Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Ina shook her head. “The logs are packed for the day. I’ll be back before ye know it.”
I wanted to go with her, but I didn’t push the issue. This was clearly something she wanted, needed to do by herself.
“How’re you feelin’?” she asked, scanning her red-rimmed eyes over my face. “Really?”
“Like shite.”
JJ snorted at my honesty.
“When I’m back from me appointment today, I’ll grab ye some strong painkillers and vitamins from the pharmacy and somethin’ from the deli too. Ye may feel sick as a dog now, but eatin’ somethin’ will help. Make sure ye drink plenty of water, too.”
Even after how upset I made her yesterday, she was still taking care of me. I didn’t deserve her kindness.
“I will, specs.”
Ina nodded. “I’m gonna get back to work and leave you lads to it.”
She turned to walk away, and I tracked her every movement until she was out of sight.
“What’re ye so worried over?” JJ suddenly asked. “I can sense it.”
“Ye want the truth?”
“Always.”
“I like Ina, but what else can come from that interest other than sex? The last time I attempted to have a relationship, it blew up in me face. Casual sex is all I’m good for.”
The reminder that I got the short end of the stick when I chanced something close to a relationship was front and centre in my mind. I was happy that Alannah was happy with Damien, which told me my feelings for her weren’t as deep as I originally thought they were, but that situation still went wrong for me. I was worried the same thing would happen with Ina, and I didn’t want to lose Ina to another man.
I couldn’t.
“Casual sex will be all you’re good for if that’s what ye allow yerself to believe.” My brother straightened. “When you’re done with your pity party, get to work. We’ve more than enough on the logs to keep your fragile mind and ego distracted from the country girl who has ye tied up in ribbons.”
JJ moved across the hangar, hopped down into bay six’s pit, and got to work on a truck raised on the lift. I focused on the doorway to the reception and let JJ’s words circulate in my mind. Ina was a grown woman, and she seemed to be doing fine all on her own, but I wanted to be the man she could turn to whenever she needed help. The man she relied on.
She needed a real friend, and I was going to be that for her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ina
* * *
Three weeks later …
* * *
“Can ye hear me now?”
“Yeah, Gav.”
He put his hand over his mouth. “What about now?”
“Yes.” I giggled. “I can hear ye just fine.”
He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Even now?”
“Yup.”
“That’s amazin’.” He dropped his hand. “Those little devices enable ye to hear. Don’t tell me that’s not cool because it is.”
I shook my head happily as I tapped away on the keyboard, creating a new invoice for a customer whose car was being worked on by one of the lads. It had become part of my routine for all of the men to pop into the reception every so often to chat with me. Harley was my most frequent visitor, but Gavin stayed the longest, and he always made me laugh. I had only known the Collins brothers and worked with them for one month, but I felt as if I had known them all my life. They accepted me into their group without hesitation, and each of them was a gentleman.
I loved that that was a trait they all possessed.
“It is cool,” I agreed with Gavin. “When I collected them on my break and put them in, I felt like I could breathe again. I missed being able to hear music or the sound of the rain on me window when I’m in bed.”
Gavin rested his elbows on the counter. “I take all of that for granted, and I don’t even realise it.”
Before I could say a word, Mr Collins walked down the hallway from his office, and as soon as he saw Gavin, he reached for his belt and began to undo it. His unblinking blue eyes were locked on his youngest son, who jumped away from the counter, making me bite down on my lip to keep from laughing.
“I’m goin’!” Gavin held his hands up. “I’m goin’. Leave your belt alone!”
He dipped into the hangar and said something to the other mechanics that made them all laugh. I looked at Mr Collins, who fixed his belt back in place and looked at me with a scowl.
“I told ye to call me if they’re in here botherin’ ye, love.”
“They’re no bother, sir,” I assured him. “I work while they talk.”
“That’s the problem. You work, and they slack off just so they can have a chat and a cup of tea with you.”