Page 32 of Ice Mechanic

“And please continue to do so.”

She laughs in that boisterous, carefree way. “I think this will be good for you, April. Evan hurt you so badly, but he was awfulto you before he cheated. I hate to think that he succeeded in turning you against dating for good.”

“All Evan did was open my eyes to the truth.”

“I’m afraid to ask what ‘the truth’ is.” Rebel cringes.

“You know why I agreed to this so quickly? It’s because love is a lie anyway. At least this time, I know that going in. Whatever happens between me and Chance won’t be anything but a business arrangement. And that’s fine with me.”

I scoop up the creeper and lean it against the wall so no one accidentally slips on it. As I move, I feel Rebel’s pitying gaze.

She wouldn’t understand. Rebel’s so beautiful that men fight each other to be with her. Her partners are so enamored with her, they do everything in their power to keep her happy.

While I, on the other hand, well… it’s not like suitors were knocking my door down before Evan expressed interest.

Chance walks back into the shop.

“Did you forget something?” I ask.

“Yeah, your lunch order. I already got May’s. She said it’s Taco Tuesday. You ladies want the same?”

I blink slowly.

“I have a spa appointment,” Rebel says, reaching for her hot pink purse. “But April will have fivecarne asadasand anhorchata.”

My eyes fling the word ‘betrayal’ at Rebel.

She smirks.

I glare back. “I think you over-rolled your ‘r’s, Bellie.”

“That’s the only thing I got out of fourrrrrr years of Spanish class.”

I cringe.

Chance laughs.

Rebel blows me a kiss. “Remember not to close the hood of that truck, April. The latch mechanism broke and it won’t be easy to open.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“See you later.” Rebel sashays out.

It’s just me and Chance in the garage.

I find myself at a loss for words. After how unpleasant—okay, downright rude—I was to him at the hotel, it’s a little embarrassing to find myself dating him less than eighteen hours later.

Fake-dating him, I mean.

Putting my jittery hands to work, I open the car hood, secure the jack so the vehicle is lifted off the ground and grab the creeper to return to my inspection.

I feel Chance’s gaze hot on me and whirl around. He’s leaning against the wall, surveying me with eyes half-hooded.

“You’re still here? I thought you went to buy tacos?”

“May gave me the taco truck’s phone number. I texted in my order and they said it’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”

“So you’re just gonna stand there and… stare creepily for thirty minutes?”

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