Take a Chance on Me(42)

“Sure thing, boss. Oh, and Mitch, I’ll have Luke’s files sent over today.”

“Fuck you, Tommy.”

“Pleasure doing business with you.” Tommy laughed and hung up.

Smug bastard.





Maddie stared at the blond mechanic, who had shoulders so wide they almost filled the doorway of the garage office. “What do you mean it’s going to take until Friday?”

Tommy scratched his head as though her question confused him. “I need to order the part.”

“It’s an alternator,” Maddie said, crossing her arms. “I can order the part over the Internet and have it delivered to your shop tomorrow.”

She didn’t know why she was fighting about this. She wasn’t in any hurry to get home, but she couldn’t get over this feeling she was being swindled.

Tommy cocked a brow at Mitch. Maddie turned a questioning glare in his direction, but all he did was give her back a little rub and nod at Tommy.

Irritated at them both, she shrugged Mitch’s hand away. Tommy grinned.

Despite the confessions and a good night’s sleep, she was in a foul mood. Her bad temper had started during breakfast and would not quit. She couldn’t put her finger on it, and would be hard-pressed to name her problem, but something about Mitch was different.

He was acting odd and treating her suspiciously like a kid sister. All the sexual heat between them had fizzled into nothing. Yesterday, he’d taken every opportunity to touch her. His gaze had lingered on her lips as though he meant to kiss her, he’d played with her hair, stroked a finger down her arm.

But today—nada. Over breakfast, he’d been a total gentleman, almost as if she were a stranger and hadn’t confessed her secrets to him.

Had talking about Sara reminded him that Maddie wasn’t even close to being in the same league? Or maybe she’d told him too much, and now he felt sorry for Steve after the horrible way she’d treated him.

She put her hands on her hips, her denim capris slightly rough with newness, and stared Tommy down while she silently fumed.

She’d slept in Mitch’s bed and it had been totally innocent and pure. It was what she’d wanted, but still, it bugged her. Sometimes a girl wanted to be a temptation, or at least cause a tiny struggle. It had been okay last night when she’d thought he was being nice, but in the light of morning, things continued.

She missed the sexual threat in his eyes, missed the hints of promise as he looked at her. Like he wanted her. Like he couldn’t wait to have her. She’d never had that before. Sure, Steve had been overprotective, but that hadn’t had anything to do with sex.

The mechanic scratched his temple again and shrugged one big shoulder. “You won’t get quality parts on the Internet.”

Maddie frowned. “It’s a Honda, not an Alfa Romeo.”

Next to her, Mitch tensed. “Tommy’s got a great reputation.”

What was going on here? Something wasn’t right. “I’m not saying he doesn’t, but five days for a simple alternator is a long time. I could probably get instructions and do it myself in an afternoon, so why would it take him until Friday?” Maddie crossed her arms. She didn’t know with whom they thought they were dealing, but she knew lots of “boy” things.

Mitch cleared his throat. “This isn’t Chicago, Maddie. Things move a lot slower down here.”

“Yeah,” Tommy said.

Maddie expected him to continue, but he just stood there, looking like a big dumb jock.

Maddie tapped her flip-flops on the concrete of the garage. “I understand, but it’s not exactly the middle of nowhere either.”

Again, Tommy shot Mitch a look Maddie couldn’t decipher, but before he could say anything, a cute blond woman who made Maddie look like a giant bustled over to them.

She shoved her hand out. “Hi, I’m Mary Beth Crowley, Tommy’s wife.” Her voice held a Southern drawl.

Maddie took the offered hand, only to have hers locked in a death grip. She tried not to wince as she said, “Maddie Donovan. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Mary Beth released her and the blood rushed back into her fingers. The tiny woman slipped her arm through Maddie’s elbow and beamed a megawatt smile. “Why don’t you and I go have a little talk? You know boys. They’ve cooked up a little scheme, and they’re too dumb to carry it off.”

Ha! She knew it! She whirled on Mitch and shot him a menacing glare, but he didn’t notice because he was too busy scowling darkly at Mary Beth.

“Honey,” Tommy said, his tone placating.

“Well, I’m sorry, but you two are making a big mess of everything and I’m not going to stand for it.” She patted Maddie’s arm. “I’m not going to let you con Maddie. She’s been through enough.”


Maddie’s fingers curled into fists as Mary Beth pulled her toward a glass-enclosed room.

“Mary Beth,” Mitch said, stepping in front of them and blocking their way from the privacy of the office. “You—”

She held up her hand. “No, I’m telling her the truth. Now step away.”

A low, frustrated sound emanated from Mitch’s broad chest. “You remember our deal.”

What deal?

Mary Beth straightened, and while she probably only kissed five feet, she looked more formidable than God. “Don’t you take that tone with me, Mitch Riley, I remember it perfectly. Now move out of my way before I get nasty.”