Page 5 of Here's to Tomorrow

2

Rae

Four days have passed, but I feel like I was just here, standing in the middle of Jacked Up, waiting for my car. I don’t know if it’s the lack of sleep I’ve been getting or my rumbling stomach, but I’m starting to get irritated standing around.

“Miss Kamden?” All the irritation I’m feeling drains from my body with those two words. I turn toward the same gravelly voice I’ve been secretly craving to hear again since I walked out of this shop the last time.

Standing before me is Hudson, the insanely hot mechanic that witnessed my lack of filter and crazy rambling. I realize then that I find uniforms to be very sexy, and it has everything to do with Hudson. Even in his navy jumpsuit, he’s hot, and the smudge of oil on his cheek does nothing to take that away from that fact. Hell, it adds to his overall appeal.

“Just Rae,” I say, finding my voice.

His lips tilt up at the corners. “Just Rae. Right.” Hudson rakes his eyes over me quickly. Something along the lines of interest flicks in his gaze, but he pushes it away. Clearing his throat, he shifts on his feet, taking on a more authoritative pose. “We have her all done for you. I can have one of my guys bring her around front while we go over any last-minute paperwork in the front office.”

“Sounds good. Lead the way,” I tell him, my voice steady and calm, feeding off the professional vibe he’s now giving off.

We walk through the same doors as before, though I notice this time that Tucker is nowhere in sight. Hudson walks around behind the counter and I follow his movements from the other side.

“So, just looks like you need to sign off on a few things,” he says, handing me a clipboard. “Here.” He points to the bottom of the page, and I quickly scan it then sign it. We do this three more times before I swipe my debit card and he declares us done.

As I’m handing the pen back to him, his rough, calloused finger grazes over mine, and I’ll be damned if those stupid romance books weren’t right—I feel it. A small zing shoots up my arm, the feeling so sharp, I almost wince.

I peek up to find Hudson staring back at me intently. I feel it again—that weird pull I felt last time we gazed at each other like this—only this time it’s stronger than before.

In this moment, something changes. Looking into Hudson’s eyes, I feelsomething, and it’s big. It’s something that could change…well, everything.

I clear my throat and look away hastily. “Right. So, anything else?”

He shakes his head once. “No, you’re all set. Let me go tell the guys to bring the car around for you.”

I fold my arms over my chest and wait for him to come back. I don’t have to wait long at all.

“All ready. It’s out front,” Hudson says, walking back in the through the doors. He hands me my keys. “She runs great, by the way.”

“Yeah? I’ll believe it when I see it,” I say, failing in trying to keep the bite out of my voice. I just can’t help it. I’ve been burned by one too many mechanics that have said the exact same thing.

“You want to go for a test drive then?” Hudson asks, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Know what? I do. Let’s go,” I tell him, already moving toward the front door. I don’t hear him following me so I look back. He’s bent down behind the counter, reaching for something. “You coming?”

Hudson stands, holding a piece of paper with footprints on it. “Wanted to grab a mat so I don’t get your car dirty. We did just clean it, you know.”

I look him up and down, making it obvious I’m eyeing his dirty jumpsuit. “What a gentleman,” I deadpan.

He laughs at my blatant sarcasm and unzips the getup right there in front of me, stripping out of it in seconds. I won’t lie, there’s a huge part of me that was hoping he was naked under there, so I’m a little disappointed to discover he’s in a pair of black running shorts and an orange t-shirt.

Hmm…guy doesn’t look too bad in my favorite color.

I click the unlock button on the key fob as we approach my car. Hudson jogs ahead of me to the driver side door at the sound.

I stop a few feet from him. “Um, shouldn’tIbe the one driving?”

He gives me a smirk—something I feel is his secret weapon—and opens my door for me. “Just living up to my gentlemanly duties.”

My lips betray me and a smile breaks out across my face. “Right. Gentleman. I forgot,” I say, walking past him and climbing into my car.

I unabashedly admire the way he moves as he jogs around to the other side. He’s a big guy, tall and muscular, but he moves with ease. Hudson folds himself into the small car and immediately pushes the seat back, stretching his legs out. Hell, even his legs are sexy, andI’ve never paid any attention to someone’s legs before because there’s nothing sexy about hairy man-legs—except Hudson’s, apparently.

He clears his throat, and I realize then I’m still staring at his legs. I force my eyes to meet his and find him still smirking.Stupid smirk.

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