Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Reaching into the passenger seat, I grab the box of donuts I picked up at the bakery. I’m whistling when I enter the building. Alyssa looks up from her computer and smiles when she sees me. “Hey, sis,” I greet her.
“What do you want?” she asks, laughing when I place the box of donuts on her desk. “Donuts, and a cheery greeting. What do you need?”
“Can I not visit my brother and my sister-in-law?” I ask.
“I’m watching you, Mav,” she teases.
“How’s your day?” I take a seat on the stool next to her desk.
“It’s going. The phones have been slow, which is good. I have some invoicing I need to get caught up on.”
“Business is good.”
“Yeah, it’s been busy.”
I nod. “Is Dec busy?”
“I think he’s out in the shop.” She opens the box of donuts and plucks one out. “I don’t care what you’re buttering me up for; this is worth it.” She takes a big bite and groans as if it’s the best damn thing she’s ever eaten, making me laugh.
I stand and point at her. “Save one of those for me.”
“No promises.” She grins before taking another hefty bite of her donut.
Pushing through the service door, I scan the bays, looking for my brother. I find him standing next to Stella’s car, which is currently on the lift. Careful of where I’m going, I make my way over to him. “How bad is it?” I ask him.
“Her tires are bald, all four of them, and she needs brake pads.”
I nod. “Have you looked it over completely?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty sound otherwise. Just the regular maintenance that’s been neglected.”
“Go ahead and give her four new tires, the brakes, and change the oil and any other fluid and filter that it needs. Oh, and replace that spare. I have no idea how long she’s been driving on it.”
“I’m pretty sure she’s not going to agree with that assessment.”
“I don’t care. She has a baby. She can’t be driving around on bald tires with bad brakes.”
“Mav, brother, I don’t think she can afford that.”
No shit. “I know, but I can.”
“Maverick.” He uses his dad voice that stops Blakely in her tracks.
“Declan.” I use the same tone.
“Come with me.” He tosses the rag he was using to wipe his hands on the hood of the car and heads toward the service door that I just passed through. I follow along behind him, ready for a speech from my big brother.
Once we’re back in the waiting area, he freezes. “Who brought donuts?” he asks Alyssa.
“Mav, but I can’t figure out what he’s buttering me up for.”
Declan turns to look at me over his shoulder. “Kiss ass.” He laughs as he stalks toward Alyssa’s desk and steals a donut. “My office, little brother.” He nods toward the hall.
“Oh, Mav’s in trouble,” Alyssa sings.
I stick my tongue out at her like the mature adult that I am, shove my hands in my pockets, and follow Declan down the hall to his office. He’s already sitting behind his desk with half his donut devoured. He nods for me to sit. I close the door before I do. I don’t need his employees to hear this conversation.
“Talk.”
“About what? The weather? How are my niece and nephew? Any plans for another?” I ramble. I know it’s going to piss him off, but he’s treating me like a damn kid.
“Stella.”
I sigh, my shoulders slumping. “Look, man, she’s having a rough go of it. Ada’s dad is a deadbeat, and she’s here staying with her grandparents. I don’t know the entire story, but I know she’s hit hard times, and I want to help.”
“Why do you want to help a complete stranger?”
“Fuck, Declan, I don’t know, okay? Because I can? Because if that were my sister, wife, or daughter and they fell on hard times and I wasn’t there to help them stand, I’d want someone without an ulterior motive to step in and do it in my place.”
“She’s going to be pissed.”
“I know.” Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my knees and run my fingers through my hair. “It’s not safe, right? Would you let Kennedy drive around with those tires and brakes?”
“Kennedy is my wife.”
“Answer the damn question, Declan.”
“No. No, I wouldn’t let Kennedy drive on those tires and brakes.”
“She doesn’t have a Declan. As far as I can tell, she has her grandparents, and I’m sure they would help her if she asked, but Stella’s not going to ask. I got the impression she feels like she’s imposing by staying with them.”
“I’m sure George is aware.”
“Maybe, maybe not. If he’s never ridden with her or driven her car, how would he know about the brakes? And the tires? I’m sure he’s not paying attention.”
“You sure you want to do this? It’s going to set you back several hundred dollars.”