“Wait a second, what job? Where?”
“At my mechanic shop.”
“Chaos and Carnage Mechanics?”
He smiled. “Pretty cool, huh?”
She rolled her eyes, and she hated that his smile made him seem more … human.
“What? You putting your club name onto everything you own?”
“It’s a stamp you want, baby,” he said.
“Don’t call me baby.” She licked her dry lips. “I can’t take it.”
“Why not? You too good for a job?”
“What? Hell no. It has nothing to do with that.” She sighed and leaned forward. “I don’t even own a car. I have no experience with mechanics. I wouldn’t have a single clue what I was doing.”
This time, he threw his head back and laughed.
Were the pancakes designed to be eaten, or to launch in a guy’s face for laughing at you? It was a shame she’d already eaten the whipped cream that came with them. The sauces would make a mess all over his face, and his leather jacket.
She’d probably be killed before she had even finished.
“Sweetheart, I’m not offering you a position as a mechanic. You’ll man the desk, or lady it. I don’t care what the correct term is. You’ll take the calls, run the invoices, chase up deliveries, the usual kind of shit. I need someone at my front desk. Grant’s doing a shit job of it, and I’ve got no one else.”
“I won’t need to know anything about cars?”
“Just the stuff I tell you. The job is yours if you want it.”
She was so tempted. “I … I still think I’m not qualified enough for this position. Can I perhaps, do a temp thing?”
“Temporary?”
“Like maybe take a week’s experience with it. You can see if I’m what you’re looking for, and then I can know if I can handle this job. I don’t want to do anything that would ruin your reputation. I may not own a car, but your shop is highly regarded. I’d hate to ruin it.”
“Babe, with all due respect, my reputation is because I’m damn good with cars. You wouldn’t ruin it.” He slammed his hand on the counter. “Be there in thirty minutes. Your temp can start now.”
“Today?”
“Yes, today. Stop whimpering in your pancakes. I’ll see your ass down at the shop.”
“Wait, what do I wear?”
“Whatever you want. I don’t give out uniforms.” His gaze traveled over her chest. At the library they had requested a certain uniform, mainly a pencil skirt, white blouse, and a jacket. “You’ll do.” He walked away, going to his men.
She watched as he leaned down toward one guy and whispered something in his ear.
Beatrice came over to her table. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“I think I might have just been given a job,” she said with a smile.
“Now that is damn good news,” Beatrice said. “See, good luck comes to everyone who seeks it.”
She was so happy, it was strange.
Bull kind of terrified her, but he had now offered her a job. He couldn’t be a bad guy, could he?
She thought about Grant. That guy had been … horrible. She’d hated him in high school. Would she have to see him every single day? Just the thought of it made her shudder.
No. She wasn’t going to allow that man to ruin this for her. If this job was a good fit, then she had solved her problem within one day.
****
Bull arrived at Chaos and Carnage Mechanics and was surprised to see Maddie already there. She looked like a school teacher looking all prim and proper. She stood outside the main reception, and Pat stood near one of the cars.
“There a reason she turned up without a car?” Pat asked.
“Yep, there is. I think I solved our reception problem. You might not have to answer phones anymore.”
“Fuck me, are we hiring her?” Pat looked way too happy about that.
“You want to hire her?”
“Hell yeah. I’m guessing with her already here, it’s a done deal.”
“We’ll see.”
The job was Maddie’s if she took it, and not because she featured in all his wet dreams of a late, but because he wanted to give her the job. She’d looked so fucking sad when he walked into the diner. He’d been able to take a seat because she’d been so distracted.
“You made it,” he told her.
“Yes, I wanted to get here as soon as I could to let you know that I will work hard.”
He raised a brow.
She tilted her head to the side. “I kind of need this job. I don’t like not working, you know.” She winced. “Not that I’m trying to sound desperate.”
“You sound like a woman who needs a job. Don’t stress about it.”
He pulled out his key and unlocked the main reception door. The place stank, and he heard the sound of the sticky floor as his feet stuck to it with each step he took. Grant refused to clean. If he wasn’t such a good mechanic, he would’ve fired him years ago. The little bastard was good with his fingers and seemed to sweet talk the women like there was no tomorrow.
Dust covered every surface, and cobwebs ran from one side of the room to another. It was rare for anyone to be willing to take a seat to wait.
“The place will need cleaning up.” He pushed up the counter and waited for her to enter. Paperwork covered the desk, and a thick layer of dust covered the computer.
Grant didn’t like to use computers. He felt the world was going downhill to nerds. Bull would never understand his brother, but that was one of the many reasons they were so different.
For the next hour, he helped Maddie get settled. He pointed out the invoices, the cars, the keys, the telephone, and he also showed her to the cleaning closet, which to his surprise was immaculate.
“Do you think you can handle this?” he asked. “I’ve got to get working on the cars.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I can handle this. I think. No, I know I can handle this. You can trust me.”
He already did, which was a big fucking surprise to him.
“If you need me, come into the shop, got it.”
“Yes.” She offered him a smile and he nearly fucking melted on the spot. He had never seen Maddie smile for real, and it was so fucking precious. It seemed to light up her whole face.
He wanted to see her smile more often. Her brown eyes seemed to have a twinkle to them.
“Is everything okay?”
“Perfect. I’ll be busy, so yeah, if you need me, don’t hesitate.”
“Already there.”
She moved toward the back and he showed her where they stored their bags and jackets. She looked way too comfortable, and her ass was even more perfect in the skirt, which hugged every single curve.
“With her here, are you going to be able to focus?” Pat asked as he entered the main shop.
“Shut the fuck up,” Bull said.
“Never seen you like this, Prez. Got to wonder.”
“I’m always focused. It’s the job that comes first. You know this.”
Pat sighed.
“What?”
“You ever thought about fucking her and then moving on?” Pat asked.
“Not up for discussion. Not with you or with anyone else.”