I studied his honest expression. “I think you should be proud of how far you’ve come. I have no problem with you and Theo spending some time together. I know he’d love it.” I paused. “Stefano showed me your work yesterday.”

“Oh yeah?”

I nodded. “You need to sit down and talk to Maxx and him about it. You’re talented.”

“I will when I’m ready.”

“Do you think you still need to prove yourself? Is that why you’re still doing errands?”

He chuckled. “You and Charly are smart women, aren’t you? For a long time, yes. I wasn’t sure I could ever atone. But Brett and Stefano started teaching me more about cars and engines. Maxx joined in. And then I found I loved the hands-on side. It took a lot for me to show Stefano. I was blown away by his enthusiasm. Maxx’s too. I will keep working and perfecting my craft and, hopefully one day soon, be part of the team that creates.”

Stefano spoke from the doorway.

“That day is coming sooner than you think, Chase. We believe in you.”

Chase looked over his shoulder, startled. “Thanks.”

“So I hear from my little man the two of you are off on a road trip?”

Chase glanced at me, and I nodded. “They are.”

Chase’s smile was wide. “Awesome. We have to go to Osbourne to get those parts for the bike Maxx is rebuilding. I’m going to take him to that barbecue joint there.”

Stefano grinned. “Lucky kid.” He pulled out his wallet and slipped some money into Chase’s hand. “Bring us back some brisket and ribs. Some burnt ends if they have any left.”

“Will do.” He stood. “We’ll be gone the whole afternoon. Back around five, I think.”

“Make sure he drinks water. Don’t let him talk you into a lot of candy,” I warned.

“Promise.”

“You’ll have to remind him to hit the head when you stop,” Stefano advised. “Otherwise, there’ll be roadside watering or wet pants. He tends to forget.”

Chase laughed and high-fived Stefano on the way past him.

He sat down in the chair Chase had vacated. “I heard him telling you about Wes.”

“Quite the story.”

He nodded. “I noticed the kid omitted the fact that his father left everything to him in the will.”

“Well, I suppose that was a little personal to share.”

He leaned forward. “The kid is a millionaire. He refuses to touch the money, though. He works and scrapes by on his salary. To him, it’s blood money. His father always gave money instead of himself. That was what Chase really wanted. He has a management company that donates chunks of it, but he says they make him more than he gives away.”

“He might change his mind one day and want some of the money.”

“That’s what Maxx told him. The kid was just going to give it all away in a lump sum. We sat him down and convinced him to do it another way.”

“He’s not really a kid,” I pointed out.

He winked. “I know, but he is to me. He’s like my little brother. If I didn’t call him kid, he’d be upset.”

I laughed at his drollness. “I see.”

“Maxx is sure Charly is going into labor today. He says she is restless as hell and keeps rearranging the nursery.”

“I’ll go see her once I finish this.”

He bent forward, kissing me. “I like having you here.”

I smiled. “I like being here.”

“Good.” He stood. “Make sure your cell is with you.”

“I will.”

He dropped another kiss onto my mouth and headed back to work. I leaned back, watching him walk away. He was as sexy from the back as he was the front—his back and shoulders broad, his T-shirt stretched tight across the muscles. His jeans hugged his ass and the backs of his thighs, and they emphasized his long legs.

I enjoyed the show.

I finished the entries, checked the schedule, pleased to see everything was going smoothly. There was a query about tires, and I frowned, recalling some new ones Maxx had gotten while they were on sale and stored in the barn, knowing this customer would be needing them soon. I would check on my way back from seeing Charly.

I headed to the house, trying not to laugh when I spied Kelly storming out of the barn, and I went in the same direction. Brett leaned against the doorway, his hair disheveled and his overalls half done up, watching her. Kelly’s short hair was mussed, she had a towel draped over her shoulders, and she looked furious. She turned and flipped Brett the bird before walking into the house, slamming the door behind her. Brett pushed off the doorframe and sauntered my way, trying to look nonchalant.

“Never correct a lady’s form when she is doing yoga,” he quipped. “Apparently it ruins their zen.”

“Um, Brett?”

“Yeah?”

“Her, ah, zen, is all over your neck.” I indicated the lipstick smudges. “She got a little on your ear as well. And you missed a few buttons on the overalls.”

Tags: Melanie Moreland Reynold's Restorations Suspense
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