Page 93 of Tuned To Break
“Here he goes,” José mutters, but he’s smiling.
“She works harder than any of us and still makes time to check on everyone, make sure we’re all okay.”
“Jake,” Chase says gently, appearing at my elbow, “we know. We all love her too.”
“But not like I do,” I blurt, heat hitting my face.
“Aww,” comes the chorus from around the workshop.
“Did Kinky Batman just admit he’s in love?” José crows.
“Finally,” Asher adds. “We’ve been waiting for you to say it out loud.”
“I’ve said it before.”
“To her, maybe,” Chase points out. “But this is the first time you’ve said it to us.”
I rake a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling exposed. “Yeah, well. I am. In love with her, I mean. Completely, stupidly, head-over-heels in love.”
“About bloody time you admitted it,” Robert says with a grin. “Now maybe you can stop mooning over her long enough to actually get some work done.”
The arvo flies. By three-thirty I’m practically vibrating with anticipation. Arden texted an hour ago to confirm everything was ready, and I’ve been watching the clock.
At exactly four we gather in the main bay. Stella looks curious but not suspicious, which is exactly what we were hoping for. Arden arrives a few minutes later, dressed in his usual attire. Bow-tie and all.
“Right,” he begins, “I know you’re all wondering why I called this meeting. It’s because I want to recognise someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to this business.”
Stella shifts beside me, probably assuming this is about one of the boys. She has no idea she’s the guest of honour.
“Three months ago,” Arden continues, “we hired someone for basic admin. What we got instead was a complete transformation of how we operate.”
I see the moment Stella realises he’s talking about her. Her eyes widen; a flush creeps up her neck.
“Stella,” he says, turning to her, “you’ve increased efficiency, improved client relationships, and turned us from chaos into a legitimate business. You’ve exceeded every expectation.”
“Arden—” she starts, embarrassed by the attention, but he lifts a hand.
“Which is why,” he continues, pulling a set of keys from his pocket, “I wanted to show my appreciation with something special.”
The roller door opens, and a delivery driver gestures us to follow him outside. Stella looks bewildered as we file into the car park.
Sitting there, gleaming in the afternoon sun, is a brand-new BMW 3 Series in the exact shade of red I suggested. Sleek. Sophisticated. Powerful. Perfect for her.
Stella stops dead in her tracks, her mouth falling open. “What… what is this?”
“Your new company car,” Arden says, beaming, offering the keys. “A thank-you for everything you’ve done.”
“I can’t—Arden, this is too much.” She shakes her head, backing away like the keys might bite. “I can’t accept this.”
“Of course you can,” I encourage, stepping closer. “You deserve this, Stella. You’ve earned it.”
“Jake’s right,” Chase adds. “You’ve worked miracles around here.”
“We all agree,” José chimes in. “You should have something reliable to drive.”
“But it’s a BMW,” she protests, her voice a little strangled. “Do you know how much these cost?”
“Less than what you’ve saved us in improved efficiency,” Arden replies smoothly. “And you represent the company when you meet with clients. You should be driving something that reflects your position.”
