The Heiress and the Mechanic: San Diego Social Scene Book 5

by Tess Summers

  “Said what?” Harper said as she brought the salted rim to her lips with a smile.

  “I knew I liked you,” Cassie grinned with a wink and took a sip of her margarita.

  Harper really liked Cassie, too. But she got the distinct impression she didn’t want to get on Cassie’s bad side.

  Out of nowhere, the most beautiful woman Harper had ever laid eyes on appeared at the back gate, a baby in her arms and a fair-haired toddler ambling in front of her. They were obviously related to Cassie—their features were strikingly similar.

  “Well, there are my girls with my favorite sister!” Cassie exclaimed as she stood and crossed the patio to meet them. A handsome, stoic man followed the woman through the gate, making sure it was closed behind him. From his posture and short-cropped hair, she definitely got a military vibe from him.

  Good grief, I’m surrounded by beautiful people.

  Cassie took the baby and bounced her smiling daughter in her arms while the older girl ran toward her daddy.

  “Harper, come here, I want you to meet my neighbors.”

  “Who are also her sister and brother-in-law,” Luke said loudly as he picked up his daughter.

  Harper had already pieced that much together.

  Setting her drink on the glass side table, she stood and wiped the condensation from the glass on her hands to her shorts, then walked to where the group was standing.

  Cassie moved her little one to her hip and put her other hand on Harper’s back.

  “Guys, this is Ben’s new girlfriend, Harper Finch.”

  She felt her body tense at being called Ben’s girlfriend, and she shook her head. With a nervous laugh, she corrected her new best friend.

  “Not his girlfriend.”

  Cassie dramatically rolled her eyes.

  “I’m sorry. This is Ben’s future girlfriend. But since I’m making predictions, this is also Ben’s future wife and mother of his children. Harper, this is my sister, Brenna, and her husband, Ron.”

  She felt her cheeks turning red. Brenna and Ron smiled at her sympathetically. They seemed used to Cassie’s antics.

  “Nice to meet you,” Brenna said, stepping forward and extending a manicured hand. “We love Ben.”

  “Best mechanic in San Diego County,” Ron added. “I wouldn’t take my cars anywhere else, but especially my Corvette. There’s no one better with vintage cars.”

  Now they were speaking her language.

  “What year is your Vette?”

  “1969.”

  “I have a 1959 convertible.”

  He nodded enthusiastically. “Very nice. So how did you meet Ben? Did he work on your car?”

  “No, we met at an engagement party, actually. But he’s insisting that I bring it to his shop this week.”

  Ron cocked his head as if surprised. “So you haven’t used his shop? Who do you normally take your car to?”

  “My father’s mechanic usually services it for me.”

  He looked at her like he’d never heard of something so absurd, then his expression changed, as though he’d had an aha moment.

  “Did you say your last name is Finch?”

  Before she could respond, Brenna interrupted—drawing their attention back to everyone else.

  “You forgot to introduce Miss Charlotte,” she said with a big grin at the baby.

  The little one returned a toothless smile. She was precious. Her smile got even bigger when Ben appeared, holding his arms out to take her from Cassie.

  Harper was pretty sure she started ovulating at the sight of the six-foot bear tenderly holding his tiny goddaughter. The little angel couldn’t be more content in his arms either; she happily cooed her approval as he talked animatedly to her.

  Coming to stand next to her, he asked Charlotte, “Did you meet Harper?” Then he picked up her tiny baby hand and waved it at Harper, and in a higher octave, said, “Hi, pretty lady.”

  Harper offered her finger for Charlotte to grip.

  “Hi, sweet girl. You are too cute.” She glanced up at the sexy man holding her. “She sure loves you.”

  He scoffed. “Uh… yeah. Have you met me? I’m pretty irresistible.”

  No argument there.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Harper

  “So, how you holding up?” Ben whispered in her ear. They had finished dinner and were waiting on Luke and Cassie to bring out the cheesecake they’d brought. “Did I totally blow it by bringing you here after knowing each other less than twenty-four hours?”

  “No,” she assured him quietly. “I’m having a good time. Your friends are nice.”

  “They like you, too.”

  Harper laughed. “How do you know?”

  “Well, I knew you had Luke the minute he found out you adopted a rescue dog, and Cass… well, she’s not exactly one to hide her feelings. She wasn’t a big fan of my last girlfriend. It made for some awkward moments at times. Needless to say, we didn’t go on a lot of double dates.”

  She liked that his friends approved of her. For some reason, it meant a lot. Especially because she was enjoying hanging out with them. She could picture the four of them going out and doing things together.

  Hold on there, missy. You’re getting a little ahead of yourself.

  “Well, now you have to meet my friends,” Harper teased.

  He planted a kiss on her forehead and replied without hesitation, “Name the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

  She looked at him as she contemplated her next move. He raised his eyebrows, like he was challenging her.

  “I have a charity ball three weeks from tonight for the Wounded Warriors Project. My boss sponsors it every year so it will look good if I show up with a date.”

  “Black tie?”

  “Yeah,” she replied, certain that was a deal breaker for him.

  “Three weeks?”

  Harper nodded.

  Ben nodded. “That should give me plenty of time to take my tux to the cleaners.”

  “You have your own tux?”

  His face suggested duh, although he didn’t say it. Instead he said, “Yeaahh,” like, ‘doesn’t everybody?’ “In case you haven’t figured it out by now, Scout, my mother raised me to be a gentleman.”

  Brenna spoke up from across the table.

  “Excuse me, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help overhear that you’re going to the Wounded Warrior Project Ball?”

  Harper nodded her head.

  “Oh, we’re going too, I’m on the committee.” She smiled at her Marine husband, who looked back at her adoringly. He quickly captured and squeezed her hand as she patted his, and she continued, “Gotta make the General look good. Maybe we can sit together.”

  “Oh, I would love that!”

  Cassie and Luke walked out carrying the cheesecake, with a separate stack of plates and a handful of dessert forks. They had been in the kitchen an awfully long time to simply grab the dessert and utensils.

  Not only were the people surrounding her beautiful, but they were obviously crazy about each other.

  “Love what?” the gorgeous new mother asked.

  “Harper and Ben are going to the WWP Ball,” Brenna answered.

  Cassie scrunched up her face in an adorable pout. “Aw, now I wanna go.” She turned to Luke. “What do you think?”

  Luke glanced at Ben before answering, as if getting his okay, then replied, “Yeah, I guess, if you want, we can go.”

  “Oh, sure, when I asked you to go…” her sister teased.

  Cassie plated a slice of dessert and handed it to Brenna. “Well, I was as big as a house when you originally asked. And with Cooper and Katie gone, it would have been a bunch of stuffy Marines at your table. No offense, Ron.”

  Her brother-in-law shrugged, like nothing Cassie said would surprise—or offend—him.

  “But now, with Ben and Harper going,” she continued, “it’ll be more like a party.”

  “I can’t party too much,” Harper warned
as her plate was placed in front of her. “My boss sponsors it.”

  “You work for Travis?” Brenna asked with her hands in her lap, politely waiting for everyone else to be served their cheesecake before taking a bite of hers.

  Harper nodded, her mouth watering at the sight of the scrumptious dessert in front of her.

  “What do you do there?”

  “I’m a junior law partner.”

  “Oh, wow. You’re so young. That’s impressive.”

  Ben leaned over and kissed her cheek, murmuring, “I didn’t realize you were an attorney.”

  She lifted her shoulders. “It’s not something I usually volunteer. You never know how people feel about lawyers.”

  “I understand that,” he chuckled. “I’ve got one who’s being a real pain in my ass right now.”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes it’s a job requirement.”

  “Have you made any headway?” Luke asked as he sat down with his dessert.

  “Not yet. But I have a meeting next week with the landowner, so we’ll see what happens.”

  “I hope it works out, brother. That would be awesome.”

  “I’m optimistic,” Ben said with a smile.

  “Are you buying a new house?” Harper asked.

  “No, I want to open a third shop.”

  Something about that made her pause, but she quickly dismissed it. There was no way Ben was the one who had bid on her grandfather’s property.

  ****

  Ben

  Harper had gotten quiet during dessert—right around the time that Cassie decided she and Luke were going to go to the ball. He didn’t know if that bothered her, although if it did, he couldn’t figure out why.

  Unless she didn’t really like his friends.

  He knew Cass had a big personality, but she also had a heart of gold—unless you crossed her, like Margo, his ex, apparently had. But Cassie liked Harper, and the two already seemed to be fast friends. And Luke—he was as solid as they came. Same with Ron. As for Brenna, she was cautious with people she didn’t know, but in a diplomatic sort of way—very cordial and polite, but she played things close to the vest until she knew she could trust you. But not in a way that would be off-putting.

  Maybe Harper was just tired, and he was reading too much into things. He did wear her out last night, and they didn’t get that nap this afternoon. If he had anything to say about it, they weren’t going to get much sleep tonight either.

  That was what lazy Sundays were for—napping all day.

  Except—shit. He had dinner at his parents’ at four o’clock with whole famn damily. Okay, make that napping most of the day.

  He thought about inviting her to tomorrow’s dinner, but decided it was probably a little too soon to be meeting the parents. Especially after she’d been such a good sport about spending most of the day with his best friend and his family.

  Luke had built a fire on the back patio, and they were all sitting on the circular couch facing it, drinking wine. Harper was nestled against him, her head on Ben’s shoulder and his arm around her, with Honey asleep in her lap. He really liked how easy this felt.

  She stifled a yawn, and he whispered in her ear as he caressed her shoulder, “Are you ready to go, baby girl?”

  Her smile was faint, and he could tell she was tired.

  “I’m okay. Whenever you’re ready, but no rush.”

  He finished the contents of his glass and stood up, offering his hand to help her up, and announced to the group, “I need to get Scout home. She has a breakfast date in the morning.”

  She set Honey on the ground and looked up at him quizzically. “I do?”

  He winked. “Yeah. With me.”

  A cute little smile formed on her face when she said, “Oh,” but she didn’t object.

  “Scout?” Cassie asked from her spot on the couch, her feet curled under her—a glass of wine in one hand, and her other twirling a strand of Luke’s short hair, her elbow on his shoulder.

  “It’s his nickname for me,” Harper volunteered. “After Scout Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird.”

  “Oh my god, you two are the cutest,” Cassie exclaimed, setting her feet on the ground. “Do you have a nickname for him?”

  Harper looked up at him with a wink. “Benji.”

  “Benji! Yes! I love it!” She squealed, putting her glass on the brick hearth and standing up. Luke followed, as did Brenna and Ron.

  They said their farewells on the patio; Harper thanked them for dinner and for letting Honey come over, and Cassie gushed about the wine and dessert they’d brought, followed by Brenna chiming in how she couldn’t wait for the Wounded Warrior Project Ball. It was a fucking lovefest. Meanwhile, the men looked on, amused.

  Cassie had just started to talk about dress shopping when Luke put his hands on her shoulders.

  “Babe, they have to go. You can get her number from Ben and text her this week.”

  “Fine,” she said with an eye roll.

  “I’d give you my card, but I didn’t bring my purse,” Harper said.

  “I’ll get it from Benji,” Cassie said with a shit-eating grin.

  Ben put his best friend’s wife in a mock headlock and gently rubbed the top of her hair with his knuckles, growling, “You don’t get to call me that.”

  “But…”

  “No buts, Little Rivas. That’s for my girlfriend only.”

  “Girlfriend!” Cassie shrieked, pumping her fist in the air and almost punching Ben in the nose in the process. “Yessss!”

  Oh shit. Too soon, too soon. Fuck!

  He quickly glanced over at Harper, who looked a little pale.

  Time to backtrack.

  Although he was technically talking to Cassie, he looked directly at Harper.

  “I didn’t mean girlfriend. I meant girl, who is a friend, whom I also happened to have gone out on a date with.”

  “Nope, you said it. No takebacks,” Cassie insisted.

  Goddammit, Cassie. Help a brotha out, here.

  Fortunately Brenna intervened, changing the subject, and ushered them toward the gate leading to the driveway.

  “Ron and I met at Travis and Ava’s wedding.” She looked at the Marine with affection before continuing. “Travis’ wife is my realtor; she helped me buy my house next door. She sold Cassie this place, too.”

  “Ava is one of my dear friends. She sold me my house, too. Have you seen her lately? She’s going to be adorable in a ball gown with her pregnant belly.”

  “You should have seen her in her wedding dress. An absolute doll.”

  “They make beautiful babies,” Cassie chimed in. “Maybe Sofia Claire will marry Alexander.”

  Luke scowled. “My daughter isn’t marrying anyone. Ever.”

  That started the women off on another tangent. Luke, realizing he was not going to win—as a matter of fact, they didn’t even care what he had to say, turned his attention to his best friend and patted Ben’s shoulder.

  “Thanks for coming tonight, bro. I’ve missed hanging out with you. I love that Harper adopted Honey. Bring her back anytime.”

  Ben didn’t know if Luke meant Harper or the dog, but he responded with a noncommittal, “Sounds good. I’ve missed hanging out with you, too.”

  Luke leaned forward to say quietly, “I like her. She’s a good match for you.”

  Ben thought so too, but everyone was getting way t00 far ahead of themselves—himself included.

  And it was kind of freaking him out.

  Applying brakes. Hopefully he hadn’t freaked her out too much with his ‘girlfriend’ comment, and could still salvage this.

  Time would tell.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Harper

  “You guys drive safely. Be careful of the cop who likes to sit down the hill.” Cassie said outside Ben’s truck door after he’d started the truck and rolled the window down.

  “Damn po-po,” teased Luke, an SDPD SWAT sergeant, his arm going around his wife’s shoulder.


  Harper thanked them again as Honey got comfortable on her lap. Fuck, she was tired.

  “I’ll call you about dress shopping,” Cassie called as Ben pulled out of the drive. Harper smiled and waved.

  They were on the main road out of the housing development when Ben quietly said, “Thanks for coming tonight. Sorry if Cass kind of butted in on the ball. I know you wanted me to meet your friends that night, not spend more time with mine.”

  She stopped petting Honey and reached for his hand.

  “It’s okay, really. It’s going to be mostly my colleagues anyway; I was kind of teasing about my friends being there. But I do appreciate you saying you’ll go with me, and it’ll be a lot of fun with Cassie and Luke, and Ron and Brenna.”

  “I was surprised that Brenna and Ron are going—although now that I think about it, I don’t know why I didn’t expect that, given he’s a lieutenant general with the Marine Corps.”

  Although no one had come out and actually said it, Harper had gathered Ron was kind of a big deal with the military. A three-star general would definitely be considered a big deal.

  “What’s their story?”

  “Ron and Brenna?”

  She nodded.

  “They haven’t been married that long. Brenna’s first husband was Danny Roberts.”

  Harper paused for a moment—she knew she recognized that name, but couldn’t place how. Then it hit her.

  “The Danny Roberts? Second baseman for the Padres?”

  “The very one.”

  “Well, Cassie did say her sister was kind of famous…”

  Ben chuckled. “She’s been on Page Six more than her fair share, between Danny and her films.”

  Harper tilted her head. “Films?”

  “She’s a screenwriter—and a pretty successful one at that. I think I’ve seen an Oscar in her office. The first film she wrote was Warning Track.”

  Harper’s eyebrows went up. “I love that movie.”

  “I believe that’s how she met Danny. And from what I remember Luke telling me, A Breathtaking Life, which came out several years ago, is loosely based on her and Ron.”

  “I never saw it, but now that I know that, I don’t know if I would want to. It’d be almost like reading her diary.”