t,” Molly swung an arm around her shoulders. “He loved you like a daughter, and he wanted to take care of you or he wouldn’t have bought it. The business accounts for the garage have long been settled. There’s nothing for you to pay.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts,’ Riley. Take this as a last gift from Dad.” Even if you won’t take it from me.
She closed her eyes. “God, I wish he were here so I could hug him around the neck.”
“You and me both, sugar,” Molly said.
Riley gave her a squeeze, then stepped to Liam. “Since you were the one who were kind enough to do all the work, I’ll hug you instead.”
“Now that I can get behind.”
Her grip was tight as she tucked her head against his chest. “Thank you.”
It was a little thing that she’d let his late father do something to take care of her, however indirectly. But it was a step in the right direction. One of these days, maybe she’d actively let him do the same.
Chapter 14
“To two weeks of an empty house.” Riley raised her wine glass to Autumn’s.
“It’s hardly been empty. Liam’s stayed over every night.” She waggled her eyebrows and smirked.
Riley’s cheeks heated. “Fine, to two weeks of a house free of parental units.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Autumn tapped her glass and sipped. “Now, details, woman. I’m living vicariously through you, so hold nothing back.”