by JoAnna Grace
“We can leave whenever you’re ready.” Bo put down his pool stick earning him a sneer from Jason.
“T, can I talk to you?” Bear pulled at her arm and Bo’s instincts were to swipe his hand away from her. But he wasn’t hurting or forcing her. They had a couple words, she smiled, he smiled and kissed her cheek, and they came back to Bo. “You guys drive careful.” Bear stuck out his enormous hand. “Bo, nice to see you again. Take care of my girl.”
Bo clasped his hand. This guy meant a lot to Tina and Bo didn’t want to piss off one of her friends. Bo smiled and forced sincerity into his words. “Thanks for a great time and some great food, man. See you again soon, I’m sure.”
“Count on it.” Bear smiled, but it was more of a predatory grin than a friendly gesture.
He asked Jason if he needed a ride, but he was flirting with a girl over by the pool tables and she was more than willing to give him a ride…and take him home after. Bo and Tina bid their friends goodbye, receiving many raised brows and pursed lips.
“How you want to do this?” Bo asked. “I can leave my truck here.”
“Okay. If you don’t mind coming to get me in the morning—” she yawned, “—we can come back and get it.”
He nodded and flashed the lights of her Chevy. Bo was downright lustful over her truck. Four doors, extended bed, tool boxes and lumber scraps in the back. Even her truck was sexy. Damn, he had it bad. He opened her door and waited. She had some trouble getting her boot on the running board.
“I must be buzzed more than I thought.” Her giggle fell on his ears like a caress.
“Here.” Bo gently turned her to face him and lifted her by her hips. She gasped when he set her in the truck seat with no effort.
“Thanks.” Her wide eyes darted away from him.
His attention lingered on her sexy legs and the way her skirt shifted for a teasing glimpse of her thigh. Tina was like explosives—a lot of impact in a tiny package. Bo closed the door before he reached out and touched something that might blow up in his face.
He didn’t know what the hell to say to her. Thankfully they had a short drive. Besides work, he didn’t know what they had in common. Neither had their mothers in the picture, but it’s not like he was going to start with that shit. He’d made her uncomfortable by lifting her into the truck. He could tell by the way she leaned close to the door. If work was the one thing that linked them, that’s what he needed to go with to bring her back.
“You excited for Monday?” He turned over the engine, loving the way it purred.
“Yeah,” she said quickly, looking at him for only a moment. “I’m going to love working on this place. They have this wall paper in the dining room that I’m going to have to scour the internet to find. I’m afraid that once we start cleaning and messing around in there, it’s going to come off. But it’s a great print, the owners want to keep it.” She pulled out her cell phone and flipped through her pictures. “See, it’s totally retro, right?”
He couldn’t tell much by the small picture, but the slate blue wallpaper had a silver floral design. While she was talking about things she wanted to do in the house, he texted the picture to his phone. If there was one thing he could do, it was research. He had a lot of free time in the evenings when he wasn’t working on the truck or in the wood shop.
“Sounds like a cool project.” He handed her back the phone, trying desperately to ignore the way the air charged when their fingers brushed. “Can’t wait to get started.”
Tina turned to look at him. “Are you just saying that because it means you get a paycheck, or do you really mean it? Cause I know I’m a freak about houses. The guys make fun of me and my house-gasms all the time.”
“Your what?” He couldn’t have heard her right. How many drinks did she have?
“House-gasms.” She rolled her eyes. “They say I get overly excited about old houses. Like it’s my only turn on or something. They’re pervs. Answer my question.”
Bo scrubbed a hand over his face. His mind went to forbidden places. Places where Tina was naked and on top of him in the middle of a half-constructed house. Being alone with her was a test in constraint and self-control.
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think older houses are much more interesting than that cookie-cutter thing we just finished. Work is work, I’m not complaining. But I like the older construction.”
She smiled, pleased with his answer. “Cool. Okay.” Her head bobbed up and down. “Trey doesn’t get it.” She confessed in a tight tone. “He likes modern everything: modern houses, modern cars, modern technology. It’s fine, don’t get me wrong. It’s just, the one thing he doesn’t like is modern women.” She ran her hands over her hair, playing with the ends.
Her phone jingled with a text and she glanced at the screen. “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” She opened the app and read the text, her mouth dropped open. “Oh my God.”
“What?”
She held out her phone as if he could read it and drive. “He just fucking broke up with me over text. Text! He didn’t even have the balls to call me.”
Good. “What did he say?”
“It says, ‘Tina, sorry I left early but I can’t do this anymore. You are self-destructive and don’t seem to appreciate the people who care about you the most. I’ve given you my heart and all you give me back is half your attention. I saw you watching B—” She stopped reading aloud. “Um, yeah, he’s insane.” She skimmed down the mile-long message. “Ugh! He called me manly.”
“He’s a pussy.”
“He called me manly!” She clearly needed to get this out of her system. “Do I look like a man tonight? I shaved my fucking legs for this.”
Bo could barely hold in his amusement as she lifted her boot-covered foot up in the air. He wanted to run his hands up her legs and thighs so bad it stole his breath, but she was most certainly not as sober as she thought. “You cuss a lot when you’re drunk. It’s pretty funny.”
“What the hell does he know, anyway? He sits behind his fancy desk, building his company on his parents’ money. He’s never had to do manual labor a day in his stuffy life. He gets fucking manicures, for heaven’s sake.”
Bo curled up his nose, but didn’t say anything. His expression made her laugh. She had a great laugh.
He put his foot on the break, easing the truck to a slower speed and milking the short distance between the bar and her house.
“I do cuss a lot when I’m drunk, wow.” She pointed a finger at him to make a point. “I am a construction worker.” She threw her head back, laughing, and rolled down the window, her long blonde hair waving in the air. “Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m the dude in this relationship and he’s the chick. Maybe that’s why it’s worked this long. All I need is a dick and we’d be the perfect gay couple.”
Bo coughed, choking on air and laughing at the same time. Tina popped him a couple times on the back and laughed right along with him. “Oh jeez, I do have a potty mouth.”
“Let’s leave that train of thought alone,” Bo said, still chuckling. He pulled her truck into the parking lot of Foster Construction, where she lived and worked-all-in-one. Lights were still on downstairs and Duane’s shadow moved across one of the back windows of the two-story metal structure. The building was right along the river, across the bridge from downtown, a drive that was far too short.
He got out of the truck and went to open her door, surprised that she let him.
“Thanks for the ride, Galloway.” She gave him a fist bump and strut towards the front door. Just before she entered, she cast him a sleepy sideways grin that stole his breath. “Take care of her, she’s my baby.”
Bo swallowed hard at the trust she’d placed in him. “Yes, ma’am.”
He drove her truck carefully to his house. It was far too late for his grandmother to be awake, but she was up warming herself a glass of milk.
He kissed her head of long gray hair and touched her shoulder. “Can’t sleep?”
Nan patted his cheek. She
was a tall woman, like her daughter, like her grandson. Her wise eyes showed the seventy years of her age. She was his personal guardian angel. “I always worry when you’re out late.”
“It’s time for you to get over that.”
Her head tilted. “You think your age diminishes my concern? How come you came home in the wrong truck, smarty-pants?” She hit him on his chest with the back of her hand.
How could he not love her? She still gave him hell every chance she got and gave him love every day.
“I had to drive Miss Foster home. She had a couple too many, I think.”
Nan pushed back the curtains to eye the truck. “Nice vehicle. I could’ve sworn she had some kind of sports car. A woman drives that big ole truck?”
Bo didn’t try to hide the affection on his face. “She’s not like any woman I’ve ever met, Nan. Keeps up with the best of ’em.”
“You like her.” Nan put a hand over her heart.
Bo nodded, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t know the words to describe how much he liked Tina Foster. He would gladly work seven days a week for the rest of his life if it meant being around her every day.
“She’s your boss, Bo. Do you think it’s a wise idea to allow yourself to go up that stream? You might find yourself without a paddle, as they say.”
“Yes, ma’am, I know. I’m trying. I need this job. I like the work, like the people.”
“Like the boss?” Nan arched a gray brow and puckered her lips. They sat down at the dining table, a set that dated back to the seventies. Nan was meticulous about caring for her home and her belongings, never taking them for granted.
“You’d like her. She’s tough, Nan. Won’t let a man wipe his feet on her.”
“You mean like your mother would?”
Bo leaned his elbows on the table and scrubbed his face. There was one rule in his grandmother’s house that she’d instated when he got out of jail. He had to confide in her like he had opened up to the councilor who talked to him. Dr. Barker was back in California, meaning their sessions were done over the phone. Nan insisted that talking out his emotions was the best way to keep him grounded. Sometimes her attempt to be a shrink was overkill, but tonight, she had a point.
“Yeah, Nan. Tina’s nothing like Mom. She knows who she is, she grabs life by the horns and hangs on for the ride, you know? When her old man was injured, she didn’t hesitate to step in and take up the slack.”
“You respect her?” Nancy sipped her warm milk, watching him.
He nodded. “A lot.”
“That’s a good place for things to start.”
“She’s not interested in me,” Bo said, not knowing if it was true or not. She’d sung to him, he was sure of it. And then there was that thing in the text message about her watching him. It wasn’t enough though.
“Did she say that?”
“I’m not her type, Nan.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms and legs.
“What’s her type?”
“Someone without a record and a history of violence.”
Nan rested her hand on his arm. “Bo Allan, you listen to me. You’re not a violent person. Don’t you dare hide behind labels that your mama slapped on you just because she’s a dimwitted flake. It’s not like you run around beating people up all the time, even before you went to jail. One time,” she held up a boney, weathered finger, “you lost your head one time and that was in the defense of your mother. You don’t get to punish yourself for the rest of your life because you messed up once.”
Bo studied the texture of his boots, unable to meet her eyes. He nodded, wishing he had as much faith in himself as Nan did.
“Say it, Bo.”
“Yes, ma’am. I know.”
“No, I said say it, just like Dr. Barker told you.”
“I am not the sum of my mistakes, but rather the product of lessons I do or do not learn from.” He cast her a narrow-eyed glance. “Happy, Dr. Nancy?”
She stood and walked by him, dropping her hand on his shoulder. “You’re a great man, Bo. You simply need to see it for yourself.”
He brought her hand to his mouth. “I love you, Nan.”
“Oh, baby boy, my cup runneth over.” She let out a yawn. “And my eyes droopeth shut.” She giggled and left him to his thoughts.
Tina rolled around in his head all night. When he closed his eyes, he saw her. Her sky-blue eyes, those tempting lips, and her messy blonde ponytails. He loved the way she put her heart into everything she did—work, singing, friendships, family. There was no half-way with her, it was all or nothing. That’s the real reason her relationship with the engineer wasn’t working.
She didn’t have faith in Trey. Bo could tell by the way she talked to him on the phone before their breakup. When Tina spoke to her crew or her father, people she trusted, she had authority and confidence that no matter how crass or blunt she sounded, they’d accept her. Trey couldn’t deal, that’s all there was to it. Tina was an unbroken horse, wild and free, but desperately wanting someone to risk everything for her.
He was more than willing to try, but he had to make sure this wouldn’t be a huge mistake for them both.
He rose early the next morning to return the truck. Going down his white gravel road had left a layer of dust over the navy blue. Bo debated, should he take the truck straight back…or do something a little special for Tina?
Bo drove into town and went through the car wash. He scrubbed it clean and vacuumed out the inside, cleaned all the glass and wiped down her leather seats until they shined.
Soon, he knocked on the Foster’s door, nervous to see either Tina or Duane.
“You’re up early,” Tina called down from a balcony on the side of the building.
Bo stuck his head around to see her leaning over the railing and his heart kicked into fifth gear. All that hair was up in one of her famous messy buns, her baggy shirt fell off one shoulder and the cotton shorts showed more leg than her skirt last night. Tina’s legs were sexy as hell, muscular, tan and perfect.
“Shouldn’t you be hungover or something?” He grinned, wishing, needing more of her.
“Oh, I am. Don’t you worry. I only got up to close the curtains and I heard you knocking.”
“You should get some rest.”
“I won’t argue with you,” she said and rubbed her forehead. “Thanks for driving me home last night and, you know, making light of a breakup. It helped.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She lifted her hand to wave and stepped inside as Duane came out the front door.
Duane rode with him back to the bar to get his truck. They talked sports, work, how his grandmother knew the Fosters. Duane didn’t seem to worry about what did or didn’t happen with his daughter and Bo on the way home. Not that anything happened, but most men would at least ask. It was a sign of confidence in his daughter. Tina could take care of herself.
With nothing more than a “see ya Monday,” Duane left. Bo got in the truck and tried to start it up. Dead. Dead as a doornail. Again.
“Damn it!” Bo pulled out his phone and called Duane before he got too far down the road. “I’m sorry, sir. I know my car troubles are a pain in your ass.”
“It’s fine.” Duane waved him off. “Pop the hood.”
Right there in the middle of Bear’s parking lot, they examined his truck. They fiddled with the battery and starter, found a loose wire.
“Bring it over to the house, son. We’ll get our hands greasy.”
“Yes, sir.”
Bo spent the rest of the day up to his elbows in the engine of his truck. Duane was talkative and chipper, happy to work on something, even if he had to take frequent breaks. Bo found him easy to talk to and relaxing to be around. A rarity. Usually father figures didn’t mesh well with him. Hell, parental figures period didn’t mesh well with him. Duane was different. He listened to Bo, genuinely listened, and asked his opinion on whatever subject they were on.
Around lunch time, Tina came o
ut of the house wearing a long, straight dress with flip-flops and black sunglasses. “Mornin’, men-folk. More car trouble?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bo was dumbstruck that she could make everything from dresses to denim to dirty tank tops look like high fashion. “Feeling better,” he asked, needing any reason to talk to her.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Going out with the girls?” Duane asked from his perch in the driver’s seat.
“Keri and Jayden are meeting me for pedicures.” She grinned at them. “Pick up your jaw, Bo. Believe it or not, I do like girly things.”
“Never doubted it, ma’am.” Bo bit his inner lip to keep from smiling like a fool.
She stopped and tilted her head at the shiny blue Chevy. “Did…did you wash my truck?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Bo could barely meet her gaze. She did things to his insides he didn’t understand and wanted to feel all day long.
Tina opened her mouth twice before she finally smiled widely at him. “That’s…thoughtful.”
Bo shrugged. “Well, you’re kinda dirty so…” He grinned, hoping he could hear her laughter once again.
She popped out that slender hip and pointed her key at him. “You almost had brownie points, Bo. Not so much now.” She hopped her little ass up in that big truck and started the engine, giving them a wave goodbye.
After she left, he shook his head. “That’s one hell of a daughter you got there, sir.”
Duane shook his head. “You’re preachin’ to the choir, son. Preachin’ to the choir.”
“HE BROKE UP WITH you over text?” Keri’s booming voice got the attention of half the salon. Jayden hushed her, and Tina covered her face.
The three women sat side-by-side in the massaging chairs while their feet were buffed and their toes painted.
“For the love of Pete,” Tina leaned over, “why don’t you get a freaking billboard next time?”
Keri held up a freshly manicured finger. “I can. I have one.” A six-foot version of Keri’s face greeted people coming into Riverview from the main highway, advertising her as their homegrown realtor. Everyone knew her, and she knew everyone…and all the gossip that came with them.