“You don’t have to do that. I was just wanting a timeframe.”
Finally, he let her have a good look at those blue peepers. “You had other questions?”
“Food. Where’s a good place within walking distance?”
“Don’t let its appearance scare you, but that taco truck in the next parking lot is really good.”
“Thanks.” She picked up her purse and glanced around, sure that she was forgetting something. Flustered, she smiled and walked out of the shop, glad that she’d managed to escape without inviting the man to lunch.
Chapter 4
After running a broom around the floor, Coop shut off the lights in the garage much later than normal. He wandered into the waiting area, straightened magazines, made sure the coffee supplies were ready for the next morning’s customers, and picked up trash.
A pile of red on the floor in the corner caught his attention. That red was his new favorite color, and he knew immediately what it was. He fished his cell out of his pocket, glanced at his hand, and dialed.
“Hello.” She sounded almost out of breath.
“Nellie, hi. It’s Coop.” Was that too casual? Should he have used his full name?
“If you’re calling me to say that the shop burned down or that my Jeep was destroyed in a localized disaster, I’m not sure I’m ready to hear it. You’ll have to take a number in the Nellie’s bad day line.”
He chuckled. “Nothing like that. You left your jacket at the shop. I could drop it by on my way home.” The offer slipped out before he really gave it much thought.
“No.” Sharp and abrupt, her answer felt like a slap.
He’d overstepped. “It’ll be here in the office whenever you come back in.”
“Thanks.”
Coop hung up and slapped the counter. He’d accused Cara of being unprofessional, and now he’d offered to drop by a woman’s house at night. He stared at the smudged numbers on his hand. “Who are you, Nellie Davis? And why did you come into my shop?”
Nellie didn’t want him anywhere near her house. Her reaction made him wonder if his offer offended her or if she was hiding something.
Trusting the cars to Seth and Mario, Coop focused on lunch and the books. After grabbing lunch from the taco truck in the next lot, he settled at his desk.
After an hour, he scratched at his beard and rubbed his eyes. He should be grateful he was in the black, but with such a narrow margin, he didn’t consider it a success. He needed to change something, but what?
Cara giggled somewhere else in the building, probably flirting with Seth. When she stuck her head in the door, Coop jolted in surprise.
“Hey.” Her words were punctuated with the smacking of her gum. “There’s a customer.”
Coop had hired her even though he had the gut feeling it was a very bad idea. “Can you take care of it?”
“Nope. I don’t know what they want. Something about a caliper. When I asked them to spell it, they asked for you.” She shrugged and wrinkled her nose.
Coop stood, frustrated and tired. It wasn’t even closing time, and he wanted her to go home. Customers were a good thing, though.
He walked out to the lobby. “Hi. How can I help you?”
The man explained about what needed to be replaced, and Coop entered the info into the computer, verified the man’s phone number, and took the keys. At least customers were coming back. That was a positive sign.
Just before dark, Coop wiped his grease-covered hands and lowered the door on the last open bay. He headed home, tired after a long day.
The first thing he did was shower. After getting cleaned up, he opened the fridge, taking inventory of what ingredients he had. Too tired to cook, he headed out to get barbecue. He’d been making a list, and he could only know which restaurants to recommend if he’d tried them all. San Antonio and the nearby Hill Country had a lot of places for him to try. Maybe one day he’d blog about it or something. Where to get excellent barbecue was information people needed to know.
He searched online for some place new to try and discovered that one of his favorite country and western dance places served barbecue. Live music and barbecue sounded like a great evening.
He hopped in his truck, which still held the hint of Nellie’s perfume. Did she like barbecue?
It didn’t matter. She was so far out of his league, they were playing different sports. But wow, she was beautiful.
At the dance hall, after showing his ID, he wandered over to the table and purchased a plate loaded with smoked meat. Then, he found a place to sit. Getting there early made it easy to find a seat. The deejay played classic country, couples shuffled around the floor, and Coop enjoyed his barbecue.
Watching one older couple, Coop grinned. The two hadn’t been young lovers for several decades, but here they were on a Friday night dancing. It took a special someone to make love last that long.
Thoughts of Nellie flashed in his brain. She was definitely special. Did she like to dance?
He stayed late into the night, enjoying a couple of beers and a great band.
For the next three nights, Coop dreamt of Nellie. Every morning, he jumped out of bed early and drove to the one place he knew she’d been—other than her office and his shop. With no reason to call Nellie until her Jeep was ready, he made a quick stop by the place she’d bought the vanilla latte. He’d paid attention to the name stamped on the cup.
Every morning, he left with only a cup of coffee. He wanted today to be different.
“Good morning! The usual?” Ernesto had quickly become Coop’s favorite barista.
“Please.”
The bell above the door rang out a jingle, and Coop noticed the limo parked out front before he saw the driver walking in.
“Ernie! I need a vanilla latte and a flat white.”
“You trying to watch your figure, cuz?” Ernesto tapped his midsection. “And why didn’t she come in this morning?”
The driver flashed a grin at Coop. “You look familiar. From that garage near the taco truck, right?”
“That’s right. I’m Coop.” He glanced out toward the limo, wishing he could see through the tinted windows.
“Name’s Art.”
Coop figured there was one reason he’d be recognized by the driver. “I’d like to pay for the coffee.”
“Just her vanilla latte or both?” Art seemed very amused.
One word gave Coop the confirmation he wanted, and he couldn’t wait to see Nellie again. “Both. And thank you.”
“Thank you.” Art exchanged a look with Ernesto.
“I guess she really doesn’t want to see me.” Coop swiped his card and added a tip.
Art squinted one eye and cocked his head. “Those aren’t the words I would use. Have a great morning.” He took the paper cups from Ernesto and held open the door.
Coop stepped out and lifted his cup in greeting, fairly certain the woman behind the dark glass was watching his every move. When he climbed into his truck, a message popped up on his screen.
Thank you for the coffee. She’d kept his number from the night he’d called about her jacket.
My pleasure. The engine took forever, but it should arrive today. Jeep should be ready in a day or two. He wanted to help her, but finishing meant he might never see her again.
You planning on late nights to have it ready.
Getting just enough sleep to avoid mistakes, he’d worked late every night trying to clear the bays so that he could work on her Jeep. Guilty as charged.
While he worked hard to have happy customers, making her happy ranked at a whole different level. She was probably used to people falling all over themselves to do her bidding, but for him, it was a brand-new experience.
That night at almost nine, Coop pulled back into the garage, satisfied her Jeep was in perfect working order. In the morning, he’d call and let her know. His stomach growled as he closed the shop, and the neon lights of the taco truck beckoned him.
After cleaning u
p, he wandered across the lot. Hands on top his head, he stretched as he waited in line.
Someone walked up behind him, and a familiar perfume tickled his senses. He turned around, hoping.
“My Jeep the reason you’re still here?” Nellie tucked a loose curl behind her ear.
He didn’t bother hiding what was probably a stupid grin. “Hi. I just finished it. We could—if you need it tonight.” He pointed at the shop.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll come by in the morning. Wait. I have an early meeting. I’ll be by sometime tomorrow to get it.”
“Go ahead. Ladies first.” He stepped aside and let her get in front of him.
She ordered tacos and a Mexican Coke. “Your turn. My treat.”
“No. I’ll—”
She crossed her arms. “Why do you get to buy me coffee, but I can’t buy you tacos?”
“I’ll take the same.” He couldn’t believe the serendipity of running into her. “We could drop the tailgate on my truck and eat there.”
“Sounds good to me.”
He stole several glances while they crossed the lot, then sat down.
She held the food while he popped the tops on the bottles. “You manage the shop for someone else or is it yours? The name Advanced Tech Auto Repair doesn’t spell it out.”
“Maybe I should have named it Logan’s—but that sounds like a restaurant. Or Cooper’s—same problem.”
“How long have you had your shop?”
“About a year. I’m trying to make it work.”
“The other guys seemed nice enough. Are they good mechanics?”
“Very good. Some days they just have trouble showing up on time. Doesn’t help that Seth and Cara are dating. Talk about complicated.”
“Sounds like you need a new office manager.”
“Yeah, but Cara gave notice, so . . .”
“Saves you from breaking her heart.”
Coop laughed. “Right.”
How did Nellie know the position was open?
“Cara just gave notice today. How did you know?”
Nellie wiped her mouth but stared at her food. “I didn’t know for sure, but I might’ve had something to do with her getting another job offer.”
“What? How?”
“The place where I get my nails done. Don’t look at them now. They’re a mess. Anyway, that place was looking for a nail tech, someone who could do designer nails. Cara has talent. I thought she might be a good fit.”
Coop wasn’t even sure what to say. “Oh.”
Nellie’s smile fell away. “I’m sorry if I overstepped. It seemed like she wasn’t a good fit for the auto shop, but I guess I should have asked you first.”
“No. It’s fine.” He wasn’t the least bit mad. In fact, he was touched that she went to the trouble. “Now I don’t have to hunt down a prince.” He flashed the cheesiest smile he could muster. “And we’ll both be a lot happier.”
“Good.” Her smile lifted her cheek bones and made the sparkles in her eyes dance.
Curiosity had been eating at him, and he finally had the opportunity to ask Nellie questions, but he wasn’t even sure where to start. “What . . . for work”—he shook his head—“what do you do?”
Her smile faded but was quickly replaced by one too-bright and plastic. “I work in real estate.”
“You like it?”
She studied her taco a minute, picking out pieces of onion, before answering. “I do, but I don’t like who I work for.” Her half-hearted shrug punctuated her admission. “But nothing is perfect, I guess.”
“Very true . . . except maybe this dinner.” He didn’t mean the food.
Chapter 5
As soon as her meeting ended, Nellie called a ride share and hurried over to the garage. Keeping her wealth a secret was easier if she didn’t show up in a limo. She took a deep breath as she stepped into the lobby.
A very chipper redhead grinned and cocked her head. “Hi. How can I help you?”
Had Coop found a replacement already?
Nellie glanced into the garage but didn’t see him. “I’m here to pick up my Jeep.”
The lady flipped through the papers stacked next to the computer. “Silver?”
“Yes.”
The lady rattled off the total, and Nellie handed over her credit card.
“Is Coop around?” She didn’t want to leave without thanking him, and she hoped maybe he’d ask her out.
“Who?” The lady crossed her arms and leaned on the counter.
Nellie pointed at the business card on the counter. “Logan Cooper.”
“He was here. Not sure where he went.”
“Are you new?” Nellie decided making conversation was a good way to delay her departure.
“Sort of. I’m just filling in.”
Nellie picked up her keys and turned toward the door, swallowing her disappointment. “Have a good day.” Snails traveled faster than she trudged across the parking lot.
The old Ford pickup wasn’t in its normal spot.
Disappointed, she pulled out of the parking lot, glad to be back in her Jeep, but sad that she had no reason to see Coop again.
The rest of the day unfolded like every other day. Grandfather was his usual cold and stuffy self, and Tanner talked about quitting.
At the end of the day, when she turned off her computer, her phone rang. She recognized the number and answered a bit too quickly. “Hello.”
“Ms. Davis, it’s Logan Cooper.” He sounded so formal. “I noticed you picked up the Jeep and wanted to be sure it was running smoothly.” Did he call all his customers to gauge satisfaction?
“It’s great. Thank you so much for getting it finished so quickly. I really appreciate it, Coop.” She used his nickname, hoping he’d relax a little.
“Good to hear. Well, you can come by the shop for any reason. I’m around most of the time.”
“I’ll remember that. Thank you so much . . . for everything.” She grabbed her purse and headed home, but the idea of cooking held no appeal, so she stopped for tacos again.
Sadly, there was no tall, blue-eyed mechanic standing in line.
Three days went by with no contact from Coop. Nellie grew increasingly antsy. The next morning, she stopped at the garage on her way into the office.
Coop tensed, eyes wide when she walked in. “Everything okay? Is it giving you trouble?”
Nellie hadn’t thought about what to say once she got to the garage. “Uh, no. Well, I think maybe I’m hearing a noise.”
“Have time to loop around the block?” His blue eyes sparkled.
“Sure.” She didn’t see the redhead who’d been there the last time. “What happened to the clerk that was here?”
“She didn’t like the smell of grease.” He leaned into the garage. “Seth, Mario—I’ll be back in a few.”
“Thank you for doing this.” Nellie handed him the keys, wondering how his rough and weathered hand would feel against her palm and remembering how it felt to write her number on his hand.
“Absolutely. If you ever have trouble, please—I’m happy to look at it.” He climbed into the driver’s seat and slid the seat back. “So, when do you hear the noise?”
“The noise?” Nellie wracked her brain. “It’s random.” Saying that she thought she heard something when thoughts of him popped in her head would be much too obvious.
He pulled out of the lot and turned the radio all the way down. “Is it a squeak, a scrape, a tapping . . . what are you hearing?”
“Not sure how to describe it.”
They drove surface streets for nearly a half hour, then circled back to the shop, and—big surprise—the Jeep didn’t make any noise.
“I’m not hearing anything.” He parked near the office. “Want me to—”
“It’s probably nothing. I’ll bring it back if I hear it again.” She only wanted to give him the opportunity to ask her out.
He slid out but held the door open as she came around. “Please do,
Nellie. I’d hate it if you got stranded somewhere.”
“Other than here?” She poked him in the arm.
He shifted closer. “Exactly. Would you—”
“Boss, phone!” Mario needed a better sense of timing.
Coop sighed and looked back over his shoulder. “I should . . .”
“Yeah. I’ll catch you later.” She shut her door before she said anything embarrassing.
Two days later, an invisible magnet pulled her back to the garage.
A very flustered-looking Coop ran into the office when the bell over the door jingled. “Hey. The noise again?”
“You okay?” Nellie dropped her keys on the counter.
“Mario was in an accident on the way to work. Cara got sick, and Seth took her to the emergency clinic. So, it’s just me, and I’m not handling it well. Once Seth gets back, I can drive your Jeep and listen for the noise.”
Nellie texted Tanner: I won’t be in today.
Tanner replied a second later: Lawson just walked in.
Grandfather can handle it. Give them my apologies. Nellie didn’t care if Grandfather shook his head and lectured—or worse. Work ranked second today.
She shrugged off her jacket. “You go work on the cars. I’ll man the desk.”
He blinked, his gaze riveted to the blue jacket she’d draped on the back of the chair. “But your job.”
She waved him out the door. “You’re stuck with me for a bit.”
“I owe you, Nellie.”
She could think of hundreds of ways she wanted to cash in that token.
After hours of answering calls, when Mario showed up, Nellie slipped out, not wanting to distract Coop from work. She’d come back another day for him to listen to her imaginary noises.
Before walking out the door, she picked up a couple business cards and tucked them in her purse. Maybe she’d recommend the shop to Tanner and her parents.
Dating the Billionaire's Granddaughter Page 3