Page 28 of Fixing Hearts

Sixteen

A fter zipping the duffel bag closed with a satisfying tug, Evelyn straightened from where she crouched by the bed.

She scanned the room, mentally checking off her list. Toothbrush, pajamas, clean clothes for tomorrow, laptop, in case Jo fell asleep early and she got the urge to work.

She smiled to herself. As if I’m going to get any work done tonight , she thought.

Biting her lip, she hesitated, then crossed to her dresser and opened the top drawer.

Fingers trailing over neatly folded cotton underwear, she paused, then dug a little deeper until she found what she was looking for—a lacy black set she bought on a whim months ago and never worn.

It was sexy without being trashy, delicate without being impractical.

Holding it up, she felt a thrill run through her.

Maybe after takeout and kisses, I’ll find a way to be brave again .

She put the lingerie into the duffle, feeling her cheeks warm at the thought of Jo seeing her in it.

Turning toward the bed, her eyes caught on a colorful paperback half-buried under a research text on her nightstand.

She picked it up, flipping it over in her hands.

The cover was even more ridiculous than she remembered.

There was a shirtless man with rippling abs holding a damsel in a billowing dress.

“Savage Temptations” the title proclaimed in bold, looping script.

Evelyn snorted under her breath. There was a time not long ago when the book would have been her secret escape.

But now? she wondered. Now the idea does nothing for me .

She suddenly pictured Jo in her mind. Her strong arms that had held her, the rough calluses of her gentle hands, the way her smile could make Evelyn’s heart race faster than any fictional hero ever had.

I’m not that woman anymore . I don’t want fantasy. I want Jo .

Setting the book aside, she hurried through her apartment and grabbed her watering can from the kitchen counter to fill it.

She needed to take care of her plants which she knew she was neglecting a little, spending so much time distracted.

Moving to the windowsill where her large collection of foliage lived, she started to carefully give a sip to each one.

The little succulent by the window was starting to wilt, its leaves a little soft at the tips.

She frowned, adjusting it so it caught more of the afternoon light.

“I’m sorry I have been so busy and not saying hello to you enough,” she said.

“But there’s this person…” A warmth filled her.

Somehow, she knew the plants understood.

Still, the reality that she might be gone for longer stretches made her frown a little.

She knew Jasmine would come by and water them while she was traveling, but Evelyn still felt a pang of guilt.

She thought about Dr. Wong’s offer and the promotion.

It was an incredible opportunity that would launch her career and get her more important projects going forward.

Things that could really make a difference in the world.

But the travel , she thought. Months away.

Sporadic visits home . How will Jo react to that?

Evelyn set the watering can down and pressed her palms against the windowsill, staring out at the street below.

She wouldn’t decide right now, and she wasn’t ready to discuss it with Jo, especially since the woman was already dealing with so much.

Evelyn couldn’t pile her own uncertainty onto Jo’s already burdened shoulders.

Not tonight. Tonight needed to be about them.

About laughing over takeout containers and hopefully feeling Jo’s hands on her skin again.

Decision made, Evelyn grabbed her jacket and slung the bags over her shoulder.

She double-checked the locks on the windows and turned off the lights.

As she stepped into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her, Evelyn made a resolution.

She would tell Jo soon, but not until the moment felt right.

Gunning the throttle, Jo weaved through Portland traffic like it was second nature.

The wind slipped under her jacket, cool through the tight T-shirt she wore, but she barely noticed.

Her mind wasn’t on the road. It was on Evelyn.

She should have been tired after dealing with the mess at the garage all day, plus trying not to freak out over the impending bad news from the insurance company.

Yet instead, she felt excited because Evelyn was coming over.

Jo shifted gears smoothly, leaning into the curve of the road.

Her chest tightened. A sensation that had nothing to do with the ride and everything to do with the memory of Evelyn’s smile.

The way she looked at Jo like she was more than only a grease-stained mechanic in a leather jacket.

Jo had plenty of hookups over the years.

Plenty of nights that started with a flirt and ended with a goodbye.

But this? she wondered, unable to categorize the feeling.

All she knew was that whatever it was with Evelyn, it was different. And it scares the hell out of me .

Exhaling sharply, Jo tried to shake off the unease curling in her gut. It doesn’t matter , she thought. Tonight isn’t about facing my fears. It is about Evelyn . Especially how my mouth feels on hers every time we kiss. Jo smiled under her helmet, already picturing it.

She wasn’t too far from her place when she spotted a car.

It was a battered Honda pulled over on the shoulder, hazard lights blinking.

As she slowed, she caught sight of the woman standing beside it, her phone pressed to her ear, and her face filled with frustration.

In the backseat, she heard a baby crying.

Without hesitating, Jo pulled over. Doctors run toward accidents to save lives, mechanics stop in emergencies to fix cars.

She killed the engine and swung off the bike, tugging off her helmet as she approached. “Can I help?” she called.

The woman lowered her phone, relief flashing across her face. “Flat tire,” she said. “And of course, my husband’s out of town, and I can’t get roadside assistance on the line. I don’t even know if I have a spare.”

Jo nodded. “Mind if I take a look?” she asked, keeping her tone easy and reassuring.

“Please,” the woman said, stepping aside. Crouching by the back of the car, Jo inspected the tire.

Definitely flat with a nail lodged deep in the tread. “I can change that,” she said. “Can I check for a spare?”

Looking a little more hopeful, the woman nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Whatever you need to do.”

“Sounds good,” Jo said, popping the trunk and pushing a few baby supplies to the side.

The spare was tucked under the floor mat, so she grabbed the jack to get started.

With a little luck, she could have the tire changed in less than ten minutes.

Before she got to work on the tire, she shot a quick text to Evelyn.

“Running a little late. Be there soon. Promise.”

Shoving her phone back in her pocket, Jo focused on the task.

The woman hovered nearby, bouncing the baby wrapped in a blue blanket gently in her arms. The little guy stared at Jo with wide, curious eyes, and she grinned at him as she tightened the lug nuts.

“Hey, buddy,” she said in a low voice. “You supervising?” The baby gurgled, blowing a spit bubble, and Jo chuckled.

Standing, Jo wiped her hands with the rag from her back pocket before reaching out and tickling his tiny foot. The baby gave a delighted squeal.

“You’re a natural,” the woman said, smiling.

Returning her smile, Jo shrugged. “There’s some in the family. I can usually get them to smile,” she said. “Seems I have a knack for it.”

“I can see,” the woman said. “Thank you, seriously. You saved my night.”

“No problem,” Jo said, putting away the jack and loading the flat tire into the trunk before slamming it shut. “You’re good to go. Just get that tire patched or replaced soon, okay?”

“I will,” the woman promised.

Jo nodded, pulling her helmet back on. She gave the baby a mock salute, earning another giggle, then swung her leg over the bike.

As she pulled away, she hoped Evelyn hadn’t been at Jo’s house for too long.

Jo couldn’t wait to see her. After a hell of a long day, she was ready to relax and forget about everything for a while.

Evelyn sat in her car outside Jo’s house, scrolling her phone while she waited.

Then she heard it. The low, familiar rumble of Jo’s motorcycle and her heart skipped a beat.

A moment later, Jo rounded the corner, and there she was, straddling the sleek black bike, moving with easy, practiced grace.

The leather jacket, the dark jeans, the black helmet.

Evelyn couldn’t think of anything sexier than knowing it was Jo.

Men with chiseled abs and brooding stares on romance covers be damned, a butch in leather on a motorcycle was hot.

As Jo coasted to a stop right outside Evelyn’s car window, her boots planted firmly on the pavement to balance the bike. She pulled off her helmet with a smile that could have melted even the most rigid ice queen. “Well, hello,” Jo said, voice low and teasing. “You stalking me now?”

Rolling down her window, Evelyn smiled at her. “Maybe,” she said, matching Jo’s tone. “You’re hard to resist when you show up looking like that.”

Jo laughed. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” she said, giving Evelyn a wink before revving the engine once, just to show off a little.

Evelyn shook her head, biting her lip to keep from grinning too widely.

She thought briefly about asking Jo to take her for a ride, but she knew tonight was about relaxing.

I will ask for a ride soon , she promised herself. Before anything changes .

“Gimme a minute to park,” Jo said, nodding toward a covered garage. “Meet you at the door?”

“Deal,” Evelyn said, already reaching for her shoulder bag. By the time she climbed out of her car, and unloaded her overnight duffle bag Jo had wheeled the bike carefully into the garage.

As Evelyn crossed the sidewalk, the woman caught up carrying a brown paper sack. “Sorry for the delay,” Jo said, unlocking the door and pushing it open for Evelyn to step inside. “Had a little roadside rescue situation.”

Evelyn turned to face her once they were in the living room, arching an eyebrow. “Rescue?”

“Flat tire,” Jo said with a shrug, taking off her jacket. “Baby involved. Couldn’t leave them stranded.”

Unable to help it, Evelyn’s heart squeezed a little at that. Of course, Jo stopped , she thought. She’s my knight in shining armor. “Then, you’re officially the hottest good Samaritan I’ve ever met,” Evelyn said, setting her bags by the couch.

Smiling, Jo sauntered toward the kitchen. “Speaking of good deeds,” she called over her shoulder as she walked. “I come bearing gifts. Rosa sent me home with a whole bag of empanadas.”

“You’re kidding,” Evelyn said. Her stomach rumbled on cue as she followed Jo into the kitchen.

“Nope,” Jo said, holding up the brown paper sack like it was treasure. “Dinner is served.”

“Oh, that’s perfect.”

“Exactly what we needed,” Jo agreed. “Go ahead and get comfortable on the couch. I’ll be there in a minute after I heat these up in the microwave. You know me, gotta have things gourmet.”

Laughing, Evelyn went and plopped onto the couch, kicking her shoes off and tucking her legs under her.

After a few minutes, Jo dropped beside her, close enough that their thighs brushed, and started handing out the food.

The smell hit Evelyn immediately. Warm pastry, seasoned beef, hints of cumin and garlic.

Evelyn sighed happily. “I might be in love with Rosa right now,” Evelyn said, cutting into an empanada.

Jo nodded, her mouth already full. “Seriously true,” she said after a big swallow. They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Jo leaned back against the couch, a second empanada in hand.

She glanced sideways at Evelyn. “Okay,” she said, mouth half-full. “Serious question.” Raising an eyebrow, Evelyn tried not to overthink whatever Jo would ask.

She wiped her fingers on a napkin. “Shoot,” she said, keeping her tone playful.

“Why did you decide to get into environmental research?” Jo asked. “Why not the usual lawyer, doctor, some other super smart person job?”

Feeling her cheeks warm a little at Jo’s flattering comments, Evelyn took another bite as she hesitated.

“I like to find solutions,” she said after a moment, a little more serious.

“Of course, you know I love everything about nature. On every level.” She shrugged.

“It made sense to use my skills to find ways to protect it.”

Jo watched her for a beat, something soft flickering in her eyes that Evelyn couldn’t quite read. “Makes sense to me,” she finally said with a smile, the playfulness coming back. “I think if anyone can save the planet, it’s you.”

Evelyn smiled, heart flipping over. “What about you?” she asked, nudging Jo’s knee with hers. “How did you go from almost-accountant to badass mechanic?”

“There’s not much to the story,” Jo said with a shrug.

“My parents are both CPAs and pushed me toward it. They thought I should have a good, stable job. Something with a salary, benefits, and a 401(k). Exactly like they did.” She snorted a laugh.

“Turns out I’d rather get grease under my nails and fix things with my hands. ”

“You do it well,” Evelyn said softly.

Setting aside her empty plate, Jo turned her head, putting their faces much closer. “Yeah?” she asked, voice dropping.

“Yeah,” Evelyn whispered. For a beat, neither of them moved.

Then Jo took Evelyn’s empty plate and set it down carefully, before leaning in.

“Come here,” she murmured, and Evelyn did without hesitation, their lips meeting in a kiss.

Jo’s hand slid into Evelyn’s hair, tilting her head to kiss her harder, and Evelyn moaned softly against her mouth.

Jo pulled back, her eyes darkened. “Did you plan to sleep on the couch tonight?”

Feeling her body responding to Jo in every way, Evelyn shook her head. “No,” she replied. “I wasn’t planning to.”

With a low growl of approval, Jo scooped her up effortlessly, making Evelyn squeal and laugh as she wrapped her arms around Jo’s neck. “You’re always the hero,” Evelyn said, smiling.

“Yep,” Jo said, carrying her toward the bedroom. “And you love it.” Evelyn didn’t argue.