Page 14 of To Belong Together
She was starting to count his talents. Drumming, and now driving. Progress?
He turned for the shop. If she’d already driven around this area, the noise wouldn’t act up for him now. The true test would always be Old Sawmill Road. “I’m sorry I offended you.”
Erin’s surprise quickly turned tense. “You didn’t.”
He nodded once. “I didn’t get you in trouble, bringing this back, did I?”
“No. It’s a family business. I’m basically a part-owner.”
The implication that she was above getting in trouble didn’t hold weight after he’d witnessed Sam yelling at her. If she was used to men treating her so terribly, that would explain why she wasn’t interested in John. A few test drives wasn’t enough to change her low expectations, but they’d made progress today, and next time his car needed service, they might make more.
He parked, and they entered the building. A man he hadn’t met on previous visits stood behind the counter, working on the computer. He was around Sam’s age, and his face was a similar oval. Probably another cousin of Erin’s, this one more inclined to ignore her than yell at her.
Erin made notes on an invoice, then slid it toward the man. “He’s all set. Do you mind checking him out?”
The man turned. The grease- and dirt-darkened name badge on his shirt readRoy. After a glance at the paperwork, his eyes jumped to John. “Absolutely.”
John knew what that meant, and his hopes for slowly getting on Erin’s good side evaporated. If Roy had recognized him, soon the whole shop would learn his identity. If she took an interest after that, it’d be for all the wrong reasons.
For now, though, Erin gave Roy a look as if he were losing it.
Her expression cleared as she focused on John with a glint of humor in her eyes. “Be careful with all that drifting.”
“Always. Take care, Erin.”
She flashed a dimple, then headed away. As the door between the lobby and the shop closed behind her, so did his chance to get to know her before his money and fame had to be balanced in the equation.
“So sorry you had to come back in. I apologize for that.” Roy’s tone dripped with unnatural courtesy.
John resisted the urge to scowl as he pulled out his credit card. “How much do I owe you?”
“No charge for the additional diagnosis time, since she didn’t do it right the first time.”
Did he have to specify that?
“I want to pay the full bill. Diagnosis too.” Why have money if not to make a point once in a while?
An unnatural smile stretched Roy’s lips, and he lifted a hand toward a sign on the wall, describing the fix-it-right guarantee. “It’s our promise.”
“I insist.” Erin shouldn’t work for free simply because his problem had been hard to diagnose.
“How about we get a picture and call it even?”
“No, thanks.” He pushed his card closer to the register. At this rate, he’d have to have someone call with a privacy agreement or soon there’d be billboards of Hirsh Auto Repair boasting they were his first choice for car service.
Roy’s broad fingers, etched with grease, closed on the card. “If we’d known you were bringing your car in, we would’ve made sure a more experienced tech worked on it.”
It was another dig but also a chance to learn more about her. “Erin is new?”
“Been here about a year.”
“And before that?”
“Worked down by Blue Creek for a few years, but we’ve got techs with almost ten years’ experience on her. If you have any more problems, Sam or I will fix you up free.” Roy turned a credit receipt toward him and produced a pen from under the counter.
John signed and left with nothing more than a nod. If he came back—and eventually he would—he’d insist only Erin touch his car.
Twenty minutes later, he got halfway down Old Sawmill Road before the squeak sounded.
