Page 34 of Mechanic’s Christmas Match

“But?” Evangeline demanded.

Rory sighed.

His sister wasn’t going to back down. So he was going to have to figure out how to tell her.

“How we grew up wasn’t our fault,” he said firmly. “You know that, right?”

“Of course,” she said, nodding.

“But what happened is still what happened,” he said. “Whether we deserved it or not.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I was repairing stolen bikes for a motorcycle gang,” he reminded her flatly. “I would have been arrested if it hadn’t been for André Washington. And we both would still be in danger if Grayson hadn’t paid my way out of The Vagabonds’ sights.”

It hurt to say the words. He’d felt so powerless at the time. His only options had been to either keep doing free work for the gang in exchange for their protection, or to refuse and know that they would vandalize the house, or worse, go after Evangeline. The house contained the shop, Rory’s only means to provide for himself and his little sister. If the choice was to do something shady or risk Evangeline’s safety—well, that wasn’t really a choice at all.

Either way, it ended up with him in a world of trouble. If not for the kindness of a childhood friend who had become a cop vouching for him, Rory would be in jail right now over repairing what had turned out to be a stolen motorcycle.

And it had taken most of what he cleared on selling their grandparents’ place to repay Grayson for paying off The Vagabonds to leave him in peace, and to cover his mechanic training.

Even the fact that Beau Wilson had given him a job at the shop right out of the training program was probably only because of Grayson’s influence.

“You didn’t have a choice, Rory,” Eva said, looking at him in wonder. “You were trying to protect me.”

It was a small comfort to hear it from her.

“Grayson wound up doing that just fine,” he said, looking away.

“There would have been no me left to protect if you hadn’t traded away your childhood and all your prospects to save mine,” she said, grabbing his arm. “You gave until you had nothing left, without even blinking.”

There were tears in her eyes now. Part of him knew that she was right, but something about it made it seem more heroic than it was. She was his baby sister. Any big brother would have done the same.

“Evangeline,” he began.

“You are a giver, Rory Dunn,” she cut in, her voice sharper than he’d ever heard it. “But you are terrible, and I do mean terrible at receiving.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he retorted.

“Do you think Grayson even noticed what he spent to get you out from under those guys?” she demanded. “He’s got an inconceivable amount of money, and all he wants is for it to do good in the world. You could have just said thank you, instead of living on crumbs to pay it back. He’s your brother-in-law for heaven’s sake, he’s family.”

“I have my pride,” Rory said simply, astonished that she thought he would be content to just take the man’s money.

“Well you didn’t have to move out,” Evangeline said softly. “If you wanted to pay him back with the house money, you could have saved for a nicer place while you stayed with us.”

“You’re newlyweds, Buttons,” Rory said. “You don’t need your big brother hanging around all the time. Besides, I’m saving plenty now.”

“I have no idea how,” Evangeline said.

“I pick up a lot of extra shifts,” he told her. “And I take a little side work here and there, with Beau’s blessing. I’m doing great.”

Evangeline sighed, her beautiful eyes filled with so much compassion.

“I just want my big brother to be able to relax a little,” she said after a moment. “Enjoy life. Receive some grace and some good things for once, instead of always having to give and give.”

He smiled down at her, feeling lucky to have a little sister who still saw him through rose-colored glasses.

“So what were you saying about Ana?” she asked him.