Page 123 of Unexpected Kisses

As I stand to my full height, I stretch out my back and stride toward my small office. I barely spend time here, choosing to do most of my paperwork at home. At the end of the day, I usually take whatever paperwork I need to complete home, then bring it back with me in the morning. I even bought a cheap laptop to make things easier to transport. My sister hands the phone to me, studying me from the top of my head to the tips of my steel cap work boots.

“Hello, Stanfield Auto Repairs, Max speaking.”

“Hi, Max. I’m having car trouble again. Would I be able to trouble you to look at the old girl for me?”

“No problem, Mr. McNally. Would this afternoon be okay? Around three?”

“Perfect. Thanks, Max. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

“See you then.”

“Great. See you at three. Bring your appetite. Jean will make you a snack.”Oh yeah, Jean knows how to bake. This is my lucky day.

I laugh. “I definitely will.” Ending the call, I glance at my sister, then around the small room. The boys are nowhere in sight. “Where’re the boys?”

“Hanging out with Theo. I had to get some supplies for work and was passing by.” She hands me a takeaway coffee. “I thought I’d stop in and have a quick coffee with my little brother.”

I scoff. “Little brother!” I may be younger than her, but at six foot three inches, I tower over her five-foot-seven frame. I take the coffee from her, grateful for the warm beverage. Wrapping my hands around the paper cup, I take a sip and sigh with gratitude. “Thanks, Em.” Leaning forward, I kiss her cheek in welcome. “Good to see you. How are the boys, and Kenny and Theo?”

She makes herself comfortable on my lone desk, her smile broadens, and a twinkle lightens her eyes. I’ve never seen my sister this happy. Theo and Kenny have been a great addition to Emma’s family, and to our family. “They’re great. They love hanging out with Theo and Kenny. Though, if Austin knew I was here, he’d be mad that I didn’t bring him along.” She chuckles.

“You should drop him over one afternoon. He can hang out here with me.”

“You’ve got enough going on. You don’t need to be watching Austin when you’ve got so much work to do. Speaking about how much work you have to do. When are you going to hire someone to help you with the office stuff?” she asks, as she studies the piles of papers on the corner of my desk.

I shrug. My family has been nagging me for ages to employ some staff, and while I could comfortably afford to pay some part-time wages, I don’t have the time it would take to teach someone the job. It’s a double-edged sword because I could really use the help. It would free up my evenings and possibly give me some free time to … I don’t know … maybe date. After seeing Emma find her happiness, I’ve realized how lonely I am and I want some of what she has. I want a family of my own. I take another sip of my coffee to delay my response.

Emma slides off of my desk and steps forward. She rests her hand on my forearm and tilts her head up. “We’re worried about you, Max. You work too hard; you need to free up some of your time.”

Sighing, I drop my voice. “I know. I just don’t have the time to train new staff. Ya know?”

Her eyes soften and she gives me a small smile. “A little time upfront could save you a lot of time down the line. Think about it. Okay?”

I nod. “I have thought about it and I’ll think about it some more. Promise.” I finish with a smile to let her know I appreciate her concern.

“I’ll leave you to your day in peace. See you at Mom and Dad’s tomorrow?”

“Definitely. I wouldn’t miss seeing my favorite people.” I bend down to kiss my sister goodbye, careful to keep my greasy hands and body away from hers. “Thanks for stopping by, Em. Say hi to the family for me.”

“I will.” I follow her out to her car and watch her drive away. To her family. Something I don’t think I’ll have any time soon. Heading back inside the workshop, I mentally calculate how much longer I need on the job I’m working on, to ensure I leave on time for my house call this afternoon. I definitely need to consider hiring an office manager.

* * *

Aaron’s hand lands heavily on my sweaty back as I bend over at the waist, trying to catch my breath. I’m getting too old for this shit. Not that thirty-six is old.

“You okay, old man?” he snickers.

“Fuck off. You’re six months older than me. Cut the ‘old man’ bullshit!” I stand to my full height, pushing him away playfully.

“You coming for a beer?”

“Yep. I’ll meet you guys there.” He heads off with Lincoln. They share a place, so it makes sense for them to share a ride to our pseudo soccer matches. Lincoln’s covered in tattoos and looks like he belongs in a biker club, but he’s a decent guy who does beautiful tattoo work.

Turning around, I spot Gary walking toward me and I raise my chin. “Good game. You coming for a beer tonight?”

“Nah. Layla’s sick. I need to get home. Maybe next week.”

“Sure, man. Take good care of your girl.” She’s been sick a lot lately. I hope it’s nothing too serious.

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