Custom Built

by Chantal Fernando

  As the sound of his rumbling engine disappears, I sit down at my desk and drum my fingers on the table. A few seconds later, the phone rings.

  Shit.

  I’ve always prided myself on being competent and adaptable, and it looks like I’m going to have to prove that right now.

  “Hello, Fast & Fury Custom Motorcycles, Bronte speaking.” I try to hide the indecision in my voice.

  “Bronte, it’s me, Abbie. I just thought I’d call in and say hi.”

  Relief washes over me. “Hey, Abbie. It is so great to officially meet you. Or rather talk to you. I want to thank you for getting me this job. It came at the perfect time and I’m indebted to you.”

  “It isn’t a problem. I’m just getting used to having a father, and now to hear I have an uncle and a cousin. I’m thrilled! And family looks out for each other.”

  I laugh. “Well, you haven’t met us yet; don’t get too excited.”

  “So how are you doing on your first day?”

  “Crow just left me here alone, so I’m not sure how my first day is going.”

  She laughs softly. “Do you want me to come in? I’ll bring you lunch. I’ve been waiting to meet you, Bronte. The second I found out I had a cousin my age, I was so excited.”

  “Me too,” I admit. “I’d love for you to come in, but only if you don’t mind.”

  “I’ll be there in an hour,” she replies.

  When we hang up, I feel so much better. I can’t believe what an asshole Crow is, leaving me here alone on my first day, but Abbie has saved the day for me.

  And I’m not going to let him win.

  Before Abbie arrives, I do what work I can, which includes organizing all the paperwork on my desk, which happens to be a big pile, and going through the parts-order sheets and trying to understand the system they use here. I pick up on some inconsistencies and a few mistakes, which I fix and make note of.

  It’s surprisingly a lot of work. They really did need someone in this role, because their documents aren’t filed or organized. It must be hard to figure out what the hell is going on here.

  Crow might not know it yet, but he does need me here, and I’m going to prove that to him.

  Chapter Three

  “It’s so weird that you know my dad more than I do,” Abbie says, and pops a fry in her mouth. She’s absolutely beautiful, with Uncle Neville’s amber eyes, long dark hair like mine and a curvaceous figure. “I mean, we’ve started seeing each other a lot more now, but it’s still like learning someone from scratch, you know?”

  “I love Uncle Neville. He’s a little guarded, but I’d like to say we’re as close as he lets me be,” I say, pick up the soda she brought me and take a sip. “He would always be there for any of us without hesitation.”

  Abbie laughs. “That totally sounds like him!”

  “I was so surprised to find out he had a daughter he didn’t know about. I’m still trying to process the whole thing. It almost sounds like it could be a movie.”

  “You and me both,” she says. “The whole situation has been drama-filled and full of surprises. It’s been really complicated too.”

  “Complicated how?”

  “Just all the stuff with Dad and who he is. My mom has not been excited that not only am I living here, but I’m also spending time with him. It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m pretty happy where I’m at now. I grew up without a father, so it’s nice having him now. Better late than never.”

  I don’t know what she’s referring to about Uncle Neville, but I don’t press. I guess the whole thing would have been so hard to deal with, for everyone involved.

  “I’m just glad that we all get to know you now,” I say, smiling.

  “Me too.” She beams. “I mean, it sucks we didn’t get to grow up together, but you know what? I feel strangely comfortable with you already.”

  “I feel the same,” I admit. “I feel like I’ve known you for longer than just an hour, that’s for sure.”

  It sounds cliché, but it’s true. This girl was just meant to be in my life, I know it. Blood connections can be strong.

  “Uncle Neville never told me that this place was owned by a motorcycle club.”

  “It is. Are you familiar with motorcycle clubs?” she asks, watching my reaction.

  I shake my head no.

  “When I was growing up, they came into my family’s bar, so I had an idea of them, but I didn’t really know what they did.”

  “So how did you end up part of it?” I ask.

  Abbie smiles. “It’s a long story and I don’t want to scare you. My story with the Knights is definitely...” She pauses, trying to come up with the right word. “...unconventional.”

  Now I’m curious. “You have to tell me more.” Unconventional could mean a lot of things, and I really want to hear this story.

  “Let’s just say it started with a kidnapping but ended with me getting a happily ever after,” she explains, wincing.

  My eyes feel like they are going to bulge out of my head.

  “I know it sounds crazy, and if I’m being honest, it is crazy. But I fell in love with the man, and he’s so good to me. It all worked out in the end.”

  I don’t know what to say, so I stay silent.

  “And now I’ve scared you. I told you, it’s not a story for the fainthearted. But about Fast & Fury—it’s a completely legitimate business, so you have nothing to worry about,” she assures me, reaching out and touching my arm. “You can trust the men here. Temper is my fiancé, so you can most definitely trust him. He knows you are my family, and that means something here.”

  “Right. Crow mentioned that you were with a man named Temper,” I say, trying to put the word kidnapping out of my head. “Uncle Neville mentioned your partner owned this place, but I didn’t know he was your fiancé. Congratulations. Also, what’s with the names around here?”

  “Thank you.” She beams, and then laughs. “Bikers and their road names, or nicknames. You’ll get used to them. Temper and I, we’re quite an unlikely couple, but he is definitely the man I’m meant to be with. He used to come into the bar I worked at, one my family owns, every single year. He used to ask me out each time, and each time I’d say no.”

  “Why?” I ask, smiling at her love story.

  “Because I knew my life was going to change if I said yes,” she admits, ducking her head. “And I was never ready. And when I was, I said yes.”

  “That’s a beautiful story,” I say. “Do I want to know why they call him Temper?”

  “Probably not.” She grins.

  I shake my head at her. “You’re crazy, but I like you.”

  And I mean that. This whole thing is madness, yet somehow I’m enjoying meeting new people, and seeing and hearing about the lives they lead.

  She laughs. “All the couples in the MC have their own story. Skylar and Saint have known each other since Sky was a kid and had a crush on him. Renny and Izzy got drunk and married in Vegas before they even knew they liked each other. Skylar said that she knows you.”

  I nod. “Yeah, I love Skylar, but we haven’t spoken in a bit. I had no idea she was tied to the MC, either.”

  What a small world.

  “And that sounds like stories that I need to hear in detail,” I add.

  Abbie’s and Skylar’s stories seem to have worked out, but I can’t imagine how dangerous being with bikers is. I mean, kidnapping?

  The office phone rings, and Abbie quickly answers it, but I soon realize she has about as much idea as me on what’s going on.

  “Sure, we can custom a bike for you. Could you come into the shop?” She pauses. “Not today, maybe tomorrow? Great, thanks.” She turns to me. “Hopefully Cam is in tomorrow. This is my first time even answering a phone in here, so I have no idea what’s going on.”

  “I really hope so,”
I reply. “Don’t worry, I have no idea what’s going on either, and I actually work here.”

  We both laugh, just as Crow walks back in. I can imagine how we look. Abbie is sitting on the desk while I’m on the seat, both of us surrounded by food and drinks, laughing like we’re having a good old time. This isn’t the impression I wanted to give him, considering our interaction this morning, and even though Abbie is here, I know he’s going to be judging the hell out of me. I don’t know why it seems like he’s looking for a reason to dislike me, but it sure does feel that way.

  “Working hard, I see,” he murmurs.

  And there we have it.

  “She’s on her lunch break,” Abbie speaks up, grinning, unaware of the tension between us. “I brought you some food, too. Oh, and someone is coming in tomorrow to design their bike.”

  “Cameron will be back in tomorrow,” he says, sitting down on the desk next to her. “She’s finally back from vacation and can handle that. Does Temper know you’re here?”

  “Nope,” she replies nonchalantly, leaning back on her palms. “He’s out on club business, and I’m sure he’ll be happy that I’ll be hanging around more, since my beautiful cousin is employed here. You’ll definitely be seeing more of me.”

  He looks between the two of us and mutters something about trouble. He and Abbie are clearly friends, and he doesn’t look at her with the same disdain he does me. I have no idea what I’ve done to get this reaction from him, but I pretend I don’t notice.

  Abbie stays for another half hour and then heads home, leaving me alone with Crow once more. I miss her the second that she’s gone—the vibe in the workplace changes instantly. I don’t know what he has against me, but I know one thing for sure: I’m going to prove him wrong.

  I’m unsure if he does this to all new employees or if it’s just me, but I’m not going to let him in.

  He’s met his match.

  “You made me start today knowing that I’d be here alone, didn’t you?” I ask, lifting my chin. “Let me guess, there’s probably a camera in here somewhere too.”

  He was testing me. Maybe he wanted to see if I was capable, but more likely I think he wanted to see if he could trust me. Abbie’s arrival would have ruined the whole thing, though, and now that she knows I’m hired, he can’t exactly go back on his word.

  He says nothing.

  “Am I wrong?” I press, watching him as he glances at his phone, all but ignoring me.

  “We can’t just let anyone work here; we need to be able to trust you. You’d be surprised by the shit we’ve seen employees do the second they think no one is watching.”

  “And I thought I had trust issues. Well, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that I just saved the company thousands and thousands of dollars,” I say, trying to hide my smugness and failing.

  “What are you talking about?” he asks, sounding like he doesn’t believe me for a second.

  I’m happier than I should be, passing on the next bit of information to him. But he deserves this after all the shit he’s given me, and for assuming that I was going to do something wrong today.

  I didn’t.

  I raise a piece of paper. “I was looking at the parts list that you are ordering, and someone was about to accidentally order sixteen of the sixteen-inch ape hangers instead of the one that was required.”

  He walks over and takes the document from me, eying it and then glancing at me. “Fucking hell.”

  “You’re welcome,” I say, sounding overly chirpy. “I’ve just saved your business over fifteen thousand dollars.”

  He clears his throat. “Okay then.”

  Okay then? That’s all I get? No thank-you, nothing?

  “This is the weirdest first day at a job, ever,” I say to myself, turning my attention back to the computer screen.

  “I’d think this would be boring compared to working for a private investigator,” he adds, having to get the last word. Is he going to be here every day?

  “Is there anything else you’d like me to do?” I ask, changing the subject. “I saw the folder full of receipts—I can file them for you and add it to the online system.”

  “That sounds good.” He pauses and then adds, “And perhaps you could check over the rest of the orders to make sure no one else made any mistakes.”

  Ha.

  For the next hour I do just that, double-checking someone else’s work. Then Crow tells me I can go home early, and he’ll see me tomorrow.

  I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it or dreading it.

  * * *

  Nadia calls me as soon as I get into my car, asking if I want to come to her place for dinner so she can hear about my first day at work. Considering I had no plans for dinner and was just going to make some two-minute noodles, her offer sounds perfect. Since we don’t see each other at work anymore, we both need to put in the effort to stay in contact, and I appreciate that she’s doing it.

  “Hey,” I say, smiling as I give her a hug after she opens her apartment door. “How are you?”

  “I’m good. How’s your new job?” she asks as we step inside. Her apartment is small, but open and modern, with white walls and gray furniture.

  “It was...interesting,” I say, sitting down on her couch and placing my bag next to me. “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “This sounds juicy.”

  “So my cousin got me the job,” I say. “A cousin I didn’t know that I had until recently.”

  “What?” she asks, confusion on her face.

  I give her the rundown on my uncle and Abbie, and then tell her how my day went.

  “So basically your boss is a hottie slash asshole,” she concludes, eyes going wide. “And you’re working with motorcycle parts, something you have no idea about.”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  “I’m still trying to process the whole new cousin thing,” she admits, shaking her head at me. “Never a dull day with you, is it?”

  “Only as of recent,” I say, sighing.

  We move to the dining table and she serves dinner—pasta, garlic bread and red wine.

  “Thanks for inviting me over,” I say.

  “No problem. I do feel really bad about having to let you go, so I hope the new job is amazing, Bronte,” she says.

  “You have no reason to feel bad,” I assure her. “I am not upset at you at all, okay? So don’t even worry about it.”

  She smiles sadly. “It’s just a shit feeling, you know? You’re one of my closest friends and I loved working with you. Work isn’t the same without you. I had a stakeout yesterday, and it was so boring waiting there in my car alone.”

  I grin. “It’s just how it has to be for now, but it’s nice to know that I’m missed.”

  “You really are.”

  “We will still be close and see each other all the time,” I say. “Okay?”

  “Okay.” She nods. “Thank you for not holding a grudge.”

  “You didn’t have a choice, Nadia,” I tell her. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I am fine. Hopefully business will pick up, and without you having to pay an extra employee, you can now make more of a profit.”

  “I hope so too,” she admits. “If I have to close the doors, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe they’ll hire me with you at the garage.”

  I laugh. “That can be plan B. Plan A is trying to keep the business going and thriving.”

  “Agreed. I feel a little better now that I know you have some eye candy at your new work,” she says, laughing.

  I shake my head at her. “It would be a lot better if he didn’t talk.”

  “We’ll see,” she murmurs. “I don’t think I’ve seen you let a guy get to you like this one has.”

  I puff out a breath. “Yeah, you’re right. I need to not let him do that.”


  If only it were that easy.

  We finish our meal, and I help her clean up and then head home.

  Tomorrow it will be time to do it all over again.

  * * *

  “I’m Cameron,” the most beautiful tattooed blonde says as soon as I step into work the next morning. She looks like a mixture of badass and Barbie, her denim shorts showing off her long legs, her pink top fringed and frayed. I find myself liking her instantly. “Everyone calls me Cam. It’s nice to meet you, Bronte. Abbie called me last night and told me all about you.”

  So this is Cam.

  “News travels fast around here,” I muse, smirking.

  “You have no idea. I’m one of the mechanics, and I also do most of the designing and am the creative and artistic manager,” she explains, walking with me to my desk. “I gave myself that title but now everyone rolls with it. I work here full time too, so we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

  “You tell me what you need, and I’ll handle it,” I tell her, turning the computer on. “Crow gave me the rundown, but I’m still not exactly sure what I’m supposed to be getting done every day.”

  “You’re basically the glue that holds this place together.” She grins, flashing straight white teeth. Her beautiful green eyes dash to the phone as it rings. “And it begins. Anything you don’t know how to answer, put them on hold and call out to me.”

  The man on the phone is asking me when we can fit him in to fix his Harley when Crow walks in, the whole atmosphere in the warehouse instantly changing with each stomp of his black biker boots. Cameron instantly goes over to greet him, and the two of them embrace, leaving my stomach in knots.

  Don’t be ridiculous, I tell myself. I can’t stand the guy and barely know him. So why do I feel jealous that she gets sunshine and rainbows and I get moody?

  “Look how tanned you’ve gotten,” I hear him say. “Tell me everything about your vacation.”

  I can’t even remember what I say to the man on the phone, but we hang up and my attention is solely on Crow and Cameron. I don’t think they’re a couple, or he’d have known how her trip was already. And who cares if they are? He’s an asshole and it’s none of my business what he does.