Page 31 of Ice Mechanic

“When areyou guys planning to have your first date?” May asks, taking out her phone and tapping down some notes.

Chance’s deep blue eyes find mine. “I have a meeting with Max to prepare for the press conference on Friday but apart from that I’m free today…”

“How about you go out now?” Rebel suggests.

I panic. “Now?”

“Yeah.” My sister checks her watch. “It’s lunch time.”

“I can’t. I haven’t finished inspecting the oxygen sensors.” I hook a finger at the car behind me.

“I can do it.” Rebel offers.

Before I can come up with an excuse, Chance shakes his head. “It’s okay. We don’t have to go on a date right this second.”

My shoulders cave in from relief.

May finishes tapping on her phone and chirps, “I’ll head home to type out the contract and forward it to you both to sign. Oh, I can’t wait to get started.” She rubs her hands together gleefully. “I say we aim for one hundred thousand new subscribers for the garage.”

“One hundred thousand?” My eyebrows fly up.

“Go big or go home, baby.”

I steer her toward the door. “How about you just go home?”

“You see how she treats me, Chance? I know my dear brother-in-law wouldn’t be so rude.”

“He’s not your brother-in-law,” I grumble.

But Chance disagrees because he stops May before she leaves and slips her a bill.

“Keep calling me brother-in-law and I’ll keep these coming,” he whispers loudly.

May kisses the ten-dollar bill and grins from ear to ear, “Chance, welcome to the family.”

“You see that… utter bribery?” I stammer, pointing at where Chance and May are walking out together.

“He’s funny.”

“He’s arrogant.”

“He seems sweet.”

“All men are sweet when they’re trying to get what they want.”

Rebel stares at me frankly. “He’s not Evan.”

“I know. I wasn’t fake-dating Evan.” Although, now that I look back at it, Evan was fake-dating me. Or fake-dating that hairdresser.

One of us was being fooled.

Rebel stares at me and a smirk tugs at her lips.

I hate when she does that. It makes me feel like she can see right through me.

“I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong,” I mumble.

“I haven’t said anything.”

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