Page 20 of Throttle Therapy

Papa Smurf’s brows rose to meet the edge of his cap.“He didn’t tell you about the club?”

Jenna frowned and shook her head.

“Sweetheart, we’re part of the Savage Warriors.”

Her eyes went wide.She’d heard about the Savage Warriors.They were a motorcycle club, which was enough for some to assume they were all scum, but of all the things she’d heard, she couldn’t recall a single thing, that came from what she would consider a reliable source, that would lead her to believe they were bad men.Rough around the edges?Undoubtably.Blunt and wild?That was a given.But she couldn’t recall a single thing that told her they were mean, that they did anything that hurt the community or that they ran wild, bullying the town and the people in it.Just the opposite in fact.She knew they did a Christmas toy event every year, she heard they teamed up with the Marine Toys for Tots program to make sure they went to kids in need.

“Is that going to make you run?”Papa Smurf asked her.His gaze like a weight on her shoulders.

Jenna looked back to the piece of paper in her hand then looked up at him and met his gaze.

“Not at all.I’ll be here 8 a.m.Monday.One question though, how many people work here?”

Papa Smurf frowned.“There’s me and three other men most of the time, once in a while another brother or two will stop in, but usually it’s just the four of us.Well, five now.Why?”

“Just curious.Do you need anything else from me today?”

“Let me get your number, just in case and I’ll give you mine too.We’ll also need all the usual papers on Monday to prove you’re legal to work, but that’s all.”

“Papers?Like my birth certificate and social security card?”A moment of panic hit her as Jenna tried to remember where they were.She thought they were in the lock box under her bed, along with the same for Lacey, copies of her custody order and a few other important papers.

“Yes, those.I wanted to suggest, if she’s interested, I could put your sister to work too.She could start by cleaning up in the afternoons then possibly move on to working on vehicles, if she’s interested.”

Jenna shook her head.“Not now.I want her to focus on her schoolwork.That comes first.She can come in and we can work on her homework, if there’s time after that, she can work, if she wants.I’m working hard to make sure she gets as much of a childhood as she can.”

“Understood.”Papa Smurf said with a nod.“You’re right, education comes first.We’ll see how things go before we make any final decisions on that.”

Jenna started to protest but he held up one hand.

“I won’t interfere with the way you’re raising her.I just want to stay open to possibilities.Who knows, maybe a change in routine and atmosphere will motivate her.We will never know until we settle into the situation.”

She thought about that, then nodded.“All right.One more thing?”

Papa Smurf didn’t say anything, but watched her with one brow lifted, waiting.

“Dress code?”

“This is a mechanic shop.Suits and fancy heels will only end up getting dirty or you hurt.We’re all about comfortable and casual.Wear what you like.”He looked down at the desk, then stopped and looked back.“Wait.Let me make a couple of stipulations.No heels.No sandals.Try to look clean and neat.If you expose too much skin, the guys will hassle you.If one of them crosses the line or makes you uncomfortable, let me know, or tell Roadkill.Other than that, wear what you want.”

She stared at him wide-eyed for several seconds, then nodded.She could do that.Mason had always been so critical of anything she wore, even it if it was exactly what he’d told her to wear.From what Papa Smurf said, he wouldn’t be so exacting, but she wouldn’t know until Monday.

“Thank you.I’ll see you Monday morning then.”She stood and turned for the door.

“Sweetheart, if you can figure out the new software and keep me from having to deal with it, on top of my not having to stop what I’m doing every time someone comes in or the phone rings, then you’re worth your weight in gold.You do well with the job and you’ll be seein’ a raise.That’s just a starting wage.”He nodded at the sticky note she still held in one hand.

Jenna glanced down at the paper and the number on it, then back to him.If she did this job well she could makemore?Now she was determined to do her absolute best here.The starting wage alone would make things so much easier for her and Lacey.She didn’t know what to say so she went out to the waiting area to see what Lacey and Roadkill had been up to.

Chapter Eleven

Roadkillclosedthedoorto the office, closing Jenna in with Papa Smurf so they could talk about the job.He turned around and looked around the room.The chairs were unpadded plastic.Easy to wipe down or clean but not all that comfortable.

“Have a seat, they shouldn’t be too long,” he said, stepping behind the counter to sit on the stool.At least it had a little padding.

“Are you smashing my sister?”Lacey asked within seconds of his sitting.

He turned and looked at her, unable to keep a frown from his face.“Not that it’s any of your business, but no.”

“Do you want to smash my sister?”