by Juanita Kees
Scott shrugged. “It’s worth a try. There’d be strict conditions, of course. And he’d be answerable to me, not TJ.”
“You won’t receive a grant for him. And you’d have to make sure you get to him before he’s released. Once he’s out on the street again, he’s gone for good this time.”
“I’ll talk to the judge. Perhaps we can make it part of his conditions for release.”
Ethan shrugged. “Attending the program was a condition of his release last time, and it made no difference.”
“This time he’ll be answering to me.”
TJ listened to the interchange with a flare of hope in her heart. She hoped Scott was serious. There was only one little problem.
“He has nowhere to live. How are you going to make sure he shows up every day?” she interrupted.
“Part of his new contract will be that he lives and travels to work with me. I’ll work out the finer details with the judge.”
“And if he falls off the wagon?”
“Between us we have to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll make an appointment with the judge tomorrow and see what we can do. Happy with that, TJ?”
“Thank you.” She wanted to hug him, kiss him even, as a glow of hope shimmered on Tiny’s horizon. Instead, she held out a hand. “It’s a deal.”
Her hand disappeared in his firm grip, but he didn’t shake it. He pulled her to his side and held on. “Let’s take Marty home.”
As they walked through the door and down the corridor to the ward, Ethan realised that any hopes he’d held of asking TJ out on a date again had just walked out the door with them.
Marty was solemn as they signed the discharge papers and led him to the car. The sight of Bruce glinting in the sunlight lifted his spirits a little.
“Awesome! You brought Bruce. You get the middle seat, TJ. Your legs are shorter’n mine.”
“And if I’m driving?” she teased back.
He grinned. “Guess the boss is drivin’ then. ‘Cos I don’t see him sittin’ in the middle either!”
Scott tossed the boy’s battered bag in the back of the ute and dangled the keys. “I’ve driven with TJ. I need to top up my insurance before I let her drive me again.” He unlocked the driver’s door and slid behind the wheel to reach over and flip up the latch on the passenger side. “Get in.”
TJ scooted across to the middle, careful not to touch any part of Scott’s body. Marty nudged her with his hip.
“You gotta move up, TJ. I can’t shut the door.”
And so she ended up wedged against Scott, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh, and thankful that Bruce had column shift, not floor shift. She felt each movement of his leg on the clutch, each slide of his arm as he changed gear, and the squeeze of each tight corner he took. She swore his eyes were laughing behind those damned darkened sunnies!
“Hey, TJ. Does my mum know I’m coming home?” Marty’s voice broke the charged silence.
TJ’s heart sank. “I rang your mum this morning. She told me to collect your things. You’ll have to stay with me for a while.”
“She’s thrown me out?”
“Yes.”
Marty swore and looked out the window. No one held out a hand for swear jar money. TJ patted his hand where it lay against his thigh. He pulled it away and nodded.
“I guess I had that coming, didn’t I?” His voice was tight in his throat.
“You’ll be okay, Marty. We’ll work it out.”
“Sure.” The single word rang with defeat.
Scott placed his sunnies on his head and looked down at TJ. She met his look and fought back the sting of tears. His smile stopped her heart.
“We’ll work it out,” he said.
They pulled into the drive and Marty was out the car before the engine had stopped running. He ran around the side of the house and disappeared. Scott made to give chase, but TJ held him back.
“Leave him. He won’t run away. He’s gone down to the creek. I’ll go after him in a while.”
Scott wasn’t so sure. “How do you know that for sure?”
“It’s his favourite spot. When he needs to chill, he goes down there. I can keep an eye on him from the veranda. Rose will be over soon to lure him back with fudge brownies.”
“So his mum kicked him out?” He pulled Marty’s bag out of the back of the ute and followed TJ up the stairs to the veranda.
“Yes. It’s a long and sad story of a broken family who’ve spiralled out of control. His older brother is in jail for armed robbery, his stepfather is up on charges for abuse, and Marty’s mum has five little ones to raise single-handedly. It’s not a pretty story.”
“Any hope she’ll change her mind?”
TJ shook her head. “Not this time. Want a beer?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
She disappeared through the sliding door into the kitchen and came back moments later with two bottles placed snugly in stubby holders. She handed him one and clinked her bottle against his.
“Cheers!” She hopped up on the railing and swung her legs over the other side to face the creek. Her eyes followed the gentle flow of water until she spotted Marty’s dark head leaning against the bark of an old gum tree.
Scott moved to sit next to her on the railing and watched Marty skip pebbles across the stream.
“Did you mean what you said about Tiny?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
“Yes. I never say anything I don’t mean.”
“What about the cost?”
“The books are a mess. I’ve asked for an audit so we can set them straight. The grant money wasn’t going where it should’ve. But you knew that.”
“Yes, I knew that.”
“So, now that I’ve had time to get my head around the true state the business is in, I can start to allocate funds where they need to go. The rehabilitation program has been allocated additional funds over and above the grant.”
TJ played with the label on her bottle. “Thank you.”
“Oh, it comes with a price.”
“Doesn’t everything in life?”
“Once a week, we have a meeting with everyone on the program, yourself and Tony included, so we can deal with any problems as a team. Any trouble, I want to know about it immediately. We’ll work on developing a reward system to keep them interested and motivated. No, don’t thank me yet!” He held up a hand to stop her as she opened her mouth to speak. “Every Friday, I want a written progress report, which you and I will discuss and determine any action that needs to be taken. Deal?”
She held out her hand. “Deal.” It was hard to stop smiling.
“You have a beautiful smile.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips where he brushed a kiss across the knuckles.
For a moment, she stared into his eyes, dark blue and challenging. She pulled her hand from his grip slowly. “I’ll go see how Marty’s doing.” She put down her beer bottle on the railing and jumped the short distance onto the soft grass below, sleek as a cat, and walked away.
Chapter Seven
Monday was shaping up to be a good day, TJ thought as she watched the young apprentice torque the spark plugs on the V8 engine and made a note on her clipboard. Tiny Watts on a high was a wild, uncontrollable beast. Drug-free, he was little more than a young boy, lost and out of control in the vortex of life.
She’d had a hard time putting her concerns aside after Scott’s visit, but this morning, back at the workshop where the two boys worked with enthusiasm together, she had to admit he might have a point. Having someone share the responsibility for Tiny was definitely a plus.
“Did you clean the debris out of the holes?”
He nodded. “Now I torque ‘em finger-tight, then a half-turn with the wrench.”
“Good work.”
They’d had a smooth two weeks since Tiny and Marty’s release. So far, the boys had toed the line. TJ hoped it would last. Tiny’s resentment towards having a girl for a team leader was held at bay by the stern
warning from Scott, and strengthened by his random visits to the workshop to check up on Tiny’s progress.
“So, are you and Marty going to give me a hand to fix Sheila tomorrow?”
“I guess.” He shrugged. “But I gotta cut the lawn out on the front verge first, the boss said.”
“That’s cool. Want a lift in?”
“Nah. Comin’ in with Mr D.” His head dipped deeper into the engine bay as he tested the torque of the plugs.
“Okay. Are you staying for the barbeque tonight after work?”
“I guess.” Another shrug.
TJ sighed inwardly. Talking to teenagers was like pulling teeth. But at least he was talking. “I’ll go and hand in the weekly report then. Pack it up when you’re done and clean up the bay.”
“Sure thing,” he said without looking up as she walked away.
TJ knocked on Scott’s door and took a deep breath. These weekly progress meetings with him always put her on edge. She wished she could pinpoint why.
“Come in! … Ah, TJ. Your timing is perfect.”
“It is?”
His deep blue gaze slammed into hers across the office. She clung to the door handle a moment longer to steady herself. Yep, there it was. That feeling of unease … like a rabbit being stalked by a dingo.
“Have a seat.” He waved her over. “Yes, I received the first financial audit report today. Now we can start getting this place back on its feet. We need to discuss action plans.”
“We used to have a quality improvement team. Did you want me to round them up? Or what’s left of them.”
The team dedicated to improvement had disbanded when Mr Malone decided it was a waste of resources. The result had sent the customer satisfaction levels plummeting, and the profits along with it.
“Not right away. There are a few things we can deal with first to set the foundation. That’s a job for Monday.” He gestured towards the clipboard in her hand. “Is that Tiny’s weekly report?”
“Yep.” Was it hot in here? The knot in her stomach clenched tighter as his eyes lingered on the clipboard she now clutched to her chest.
“How’s he doing this week?”
“Better.” She smiled. “It feels like we’ve made progress.” The knot eased a little as she realised Tiny had turned a corner. He was communicating now, even smiling more.
“Let’s hope so.” He wiggled his fingers and she handed over the report. “A definite improvement on last week,” he observed after a scan of the first page.
“Yes, it is. How’s he going at home?” TJ tore her gaze away from the long fingers that flicked through the pages of her weekly checklist. She focused her gaze on the wooden awards board mounted on the wall behind his desk.
Scott sat back in his chair as he tossed the clipboard on the desk. “It’s like talking to a brick wall. One-word answers and a lot of grunting. But he doesn’t seem too unhappy with the set up. He eats like a horse. How’s Marty doing?”
TJ shrugged. “About the same. He tried to see his mum yesterday, to apologise, but she closed the door on him.”
“That would’ve hurt his pride. How did he take it?”
He leaned forward to place his elbows on the desk. Those long fingers formed a steeple that tapped thoughtfully against his lips. TJ’s attention hitched on the movement, and the feeling of being caught in the headlights returned. Quickly, she dropped her gaze to the front edge of his desk and studied the scarred wood instead.
“He locked himself in his room. I tried to call her, but she didn’t answer. This time there really is no going back for him.”
Scott stood to walk around the desk. He stopped and leaned against it. “So he’ll stay with you?”
The dark grey of his pants replaced the view of the desk, and TJ swallowed as her fixed stare collided with his zipper. The material pulled taught across muscular upper thighs. Heat rose in her cheeks as embarrassment clogged her throat. “Yes,” she squeaked, “for however long it takes.”
Scott nodded and checked his watch. “Is that barbeque on yet?”
“Marty was getting it ready while the other boys cleaned up the shop. Is it okay if we work on Sheila tomorrow?” She forced her eyes up to meet his and prayed that he couldn’t read her mind. Scott Devin was built for loving. She remembered reading somewhere that the length of a man’s index finger is a good indication of the size of his… Oh God! What was she thinking?
“Sure. I’ll be in trying to get ready for the vehicle audit. What time did you want Tiny here?”
The twitch of those delectable lips suggested he knew exactly where her mind was. It didn’t look like he minded a bit either. “About 8am?”
“Done. Shall we go and have a beer?” He pushed away from the desk, bringing him close enough to touch.
She shoved her hands in her pockets. “Yes,” and walked out of the office.
The barbeque took place on the last Friday of every month in the yard behind the workshop—their reward for the team’s hard work. Sausages sizzled on the cast iron grid, filling the air with the mouth-watering aroma of spices as Marty stirred onions next to them. Cold beer lounged amidst bags of ice in the cooler, chequered with cans of cola for the non-drinkers. TJ made her rounds, chatting easily to the staff while keeping a close eye on the apprentices to make sure they didn’t sneak a beer behind her back. She noticed Scott doing the same. He stood listening earnestly to the group of administration girls who’d pinned him in a corner.
TJ smiled. Let that be a lesson to you, she thought as she imagined the litany of administrative issues he was being subjected to. His eyes caught hers over their heads and he smiled, tipping his beer bottle in a salute. Her heart sped up as she felt the impact of his gaze as surely as if she’d stuck her finger in a power socket. That had to stop.
The jangling of the mobile phone in her top pocket broke the spell. She pulled it out and dropped her eyes to the screen. Another smile flickered on her lips.
“Rob! Where’ve you been hiding?” The sound of her brother’s voice was a welcome distraction.
“Here and there. How’s Scott bloody Professional Spotlight Devin doing?”
TJ laughed. “Yeah, he’s doing okay, I guess.”
“And the boys? I heard you had a bit of trouble.”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle.” She filled him in on the events.
“Wow, that’s a big step in the right direction. At least Scott’s taking an interest in the program.”
“I guess.” She stepped away from the crowd and wandered down to stand against the back fence of the car yard. “Any luck with getting the bank to change their minds about the mortgage?”
“I’ve managed to put their minds at rest about your job situation being stable. They can see the possibilities of increasing the property value by finishing off the buildings but aren’t prepared to extend the loan to finance it. Not even if I stand surety for you.”
The joy she’d felt at hearing his voice wilted. “Damn them for not making it easy!”
“They know about council denying the plans, so that would influence the decision. You can’t raise the property value if you don’t have building approval.”
“Between a rock and a hard place.” Frustration rode high as she bit out the words. She twisted her ponytail around her index finger.
“Pretty much, little sister. How’s Sheila doing?”
“The boys and I are starting work on her tomorrow.” She unravelled her finger from the knot she’d created and flicked her ponytail back over her shoulder. “At least I can buy the engine parts on my account. The boys down at the engineering shop are going to skim the cylinder head for free. They reckon they owe me a favour.” There were times when her profession and passion definitely came in handy.
“Want me to come down and give you a hand?”
TJ laughed. “What? And get those pretty calculator fingers dirty?”
“Hey! Those calculator fingers keep your accounts in order, young lady.”
Ro
b feigned insult, but TJ could hear the smile in his voice. “You can stop by and say hi, if you like,” she negotiated.
“I might do that. Check out the great Scott Devin in his own environment. And speaking of environments…”
“Uh oh! You’ve been sniffing around again, haven’t you?” Rob believed in researching everything. How many times had she teased him that it was becoming an obsession?
“Yes, and I won’t apologise for it either. I have a sister to protect.”
“I think you’ll find your sister can protect herself.” TJ rolled her eyes.
“I don’t doubt that for a minute, but still … humour me. Your Mr Devin has quite a rep when it comes to women. It seems there was a little scandal involving a young employee named Serena Snow.”
“Rob, in an office environment there are always scandals, real or imagined. You know that. And he’s not my Mr Devin! Besides, what can you tell me that the gossip columns haven’t already made public?”
“That it went to court and got ugly. So ugly that Scott Devin left town. Hence his interest in a struggling, semi-rural dealership on the opposite side of the country.”
TJ sighed. “All that means is that he took the opportunity to get out of the spotlight.” She folded her left arm across her chest and rested her hand in the crook of the arm holding the phone to her ear.
“Yes, but it was the reason for the court case that worries me.”
TJ stalked the fence line. “What was it?”
“I’ll swing by this weekend and tell you over a beer. It’s a fairly long story. And I want to check him out again for myself first. Sunday lunch at yours?”
TJ sighed again. She knew there would be no stopping her brother once he’d set his mind to something. “I swear you’re just angling for a free lunch. Sunday it is. But it better be a good story.”
“One that will make your toes curl!”
As she punched ‘end call’, TJ pondered on her brother’s words. Fingers of apprehension crept up her spine. While the media painted Scott as a rich playboy, her experience of him in the weeks since he’d taken over had shown him in a different light. Would a rich playboy take in a homeless, underage, drug addict? He seemed pretty serious about the business and had taken all the right steps to turn it around. Generally, she was a pretty good judge of character. What exactly had he ended up in court for?
