Page 21 of The Millionaire's Mechanic

“Oh.” He laughed. “I didn’t realize beer was a valid currency for those.”

“It was at the local junkyard where I used to scavenge for parts.”

He hummed. “I see. So, the interest in cars came early?”

“Yeah. My foster mother taught me. Her dad and grandad were both mechanics. She taught Mack first because he was older, but she only showed him basic car maintenance. Then, I started tearing lamps and my alarm clock apart to figure out how they worked.”

She smiled, staring dreamily out the window. Those childhood memories of her and Mack puttering around the family sedan were good, untainted by what happened later.

“When I went after the vacuum cleaner, Diamond decided to channel all that energy more productively. She said it was okay to mess with anything in her car as long I could put it back together afterward.”

“And did you?”

“Well…eventually. But there was more than one occasion when Ephraim had to drive Diamond to work.”

Rainer grinned. “I bet he didn’t mind.”

“No, he didn’t. Ephraim used to worship the ground she walked on,” she agreed. “They were really sweet. She used to tell him he was better than Rain man, saying he was both Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise rolled into one.”

“Aww…”

“Yeah, she tended to gild the lily. But nicely…”

“And what did Ephraim call Diamond?”

“He used to call her his emerald. They’re technically rarer and more precious than diamonds.”

“Well, fuck. My parents were nowhere near that nice to each other.”

Georgia straightened in her seat. “Oh. Sorry to hear that.”

He shrugged. “Eh. It is what it is.” The tone was flippant, but there was a dark, deep undercurrent there.

Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, she changed the subject. “I’m a little surprised the clinic was so well equipped for such a tiny, nondescript place,” she added after a minute of silence. “It even had a helicopter.”

The shiny white and red machine had been sitting on a helipad a little behind the building and to the right.

“I’m not sure if that one is theirs or if it’s the one that belongs to the emergency services,” Rainer said, looking through the Jeep’s windshield around at the mountain as if it had personally offended him. “Occasionally, a couple of hikers get lost in the woods. That’s why they need the chopper. Also, to airlift anyone who skis into a tree.”

He glanced at her, noting the amusement on her face. “It happens more often than you’d think,” he added darkly. “That’s how Sonny Bono died.”

She inclined her head. “Tell you what, the next time we go into hiding, we’ll do it at a beach.”

The teasing words were meant to nudge him into a smile, but he only grew grimmer.

“We are going to get these guys. And when we do, they’re going away for good.” Hands tight on the steering wheel, he shook his head. “I’m not letting this happen again.”

Georgia’s head jerked to stare at him. “Again? Have—have you been almost kidnapped before?”

“Not exactly,” he said after a short, sharp silence. Rainer’s cheekbones were starkly prominent. “Let’s just say I have a security team for a reason.”

The atmosphere in the car grew heavy, enough that she decided not to ask what had happened—despite her avid curiosity. Georgia was hungry for every morsel of knowledge about him, but she also wouldn’t hurt him for the world. And whatever had happened to him had hurt, deep enough to leave scars.

And you know all about those.Better leave well enough alone.

Because while Rainer was nice enough to take care of her while she was injured, he wasn’t as open as he appeared. He wouldn’t ever confide in her.

After returning to the cabin, Rainer announced he was going to do some work in the office. Worn out by the short trip, Georgia retreated to her room, too tired to take advantage of the insane amenities.

---