Mustang Sassy (21 page)

“No way.”

“Yep. The guy’s a master with steel, but he’s sort of a douche when it comes to his personal life.” He bit down hard on the toothpick. “He messed Sass up pretty bad.”

“No shit.” Jordan stared at the car, but he was thinking about Sass. Was Dex the reason she was so gun-shy? Had he been reading her wrong the whole time? Was her inability to commit because she’d been hurt so bad in the past?

A sudden, blinding headache brought his hand to his temple. What the hell did that make him? Here he was, Jordan Carlyle, pretending to be someone else, lying about why he was here, staying at her cabin, going behind her back to scoop her best mechanic. All for what? To prove something?

In a competition for douchebag of the year, he was pretty sure he beat out Dex Whelan hands down.

Massaging his temples, Jordan vowed he’d come clean to Sass as soon as he was done here because now that he could leave Greenview. He didn’t want to. It wasn’t just sex between him and Sass. He’d fallen for her. Hard. And he wanted—no, needed—to make it work. Somehow.

“You okay, bro?”

“Yeah.” Bringing his focus back to Carlos—first things first—Jordan said, “So, how attached are you to Hogan’s?”

“Not very.”

“Ever thought of moving to Denver?”

Carlos chewed the toothpick. “Shit, yeah.”

“Ever heard of Carlyle’s Classics?”

Carlos frowned, but there was a light in his eyes as if he knew where Jordan was going with this conversation. “Of course. They were one of the places I applied to for my apprenticeship.”

Jordan had to file that little item away for future use. His father would have saved a lot of time and money if they’d been the ones to take on Carlos for his apprenticeship. “Still interested in a job there?”

“Hell, yeah.”

“What if I were to make you an offer, fifteen percent more than you earn here. Would you take it?”

“What? To work at Carlyle’s? Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I’d take it. What’s the catch?”

Jordan slid his hand along the roof of the car and said lightly, “No catch. Just keep doing what you’re doing. The only thing I ask is that you don’t tell Hogan or his daughter how you got the offer. If anyone finds out from you that I’m an employee of Carlyle’s, the offer is void. Do you understand?”

“How do I know your offer’s legit?”

Jordan had expected as much. He stuck his hand in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside was his ID and an employee card from Carlyle’s.

“You’re a Carlyle?”

“Yep.”

“Holy shit.”

Jordan nodded.

“I guess an apology is in order for the black eye. You can hardly see it anymore.”

“Apology accepted. Now let me explain what I was doing in Greenview to begin with…”

While Jordan explained his whole ruse he thought he saw a glint in Carlos’s eye. It left a bad taste in his mouth. But, as much as he didn’t like him, Carlos was his ticket to his new life. After he got home this weekend everyone would be dying to meet the man who had performed such miracles on the Mustang.

So Jordan invited Carlos out to Denver on the following Monday to meet his father and brothers and a few others at Carlyle’s. The men shook hands to seal the deal but suddenly Carlos stiffened, his gaze fixed over Jordan’s shoulder at the door to the bay.

Jordan spun around to find Sass standing there looking shell-shocked.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit!

He glanced at Carlos and mouthed the word, “Later.” Then he walked to the door of the bay, and, taking Sass by the arm, he led her to a private but cluttered corner of the shop. “Sass, I’m so sorry, let me explain—”

“Explain? Why on earth do
you
need to explain?” Moving out from his grasp, she continued in a strange monotone voice, “The rest of the parts will be in tomorrow. Your car will be ready by three.” She turned and walked away, leaving Jordan to stare after her.

…

She went directly to Buck’s office and shut the door and locked it. She couldn’t risk anyone coming in, not Al, not Manny, certainly not Carlos…none of them. She knew from limited experience that once the tears started, they’d be impossible to turn off.

Her eyes burned as she peered around Buck’s cluttered office, at the cabinets piled high with papers, the walls covered in old hot rod calendars dating back to the early nineties. It was all going to be gone. All of it. Buck was getting married, that was a shock, but not life-threatening. The shop, on the other hand, the loss of the shop… A sob slipped between her lips and Sass wiped her runny nose on her sleeve. This was her home. This and the cabin were the only places on earth she’d ever felt she belonged.

She rolled the chair back so she could hang her head, letting the tears flow freely. They dripped one after the other, making little stains on the concrete. She wanted to kick, to scream, to tear the office apart. But she couldn’t. It wouldn’t make any difference. Buck already had offers. He’d had the lawyer draw up documents before he left. And he’d done it all without asking, without consulting, without even worrying about how she’d feel.

Her dream of running Hogan’s was never going to happen and Buck, one of the few men she trusted, didn’t seem to care.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

“Sass?”

Shit. Jordan was on the other side of the door. The last thing she needed was to see him. He was another good thing in her life that was coming to an end. Forever.

“Sass, we need to talk. Can you open the door please?” He rattled the locked knob.

After hanging up from the atom bomb that Buck had dropped, she felt like a zombie walking through the shop and standing in the bay where Jordan and Carlos were discussing the car. Sass couldn’t hear them, but by the way Jordan touched the finished paint product, with reverence, he appeared pleased. She’d been so upset by Buck’s news, she couldn’t even bring herself to tell him the truth. It didn’t seem important anymore that Jordan know who did it.

“Come on, Sass. Let me explain.”

She wiped her whole face on her sleeve and sniffed. What did he think needed an explanation? The fact that he was leaving tomorrow? She’d always known he would leave and had reminded herself of it daily while she went at her speed bag.

Her plan had been to spend this last night with him at the cabin. She’d even convinced herself to stay the night. Just once.

But now…now there was no way she could handle that kind of good-bye. It’d kill her. Her heart would never recover.

“Sass…”

“Go away.”

She walked up to the door and laid her palm against it, as if his hand was on the other side and they were touching. It took all her effort to control her features, to keep her breakdown in check. Thank God she didn’t have to do this face-to-face.

“Please, Sass.”

“Go away. I don’t want to see you again, Jordan. Do you understand?”

Silence. Then, “Yeah, Sass. I understand.”

Chapter Sixteen

What the hell was going on? Jordan sat in the parking lot at Hogan’s completely and utterly confused. For the last twenty-four hours, guilt, shame, and sorrow gnawed on him like some flesh-eating disease, making it impossible to eat or sleep. This afternoon he’d shown up at Hogan’s resolved on seeing Sass and somehow making it right.

Except she wasn’t there. Gone to the airport to pick up Buck, Alice had said.

That wasn’t the strange part. The strange part was when he went to pay for the repairs Alice had handed him a sealed envelope and told him Sass had settled his bill, all of which was explained in the note which was short and to the point, like the woman herself.

Jordan,

As discussed earlier, you don’t owe me a dime. I would appreciate it if you would never mention any of this to anyone.

Thanks, Sass.

It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. As discussed earlier? When did they ever discuss the cost of the repairs? And, more importantly…was she insane? Of course she was. He’d suspected as much from the first day he met her and he loved it about her. She was good insane. Unpredictable insane. Live-by-the-seat-of-your-pants insane.

But this? This was a new brand of insanity and Jordan could not make heads or tails out of it.

He reread the note for the hundredth time, flipping it over and checking the envelope just to make sure. Nope. No phone number, no mention of their relationship, nothing about what she overheard in the shop. Nothing.

Dammit! He needed to talk to her. But, he also had to get back to Denver. He’d already called home and, after being reamed out by his brothers, he’d assured Blake he’d be by the shop before it closed at seven. That left him only one option. Somehow, he had to get hold of Sass.

His first stop was at the Pharmasave to borrow a phonebook. Just as he was approaching the register, the checkout girl glanced up and smiled. “Well, if it isn’t Jordan Michaels. Your eye is looking much better.”

“Hey, Libby.”

“How can I help you?”

“Actually, I was going to ask for a phonebook, but you’re even better. Do you have Sass’s cell number?”

“Sass doesn’t have one. I know, right? The girl lives in the dark ages. But, she says she doesn’t need it. Do you want her home number?”

“Sure.”

Libby tore a piece of receipt paper off the register and jotted the number down for him. “You want me to give her a message of something?”

“No.” Jordan turned to go. “Wait,” he stopped. “Tell her…tell her…” Jordan jingled his keys against his thigh and then said, “Tell her I’m thinking about her.”

Libby grinned. “You bet. See yah around, Mr. Michaels.”

So, Sass hadn’t told Libby who he really was yet. Did that mean anything? Before climbing back into his car, Jordan stopped, considering something he hadn’t before. What if Sass didn’t care? What if it really had been only about sex and she was glad to see the back end of him, regardless of what his last name was?

No. Even if that were true, she’d still be pissed he lied.

Once seated inside the car, Jordan pulled out his cell and dialed Sass’s number. His preference was to give this speech in person but he couldn’t wait around for Sass to get back from Denver. Besides, based on yesterday, she wasn’t about to give him the time of day. The best he could hope for was a voice mail.

After the fifth ring, Sass’s voice came on. “Leave a message.”

“Hey, Sass? It’s Jordan. I wish I could tell you this in person, but, ah, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I know. It was a stupid thing to do. I wanted to tell you who I really was but I was afraid of your reaction. But I can’t lie anymore. I’ve offered Carlos a job, and I think he’s going to take it. I know this is going to be a blow to Hogan’s, but I hope you’ll forgive me. I need to do this. Can you understand that? I never meant to hurt you. Sass, I just want to talk to you in person.” He paused. “And, what the hell is this about not paying my bill? Of course I’m going to pay it.

“Anyway, give me a call.” He left his number and prayed she’d forgive him.

…

Buck and Sass rode the whole two-and-a-half hours from Denver in complete silence. For Buck, silence was typical. For Sass, it wasn’t. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to talk about his big news on the road. She had to pretend, for just a while longer, that things were the same as they’d always been.

But things weren’t the same. It was apparent from the moment she saw Buck in the airport. He was still Buck, big and tall with thick salt-and-pepper hair, but there was something different too. He was tanned, he looked fit and—dammit—he seemed younger. He was a new man and Sass didn’t know what to make of him, let alone what to say to him.

It wasn’t until they were back at home and Buck had dropped his bags in his room, before heading to the kitchen to pull two cold ones out of the fridge, that any form of communication began.

“Here. Sit down.”

Sass accepted the beer but said, “I’d rather stand.”

Buck sighed. “You’re upset.”

“You think?”

“I should’ve told you sooner.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

Buck rubbed his jaw and then took a drink. “It’s a lot to take in. I know. There’s going to be big changes ahead for both of us.”

She paced, “Buck, I know you think you’re in love but, you’re doing some pretty crazy things that make me think—”

“I don’t
think
I’m in love. I am in love.” He came up behind her and put his big hands on her shoulders. It was strange because Buck had never been touchy-feely. She hadn’t grown up with a lot of hugs. “I’m so sorry I didn’t say something sooner. I don’t know if this sounds dumb, but it’s like, things have been so good with Mary-Lynn, I was afraid if I talked about it, I might jinx it or something.” He sighed and squeezed. “I’m ready, Sass. It’s been almost twenty years since your mom died.”

She didn’t say anything, because she couldn’t argue with him. If he wanted to get married, that was his business. It was everything else. She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t and after a time, he finally sat back down again. “Would you have a seat, please?”

It took two more swallows of beer before Sass was ready to turn around and sit across the table from her father.

“Your mother was an amazing woman.” Buck paused and Sass willed him to go on. How was she amazing? What was she like? Was Sass like her in any way? In her mind, Sass pleaded with Buck to continue. But when he did, it was off in a different direction, avoiding the topic she craved most.

His voice was low, almost inaudible when he said, “Sometimes it’s hard just having you…”

Sass stared at the tabletop as she listened to Buck and his inability to finish. So, it was as she’d always assumed. Her presence made it difficult for Buck. That was why he never spoke of her mom.

“It was so hard when she died. I felt so…responsible.” Buck cleared his throat. “But time goes by. The hurt…fades. A man…” Buck shook his head. “Dammit, Sass. I’m no good at this shit, you know that.” He stood up and pulled a photo out of his back pocket. He placed it on the table and slid it across to Sass. “This is her.”

Sass scrutinized it. The woman appeared to be in her midfifties, blond, blue-eyed, lots of makeup, nicely dressed. She looked…sweet. “What does she do?”