I would have to see what I could do to change that.

Gabby was waiting, and we headed downstairs. Mrs. Scott waited, reminding me I’d promised to come back. I assured her it hadn’t slipped my mind and I would see her very soon.

“I forgot. My tap is dripping.”

“I’ll be sure to bring a wrench.”

She reached up and patted my cheek. “That’s a good boy.”

I had to bend so she could reach me. I chuckled at her words, thinking no one had called me a boy for a very long time.

In the van, Theo laughed as I made a big deal of pulling out the kid seat assembly that was built in. I strapped him in, pretending to have trouble picking him up.

“You’re big,” I huffed.

He laughed in delight. “Mom says I’m growing like a weed.”

“A huge one.” I ruffled his hair, then opened the door for Gabby. She stepped in and I grinned. “Should I buckle you in too?”

She shook her head primly. “I can manage.”

“Just checking.”

En route to the garage, she turned in her seat. Theo was busy enjoying the DVD that was playing, so he was ignoring us.

“I’ll talk to Mrs. Scott. You don’t have to do her repairs. She’s testing you.”

I waved her off. “It’s all good. I’m pretty handy. Gotta make a good impression.”

“I think you already did.”

“With her or you?”

She turned and crossed her arms. “Mrs. Scott is easily impressed.”

I reached over, laying my hand on her thigh. “And you?”

She lifted one shoulder, gazing out the window. “I’m tougher.”

I squeezed her leg lightly. “I’ll have to try harder.”

She didn’t say anything, but as I went to pull my hand away, she covered it with hers. She kept looking out the window, her fingers idly stroking the back of my hand. It felt nice, so it stayed there the rest of the drive.

At the garage, Theo sat with Maxx, who was working on an engine. He had run around, greeting everyone like old friends, clearly excited to be there. He was fascinated, asking a hundred and one questions that Maxx was answering in his low, patient voice. I went with Gabby to the office to talk with Charly, knowing Theo was in good hands.

“Okay, so I’m going to be honest,” Charly stated.

Gabby swallowed as she sat down. “Good. I prefer honest.”

“Your SUV is basically toast. It’s not worth the cost of the repairs it would require to make it safe.”

I gaped at Charly. I thought she’d at least break it to Gabby gently or fib a little. Say something positive.

“But it was running yesterday. Can’t you just fix what is broken?”

Charly shook her head. “It’s way more than a bad wire. The vehicle isn’t safe, Gabby.”

Gabby’s shoulders tensed, and I felt her anxiety. Before I could say anything, Charly leaned forward.

“That’s the bad news. But holy moly, have I got some good news.”

“Do tell,” I muttered.

“We want to buy your SUV. And Maxx is willing to make you a great deal.”

The news surprised me, yet it didn’t. I knew why she was making the offer, but since Gabby didn’t, she wouldn’t accept it so easily.

“I don’t need charity,” Gabby said, lifting her chin in that stubborn way I was beginning to recognize. “Just fix what you can for my budget, and I’ll figure the rest out later.”

Charly leaned forward—at least as far forward as she could these days. It was more of a tilt.

“As a friend and a fellow mother, I can’t let you do that. The SUV isn’t safe for you to drive Theo in.”

Gabby jerked at her words but stayed silent. Charly regarded her steadily. “Listen to my offer, Gabby.”

Gabby crossed her legs, swinging her foot, her voice tight. “Fine.”

“Maxx wants to buy your SUV for our classes. We’ve been wanting to start some basic hands-on learning, and your SUV would be perfect. It still runs but needs a lot of work. It would suit the situation really well.” She sat back. “And in return, Maxx has a great little SUV he would trade you for it.”

“That hardly seems like a good business proposition for Maxx.”

Charly held up her hand. “I’m not finished.”

Gabby nodded, her shoulders tight.

“I want to wrap the vehicle with the garage info. So, basically, you’ll be a driving ad for us. Considering you work at a bar and drive around Lomand and the surrounding area, the visibility for us is great.” Charly rubbed her stomach. “You told me you used to be in charge of merchandise control where you worked.”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to need some help with things when this little bundle shows up. Ordering parts, inventory. You would have access to the system and could do most of the work from home with a laptop we provide. Once every two weeks, you come in here and do a physical inventory. You can bring Theo with you.” She waited a moment. “We’ll agree on a number, figure out the trade, the value of the ad on the vehicle, and how many hours we’re talking to make both sides happy.”

Tags: Melanie Moreland Reynold's Restorations Suspense
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