“Yes, Quincy, I’m fine,” she replied and could feel her body shaking. It was crazy, but all four of the Fortane brothers were very intimidating, Seren included, who came by yesterday afternoon. He didn’t ask her questions, which surprised her, and she wondered what he was up to. But soon enough, she was taking on some additional jobs to help ease up Meryl’s schedule.
She took the extended hard drive out of the box. “Let’s hope this works. Then I’ll transfer the documents to this, and you can decide if you want a new computer here. If so, we just connect this extended hard drive to the new computer and open up the files and transfer back. It’s pretty simple.”
He was right next to her, towering over her. “Where did you learn how to do this?” he asked.
“It’s basic computer knowledge,” she replied, but he gave her a sideways look. Quincy was older, had some scruff along his cheeks, fine lines by his eyes, but was very attractive. Especially with those deep blue eyes of his. He watched her make the connection and then start typing.
“What’s next?” he asked.
She smiled. “It basically does the work for you. It will go into the machine, the storage base, and transfer whatever we want. This has one Terabyte, so it’s a huge amount of storage.”
He was watching her, standing so close that she could smell his cologne, then she felt an arm nudge her. She looked up at him. “You know, you could always go back to college and finish up, or take on a job based on experience. You’re professional and classy, I can tell. Don’t give up on that.”
“I’m not giving up on anything.”
“I know it would be tough, working and taking college classes, but it’s doable. Have you considered online? Maybe there’s a way that you can do it, and it won’t red flag you?”
“I appreciate the conversation, Quincy, truly I do, but life has been…difficult for the last year. The last thing on my mind would be going back to school. I’ll take care of this and get the computer set up.”
“Don’t make yourself crazy. I think Jake ordered Mom a new one anyway. You can help her with the transfer and loading the program.”
“Not a problem. That’s so nice of him. The computer is old.”
“Jade,” Shane called out as he walked toward the desk from the garage. He was looking down at a piece of paper and then got closer and handed it to her. “This is the evaluation on the 1957 Chevy I worked on with Gus. Al Pokla should be coming by in about an hour. Did you get the program up and running?” he asked and walked right next to her, but then looked at the computer.
Now, Quincy and Shane were both right there, close. Really close. She felt her heart begin to race. “I think it’s good for now. Quincy said your dad bought your mom a new computer, so when that comes I’ll get it all set up here for her,” she said. She looked up at him. He stared down into her eyes, his hand on the back of her chair, and Quincy had his hand on the back of her chair, too. She felt their forearms against her back and she couldn’t move.
“I had a feeling they would buy Mom a new one. That’s good. Should make things easier. Let me see how you’re doing on the program so we can get this estimate up,” he said to her, and she was surprised they both stayed there, close to her and watched as she typed and added things. “Add a note in that area about checking the breaks in a few months. The pads are a little dull but don’t need changing yet,” he added.
She sensed Quincy inhaling against her hair. “Your hair smells so good, Jade. I like it,” he said. She glanced up at him and just stared at her.
“Thanks,” she replied.
The door chimed, indicating a customer was coming in. Quincy caressed her shoulder. “I’ll see how the dads are coming along with the computer,” he said and walked away.
“Let me know when Al gets here,” Shane said, and then headed back to the garage.
She sighed and couldn’t believe she felt the loss of their presence. The Fortane men were big, muscular, seasoned, and definitely intimidating. She had to remain focused here. The last thing she needed was a man or men in her life ordering her around, asking all kinds of questions, and then feeling sorry for her. No, she was on her own and she needed to stay professional. In fact, she needed to look up the bus route and times so she could head to that clothing place. Hopefully, she could find some nice things really cheap, or better yet, free. The bargain store and Goodwill were her only options.
She focused on the customer who entered the store, but then he asked for Colby. Just the sound of the man’s name out her on edge. He was quiet, hard, and watched her like he didn’t trust her. “Let me see if he’s out back. Hold on one moment please.”
“You bet, honey. You’re new around here?” he asked as she picked up the phone.
Sunny answered as she nodded to the customer. “Hi Sunny, is Colby back there? There’s a gentleman here to see him.” She covered the receiver. “What’s your name?”
“Turner.”
She repeated his name into the phone, and then Sunny said he would be up in a minute. She ended the call. Turner leaned against the counter and looked at her top, then her lips. She wore a blouse, the same one she wore in the beginning of the week. She didn’t have much clothing at all. She was embarrassed wearing the same things, but she had no choice. When she got paid today, she would head to Coldsberry.
“You sure are a beauty. How long you been working here?” Turner asked her.
“A week,” she said, wishing he would go away.
He had his phone out and pointed it toward the showroom, taking pictures. Then he took one of her, then of the service door to the garage where Colby was. She felt uneasy, but the guy was such a character and flirt. She held her own, though.
“Hmm, you new around town?” he asked and put his phone away.
“Sort of.”
“Well, darling, maybe you need a little tour of all the good places, the safe ones for a pretty little thing like you. Damn, your eyes are stunning. I can’t stop looking.”
“Well, you better.”
She jumped when she heard Colby’s voice. Turner’s lip curled up and he stood straighter. “This fine young thing yours, Colby?” he asked, and Colby remained straight-faced.
“She’s off limits, and you, my friend, are trouble. Let’s head in the back. I have your things packed up and ready for the excursion.”
Turner looked back at Jade. “Honey, you ever been hunting before? Spend a week camped out in the woods living off the land, handling the dangers of the wild?” he asked flirtatious, like perhaps she was the thing he was hunting after.
“I can’t say I have,” she replied.
“I could teach you a lot of things. I may have room for one more in the trailer, maybe a lap seat,” he said and winked.
She laughed, rolled her eyes, and went back to typing on the computer.
“Come on, I have a lot going on today,” Colby snapped at Turner. She didn’t look up. She ignored Turner even as he whistled low and told Colby how sexy she was and playing hard to get. Then Meryl appeared.
“I’m so excited about the new computer. Kevin is bringing it in now.”
“Great. I just need to finish up this invoice for Mr. Pokla, then we can start setting things up.”
“You are a godsend, Jade. I know we would have had to hire someone to come set this new system up. Oh, and I’ll have your pay for the week by three. That’s when you’re heading out?”
“Yes, I have some errands to run.”
“No problem at all. I’m glad things are working out,” she said.
Kevin appeared with Jake, and they were carrying the new boxes, joking around about feeling as old as the old computer. Meryl kissed her husbands once the boxes were set down, and Jade could see the love in their eyes and their complete care for their wife. Her parents didn’t have that. She never felt like someone truly cared, never mind loved her. Tears filled her eyes, and she looked away. No need to start wanting things that would never happen. Dreaming was a waste of time.
“I don’t know. She was up front all day,” Colby replied.
Quincy looked disappointed. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against the doorway as Colby placed another box into the bed of the truck.
“It’s supposed to rain later this afternoon,” he told Colby.
“Yeah, a bad storm, too, torrential downpours, thunder, lightning. Should make for a nice ride back from Coldsberry.”
“You like that ride,” Quincy said. Colby shrugged his shoulders. “You see that Jade got the computer up and running in no time at all? I’m really impressed with her abilities.”
Colby mumbled something incoherent in response.
“She isn’t what I expected,” Quincy added.
“She’s young, and she’s got trouble attached to her.”
“That a bad thing, Colby, or right up our alley? We’re soldiers, and whether retired or not, we don’t back down from danger.”
“You sound like Seren.”
“Yeah, well, hate to admit that the kid brother was right, but there is something about Jade that interests me.”
“Yeah, it’s her body and her good looks.”
“So you noticed?” Quincy asked, and then chuckled when Colby gave him an annoyed expression. “I heard Turner wrote his cell number all over the copy of the order forms he handed back to her when he left. He asked her to lunch when he gets back from his hunting trip.”
Colby narrowed his eyes at him. “What did she say?” Colby asked as he started to roll down the custom tarp his big black pick-up truck came equipped with.
“I don’t know. I thought you might know.”
“She blew him off earlier when he was pushing for her to go hunting with him.”
“He asked her that?” Quincy asked and shook his head. “Jesus, Seren will be pissed.”
“You sound pissed,” Colby replied.
“She needs looking after. We all agreed the other night when we talked.”
“Let Mom and the dads do that,” Colby said.
“You’re telling me you don’t want to get to know her better if we all decide to pursue her?”
Colby looked at him, shocked. “When did this decision take place?”
Quincy snorted and then shook his head. “I don’t fucking know. All I know is that when I get close to her, I inhale her scent, her shampoo, and it’s like I want to touch her, hold her close. She’s resistant, scared, hell, she shakes when we’re near her.”
“I think I scare her the most,” Colby replied, and then pulled out his keys.
“We can work on that. On getting to know her. We’ll talk more tonight. Be careful driving.”
“I will,” Colby said before he got into the truck and pulled it out of the garage bay in the back shipping area. He closed up the garage, locked it, and then got into the truck. As he pulled down the road and onto the highway, he could see that it was starting to get cloudy fast. It was over an hour to Coldsberry, and he wasn’t looking forward to the even longer ride back in the terrible weather.
By the time he got to town, the rain was already coming down. He pulled into the back bay of the storefront to deliver the order. When he finished up, he walked into the building while Fred, the owner, gave him a check. Colby looked out the window. He had to do a double take because of the rain coming down so hard, but it looked like Jade coming out of the thrift shop. She covered her head with a bag, was holding another one, and started to run and then stopped short. He looked to where she was going, and the bus was pulling away and already heading the other way. Had she missed it? What was she doing in Coldsberry alone? It was pouring rain and only going to get worse.
“Here you go,” Fred said, handing him the check “Be careful driving back.”
“Will do, Fred. Thanks again.”
He got into his truck and pulled out onto the road when he saw Jade hurrying to the cover over the bus stop. He pulled over and rolled down the window. “Jade?” She turned to look up at him, and she was soaking wet. “What are you doing out here and in Coldsberry all alone?” he asked.
“I took the bus after work and was planning on heading back on it, but I missed it.”
“Well, you can’t stand out here. When is the next bus coming?”
“Two hours.”
“Two hours?” She was shivering, and he could see through the sheer blouse. “Get in and I’ll drive you. I’m heading back.”
“What are you doing here? Did you follow me? Are you some kind of creep?” she accused him.
His eyes widened, and then his brow furrowed. “No, I didn’t follow you. I delivered an order to Fred’s across the way. I saw you through the window and wanted to make sure you’re okay. Obviously, you aren’t. Get in,” he ordered.
She firmed her lips and crossed her arms in front of her chest, nearly dropping her two bags she held. Now, he could even see the deep cleavage of her breasts. She was well endowed and then some, and the thought of her out here alone angered him.
“Get in the truck now, woman. Don’t make me ask twice,” he stated firmly.
She stared at him. The thunder rumbled and lightning filled the sky. She jumped and then ran around the truck, pulling herself up into the cab. He couldn’t believe how sexy she looked, hair all wet, drenched from head to toe. She shivered, and he reached into the back seat to grab a towel he had back there. He had taken it when he left Cherry Hill in case he got rained on and needed to dry off.
“Here. Wrap this around yourself before you get sick. My mamma will be livid if you can’t be at work next week,” he told her, as if that was why he wanted her to cover up. If he stared at her breasts any longer, he would lose his mind.
He looked before he pulled back onto the road and they headed out of the town. The scent of her filled the cab of the truck immediately. He inhaled and felt his dick harden—she sure smelled good. Wrapped up in the towel, he also marveled at how small she was, almost petite and completely feminine. She crossed her legs and then tried to dry her hair. She pulled the towel around her snuggly and stayed as close to the door as she could. He was insulted that she thought he could be a pervert.
“Sit back and relax, we have over an hour ride.”
“Maybe there’s a bus stop along the way I could stop and wait for.”
“There aren’t any. If you took the bus here from Cherry Hill, then that’s the only one that travels to our town. There’s a whole lot of open land and farm land between.”
“I noticed that on the way here late this afternoon.”
He glanced at her bags. “Why did you come all the way to Coldsberry to do shopping?” he asked.
She didn’t respond at first, and then she made up something. He could tell. “I heard about a few of the clothing stores here and they don’t have them in Cherry Hill or Central Valley.”
“Are you kidding me? There are multiple boutiques where all the women seem to shop. The younger ones shop in Central Valley, from what I hear.”
“This was fine, and I need to keep my options open for jobs and living arrangements in case things don’t work out.”
“Don’t work out? My mamma likes you, the dads, too, and it isn’t easy to do that.”
What Love Feels Like Page 5