Under The Hood

by Juanita Kees

“He’s doing okay. I had to go and pick up his things from his mum’s. She sent me a text to say they’d be out on the lawn for him, and if I didn’t pick them up, the council would when they do the verge collections.”

  “Oh, that’s sad. The poor kid. He must have taken that hard.”

  “I had a chat to him about it. She has problems of her own, too, and he understands that. But it still hurts. Other than that, he’s happy. We get along fine together, and he’s a good kid. As long as I can keep both of them off the drugs, they’ll be fine. This is the longest they’ve behaved.” She carried the steaming mugs of fragrant peppermint tea across to the kitchen bench and handed one to Rose.

  “Thanks, love. I’m glad Scott has taken an interest in the program. How are you two getting along?”

  TJ’s hand paused on a bunch of spinach as she searched for something neutral to say. “He’s a very generous boss.”

  Rose laughed and hugged her tightly. “Oh, TJ! You know that’s not what I meant. How are you getting along on a personal level?”

  “He’s my boss, and that’s the way it will stay. I can’t afford for it to be more, Rose,” she replied gently, turning on the tap to rinse the greens. “Please, no matchmaking.”

  “Life has a way of choosing for us. You two don’t need my help. I can see it when you’re together. You’re perfect for each other.”

  “Workplace relationships always end badly. I can’t afford to lose my job.”

  “Oh, poppycock!” Rose patted her hand. “ Couples run businesses together successfully every day. If the relationship is built on a solid foundation, the small things won’t matter.”

  “It won’t work, Rose. We’re too different.”

  She shook the water from the spinach and placed it in the colander. Deep voices from the hallway saved her from having to continue the conversation. She loved Rose and Bill like the parents she’d never known. As much as she appreciated that Rose only wanted to see her happy, she could never find that happiness with their son.

  Sarge rose from standing guard over the oven, barked once and ambled over as the men spilled noisily into the kitchen. The fridge door thumped, cold drinks were handed around and stubby holders tossed through the air as they re-enacted football passes. Chairs scraped around the kitchen table as they sat and swapped football scores. Scott retrieved the basket from the middle of the table and carried it over to the kitchen bench. He threw an arm around each of their shoulders before kissing his mum’s cheek.

  “Hi, Mum!”

  “Hello love. I heard you’ve been playing footy. Did you have fun?”

  “Didn’t realise how much I’d missed it!”

  He bent his head to kiss TJ’s cheek, but she backed away with a warning look.

  “Rule number one: my space…” she warned with a flip of the tea towel between them. A finger to his chest pressed him back a step. “… Your space.”

  He grimaced and patted her head instead, pretending he didn’t see the narrowing of her eyes on his.

  Rose smiled at them both indulgently before raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow at TJ. See? her look said.

  TJ ignored it and began peeling carrots as Scott wandered away to join in the debate about who would win the premiership.

  The front door slammed and heavy footfalls echoed in the hallway. Sarge sat to attention and growled low.

  “Friend,” Scott said and ruffled the dog’s ears as Rob stuck his head around the door of the kitchen. “Hey, Rob.”

  “Hey!” said Rob amidst a flurry of greetings. “Holy shit! What is that beast?”

  “This is Sarge. He’s accepted the position of home security guard and is waiting on approval from the boss.” Scott nodded in TJ’s direction.

  “Jeez, he’s huge. Will we need to arrange a second mortgage to feed him?”

  “Nah, the occasional burglar or intruder will satisfy him.”

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re only half joking? Hey there, little sister.” Rob hugged TJ and kissed Rose’s cheek. “Rose, I smell your rhubarb pie. God bless you. What time is lunch so we can get to dessert?”

  Rose smiled and waved him away. “You have to eat all your veggies first!”

  “Ahh, Rose. I’m a meat man.”

  “No veggies, no dessert!” Rose waved a finger at him playfully.

  “You drive a hard bargain.” He wandered over to the table and accepted the beer Scott held out to him. “So what’s been happening here?”

  As the noise level rose and their voices boomed around the house, TJ couldn’t help but feel that her grandfather was smiling down on them right now. He’d loved having a household full of people on a Sunday. The house seemed alive again as hope shimmered on the horizon for the building project. She hoped they could keep it that way for as long as they could.

  Lunch was a boisterous affair in the dining room of the cottage, and Scott realized it had been a very long time since he’d enjoyed one quite so much. Tiny and Marty had come alive, faces beaming as they were embraced into the family and encouraged to join in on conversations. He was proud to have a father who showed interest in these lost boys. His encouragement had them chatting and laughing happily—even Tiny, who, until now, had barely strung a sentence together.

  It seemed he was making up for his silence now as he shared an amazing knowledge of football history. He studied the animation on the boy’s face as he related a story. Here was the passion that needed to be embraced, the energy that needed to be harnessed. He made a mental note to sign him up for the local football team when they moved in with TJ.

  TJ. Dressed in those damn denim cut-offs again that showed off those firm, long, brown legs so well. Her fuchsia pink t-shirt clung lovingly to her breasts and declared ‘My eyes are up here’ with an arrow pointing up. He watched as she chatted easily with his mother. The taste of her lips still tingled on his. A damn silly thing to do. Why had he given in to the impulse? Now he wanted more. Way more, he realised, than he’d ever wanted from Serena. With Serena, it had been a mutual arrangement. One he’d known had no future even before he’d realised what she was up to. He’d never yearned for her company like he did for TJ’s.

  She caught him looking. “What?”

  “Nothing. More wine?”

  She frowned at him and pushed her empty plate aside.

  “Thanks.” She held out her glass for him to top up. “Something on your mind?”

  “It’ll keep. Should we talk about the project before we have dessert?”

  “I guess,” she replied, putting her glass down to stand and collect the plates.

  He stood and helped her clear away, refusing the offers of help from around the table. “Relax. We’ve got it.”

  He followed her into the kitchen where they cleared the plates in silence. He made a couple of trips to retrieve dishes while she rinsed and packed them in the dishwasher.

  “The boys seem relaxed and happy,” he said as he came back with the last load of dishes.

  “Yes, they do. I’m so glad. At last I can see a future for them. Thank you, Scott. I’ll never be able to say that enough.” She closed the door of the dishwasher and set it to run.

  “I’m glad I could help. We need to talk about the rest of the plan. Like when Tiny and I can move in so we can get started. I think it’s important we don’t delay it. We need to keep the momentum going so that the boys stay interested and motivated.”

  TJ placed the dessert in the oven and set the dial to warm before answering. “I agree. My concern is what the gossips will say when they find out. Your plan makes perfect sense, and I sure could use the rent money, but the effect it could have if it all went wrong between us is what worries me.”

  “I won’t tolerate gossip.”

  “You won’t be able to stop it.” Office gossip tended to have a life of its own at M & M.

  “We’ll deal with it when it happens. I won’t let anything hurt you or the boys, TJ. You have to believe that.”

  “It’s not always i
n your control. Especially not with your past. The gossip mill is already running hot as to who you’ll hook up with next. There’s a few girls who would happily put their hand up, too, I’m sure.”

  “Damn, it’s hard living up to my media image!” His eyes teased hers as she smiled mockingly at him. “That’s why I need you—to protect me from the hordes of socialites and groupies hammering at my door.”

  “You flatter yourself. It’s Sarge they’re really after.”

  “You see? That’s why I love you. You’re a balm for my ego.”

  Ignoring the rollercoaster ride her stomach took at that, she opened the fridge and removed the raw pork bone cut from the roast earlier. “Come, Sarge. This will keep your hunger at bay until we find you a baddie to eat.” She waved the bone under his nose and led him to the back door. “Sit. Paw.” He shook, took the bone from her hand and lay outside on the back veranda. “Come back in when you’re done but leave the bone outside, okay?”

  Big brown eyes stared deliriously at her as Sarge drooled over his bone waiting for the command to eat. “Go!” She stepped back inside and straight into Scott’s arms.

  “That’s another reason I like you. You’re kind to my dog.”

  “That’s not a dog, that’s a 60kg man-eating beast. Of course I’m going to be kind. Hands off, please.”

  He tightened his arms around her instead. “Can’t. For some reason, you drive me crazy. You’ve been driving me crazy all week. I smell your goddamn perfume everywhere. I hear your voice every time you raise it. I see you walking in those damned stilettos and miniskirts. And worst of all, since when are steel-capped boots and overalls so damned sexy?”

  She placed her hands on his forearms and pushed. “This is what I mean. We can’t share a house if you’re going to keep this up. We need rules. Lines need to be drawn. This cannot happen between us. Scott—”

  He swallowed the words from her parted lips as he pulled her closer to him, caressing her back with splayed fingers as the feel of her body against his robbed him of coherent thought.

  TJ struggled to remember the rules herself as her hand made contact with his chest to push him away. It lost its power as he nibbled her lip. Heat blazed between them as her hand moved to caress the hot skin of his cheek. His right hand slid down her back to cup her bottom and pull her closer still. A purr rose in her throat as she took pleasure in the feel of his heated arousal against her. His left hand moved from her back to her hair; he grabbed a handful, releasing it from its restraining ribbon.

  Vaguely, she heard common sense telling her to stop. She ignored it as his lips moved to her throat, tipping her head back. Her breasts rubbed against his chest as he followed the trail to nibble her ear lobe. When she moaned, he took her lips again to silence her. Somewhere, somehow in the madness, they’d moved. He leaned back against the kitchen bench, legs spread with her between them. She arched against him as he nipped the raised bud of her nipple through the material of her t-shirt. She felt his hand pull the shirt from her shorts and was powerless to stop him. Scott moved his lips back to hers and drank the honey from them while his hands caressed her bare, flat stomach and worked its way up to tease her full breasts. She clutched at his hair, forcing him closer.

  “TJ? Scott? What’s taking you guys so long? We’re hanging out for dessert here!” Rob’s voice rang out from the dining room.

  Scott dragged his lips from hers and held her close for a moment as their heartbeats pounded against each other. She slipped out of his arms and crossed the room, refusing to look at him.

  “I think we just crossed the line. That got out of hand. I’m sorry.”

  TJ held up her hand. “Whatever you do, don’t spoil it by apologising. Let’s not dissect this right now.” Her hand shook as she moved to take the dessert bowls out of the cupboard. Wordlessly, she walked back to where he stood to set them out on the bench top as Rose appeared in the kitchen doorway.

  “Everything okay in here?” Her gaze swung between them as tension hung in the air like a tightly coiled spring. “Scott? TJ?”

  “I’m going to take a walk. Save me some pie.” Scott sauntered through the back door, whistling for Sarge as he went. Sarge eyed him for a moment and went back to chewing his bone. “Damn traitor,” Scott muttered and walked away.

  Rose walked over to where TJ stood and rescued her hair ribbon from the floor. She held it out, eyebrows raised and a smile on her face.

  TJ took it, unable to meet Scott’s mother’s eyes, her colour high. “It’s fine. A small misunderstanding, that’s all.”

  Rose’s eyes wandered over her swollen lips, her ruffled hair and her t-shirt, scrunched at the sides. “I’ll give you a moment,” she said and strode out, trying hard not to smile.

  Chapter Ten

  The afternoon passed uneventfully, with TJ avoiding Scott as much as possible. Everything about his plan looked like it was going to go south, fast. There was no way they could live in the same house with this attraction simmering between them. Not even for the boys.

  On the other hand, she really needed the income the rent would bring. It would help strengthen her position with the bank—perhaps even keep foreclosure at bay a little longer. And watching how Marty and Tiny had come to life today, she knew she didn’t have it in her heart to deny them the chance for a better life.

  She’d just have to find a way to deal with Scott until he lost interest and moved on. That’s what guys like him did. He’d lose interest in her once he realised she was more the stay-at-home kind than the party animals he was used to. She dressed up once a year for the industry awards and that was it. She only owned one party dress. Yes, she’d have to make sure he lost interest quickly.

  The boys were happy, and that’s what counted. Rose and Bill had wandered off home after lunch, leaving Rob, Scott and the boys to kick the football around in the clearing by the creek. Their laughter and shouts were testimony to their happiness. Sarge lay snoring happily at her feet as she sat in her deck chair on the veranda and watched. Her initial concerns about having the dog had been dispelled. He was friendly but watchful. And both boys seemed to have taken a liking to him, which was a good thing.

  Normally she would have joined in the football game, but for now she needed to get her head around having three males and a dog invading her space on a more permanent basis. Her peaceful nights would be sacrificed for boisterous conversations and fighting over the television remote. Would it be too much? Living and working with them? Time would tell.

  She saw Scott making his way up from the creek and went inside to get him a bottle of water from the fridge. When she came back out, he was sitting in her chair, scratching the dog’s ears.

  “Good game?”

  “Yeah. The boys won.”

  She held out the bottle of water. “Thought you might need this.”

  “Cheers.” He took the bottle, twisted off the cap and drank deeply.

  She watched as his throat worked and his eyes avoided hers. Silence stretched between them awkwardly. TJ sighed.

  “Scott, we need to talk about what happened earlier.”

  “I’m not going to apologise.”

  “No, I don’t need an apology. If you and Tiny are going to move in, it can’t happen again.”

  “I thought you might change your mind about us moving in.”

  “No, I can’t do that to the boys. For their sakes, I have to get this project off the ground.”

  She sat down on the wooden decking next to the dog. Sarge abandoned his ear scratch to cuddle closer to her side and lay his big head in her lap. Sleepy brown eyes gazed into hers as she stroked the wrinkled forehead.

  “It won’t happen again, but I’m not going to deny that I have feelings for you, TJ. I like you. You’re easy to talk to. No bullshit, only plain speaking. It’s a refreshing change.” Scott leaned back in the deck chair and closed his eyes.

  “Thank you … I think. So when did you want to move in?”

  He raised a hand and rubbed h
is eyes wearily. “I haven’t got much to move, so how about tomorrow after work I start bringing things over? I need to give notice on the townhouse. The landlord’s pretty flexible.”

  “I’ll get the rooms ready then. Have you told Tiny yet?”

  “No, I thought it best if we tell them together. It’s still your project.” He turned his head to look at her. “Want to tell them now?”

  Her heart bumped as she met his piercing blue gaze. She took the leap, knowing her life was about to change. For better or worse? She was about to find out.

  “Yes, let’s take a walk down there.”

  He stood and extended a hand to help her up. With only the slightest of hesitation, she placed her hand in his. He tugged her up and they stood inches apart. For a moment she thought he would kiss her again. Instead he let go of her hand and stepped back.

  “Let’s go, Sarge.” He whistled, and the dog stood up next to him. “You coming?” He looked back at TJ.

  She nodded, wondering why she felt so bereft. “You go on. I’ll catch up. The boys will be thirsty so I’ll bring some water for them.”

  “So we’re good then?” Scott didn’t turn around as he asked the question. Instead he looked across the valley as the sun started to sink towards the treetops.

  “We’re good.”

  He nodded and set off down to the creek with Sarge loping at his side.

  There was no getting away from the fact that the coming weeks were going to be difficult as they all adjusted to living and working together. TJ walked into the kitchen and retrieved three water bottles from the fridge. The hardest adjustment would be knowing there was a complicated, incredibly sexy man in the room next door to hers who was completely out of bounds. They might have stood a chance at a relationship if they didn’t work together. Even then, they were chalk and cheese. Worlds apart. As condensation dripped off the water bottles and onto the kitchen floor, TJ hoped she’d be able to pull it off for Marty, for Tiny and especially for the project.

  Enough thinking. She hoisted the bottles up against her chest and strolled down to where the boys were now lounging next to the creek. Marty and Rob sat with their feet in the cool, clear, running water and debated the ‘no rules’ football that seemed to have become riddled with rules in the past decade. Tiny tossed a soggy tennis ball for Sarge to catch and drop while Scott rested now with his back against the massive gum tree. She felt his gaze on her as she made her way down the grassy slope towards them. It set her spine tingling pleasantly as the glittering gaze worked its way up her sun-browned legs to meet hers. Ignoring him, she handed the water around and accepted their thanks.