Page 35 of Mechanic’s Christmas Match

“I was just pointing out that she and her mother are good people,” he said. “Decent people. And they’re raising Theo now too.”

“Yes,” Evangeline said with a smile, nodding like that was a good thing.

“I don’t think they really want someone like me to be a big part of their lives, you know?” he muttered. “Someone who was practically a criminal.”

“First of all, you didn’t know that bike was stolen,” she said firmly. “Besides which, you have a good job now. And I don’t really get the impression that Ana is the kind of person to be snobbish about who she spends time with, do you?”

“Last night, I…” He wasn’t sure how to explain. “When she was walking me out, she was looking up at me and I swear there was this electricity in the air between us. She wanted me to kiss her.”

“Why didn’t you?” Evangeline asked.

“Her phone buzzed, and then she got this haunted look,” Rory tried to explain. “Like she had almost done something that horrified her.”

His stomach twisted with shame at the memory.

Evangeline nodded, just listening.

“Anyway, she really wants me to ask Maggie Sullivan out,” he forced himself to continue, shaking his head. “So there’s my real answer about how she sees me. She texted me today that she talked to Maggie last night and Maggie’s expecting me to text her.”

“She doesn’t really want that though,” Evangeline said, frowning.

“She has a funny way of showing it,” Rory said with a half-smile. “She sent me Maggie’s contact info and wants me to let her know when it’s all set.”

“Oh, Rory,” Evangeline sighed sadly. “You should take some time to figure this out.”

But he’d already thought it over a hundred times, and he didn’t see a lot of great options, but there was one way to handle it that might actually work.

“I think I know what I need to do,” he admitted.

“What’s that?” Evangeline asked.

“I’m going to take Maggie out,” he said. “If you’re right, and Ana does like me, then why not call her bluff? Let her see what it feels like to think of me dating another girl.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Evangeline said right away.

“Why not?” Rory asked.

“Well, first of all, you don’t actually want to date Maggie,” Evangeline said. “It doesn’t seem fair to ask her out just to get under Ana’s skin.”

“Well, if Ana Gutierrez doesn’t want me, I’m not going to join a monastery,” he said. “I want what you have, Buttons, love and a family.”

“How can you date someone else if you’re in love with Ana?” Evangeline demanded.

“Who said I was in love?” Rory joked weakly.

His sister fixed him with luminous eyes that saw right through him.

“My feelings don’t matter if she doesn’t feel the same,” he said simply. “If Ana doesn’t come to her senses and put a stop to it, then I’ll give Maggie a real chance, I promise.”

“Okay,” Evangeline said, frowning. “I still don’t like it, but that’s a little…less horrible. But what about if Ana does see the light? Do you really want to be with a woman who can only admit she has feelings for you when you’re about to go out with someone else?”

“If that woman is Ana Gutierrez?” he said. “I’ll take her however I can get her.”

“Rory, you’re a goner,” Evangeline said, looking a little amazed.

“You should know by now that I don’t do anything halfway, little sis,” he teased her. “Now speaking of Ana, I have your Christmas present here.”

“It’s nowhere near Christmas,” Evangeline protested lightly, though her eyes lit up with excitement. “And why speaking of Ana?”