Dirtiest Little Secret

Ava was officially impressed.

The phone stopped ringing as she neared the office door, and a woman’s voice filled the void for only a moment before the phone started ringing again.

Ava picked up the woman’s monologue inside the office, “…so, see, I’m ADHD on accounta my momma bein’ on the pipe while I was in her belly. But it don’t affect me none. Nope, my daddy always said I’m sharp as a tack. And tacks are sharp. You ever step on one of those things?”

Ava froze beside a row of cabinets and open counter space. Her brow creased. Head tilted. If she hadn’t known Isaac was with someone, Ava would have thought he was watching a sitcom.

The phone went quiet again.

“I’m sure they are.” The sound of Isaac’s deep voice created a warm river down the center of her chest. “Can you tell me about your work at…what’s this third one on the list? I can’t read your writing—”

“That there’s Walmart.”

“Right, and what did you do at Walmart?”

“Well, I started off as a greeter, and that went real well, seein’ as I know everyone in town. Then I got promoted to stock clerk. And that sucked because every time you straightened a shelf, a customer would come right behind you and mess it up. I’d just stock my little heart out, and the next day, I’d come back and the shelves would be empty. And when I told them that made me mad, they fired me. Best for all of us.”

Ava bit her lip against a laugh.

“Uh-huh,” Isaac replied. “So, great. Thanks for coming in.” The phone started ringing again. “Excuse me. I need to get that.”

“I don’t mean to be pushy or nothin’, but does this job come with health benefits? See, I have asthma, and I’ve got to get to the doctor twice a week for shots, not to mention my inhalers. And my kids, they’re always comin’ down with bronchitis or pneumonia—”

“Sorry, I’ve really got to…” He stepped out of the office, striding toward a phone on the opposite wall. The sight of him made Ava’s heart knock against her chest, then speed into a quick patter, matching the flutter in her stomach.

His black T-shirt clung to wide shoulders, a muscled back, and trim waist. His tan cargo pants had greasy finger swipes on the thighs, and his dark hair was mussed. He grabbed the phone. “Reviv—” Exhaling hard, he slammed the phone down with a quiet “Goddammit.”

He spun and took one step toward the office before lifting his gaze. His eyes homed in on Ava, and his feet stopped dead.

Ava’s heart skipped, then beat doubly hard. Damn, he was ridiculously hot. Even hotter than her memories.

She smiled, forced herself to relax. “Hey.”

“Ava.” He glanced outside where the waiting customer stood by the BMW. Another car pulled up, an ancient Toyota Corolla with rust eating at the seams. “Jesus.” He put his hands at his hips and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t talk right now.” He waved at the man. “Joe. Come on in.”

He took a few more steps toward Ava and scanned her from head to toe. His eyes darkened, his jaw pulsed. Ava wasn’t sure if that was hunger or anger, but either way, the look added gasoline to Ava’s fire.

Then everyone converged on them at once—the woman he’d been interviewing came out of the office, Joe, a potential customer, started into the garage, and so did another woman waving an application.

“Let me help,” Ava said to Isaac in a low voice. “I know nothing about bikes, but I’ve become an expert at interviewing. You work with Joe, I’ll take care of the applicants. Just tell me what position you’re filling.”

He closed his eyes on a heavy breath. “I’d take someone who could answer the fucking phone on a regular basis at this point.”

The ring of the phone punctuated Isaac’s frustration.

Isaac growled and turned toward it again. Ava caught his arm. “I’ll get it. You talk to Joe.”

She turned to the woman who’d just been interviewed and offered her hand. “I’m Ava. I’ll have Isaac give you a call once all the interviews have been finished. Thank you so much for your time.” She walked that woman to the door and turned toward the one approaching. “I’ll be right with you.” Then she spun and picked up the phone. “Revival, how can I help you?”

“Hi,” a woman said. “I’m callin’ ’bout that job posting in the window.”

“Great, can you give me your name and number? I’m with someone, but I’ll call you back as soon as I can.” She scribbled it down and hung up. When she turned to the woman waiting for an interview, she found Isaac and Joe staring at her. She shooed them away with a laugh. “Go, do your thing. I promise not to burn the place down.”

She offered her hand to the applicant. “Hi, I’m Ava. I’m helping Isaac out today.”

8

Isaac had to fight to keep his attention on the catalogues spread out on his desk. He’d been taking notes while he and Joe discussed options of piecing together a custom bike, but he kept jumping when the phone rang. Only, it never rang more than once before Ava picked it up, and she must have gone through three more interviews by now, judging by the parade of women through the shop.