Page 39 of Fast and Dirty

“Um no, they will helpyou,” I counter. “You’re doing all the work. I just unwittingly delivered the damn thing to you. Believe me, absolving me of the repair expenses is more than enough.” I try to glare at him withI mean itin my eyes but it only makes him chuckle.

“We wouldn’t even have this opportunity if it wasn’t for you,” he reminds me. “And just getting to do this will go in my personal record book, which is enough for me.”

“Well aren’t we stubborn?” I plant my hands on my hips.

“Yes,weare, Princess” he mimics my position.

“You know, it’s not even going to happen if you don’t get your ass out of here and get started,” I squawk, getting indignant. “Get to work!” I point in the direction of his shop, trying so hard to look fearsome and menacing but corners of my mouth are winning the upwards fight.

Fortunately, the sex well of a mechanic humors me, leaning in to give me one more parting kiss.

When he pulls back, the sunlight glints against something on his neck.

“What is that?” I step forward and reach to touch it.

“What?” West looks confused as I touch his neck and myfinger comes away with a speck of something shiny and pink stuck to it.

“Is this…glitter?” I look up at him.

He examines my fingertip a moment before a look of realization comes over his face.

“Fucking Hunt!” He curses, his voice giving off a rolling thunder-like quality.

“Oh,” I falter. “Are you and Hunt into some kind of -,”

“No! That infantile pantload just decided to prank me with a glitter bomb in my tool chest this morning,” he gripes.

“Oh,” I sigh and it turns into a light laugh. “Well your frustration and indignance is kind of hot.”

And there’s that sexy smirk of his again.

“I should get to work,” he imparts, traces of regret in his voice, just as I hear tires screeching from somewhere behind me. He flicks a quick glance over my shoulder and the eye rolly smirk tells me it’s my geriatric chauffeur. “I’ll call you later,” he mutters, giving me one last kiss, and holy shit, squeezing my ass before turning to walk away.

The rest of the day,West and I engage in a text war over who’s keeping the money. It was his brilliant idea, and he’s done just short of everything. It’s definitely his.

He keeps firing back that I need it more and that I am the bringer of what I am now thinking of as the infernal car.

We go on and on throughout the afternoon as I try to make myself useful around Casa de Agnes, cleaning up and making her afternoon highball. It’s after I sit through two episodes of MacGyver with her - 80s television is truly the best! How have I never seen such genius? - that I realize I haven’t heard from him in a while and check my messages. My last retort sits there unread. Huh. Oh well, maybe he finally got the message.Good for him.

My phone remains silent as afternoon bleeds into early evening and I try not to be that girl who waits by the phone. I’m trying to be independent after all.

I’m saved, however, from contemplating how to make a box of macaroni and cheese without burning the house down when the doorbell rings.

I whip open the door and scream when I see who’s on the other side of it. Toby screams right back and I jump into his arms and he spins me around the porch. When he sets me down, I notice two suitcases beside the door.

“Is that all my clothes? I told you to ship them. You didn’t have to bring them!” When I look back to him, I realize he’s smiling just a little too big.

“No, - yes,” he stammers. “I mean, part if it is the clothes you asked for and the other case is my shit because… surprise! I thought I’d come stay with you for a little while!”

“Oh my god, I’m so happy,” I throw myself into his arms again, and though he’s squeezing me back, I feel him stiffen a little. Something is off.

“Toby?” I step back, looking at him cautiously because that smile is freaking me out. It’s his,Shit’s about to hit the fan and I’m trying and failing miserably to keep it coollook. He finally loses the fight and his eyes squeeze closed as he drops his head back.

“Jeffery got a job offer in London!” He sobs, but quickly takes a breath and tries to get ahold of himself. “I’m good,” he insists, straightening his spine and swiping at his eyes.

“Ohhh Tobe,” I walk into him and wrap my arms around him. “I’m so sorry honey. That’s so hard.”

“I offered to go with him, but he said the relationship was too new and that me tagging along would be too much pressure,” he wails again, falling against me.

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