Page 94 of Beneath the Hood

Jackson

My heart has stalled and then kickstarted its way back into beating.

Alina May Carson stands at the entry between the garage and the main building.

“Sweetheart, what the hell are you doing here?” I ask, shock coloring my words and flowing through my veins.

Part of me is happy to see her, it’s impossible not to be, especially when I was just thinking of all the ways I longed for my friends back home. But the bigger part is irritated. Upset that sheneverlistens when I tell her that I need space. That she’s here for some reason, when she should be back at home in Sugarlake.

She walks further into the room, her eyes scanning the rows of cars and the shelves of inventory, eyes glinting as she comes to stand in front of me.

“What, you think you can ignore my calls for months and I wouldn’t get on an airplane for the first time in my lifejustto make sure you’re still alive?” She grins.

I sigh, running my hand through my hair. “Sweetheart, this is...”

Her smile droops and a pang of guilt worms its way through my annoyance.

“Are you not happy to see me, Teeth?”

The nickname makes my annoyance wane, missing the way she always jokes about my smile. Blowing out a breath and placing my hands on my hips, I level her with my stare. “I am. I’malwayshappy to see you, it’s just... I told you I needed space for a reason, and yet here you are.Stillnot listening to me.”

“Hmm...” she hums, nodding her head. “I’ll get my ears checked once I get back home.”

Huffing out a laugh, I roll my eyes.

“But in the meantime,” she continues. “I figured you could show me around, let me see how things are goin’ out here on the West Coast.”

She walks around me and peers into the Cobra, whistling as she takes it in. “This car gonna be in the movies?”

Pride flares in my chest as I nod, turning to watch as she peruses the body, taking in my hard work.

“You know it,” I say.

“Well, dang, Teeth...” She pauses, chewing on her lip. “It seems as though all your dreams are comin’ true. But I think you’ve forgotten about us little guys back in Tennessee.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “You care to explain yourself?”

A pang hits my heart. “I already have. I didn’t forget about you, sweetheart, I just needed some space.”

Her face grows serious, eyes dropping to the ground as she toes the concrete with her shoe. “Because youwantedto forget?”

I sigh, exasperated with this conversation already, but coming to terms with the fact that she’s here, whether I want her to be or not, and I know she won’t leave until she gets what she came for.

“Because I wanted to move on from you.”

My words rush out, lingering in the air. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, biting hard, and the gesture sends a knife through my gut, realizing it’s the same nervous habit that Blakely has.

Shit. How the hell am I going to explain this to Blakely?

“And how’s that goin’”? She cocks her head.

Blowing out a breath, I walk over to my workbench, pulling out a stool to sit down. Blakely flashes through my mind again—to be honest, she never leaves—and a prickling sensation works its way through my insides, my soul tapping its impatient fingers, wanting to be next to her.

“Surprisingly well, actually.” I smile at Lee, her blue eyes sparking.

“That’s good to hear ‘cause I don’t know how much longer I can wait to have my best friend back.”

“You never lost me.” I shrug. “Not really, you just... you’re not good at realizing how you affect people sometimes, sweetheart. How youractionsaffect people.”

She scoffs. “You sound like Eli.”

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