“Owning a Harley? Maybe someday.”
“No, goofy. A girl that does.”
It was like she was trying to push him away. Or push him toward Dusty. Either one. His heart hurt. Did she feel like he was getting too close? Too serious? He’d said more from his heart tonight than he’d ever said before.
He needed to back off.
~~~
The next day, Riley drove them to work since she had a business lunch to attend. Ben had been quiet and a little more aloof than usual, although they’d still watched the sunrise together. This time, they’d sat on the steps together, and he’d held her. She’d been more content than she could ever remember being, snuggled in his arms.
But it was like he’d realized yesterday that maybe he would be interested in a girl like Dusty. Or maybe in Dusty herself.
She was afraid to ask.
She dropped him off at the back of the garage before driving around and parking in her usual spot. Resting her hands on the wheel, she didn’t get out right away. Sometime between last night and this morning, she realized that she was in love with Ben Baxter. Completely, head over heels, blindly in love with him
It started with the absolute, unreasonable jealousy that had erupted in her soul—for no reason—when she’d seen Dusty. Ben wasn’t even looking at her. Didn’t spend more than five seconds talking to her. Yet, Riley had been unreasonably jealous for the first time in her life.
And why not? Ben was amazing in every way.
Riley grabbed her briefcase and got out of her car. She should tell Ben. But she couldn’t. As she opened the door to the building using her key, she listed the reasons in her head.
First of all, she was his boss. A relationship with a subordinate would be all kinds of wrong.
Secondly, her dad had been clear. Everything she’d been working for her whole life was on the line. If he found out that she and Ben were together, she could lose everything.
Would that be so horrible?
She stopped short, her finger reaching for the elevator button.
Wouldn’t having Ben be better than a corner office and her dad’s approval? She could hardly believe she was thinking this way. It had never crossed her mind before. She had always been so focused on work.
The idea was bold and big and new, and she needed time to think about it. Before she could act on anything, though, she needed to do her part to turn this terminal around.
Chapter 21
The weeks went by, Gram slowly mended, the twins went back to Maine to pick up where they’d left off, and Ben and Riley settled into a routine. Watching the sunrise together in the morning. Going their separate ways at work—Riley approving every change Ben made and trying to unwind her own issues in the office. Slowly the terminal was turning.
They cooked supper together in the evening and often sat outside by the fire ring that Ben had made the week she was gone to meet with her dad at their Virginia facility. Easy friendship lay soft, like a spring rain, between them, but the attraction that had always marked their relationship was not dormant. Not for her.
But she didn’t talk about it, didn’t acknowledge it, and neither did he. Since the night when he’d told her he couldn’t imagine her with any man but him, he’d pulled way back. It was like they’d never been close. She should have been relieved, since that was the night that she realized she was in love with Ben. Completely, head over heels in love with Ben. It had scared her. He would never want to actually be with a girl like her. Someone like Dusty was much more his style. Thankfully, he’d seemed to realize it when she pointed it out and gotten quiet before she said something stupid like she’d wanted to many times over the past few weeks. Something like, “How about we be married for real?”
She just needed to keep it together for another six weeks.
By unspoken agreement, they’d not spent much time together when they were at work. Her dad hadn’t asked for another tour, and they’d accomplished what she had barely even hoped to accomplish—his family believed they were happily married, and her dad didn’t even know they were on speaking terms. Her mom was a nonissue. Although she’d broken up with husband number five and now had a penthouse in New York City with her new boyfriend.
Riley clicked a few more keys on her office computer. This one sticky issue of figuring out the information filing system had taken up a majority of her time since she’d started, and she almost had it all figured out. The one huge hang-up had been eight missing IFTA reports. She would need them when the insurance renewed in three months, and she still hadn’t found them, even though she’d been through every folder on the system a half-dozen times.
Standing, she stretched her back and neck. She walked over to the window where she could see the big garage doors open. It was the wrong angle to see Ben’s bay, but it was a comfort to know that he was down there. Their time was almost up, and she didn’t want to think about losing him. Her eyes dropped. She hadn’t spent much time loafing in her office, but she walked over now to the small loveseat against the far wall. If she moved it against the other wall, she could move her desk so it faced out the window. It was kind of untraditional to have her desk not facing the door, but it wouldn’t hurt to try it, right?
She gave the loveseat an experimental push. It moved easily. It would be easy... Her eyes landed on a folder on the floor, just peeking out from where the loveseat had been.
Drawing her brows together, she squatted down. Pulling on it, she realized there were a pile of folders. She picked up the top one. IFTA, it said across the top in big letters. Her heart started racing, and she couldn’t contain her smile.
She reached for the other folders, checking under the loveseat to be sure she got them all. Profit and Loss by Department. Records of Employee Performance. All dated in the past year. She laughed and clutched them to her chest. The last supervisor had not been a big computer person. That had been obvious. Apparently, they’d been more comfortable with hard copies. But there were no filing cabinets, so...under the loveseat they’d gone.
She strode over to her desk and sat down, flipping through them to be sure. Yes. All the reports she’d been missing. All the information she needed to make profitable changes. Everything. All here.
So excited she couldn’t sit still, she jumped back up and strode to the window. Ben leaned in the opening of one of the big garage doors, a sandwich in one hand, staring in her direction. Another fellow stood beside him, holding a bottle of soda, and a third seemed to be telling a story since his hands were gesturing everywhere, despite the fact that he was holding a bag of potato chips.
They must be taking a late lunch. Riley calculated quickly—her dad had spent the last week in Maine. That terminal had been struggling since Ben and she had left. He was driving back tomorrow. She grabbed her phone and texted Ben. Great news!! Can you meet me in the back parking lot?
She held her phone in her hand and watched as he pulled his out of his pocket, read it, and texted back. He put the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth and pushed off from the garage door.
Her phone buzzed. Be there in five.
A new clenching gripped her stomach, and her excitement went beyond finding the folders. Even beyond the almost-certainty that she would have the terminal sitting at the top of the company when her dad’s investors showed up in a few weeks.
She grabbed her small mirror out of the desk drawer and checked her hair and makeup. Of course, Ben had seen her this morning, and he’d see her again at home, but they didn’t usually meet in the middle of the day, and she wanted to look her best.
She hurried out, waving to Jill, and rushed down the hall. The far elevator led directly to the back lot, and she wouldn’t see anyone else once she got on.
Pressing the button, she waited impatiently. He would understand her excitement, because he’d lived with her anxiety for the last four and a half months. He’d be happy for her. After all, he’d worked his butt off, staying late, covering shifts, and making every change he co
uld to increase employee production and decrease turnover, which was the biggest problem in the shop.
She stepped out of the elevator and strode right out the doors. Her stride slowed for just a second when she saw how full the lot was and remembered they were painting lines in the regular employee lot and everyone had parked back here this morning. Except her, since she had a special spot out front along with her dad and the chairman of the board.
Then Ben came around the corner, and she forgot everything else, hurrying over to him. He’d washed up; she could see a few drops of water on his face, plus his arms were clean. He’d found a clean t-shirt.
His lips broke into a smile when he saw her excited face, although his brows stayed furrowed like he wasn’t sure what he was smiling about but was just happy because she was happy. That was Ben. He’d never once been intimidated by her being his boss or superior. And he’d always done his best to help her. The man had pride, but it didn’t get in the way of him wanting everything that was best for her.
She didn’t stop until she was right in front of him. “Guess what?”
“You had to have gotten those files straightened out.”
“Even better.” She didn’t mean to, but her hands gripped his biceps. Solid and way too big for her to encircle, she squeezed anyway.
His arms bent, and his muscles rippled under her hands. That, along with him setting his hands on her waist, distracted her for just a second.
Then her smile brightened, and she glowed into his eyes. “I was going to move that loveseat around...”
His smile faded. “I can move it...”
“No, wait.” She put a finger on his lips. They could argue about whether or not she was able to move furniture later. “The folders were under it! Everything I’ve been looking for!”
“Actual folders,” Ben said against her finger.
She moved it to the side, where her hand cupped his face, feeling the bristles of his stubble as she’d longed to do for months now.
“Yes! I’ve mentioned so many times how the person before me wasn’t good with computers. Well, they really weren’t good with computers. They didn’t even have the things on the computer. They’d printed everything off.” Her arms moved around him, and she hugged him, giving a little hop.
He lifted her and swung her around. “That’s great,” he said as he set her down. “You have everything you need. You’re not working blind anymore, trying to gather the info as you go.”
“Nope.” She grinned up at him, his face just inches from hers. “We’re gonna do this!” She had been so scared they wouldn’t pull it off. Without Ben, it wouldn’t even be a possibility, but now that she had the records she needed, it was a sure thing.
He grinned down at her, genuinely happy for her. Her body stilled. A new, more potent stirring began deep in her chest.
“I owe you so much,” she said.
The excitement of a moment ago changed to heat. The underlying attraction that always pulled at her burst into flames as her eyes searched his. His breath fanned her face, and she became almost hyperaware of his solid back and the feel of his strong hands holding her.
All the memories of the last few months swirled between them. Watching the sun rise wrapped in his arms. Visiting his gram and snuggling with him on the ground. His voice. His laughter. His support. He’d been everything she needed. And he was still here for her. Ready to celebrate. Ready to work harder if she asked.
“Ben, I...” She licked her lips. His eyes dropped, and heat flared in their depths. “I could never repay you for everything you’ve done.”
His chest moved up and down. The pulse in his neck beat erratically. Her own heart seemed to stop and skip and jump.
Her hand moved over his stubble. Her thumb brushed his cheekbone.
“Riley.” His voice was low and scratchy, like he’d forced it out, but it also held a warning note.
She ignored it. Staring deep into his eyes, she pressed closer.
He groaned, and his hands clenched in the small of her back.
Her hand slipped around his neck. With her heart trembling, she tugged gently.
He came, like she’d known he would, his head bending toward hers, his eyes, hooded and hot, still searching hers.
His hands stretched out, holding her back before sliding up and burying in her hair.
She rose on her toes and pressed her open lips to his. The heat between them burst into flames, even as his lips stayed soft, careful, like he valued her and cherished the first moments of their first kiss.
She heard a whimper and realized it was her, wanting more than this soft gentleness, wanting Ben to finally need her as much as she needed him.
He growled on the heels of her whimper and gave her what she’d asked for without words. His hands on her back, pressing her to him, lifting her up, the ground beneath them seeming to shake and spin as she lost coherent thought of everything except the man holding her, kissing her, loving her.
“Riley!” Her dad’s voice cut into her consciousness. She jerked back as though he’d slapped her, pushing at the same time until Ben loosened his grip and she slid to her feet. Her knees shook, and Ben reached to steady her, his eyes warm and concerned, but she backed away. It felt like a metal weight lodged in her throat as the look on his face changed from tender care to acute realization to pain to closed-off indifference, all in the space of a heartbeat.
She put out her hand and stepped forward. “Ben.” She wasn’t going to let her dad come between them again. Even if it meant losing her promotion. She would fight for them this time.
But Ben crossed his arms over his chest and stepped to the side, avoiding her hand. His feet planted, ready to face whatever came next. His eyes moved from her to her dad and then beyond.
Riley followed his gaze. Three men came around the corner of the building, walking in from the overflow lot. The investors.
Looking at Ben, her dad spoke low, his face twisted. “I saw you groping her. Unless you want a sexual harassment lawsuit, you’ll get your sorry butt back to the garage and stay there. My daughter would never be interested in the likes of you. There’s a billionaire coming around the corner that wants to treat her to dinner tonight. Unless you think you can do better than that, scram.”
Ben kept his arms crossed and stared over her dad’s shoulder. He didn’t answer. Maybe he was waiting for her to defend him.
She opened her mouth to protest, but her dad’s lasered attention turned to her. “The future of our company depends on these men. If you haven’t done what I asked you to do, they’re getting your spot. If you have, you’ll not only impress me, you’ll impress them as well. They’ve got several interesting proposals.” The men had seen them and shifted course. Her dad glanced over and lowered his voice even more. “If you screw this up for me because of some crass affair with a dirty mechanic, you can kiss your future in this company goodbye.”
Her eyes got big. They flew from her dad to the men approaching and finally to Ben. If she fought with her dad right now about Ben, at the very least the investors would be turned off because of the inner strife in their company. With the amount of money they were talking about, they couldn’t afford to show that kind of weakness.
She glanced at Ben. His face didn’t give a clue as to what he was thinking, but he had to realize the implications of this. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been talking to him about this all summer. Just because the investors being here was a surprise didn’t mean that it was any less important.
Summoning her businesswoman façade, Riley squared her shoulders. “This company has never lost business because of me.”
Her dad gave her a look before nodding at Ben. “You tried to throw it all away for him once. I don’t understand why you can’t see all he wants is your money.” Directing his words at Ben, he said, “Someone like you is easily replaced. Find another company and try working your tricks there.”
“That’s not the way it is...”
Her dad threw u
p a hand, stopping her from speaking.
Ben opened his mouth. “I promised Riley I’d work for another six weeks. Then I’m done.” Ben’s blank eyes looked at Riley. “You can consider this my notice.”
Her dad crossed his arms over his chest, his expression satisfied. He nodded once. “Get back to the garage. We’ve got business to take care of.”
The investors were close enough that Riley didn’t have time to say more. Ben turned without looking at her and strode off.
Chapter 22
“You have to do what you said you were going to do.” Angelina’s hands kept pushing her quilting needle in and out of colorful green and red fabric. She shook her head. “I can’t believe some people are so rotten.”
“It doesn’t matter how bad people treat you. You need to be nice anyway.” Miss Beulah had long since put her quilting down.
Ben wasn’t sure exactly how he’d gotten in the position he was in—sandwiched in a chair between Miss Beulah and Miss Alda in the back corner of Torque’s garage. Which, apparently, was the meeting place for the Kicking Quilters. Each of them held one of his hands.
He hadn’t answered the text Riley sent him that she was going to dinner with the investors.
He’d been tempted to pack his stuff, call a moving service for his toolbox, and head back to Maine.
He hadn’t, but he was too restless to sit still. So he’d ended up at Torque’s garage. Torque was changing an airbag on the back drive of a nice Pete, but somehow Ben had gotten kidnapped by the ladies. Which, he supposed, was okay, since Jamal was doing a great job of helping Torque.
The ladies were telling him only truth, he knew, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear.
“Well, you ladies can say what you want, but if that girl can’t stand up to her dad and defend this boy here, then she’s not worth his time.” Miss Alda softened her harsh words with a smile.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Alda. You’ve got to respect your parents, no matter what.”
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