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There was a frown on his face that shed all my embarrassment. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s going to take a little more work than I hoped.”
“Do you think it could be done by six thirty?” I asked.
“I’ll try my best,” he said grimly. “Climb in the truck.”
15
HAYES
“I can’t believe this had to happen tonight,” she mumbled, standing in the tall garage door opening, looking all dejected at her car.
“That’s how cars usually work—they break down at the worst possible time.” Although I wasn’t mad at the timing. I walked up behind her, grabbing the takeout bags from her grip and setting them on a table by the workbench.
The shop was entirely empty when we pulled up, all my guys having gone home.
“You can sit there and wait,” I said, gesturing at a rolling stool nearby. The plastic seat gleamed under the overhead fluorescent lights, a stark contrast to the dirt and grease covering every other surface. It had just come in earlier today, so it was clean enough for her to sit on while I worked.
“Okay.” Della gave a resigned sigh and sat on the stool. The way her thighs pressed together had me biting my lip.
But I forced myself to look away and lifted the hood again. “So what are you in a rush for?” I casually asked, keeping my gaze trained on the engine.
“I was going to meet a client, and then I have a...” Her sentence trailed off, and I looked over my shoulder at her. The sunset was glinting in through the garage door, giving her hair that golden flame effect. The sun caught her pale green eyes as she looked up toward the ceiling like she didn’t know how to explain. Or maybe she didn’t want to tell me her plans.
Interesting.
“You have a...” I prompted.
Her cheeks gained some color. “I have a date, okay? I just didn’t want to tell you because I don’t want your cynicism to ruin it for me.”
That surprised me. That she cared enough about my words to let them affect her—she always seemed like a duck letting my words slide off her back.
Strangely pleased, I looked back at her engine, fiddling with different caps to check the fluids even though I’d topped those off the last time she came in. “No cynicism here.” I stood up, wiping my hands on a microfiber rag. “I like dates.”
“Really?” she said skeptically. “You like dates?” She folded her arms across her chest, and I swore God was shining on me today because she was in a V-neck dress.
I walked closer to her, seeing her breath pick up in response as I leaned across her to put the rag on the counter. “I’ll let you in on a secret.” I held on to the counter, using it to angle me so my mouth was right near her ear.
She lifted her chin, not shying away.
This close, I could smell the delicate scent of her perfume as I whispered, “I like a date, but I love what comes after.”
I pulled back just in time to see her eyes flutter closed. “Hayes Madigan, you horndog.” But her voice was breathy. Not entirely exasperated like her words suggested.
Flirting with Della was one thing. My body’s reaction to hers was another altogether. The way it affected me had me stepping back to clear my thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the driver side door to the car and hooked up the scanner that would give a readout from the car’s computer. After a few minutes, I glanced at the screen, frowning.
“What is it?” Della asked.
“It’s an electrical issue.” I glanced at her before disconnecting the scanner and wrapping up the cords.
Della’s eyebrows rose hopefully. “That’s an easy fix, right?”
“Not too bad. A few hours, give or take.”
Her features sagged, and I almost felt guilty. But then she told me she needed to text Bennett and cancel, and I felt a lot less bad for her.