His eyes are gentle when he says, “I’ll get him to go and find it, okay? It’ll be fine.”
“Fine,” I hiss. “You’ll never see what you’ve done to me, will you?”
He gives me a pained look, but I turn and rush off. I go into the office and slam the door, locking it. Then I turn my back to it and slide down. I tuck my knees up to my chest, wrap my arms around them and cry. I cry so hard my body shakes. Everything is crashing around me and no one can see it. Dad is acting like he isn’t even missing the garage and the guys are all finding new jobs.
Everyone has given up.
I stay sitting on the floor for a long, long time. The pounding at the door jerks me back to reality and I slowly push up to my feet. My cheeks are coated with dried tears and my eyes are burning. I unlock the door and open it to see Tazen standing at the door with my sign in his hand. He places it against the wall and says, “Here you go, I told you I’d get it back for you.”
I stare at the old sign, then look back up to him. “And this is supposed to just fix it all?”
He sighs. “Look, Quinn, I get it, okay? I do. I know this place meant a fuck load to you but you gotta let it go and move on. It’s getting out of hand. I handled it for a week, I can’t for another.”
“Then give me a job, at least give me that.”
He shakes his head. “No.”
“Why?” I growl. “Because I’m a woman?”
He leans in closer. “No,’’ I have no doubt you hold a good deal of talent behind that pretty face, Quinn, but my garage takes a certain level of experience that I’m not sure you have. It has nothing to do with you being a woman. You need to find another job, and let it go.”
I lean in closer. “I’ll learn.”
He growls. “I don’t have a job for you, Quinn. You wanna answer phones? Then you can do that. As for the mechanical side, it isn’t,” he brings his mouth so close to mine I fear he’ll kiss me, “going to happen.”
Prick.
“We’ll see.”
He lets out a frustrated sigh and steps back, running his hands through his hair. “You’re pushing my buttons, woman. I’ll lock you the fuck out if I have to.”
I step past him, straightening my shoulders again. “Try it.”
Then I disappear into the garage.
* * *
“I was wondering if Tazen is here?”
I am sitting at the reception desk, because yes the phone was ringing so much I could no longer ignore it, so I started answering it. Tazen seemed pleased with this, because he was running in and out having to answer it and it was pissing him off. I’ve just put the phone down when a gorgeous brunette saunters in. I hate her instantly, because she looks like she fell off the model train.
Her long, thick hair is flowing in perfect loose curls around her shoulders and down her back. She’s wearing a tiny skirt and a tight tank that is displaying super fake boobs that, damn her, look amazing. She has eyes like emeralds and full, sensual lips. Perfection.
Damn them both.
“Oh.” I smile sweetly. “Tazen was here about half an hour ago. He had to go to an urgent doctor’s appointment.” I stand and lean over the desk to whisper, “You know, for his problem?”
Her brows shoot up and she leans in close. “Problem?”
“You know … he had those blisters … on his…” I let my eyes dart around. “Johnson.”
I want to snort laugh at the look on her face. She’s horrified. “His … he … what?”
“Oh,” I say, and I know I look genuinely shocked. “You’re not his … girlfriend, are you?”
She shakes her head. “No, but, we’re seeing each other. He has blisters?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” I wave a hand. “It’s a very common problem. I hardly noticed when we were together last.”
“You,” she gasps, “slept with him?”
I raise my brows. “Sure, he’s Tazen Watts.”
She narrows her eyes. “I thought…”
“Oh,” I say gently. “You thought he only played with one girl at a time? Shit, I’m sorry. I’ve opened my big mouth and upset you.”
“He just makes out like I matter, and that we’re exclusive.”
“Listen, why don’t you take a seat and wait for him to finish seeing the doctor.”
“Quinn.”
The voice is barked from behind me, and a big smile stretches across my face as I turn around to see Tazen in the doorway, arms crossed over his broad chest. I wave my arms out to him. “Oh look, you’re back? How did the doctor’s visit go? Did they give you something to help clear it all up?”
His expression tells me he wants to stab me, multiple times. His eyes are narrowed in a fierce glare, that if I didn’t know better, I’d be afraid of.
“I wasn’t at the doctor,” he bites out. “I was out back.”
“Oh,” I say soothingly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize she wasn’t meant to know.”
“There’s nothing to know,” he says through clenched teeth, as he flicks his eyes to the girl who is now edging towards the door. “Rose, honestly, she’s joking.”
“I don’t joke,” I say, in my best serious tone.
“Ah,” Rose says. “Look, obviously there is something between the two of you. I think I should leave.”
“There’s nothing between her and I,” Tazen says, stepping around the reception towards her.
“He’s telling you lies,” I say in a serious tone. “But if you’re okay to risk that, fine by me. Just wear a condom, will you?”
With that, I turn and walk out into the garage where I burst into a fit of laughter. I’m pressed against the wall when Tazen comes storming out. He notices me and strides over, then before I can move, he has my body crushed against the wall, his big hands on the brick beside my head. He leans in close, until I can feel his breath tickling my face with each and every pant.
“You are pushing this too far. I’m done, fucking done,” he spits. “You have an hour to leave, or I call the cops.”
“I want a job, and I won’t stop until you give me one.”
“Like fuck. After what I just saw, you are fucking nuts. I’ll get another receptionist.”
“I don’t want to be a receptionist, Tazen,” I snap. “I want to work with cars.”
He barks a laugh. “Never going to happen. You’re not qualified and there’s no way you’re going near my cars.”
“How would you know I’m not qualified?” I protest. “You’ve never seen me work.”
“And I don’t want to,” he growls. “I want you to get out of my garage and leave me the fuck alone.”
“No.”
“No?”
I lean in so close our lips nearly touch. “That’s right, Tazen. I said no.”
“Fuck me,” he rasps, slamming his hands on the wall beside my head. “What the fuck do you want from me?”
“I told you. A job.”
“And I told you, I don’t have the space or the time to train someone who doesn’t know what she’s doing. Being around cars your entire life and actually being able to build one are two very different things.”