Test Drive (6 page)

“Call me an idiot if you want, but we can’t all be workaholics with happy families.”

Rena snorted. Del’s cousin was such a sweetheart and a romantic under the exterior of a career woman with drive. Beneath her springy light brown curls, cocoa-brown skin, and laughing amber eyes lay a persuasive charmer who could talk her clients into anything. The woman also had a way of digging at the truth and letting nothing stand in her way when delivering said truth to friends and family.

“Honey, you and I have been friends for how long?”

Lara mentally counted. “Four—almost five—years. Since I started at Ray’s.” Where they both continued to work while striving to make their dreams a reality.

“And in those four—almost five—years, I’ve watched you put out fires and try to stop your sister from making stupid mistakes. Hasn’t worked for you yet, but you keep on tryin’.” Rena cut a few more strands, then moved to Lara’s front. “Nah, I think we’ll let your bangs continue to grow out.”

“You sure?”

“You have the face for it. Trust me.” Rena returned to the back of Lara’s chair and cut some more. “Just evening this out.” After a bit of silence, she added, “And since when is my family happy—or even normal? Del can’t stop charging people for saying four-letter words. Mom’s still as wacky as Kristin when it comes to finding a decent man. J.T. is a manwhore, and I’m hopeless.”

Lara chuckled. “J.T.
is
a manwhore.” A sexy, fine-ass hunk of daredevil appeal, but Lara had seen him in action. She knew better than to involve herself with Rena’s cousin, Del’s brother. “And you’re not hopeless; you’re just dateless. Like me. But it’s by choice. Not because no one wants you.”

Like Lara, Rena had goals that prevented her from dating at present. Trying to earn enough to buy her own salon took time from a social life Rena wanted but couldn’t yet afford. Lara eventually wanted a husband and kids too, but
after
she’d earned her nursing degree and had a solid financial framework. Not now, when she had more expenses than income.
Stupid student loans.

“I could say the same about you.” Rena finished and swept up the loose hair on the floor.

“I can do that,” Lara offered. “You gave me a free haircut, after all.”

“No. If I don’t get every hair, Del will kill me. She hates a mess, though you couldn’t tell from her room.”

“She’s barely here anyway. Always at Mike’s.”

Rena batted her eyelashes and gave a dreamy grin. “I know. He’s sooo sexy. Mr. Romance.”

“Mr. Romance? I didn’t get the impression he was all that romantic. Good in bed, I get. But—”

“And then there’s Colin,” Rena interrupted. “I love his son. I’m Colin’s aunt now. Not officially, but I count.”

“Aunt Rena. I like it.” Lara grinned.

“And Aunt Lara. You love your nieces.”

“I do. It’s their mother who drives me to drink.” Lara sighed. “That sounds so mean. I love Kristin. I do. But she’s…”

“Needy? Naive? Too pretty for her own good?” Rena dug into the refrigerator. Then she headed to the living room with a tray of goodies and a bottle of wine.

“Yes, yes, and yes.” Lara followed her and grabbed a wineglass from the table. She held it out when Rena offered to pour. “I feel so sophisticated.” She glanced at the tray. “Cheese, crackers, and…tapenade? What the hell is that?”

“Chopped-up olives.” Rena held up her glass. “Cheers. Here’s to me hosting book club next week. You’re my test subject. What do you think of the wine and cheese?”

“Fancy.” Lara liked it, but nothing beat a cold brew. “But I’d rather have a beer and nachos.”

Rena’s smile slipped. “Me too.”

“Is this book club for your romance-reader pals and that author?”

“Yeah. Abby’s so cool. I want to impress her.”

“Why? I thought she and that gang were your friends.”

“They are.”

“So?”

“Lara, don’t act clueless. I’ve seen you clean up your place when people are coming over.”

Lara snorted. “What people? My apartment is barely bigger than a shoebox. I think you and Del are the most I’ve ever had over at one time. Not counting my nieces.”

“Say what you want, but you clean up because you want to make a good impression. Same as me.”

Rena seemed so earnest, so young. Despite being five years Lara’s senior, Rena had an innocence about her, a vulnerability that made Lara feel protective. And old. “You always make a good impression. You’re like Pollyanna on crack. A little too chipper sometimes, but that positivity is nice to be around.”

“You’d think I’d have better karma.” Rena sighed. “You should have seen my clients today.”

“Tell me about it.”

So Rena did. “…and then Cara walked in, talking about your favorite mechanic. Now, if I’d had Johnny in my chair, my day would have been awesome. He might have motor oil under his fingernails, but he’s a good tipper. Plus, I just like to look at him.”

Lara sipped a little more from her wineglass and did her best to appear as if she couldn’t care less about one of Rena’s clients talking about Johnny. “He is pretty,” she said, and left it at that. After a moment of silence, Lara glanced into Rena’s laughing eyes. “What?”

“You’re dying to know exactly what Cara said. Admit it.”

“I don’t even know who Cara is.”

“Sure you do. I call her Man-eater. She of the large breasts and loose thighs. Shee-oot, girl. I am
all
for a woman getting her happy on, but Cara lays more than the guys at the brickyard. I mean, come on. Johnny can do so much better than that.”

It felt as if a brick had settled over her heart. Lara remembered hearing all about Man-eater’s naughty adventures. The woman liked to share when getting her hair and nails done. And she loved Rena—who lived vicariously through her. “So Cara did Johnny? Big deal. They’re both consenting adults. Who cares if they hook up?”

The thought of Man-eater getting a piece of Johnny hurt. Dumb, but she felt it all the same. She could still see him in her mind’s eye, wet and seriously ripped in his running gear. That shirt had molded to him like loving hands. The rain had run down his face and body like she wanted to rain over him with hungry fingers and lips.

“No, see, that’s where it gets interesting.” Rena shifted on the couch to fully face Lara. She crossed her legs and leaned closer, meaning the gossip was getting good. “Cara saw Johnny at SuperFoods on Saturday night.”

“So?”

“So Johnny ‘I’m So Hot I Burn Myself’ Devlin is grocery shopping on a Saturday night instead of going out with a woman? What is
that
about?”

“But Cara—”

“Threw herself at him—my words, not hers. According to her, she only hinted at going out, but I know her, and she’s as obvious as they come. She no doubt propositioned him, and he gave her some BS excuse about helping the guys out with their cars.” Rena huffed. “Please. I know for a fact J.T. was hanging with Lou last night.”

“So maybe Johnny was helping Foley and Sam.” Lara knew the guys were tight. In some ways she envied them their friendships. “Or he meant some other guys he’s friends with.”

“One, he was not helping Foley and Sam. Those two never work on the weekends. Lazy as they are fine. Yeah. And two, he has no other friends. Webster’s is his everything. He’s an amazing mechanic with no life. You two really are a lot alike.”

“Thanks,” Lara grumbled, trying to feel bad about being likened to Johnny Devlin. Except she loved the thought of having something in common with him. “So Cara didn’t get a piece of Johnny Saturday night. This is front-page news because…?”

Rena smacked her in the head.

“Ow.”

“Because when a man says no to a night with Cara, he’s either in a committed relationship or thinking about getting into one. Now’s your chance.”

Lara drew a blank. “To what?”

“To grab on to him. We both know you want to.”

“So maybe I do.” Lara shrugged. No secret that she had a crush. “I also want to eat a dozen donuts every day. You’ll notice I don’t do that. Why? Because it’s bad for me—and I’d get huge.” Hell. Lara only had to look at a donut to gain five pounds and a cavity.

“While I grant you Johnny might not have a great track record with women”—Rena continued over Lara’s snort—“he’s a pretty thoughtful guy. He’s great with Colin and respects women. You know Uncle Liam wouldn’t have hired him if he didn’t.”

“I thought his dad owned a strip club.”

“
Jack
does.
Johnny
doesn’t. Oh, and he’s always been nice to me. There’s another plus in his column.”

“Everyone’s nice to you,” Lara said, exasperated. “You are not the litmus test for
nice
. Now the fact he’s been working for Del for seven years and hasn’t murdered her yet, that speaks for his levels of tolerance and patience. But he could be a complete dick in private.”

She loved Del Webster, but the woman could be a huge pain. Lara had overheard J.T. and the guys’ occasional complaints over many a beer at Ray’s.

“Uh-huh. So tell me again who fixed your car earlier this morning? You know, when you two were in private, not around the rest of us?”

She flushed. “I knew I should have kept that to myself.”

“You really should have. Because every time you talk about the guy, it’s like you’re trying harder and harder to tell yourself not to give him a shot. I say go for it.”

Lara frowned. “I’m trying to focus on school.”

“Take a break.”

“
You
take a break.”

“If I was as interested in Johnny as you are, I would have tried him on for size years ago. But I haven’t found a man more exciting than my future salon yet. When I do, I’ll go for it.”

“Says the woman who’s never met Mr. Really,
Really
Wrong.” Lara chuckled and drank the rest of her wine. “Maybe you should come to my next lunch with the family. Talk to Kristin a little. I know! You can hang out with Ron and see what you’re missing.”

“Thanks, but no. And I’ve already had my ‘milk bath’ for the month.” Rena frowned. “For the record, make sure Amelia knows I did not get any lighter.” She held up her arm. “I’m always going to be café au lait. Not malted milk.”

Lara laughed. “Too bad. Malted milk is Amelia’s favorite flavor.”

Rena rolled her eyes.

“But I still say men are nothing but trouble. My sister has been through the ringer. Donna and Josie are going through some stuff at work, and let’s not even talk about Sue’s mess with Foley.”

“Done and dumped, huh?” Rena shook her head. “I told that girl not to do more than fool with him. Sure, sex him up. He’s gotta be good in the sack. But much as I love Foley, he’s not about settling down. And that’s all Sue talks about lately. Girl is baby crazy.”

“I know, right?” Lara munched on some cheese and crackers. “You know, these aren’t that bad. But you could maybe have some nachos or chips on the side, so you don’t look like the major suck-up we know you are.”

Rena gave her the finger, which made Lara laugh, because Rena looked so cute while trying to appear tough.

“What about you?” Rena asked. “Feeling the need to have kids yet?”

“Nope. I’m only twenty-seven. Maybe having nieces I can see every day has taken away the need. That or I’m just too tired trying to take care of myself, let alone tiny mouths to feed.”

“I hear you.”

Lara felt guilty, knowing how hard Rena worked, yet she’d given Lara a free cut. “I can pay you for the haircut, you know.”

“Shut up.” Rena scowled. “I’m just saying I know when money’s tight. I’m doing okay now. In fact, if I wasn’t saving every penny for my salon, I’d be flush.” Rena’s eyes lit with excitement. “I’m so close. I figure a little more to go in the bank, so I have money in case of an emergency. I’ll nab a few more clients, and then I might finally be ready to break out.”

“Here’s to your big plans.” Lara clinked her empty wineglass against Rena’s. “I’ve been telling my classmates about you.”

“I know. Michelle came to see me a few days ago. Your word-of-mouth is helping, girlfriend. So no paying for the haircut. We’re even.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” They ate in silence for a moment, only the munching of crackers to be heard before Rena said, “So about coming to book club—”

“
No.
” Lara had heard from Del that one had to be firm with the bookaholic staring at her with those puppy dog eyes. “I don’t have time to read more than anatomy books. And I’m not a fan of romance.”

“That’s just sad.”

“Oh, can it. The next time you see a happily ever after work out where the name McCauley isn’t attached, let me know.” She snorted. “That family is sappy, sweet, and unreal.”

“Jealous much?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I am.” Lara laughed with Rena, but at the mention of romance, her thoughts strayed to Johnny again.

He’d said no to Cara. She wondered if he’d been seeing some other woman instead. Perhaps he’d made up a story for Cara to spare her feelings. Lara could see Johnny doing that. He might get around when it came to the dating scene, but he’d never been anything but circumspect about his lady friends—or so rumor had it.

Then again, if she were to believe Rena, Johnny might be angling for a real relationship. Something more involved than just sex.

And I’m reaching here, I know it.
She held out her glass for more wine, coming to like the tart drink, and decided to keep her eyes and ears open about Johnny. It couldn’t hurt to do a bit of reconnaissance on the man, especially if she was
possibly
thinking about
maybe
considering a future in which she dated him.

Dating didn’t mean she had to sleep with him. But all that might be moot. After having asked her and been rejected so many times, he might not ask her out again.

Didn’t mean she couldn’t ask him, though.

“Why are you so quiet, I wonder?” Rena asked with a smug grin. “Thinking about a certain someone with the last name of Devlin?”

Lara frowned. “If I am, it’s your fault. Now quit talking him up, and let’s discuss what’s really on my mind lately.”

“What?”

“Ron Howell and Kristin’s plea that I handle him, since she dumped her lawyer—or Slick Dick dumped her. Either way, she and my parents want me to deal with him.”