Page 53 of Ice Mechanic

“I’ll speak to Gunner tomorrow,” Max says firmly.

“Don’t bother.” I take a sip from my giant water bottle.

“This was not only immature but totally uncalled for. What are we? In the fifth grade?”

“It’s okay.” I pat his shoulder. “There was no harm done.”

“You were naked as the day you were bornandit was all caught on camera, but you’re not mad?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Max shakes his head. “I need to do something. As the manager of this team, I can’t turn a blind eye.”

I swing my gym bag over my shoulder and look back at him. “Turn a blind eye, Max.”

“Why?”

My lips curl up cruelly. “So you can do the same when I get them back.”

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

APRIL

I parkin front of the Happy Go Lucky nursing home. The acreage is bracketed by an apple orchard to the left and a stone pathway that leads to a sprawling garden, tended by the residents.

Despite the lush grounds, the buildings are straight-edged brick with glass doors, large windows, and golden door handles.

It’sthemost upscale nursing home in the county and, though I’m grateful I was able to get dad a suite here, I can admit that I was overly ambitious.

Dad was my rock growing up. I want him to havethebest of the best.

However, ‘the best’ comes with a hefty price tag and right now, my purse is empty.

“I’m so sorry it’s taken me this long. I’ll have the money wired to you by the end of the month,” I practice to myself in the car. “So sorry…”

Mid-speech, my phone rings.

Blushing despite being alone in the car and notactuallytalking to anyone about my money troubles yet, I pick up. “Hey, Rebel.”

“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that Chance dropped by and picked up the Bel Air.”

“Oh.”

She sighs heavily. “I wanted one more day with her. Twenty-four hours wasn’t enough.”

The memory of Rebel squealing when I drove the Bel Air into the garage yesterday zips through my head. We both ‘eeeeped’ for three minutes straight, forcing May to get on her bike and pedal home to spare her eardrums.

“Chance said he has a fleet of luxury cars to drive down, so we just have to be patient,” I remind her.

“That’s the only reason I let him take her back,” Rebel admits. “That and I felt sorry for him.”

“Why?”

“He was physically standing still, but his eyes were looking all over the shop for you. When I finally told him that you weren’t coming in today, he seemed devastated.”

I roll my eyes. Rebel can be so dramatic.

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