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“Ah…I’m only in town for a couple weeks.”
“I know. But you need a job, right?”
Again she paused. The only person she’d talked to about her situation in detail was Jenna. She’d talked to Penny this morning, but she’d barely mentioned her need for a job. But this guy seemed to not only know that she was a mechanic, but temporary, a word that was starting to feel like was stamped on her forehead.
“Yes, that would be great,” she said. “You okay with short term? You just hire with no references?”
“Someone already gave you a reference, and that’s good enough for me.” The man smiled and patted her shoulder. “Besides, you know what a Dual Giah looks like, so you’ve passed the most important part of the test.”
She smiled. Were people seriously this nice? Or had she gotten swooped up by some kind of Kansas tornado like Dorothy and her dog and dropped in a different plane of existence?
Whatever the reason, she couldn’t help but feel a little lighter. The kind knowingness in Pete’s eyes reminded her of her grandfather. Maybe Pete was the man her father could have been if he weren’t a selfish bastard. His weathered hands, the dirt and oil beneath his fingernails, and the smell of the shop brought back happy memories, made her feel like she instantly belonged.
But this wasn’t her shop, and Autumn needed to get a few things straight, because this just seemed too good to be true.
“I’d be happy to help you out while I’m in town, but can I ask, did Penny call you?”
“No, my son Huck did. Said you were a fine mechanic and I should take a chance on you.”
Her jaw hit the floor.
“Huck is your son and he told you about me?” Why would he do that? Helping get her this job had nothing to do with a quick screw. Unless her value was more than that to him? Unlikely. But still, she wondered—hoped—maybe there was a bit more beneath the one-night leaver.
“Yep. Pete Galvin. Pleased to meet you Miss Autumn.” He shook her hand.
She noticed the resemblance now. Same green eyes. Same charm. Same easy confidence. While Mr. Galvin didn’t seem to have tattoos, she could see where Huck had gotten his chiseled jaw and lazy grin.
Question was, why would Huck do this for her? Her instinct was to fight this act of…kindness? Because if she accepted, it meant that he’d gotten her the job. It didn’t mean she’d earned it.
“With all due respect, I’d like to be hired on my merit.” She could prove her worth. Even for the short term.
“Oh? You don’t think you’ve got the chops?”
“I do. And I want to show that to you. I ran my own garage for years back home—”
“Then this will be great. Young lady, if I may, don’t fight good things just because you’ve got some pride. My son may have put in a good word, but it’s up to you to keep the job and prove yourself. In the meantime, accept the gesture.”
She swallowed. Well shit, he’d just told her
. But he was kind of right. Was she throwing a fit for the sake of her pride? The same thing she’d accused Huck of?
Damn. This was why she was alone most of the time.
“How do you feel about replacing the shocks on this Honda and finishing the oil change?”
Autumn took off her jacket. “I feel real good about it.”
“Well then, let’s get to it.”
With a smile, she threw her hair into a ponytail and dug in.
…
“Did that wall mouth off to you, or are you just extra pissy today?” Ryder asked Huck.
Huck simply smiled and drilled his sledgehammer through the wall again. Dust flew, and the drywall split further.
“It’s a great stress relief,” he said.
