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“Emmett likes to exaggerate.”
“I don’t think he’s exaggerating about this.” He stops the car in front of the office. “Need me to wait around?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” I get out of the car.
“Just be careful. Don’t piss them off.”
If he only knew.
I smile. “It’s just a car shop.”
The bell on the door jingles when I enter, and I’m greeted by a grinning ginger. The kid looks as innocent as they come, and I wonder how the hell he ended up here. But that’s none of my business.
“Hey, Tigger. You got my keys?” I lean over the desk, peering through the window that leads to the bays, hoping to spot Mike.
“He’s on lunch,” Tigger says.
“Who?” It’s a stupid response. We both know I was looking for Mike.
“Sorry. I assumed you wanted to talk to Mustang about the fuse.”
“Oh, right. Yeah, but if he’s on lunch. . .”
“I can have him call you if you want.”
I shrug. “No, it’s okay. As long as the truck doesn’t sound like a war zone when I turn it on, I’m good.”
“Nope. All good.” He slides the invoice over, and my eyes nearly bug out of my head. It’s not that I don’t have that kind of money. I’m just surprised such a small fix costs this much.
“Overnight storage, labor, and a fuse cost three grand?”
Tigger shrugs. “That’s what it says.”
I blow out a breath and hand over my black card. “Put it on this.”
Once I’ve signed and my fob is handed over, I give Tigger a parting nod and head to the parking lot where I spotted my truck. I’ve just opened the driver’s door when I feel his warm presence pressed into me from behind.
His lips are at my ear when he says, “How did you know I didn’t have a scholarship?”
“You spoke to your mom?” He takes a step back as I turn to face him. My breath hitches at just how sexy this man is.
It’s not just the obvious. There are a lot of tall, lean-muscled, bad boys out there. Something else about him is pulling me in. An almost magnetic draw that has me wanting to be near him, under him, on my knees for him. Again.
He studies his feet, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “She insisted that she applied for and received scholarships for me.”
“But you don’t believe her?”
“No, and to be honest, I don’t even know why it bothers me. What the hell do I care? It was years ago. That part of my life is over and done with.”
“Maybe because you think she was making other concessions to get you there?” I suggest.
He freezes for only a moment as he takes in my words. Then the next thing I know, I’m being shoved up against my truck again. His chest heaves, and anger vibrates off him. “Are you saying my mom is some kind of whore?”
I hold up my hands. “I didn’t say it. You did.”
He rears back his fist and punches me in the face. Then it’s lights out for me.
5
