Page 16 of Flaunt
I grin too. “Well, and that.”
Tasha has opened all the shades in the Carmichael Classics lobby, filling the room with bright early Saturday morning sunlight. The shop is officially closed on the weekends, but I’m here nearly every day. Dad always said to find a job that doesn’t feel like work. The only thing that didn’t feel like work was messing with cars. I’ve managed to assemble a pretty amazing group of people to help build my business into something I’m proud of—and Tasha is the person who makes sure that all pieces of the company operate smoothly.
I couldn’t do this without her. I wouldn’t know where to start.
“How long are you going to be here?” she asks. “I have a stack of parts invoices that I need you to approve. I tried to nail you down all week and couldn’t.”
“Where are they?”
She plops a folder on the edge of her desk. It hits with a thud.
“That’s a lot,” I say, eyeing it.
“Most of them are for the car Eddie’s working on. The bump fromfun cartoshow carhasn’t been cheap.”
I pick up the folder and sigh. “Well, I warned the guy about that and was even heavy on the numbers. It’s probably going to double our man hours, let alone this.” I shake the folder in the air. “But it’s not my money he’s spending, and it’s gonna fatten my bank account, so whatever.”
“Speaking of Eddie—you remember he’s taking the next two weeks off, right?”
“No. Why is he doing that?”
“He’s visiting family in Portugal,” she says, laughing. “You literally had a conversation about this a month ago right here. You were standing in the same spot you’re in now.”
“How can you remember where I was standing a month ago, and I can’t even remember the damn conversation?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know.”
I furrow my brow. “Did I work those two weeks into the project schedule?”
“You did.”
“I knew it.” I pump my fist in the air. “Why was I even worried?Last month metook care ofthis month me. He was a genius.”
“Calling him a genius might be overkill.”
I make my way to my office. “When was the last time you took a vacation?”
“The week before I started here.”
“You deserve one.”
She laughs. “I can’t afford to take one, Banks. I’d come back, and this place would be out of control.”
I stop in the doorway and flip on my light. “You have no faith in me.”
“Banks. I took two days off over the winter with strep, and you guys acted like I was gone for a year. Can you imagine if I took a whole week off? Or two?”
I might seem calm on the outside, but I’m literally shaking on the inside. If Tash isn’t here, I can’t function. No one can function. We’d all sit around staring at each other.
Please don’t leave, Tash.
“Well, for what it’s worth, you deserve one.” I look at her over my shoulder. “But, for the love of God, take your phone. Or better yet—just take me with you. I’m a great vacationer. I’ll even plan the itinerary. How do you feel about roller coasters?”
“What kind of a vacation would that be? You and my husband talking cars and me trying to get both of youandthe kids in line? Count me out.”
“You’re no fun.”
She turns back to her desk. “You don’t pay me to be fun.”
