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  “Were you serious about me working at your shop? I’m fully trained. I can fix any car.”

  “You have a bachelor’s degree in accounting.”

  She smiled easily at him. “You remembered that?”

  “Oh, I remembered. I could use you in the office. I hate bookkeeping and Jackie can answer a phone, for the most part, but damn she can’t do the books either.”

  “I’d love the job.”

  “It’s yours.”

  She licked her lips, then bit down on the bottom one as she looked at him, locking eyes with him. “Are you racing in Savannah?”

  “Lydia took me on. I have a full sponsorship.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Resting a hand on his cheek, mostly to make sure she kept his attention, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I want to be with your crew at the race. If you trust me enough, I’d like to do that.”

  “I gave you my keys, Missy. Don’t you see that I trust you?”

  “It’s a fine line, Walker. I don’t want you to ever think that I’ll mess something up, or do something that’ll cost you the race, or your life.”

  Jake slid his hands down her back gently. “I think you did all you’re going to do to keep me out of the races. Now I’ll race Justice, and I’ll win. I’ll win for both of us.”

  “I’m worried about Sam racing. I’m sick over it.”

  “Tell him. See how he feels. If he’s confident, then he’ll be fine.”

  “I feel wrecked,” she said leaning into him again. “I feel lied to and betrayed.”

  “We were lied to. And don’t think I’m not going to show up on my dad’s doorstep again and demand some answers. It’s a crap move to invest your money in another driver and another team. It’s just a crap move.”

  “What do you think his reasons are?”

  “Money. It’s always money with him. I don’t ever want to be that way. When racing is over—it’s over. I’ll walk away. I’d rather work hard for what I have than to scam it my whole life. I feel the same way about the person I chose to spend my life with. When you make that commitment, you make it. You don’t pretend that it’s something and then throw it away. You just don’t.”

  “My mom drinks,” she said as she turned so that she now was fully facing him and seated on the couch and not against him. “She preaches that you shouldn’t, and she does.”

  A weight lifted from her chest as she said it, so she continued. “And, my father has had at least two affairs that I know of. Mom prayed for his forgiveness, drank away her anger, and preached against the sins of those who covet thy neighbor’s wife. She went on some very hefty shopping sprees in Atlanta, so that no one here would see her. But I think like you do, Walker. When it’s meant to be, it should be. No lies. No misconceptions. Honesty and love should be all that a marriage is made of.”

  “And trust.”

  “Yes, and trust.”

  Jake stood and held out his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. “I’m glad we got that out of the way and we understand each other.”

  Then in a swift, and unexpected move, he swept her off her feet, scooping her up into his arms.

  A laugh escaped her as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking you to bed. I took the day off and I’d rather enjoy it than be pissed at my father the rest of the day. So, if you don’t want to be naked in my bed with me for the rest of the day, you’d better tell me now.”

  “You’ll hear no arguments from me.”

  “Good. I only want to hear you moan.”

  She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks, so she buried her face into the crook of his neck and felt the anticipation rise inside of her. God, she loved this man.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jake found that the work day was much nicer with the eye candy in the front office. Oh, the tongues were wagging, but he thought that Missy handled herself very well. She didn’t let the whispers or the flat out sassy questions hinder her from diving into a job that he despised doing himself.

  He’d noted that Jackie seemed to have the biggest problem with Missy being there. She’d had at least twelve coffee breaks through the day, and each one had a new audience for her gossip fest.

  Jake had no thoughts that this pettiness would cause long term problems, but it was best to be straight forward with Jackie. She responded to it, and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d have had to have done it.

  During one of her afternoon breaks, he managed to corner her at the coffee pot as he poured himself a cup.

  “Jackie, you’re going to float away if you have more coffee. That or you’ll still be awake from today when you get here in the morning,” he said lightly with a laugh.

  “I like my coffee,” she admitted, holding her ‘I’m the boss and that’s why I’m right’ coffee mug for him to fill.

  He’d never been sure where the mug came from, but he assumed it had been meant as a joke from one of the guys. She did have a way of bossing people around. And knowing Jackie, she used it every day to prove to them she hadn’t taken offense to it, even if she had.

  “Everything running smooth up here today?” he asked as he looked around the front end of the garage where there was the sales counter, waiting room, vending machines, and the hall to his office.

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t it?”

  “Just making sure you’re okay with your new co-worker. She’s going to make our lives a lot simpler.”

  The flash of irritation in her eyes hadn’t escaped his attention, but he’d let her work herself through it.

  “Have to say, I never thought Missy Sheridan would work here. Why isn’t she working at her dad’s dealership? Surely, someone with her accounting skills could be better utilized in an environment like that.”

  “They have accountants. This gives her some different opportunities to use her degree. The bonus is, if we have a need for her in the bays, she can step in there too.”

  Jackie leaned in closer to him. “The guys say she’s not racing.”

  “Hand’s in a cast. It’s hard to control a car at two-hundred miles an hour with a cast.”

  “I guess you’d know, huh?”

  “Yep. Sadly, I do know.” He sipped his coffee and watched her process her next question. He’d been around her enough to know that she just wasn’t quite done digging for answers yet. He’d already decided he had nothing to hide. But he’d let her get to everything in her own time.

  When she leaned in closer, he knew where she was going with her next question.

  “You seeing her?”

  “Seems a little odd, doesn’t it? I mean we’ve been rivals for so many years on the track.”

  “Well, Jake, it does seem odd. Now I heard she’d been staying at your place, and now she’s here. I didn’t believe it at first, but…”

  “I can see where that might make tongues wag a bit.” He sipped his coffee again. “The best part about being an adult is you can learn that there is more to a person when in fact, you didn’t think too much of them at first.”

  “You’re not answering my question,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, I’m seeing her. I know everyone thinks she’s the enemy, and we probably made that so for a long time. So, you have to admit, it probably took a lot of guts for her to walk in here today. But she’s on our side, if there is one. And she’s going to do a good job for us.”

  Jackie gave him a slow and thoughtful nod. “If you think it’s a good idea, then I’m sure it is.”

  “I do think so. And hey, you and I are off the hook for the bookwork.”

  Now Jackie lifted her mug in a toast to him. “I’m happy she’s here.”

  Bud had made it clear that they needed a solid two hours to work on the car at the end of the day if Jake could make time in his day for it, as he’d put it.

  He’d made time for it, but he’d been nearly knocked out of his boots when he noticed Bud was behind the wheel and Missy was under the
hood.

  “Now this is a team,” he said as he walked into the garage.

  “Hell, you don’t seem to have time to get the car race ready. I thought I’d grab the next best thing.”

  He caught Missy’s grin before she ducked back under the hood. “I think we got the better deal don’t you?” Jake admitted.

  Missy tossed the wrench on the bench behind her, then grabbed a rag and wiped off her hands. “Looking at the engine of another racer’s car says a lot. You’re lucky to have Bud. I’d keep him happy,” she told him with a wink.

  “He loves me,” Jake replied as Bud started the engine and let it fill the garage with the deafening noise.

  When he cut it off, Bud climbed from the car. “Give her a raise, Jake. She can fix cars, organize the books, and she makes one hell of a cup of coffee.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not working overtime,” she said as she moved toward Jake, but refrained from touching him. “I’m stopping at the store and making dinner. Nothing fancy, but…”

  “I’ll deal with the dishes then.”

  She gave him a smile, and then turned toward Bud. “Thanks for your help today, Bud. I do appreciate it.”

  Bud gave her a nod and they both watched her walk out the door.

  “I don’t know what the hell you were thinking having her work here,” Bud said as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and clamped it between his teeth without lighting it.

  “I was thinking she’d be helpful, just like you said. But I’m thinking that’s not the case?”

  “Oh, hell, Jake. She’s a gold mine. You know it. I know it. But, Jesus, I’ve done nothing but shut these guys up all day. They gossip more than catty women.”

  “But Missy seemed to handle it just fine.”

  “Sure she did. She races in a sport where every man on the track thinks she’s some whore.”

  “Which she’s not.”

  Bud acknowledged Jake’s comment. “She’s also the boss’s daughter in a male dominant industry. You know that she’s got a bigger set of balls on her than most men. Point is, you have the woman you’re sleeping with running your office now. And a competing racer messing with your car. Just doesn’t look good.”

  “Yeah, well it ain’t going to change. She sticks.”

  “I’ll have your back then.”

  “She’s living with me and working with me. And now she’s racing with me.”

  Bud took the cigarette from his mouth and rolled it between his fingers. “Well, that’s something to tell me up front don’t you think?”

  “I’m telling you now. Sam’s racing for their team. Missy’s been cut off from everything.”

  “Sheridan senior is an asshole.”

  “Yeah. He and my dad also seem to be silent partners in the Stout Farm team that dropped my ass and picked up Justice with thoughts of driving the big circuit.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch.”

  “Makes you reevaluate everything.” He picked up a socket wrench and gave it a twist in his hand to hear the noise. “Isn’t it funny. You think the Walkers and you think tight knit. Then you look at my dad and his kids and…”

  “And I see a loss for him. Your uncle and his family are good, good people. Isn’t anyone who wouldn’t agree. But you know, those people who know you and your siblings know that you’re good, good people too. And you had to earn that with hard work on your own—each of you. Don’t you dare think that your father is what makes you family. What you do with those you care for make you family. Each of you is freaking successful in what they choose to do. Damn, I heard today that Audrey is opening her own salon.”

  Jake smiled. “Yeah, she is.”

  “See what I mean? You all made your own places in our community. And on behalf of Missy, I’d say she’s in the same boat. She’s good people, doesn’t mean she has to be like her father or follow in his footsteps.”

  “They’ll all get used to her being here.”

  “They will. And if they can’t deal with it, then they have to go. There are a lot of mechanics around. But the team you’ve built in business and in racing are both good. They might need to run their mouths, but they’ll come around and they’ll treat her with respect.”

  Jake ran his hand over his stubbled chin. “She’s headed home to make me dinner,” he said as if realizing for the first time what it meant.

  “Sounds intimate.”

  “I didn’t know I wanted that.”

  “It sneaks up on you,” he chuckled sticking the cigarette back between his teeth and looking at the car. “Lydia is sponsoring you again?”

  “Yeah. Seems as though her partner likes the idea. And he has another location in Savannah. They want to put pictures up in the restaurant and everything. I suppose a win in Savannah, and we’ll get a new paint job.”

  “I hope it works out. What about your dad?”

  “Like you said, he isn’t what makes my family a family. I need to remember that. But I’m going to go to him and ask him what the hell he’s thinking. If he’s trying to break me, it’s not going to work. He can’t break any of us.”

  Bud gave him a firm slap to the shoulder. “And that’s the real meaning of family, Jake. You and your brother and sisters sticking together.”

  Jake stood in the garage after Bud left nearly an hour later and wondered if it was even worth going to see his dad. What kind of excuse could he possibly come up with? It hurt that he’d been cut from the team. Jake couldn’t deny that. But in the smaller circuit he removed one sticker on his car and added another. Justice was about to give it all to the sponsor. They’d run his car, his schedule, and his life. Jake stood there looking at the car he owned and realized it wasn’t even worth it.

  He did have to wonder why Justice had wanted to pay him off for the race though. Maybe a visit to him would reveal more information than a visit to his father.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The wine had been an afterthought, but she was glad she’d stopped and picked up a bottle. Missy poured a second glass and stirred the vegetables in the pan.

  She wanted to seem at ease when Jake walked through the door to his own house and she was already there. It had to be a big shock to a bachelor to have a woman taking over. She was in his house, in his business, and now part of his team—who could have seen that coming?

  Missy had been prepared for the day at the garage. She was used to people assuming the worst and looking down their nose at her. They’d been doing it her whole life. One didn’t grow up as the boss’s daughter or the daughter of a minister without having society cast their judgement.

  The fact that she could go in public and act normal at all was a big plus. She’d seen her brother struggle with it. He didn’t share the same confidence she did. Missy knew deep inside that the views cast on her weren’t who she was. But sometimes it took a lot of inner dialogue to get through it all.

  Jake had texted her a half hour ago to say he was on his way. Now she waited. Why was she more nervous now than she was the first night she’d slept in his arms?

  She knew the answer, and she pushed it down with another sip of wine.

  This was for real now, she thought. This wasn’t hooking up one night, and crying about it the next. This was a relationship.

  Relationships lead to things. They either lead to a nasty breakup or they lead to marriage. Neither one was she ready for.

  Blowing out a hot breath, she stirred her vegetables in the skillet again as the front door opened.

  “Honey, I’m home,” Jake’s voice rang through the house mimicking Ricky Ricardo.

  Just that seemed to ease her a bit. But watching him walk into his own kitchen, a smile on his sexy mouth, and a bouquet of flowers in his hand—well, she had thought she was in love, now it was sealed.

  “What are those?”

  “Some girl gave them to me,” he said moving to her. “It happens all the time.”

  “Does it now?”

  He pressed a kiss to her lips and she loved that he li
ngered.

  “I thought the woman who put up with everyone’s crap today, then came home to make me dinner, deserved something nice.” He handed her the bouquet and took her glass of wine, then sipped. “Not bad. I’m not a wine guy.”

  “I’m not a wine girl, but it just sounded good.”

  He nodded. “I think I’ll have some too. And I’ll put these in some water.”

  Missy scanned through her memories. No one had ever bought her flowers before. She’d had them given to her on the track when she’d won a race, but no one had ever sought them out to hand to her.

  She turned and stared down into the pan hoping to fight away the tears that stung her eyes.

  But when Jake ease up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a kiss to her neck, she stiffened.

  “Everything okay?” His voice was just a whisper in her ear.

  “Yeah. You know, everything is perfect and I just need to figure out how to accept that.”

  “I get it.” He kissed her neck again, and then eased himself against the counter with his hip and watched her cook. “Bud said there was a lot of talk today. I tried to nip it in the bud with Jackie.”

  “She’s a little out of sorts with me, but I think she’ll warm up.”

  “They all will.”

  “Jake, I get it. I’m not put out by any of them. You and I had a rivalry that goes back years. People form alliances. And it’s hard when the boss’s girlfriend shows up and suddenly has a job. They all needed to talk and get it out of their system.”

  “Bud was right. You do have a good grasp on things.”

  “And I have wine. So, I’m going to drink it to numb any ill feelings I have over it.” She turned so they were eye to eye. “What I need to know is are you okay with me in your space?”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means I have underwear in a drawer in your bedroom. Yes, I put tampons in the cabinet in your bathroom. My clothes are in your closet, and now my signature is on your bookwork at your business. And I adjusted the engine in your race car. I’m in all your space and I wasn’t a week ago.”