Under the Hood: An Under the Hood Novella (Entangled Bliss)

by Sally Clements

  He pushed out his elbows, rolled his shoulders in an attempt to dissipate the lingering tension from this morning’s meeting, then ran a hand across the back of his neck, rubbing the tight muscles there. No luck. He was wound as tight as new fishing line on a spool.

  A glance at his watch confirmed he had time to spare before his late lunch meeting. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and strode out to the reception area. His secretary, Janice, looked up from her computer.

  “I’m going out for half an hour.”

  Janice nodded. “I’ll handle everything.” Her eyes telegraphed sympathy. “Mrs. Aldridge was in a bit of a state.”

  “Yeah.” Having a client in tears in his office was a common occurrence, and his elderly secretary knew he needed to decompress after such a session.

  Mark loosened his tie as he sauntered toward the park down the road from his office. It was a beautiful day, with clear blue skies, and the earlier chill had vanished. Summer was coming, and this year he would take time off and head to the coast for a few days. There was such a thing as too much work.

  Meadowsweet Park was a haven of nature in the middle of town. Everywhere he looked there were harried office workers, escaping to lunch on benches under the spreading pines. A young mother pushed a stroller passed him, with an eager pre-schooler in her wake. The child clutched a bag of bread. They were heading to the water, just as he was.

  Moments later, he sat down on a bench next to the small lake. Water birds bobbed upside down, searching for fish. Mark closed his eyes for a moment, breathed in the crisp air and tried to let go of the tension.

  Footsteps, nearby. He cracked open his eyes just in time to see a woman wearing a familiar pair of overalls approach the lake.

  Alice hadn’t seen him. She pulled out some crusts of bread from a paper bag and tossed them to the ducks. As the lake erupted with a flurry of wings and squawks, she grinned, and the pure joy on her face took his breath away.

  She continued to throw little bits of bread at the water, driving a frenzy of activity from the birds. When she was finished, she turned the paper bag upside down. “It’s gone!” she said to the birds still watching her intently.

  Her laugh drifted through the air as he stood and walked up alongside her. Her white-blond hair shone in the sunlight. The collar of her overall was open a fraction, emphasising the curve of her neck. Having her so close made his breath catch. He met a lot of women in his job. Why did this one set off such a reaction?

  “So, you don’t just save men in trouble, you feed ducks, too? I’m impressed.”

  She turned, startled, then blushed pink. “I didn’t bring bread especially for them. I was having lunch in the park and I didn’t want to eat my crusts.”

  “Ah, destroying the evidence,” Mark said. “My mother would have something to say about skipping the crusts.”

  “Mine, too,” Alice admitted. “Were you having lunch in the park, as well?”

  “No such luck. I was just getting some fresh air between appointments.”

  “So you work around here?”

  “Down on Fifth Street. I’m a lawyer.”

  “Stuck inside all day. I pity you,” Alice teased. “At least I get out and about every day. We run a breakdown service, which usually means a run out once a day to rescue a motorist.”

  “You’re pretty good at saving people, then.” Warmth spread through Mark’s chest at her smile. The breeze lifted a strand that had escaped from her ponytail and blew it against her cheek. She smoothed it behind her ear.

  Their gazes met. Mark’s skin prickled with awareness as the smile faded from Alice’s mouth. She chewed on her bottom lip, then glanced away, breaking the connection.

  “Saving people is part of my job description. ” She tilted her face up to the sun and her eyelids drifted shut. Long, darkened lashes dusted her pale skin. Her mouth was soft and pink, perfect for kissing.

  She was almost a stranger, yet something about this woman had him tied up in knots. These days he was careful about the women he dated. Careful to remain in control, to not allow crazy emotions to turn his life upside down.

  She made a purring noise deep in her throat. The urge to press his mouth against her neck and feel the vibration of that sound against his lips flashed through him.

  Control was overrated.

  “Thanks again for helping me this morning.”

  Alice’s aquamarine eyes opened and gazed into his. The effect was just as potent as before.

  “Hey, you’re welcome. You have a beautiful car. I’m always happy to help you with it.” Her head tilted a fraction and she looked serious. “I’m just glad you’re not so macho that you couldn’t accept help from a woman. A lot of guys are, you know.”

  “Some guys are jerks.” His mouth went dry. He had to tell her. “This morning—”

  She chewed her bottom lip, frowned.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She turned away and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled then looked back at him. “It’s just…I’ve had experience of jerks. Lying jerks.” The smile returned to her face abruptly. “How is she running now?”

  His heart plummeted in his chest. If I tell her now, I’ll be relegated to the “lying jerk” pool and she’ll never speak to me again. This situation needed to be handled carefully. He couldn’t just come right out and tell her he knew all about engines—bitter experience had taught him that it was better to ease into explanation rather than just come out with it and alienate her forever.

  “She’s running fine. Would you like to come for a drive with me?”

  Her eyes sparkled with interest. She nodded.

  “Can you drive a stick shift?”

  Alice’s eyes widened. Her mouth curved in a smile. “Of course. Would you let me drive her?”

  He never let anyone drive his car. The suggestion had come out of left field, but the delight in Alice’s smile was worth it. “Sure. No speeding, though. We could take her for a spin this evening.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Oh, she’s gorgeous.” Later that evening, Alice stroked her hand over the MG’s door and looked up into Mark’s face. “Are you sure you trust me with your baby?”

  “Sure.” He opened the door for her, then walked around to the passenger side to get in.

  Alice adjusted the seat and mirrors and took the key from his outstretched hand. A woman had never shown interest in driving his car before. Many were interested in sitting in the passenger seat, but driving…Alice seemed so different from the women he usually dated. But this wasn’t a date, this was just…what was it, exactly? Two neighbors getting to know each other better.

  She started the engine. “Where will we go?”

  He outlined a route out of town on the road that snaked around the foothills of the mountains. “We could stop for coffee at Barney’s Diner, then head back before dark.”

  “That sounds suspiciously like a date.” She flashed him a flirtatious glance.

  “Would that be so bad?”

  A look he couldn’t decipher flashed across her expressive face, then disappeared. “I don’t really date.”

  Someone, sometime had done a number on Alice, that much was evident. Many of his clients found it difficult to trust after their marriages went bad, and he was determined not to add to Alice’s hurt.

  “It’s just coffee and a drive, then.”

  She changed gears and stared out the windshield. “You’re a nice guy, Mark Jameson.”

  Once they knew each other better, once she knew what kind of a guy he was, he could explain their first meeting. Could explain that he hadn’t lied, he just hadn’t told her everything. And hopefully her impression of him wouldn’t be shot to hell in the process.

  …

  It was a date. He knew it, she knew it. But somehow, that was okay. The little car purred like a kitten as Alice drove it through the leafy lanes outside town. Before them, the setting sun painted the sky
dusky shades of pink and purple and the mountains ink blue.

  Mark pointed. “The diner is just up ahead.”

  She was totally aware of Mark in the close confines of the tiny car. Every time she moved the stick, the fact that his jean-clad thigh was close enough to touch made her pulse race. He’d pointed out local landmarks through the journey, told endless funny stories of the town’s inhabitants, which had made her laugh out loud. Being with him was easy.

  She hit the turn signal, slowed, and squeezed the car in a tiny space in front of the diner.

  Mark breathed in and his hands clasped into fists on his knees.

  She turned off the engine. “Worried there for a second, huh?”

  He grinned. “It was a tight spot. I’m sort of protective.”

  She couldn’t fault him for that. If she owned this beauty, she wouldn’t let anyone else drive it. “You could drive back…”

  “No need. You know what you’re doing.”

  The diner was full. A waitress greeted Mark by name then ushered them to the last remaining table, which was next to the door of the kitchen. They ordered coffee.

  “This place is buzzing,” she said.

  “Barney’s is the only place for miles around.” Mark had been greeted by many of the customers as they made their way to the table. “It’s clean, cheap, and the food is good. The clientele is mostly local.”

  He opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say next was cut off by the arrival of the waitress with a tray. She placed the coffees on the table, then unloaded two plates of hot cherry pie with ice cream melting atop each thick slice.

  “Pie’s on the house, Mark.” She grinned. “I’ve been waiting a year for you to come in so I could treat ya.”

  “Thanks, Myra.”

  Alice waited till they were alone. “What was all that about?”

  He looked sort of bashful, as though he were hiding a secret and reticent to tell. “I handled Myra’s divorce…”

  “And she’s wanted to give you pie to thank you for a year.” She would have thought most women didn’t want to see their lawyer ever again after such a traumatic life event.

  He breathed in deep. “So, about the car—”

  “I think you might need new brake pads for the MG.”

  Mark’s eyes widened. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “I can order them for you. We have the contacts to source all the parts you need, but unfortunately I won’t be able to fit them.”

  Mark blinked.

  He looked confused, so she continued. “The garage is designed to make female customers more comfortable.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Women often feel intimidated when they have to get their car fixed and are cautious about going to a garage for fear that they’ll be patronized, so we’ve made the decision to cater to female customers. All of the staff are women. We want to make Under the Hood a feminine haven. One where women can ask questions and reveal their lack of knowledge without being judged. It makes sense that the only people they meet while at the garage are female, so we agreed to keep our male clients to a minimum. I wouldn’t hear the end of it if you brought your car in so soon after we opened.”

  “Okay, I get that.”

  Alice smiled. “I can order in the parts for you. Replacing them is an easy job. Any garage would be capable of fitting them.”

  He looked as though he was going to refuse. “I don’t want to put you to any trouble…”

  “It’s no trouble. I can look up the part number when I get back to the garage. It’s an MGB GT, from when, the early 70’s?”

  “You know your stuff. 1974 actually.”

  “Great. Consider it done. Give me your number, and I’ll call you when the brake pads come in.”

  Chapter Three

  Business was brisk for the rest of the week, and the presentation to the local chapter of the NAPW generated a lot of interest. So much interest in fact, that the car maintenance class was booked out.

  Alice circulated, chatting to a couple of women who remained as the class ended.

  “We really enjoyed that,” a bubbly blonde said. “I’m Susan Jameson, and this is my friend Stacey.”

  Could this be Mark’s sister? “Any relation to Mark?”

  “His sister.” Susan’s eyes gleamed. “Do you know Mark?”

  Alice flushed. “He lives in my building. I helped him out the other morning when he was having problems with the MG. I took it for a spin the other day.”

  “Oh?” Susan shot a glance at Stacey.

  “I’m sourcing brake pads for him.” Alice rubbed the oil off her hands with a rag.

  Susan’s eyes lit with interest. “That’s good.”

  Alice’s stomach clenched into a knot. She knew that look. She’d seen it on her brothers’ faces often enough when she mentioned a man. It was a are-you-hot-for-my-brother look. She was, but there was no way she would get into that particular conversation.

  “He’ll be taking it to another garage to swap the brake pads out—Under the Hood’s clients are mostly female…”

  She really should stop babbling now. Susan and Stacey were staring at her as if she had two heads.

  Susan took pity on her and changed the subject. “This is great, learning about the inner workings of a car. I totally take mine for granted. Apart from checking the oil…”

  Alice smiled. “The whole area of car maintenance is shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be.”

  “I feel much happier after this class,” Stacey added. “I usually get my boyfriend to fix my car, and it’s good to be able to do things for myself. I feel much more confident about it now.”

  “Terrific.” A warm feeling of satisfaction filled her at Stacey’s words.

  “It’s a shame you don’t run courses for men. A lot of them don’t have a clue about engines.” A strange light glinted in Susan’s eyes. “Do you know what I mean?”

  “It must be even more difficult for men. Admitting that you don’t have a clue about such a male preserve can be embarrassing. Having to admit it to a woman, and take direction from one, would be pretty much intolerable to the majority of macho men out there.” Except Mark. He was so happy in his own skin, he hadn’t had a problem. Self-confidence was sexy.

  “Mark’s car is so old.” Susan shook her head.

  It was a classic. A beautifully crafted machine. “Looking after it is work,” Alice admitted. “But your brother has obviously got a good support structure in place. The car is in great shape.”

  “Mark makes sure that the car gets the best possible care.” Susan slipped on her jacket. “We’d better go. I’m really looking forward to next week’s class.”

  …

  Mark’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID. Susan.

  He sighed as he reached for the phone. Susan had spent the past year trying to set him up with what seemed like all the single women in Meadowsweet. Who is it this time?

  “Hi, Susan.”

  “Hi yourself, lady-killer.”

  Uh-oh…

  Before he had a chance to respond, she continued. “I met a friend of yours last night. Alice?”

  Mark rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Ah, yes, she’s my new neighbor.”

  “A bit more than that, I think, considering you let her drive your precious car,” Susan said, in that sweet, honeyed tone that always set his teeth on edge.

  Mark’s hands clenched into fists. “Where did you meet her?”

  “Well, here’s the thing,” Susan said. “I’m taking a car maintenance course with her, and she somehow seems to have got the impression that you don’t know anything about cars. She said she’s sourcing parts for the MG. Why is she doing that, Mark? Don’t you order spares from the garage in Chesapeake?”

  Busted. There was no point in pretending. He would have to come clean and hope his sister wouldn’t tease him until the end of time. “I…” Words dried up in his throat.

  Susan cut to the heart of the matter. “Do
you like her? Because I do, and you better not be just messing with her.”

  “I like her.” He put his palm down flat on the desk. “She thinks I don’t know about cars, and I haven’t got around to telling her the truth yet.”

  “So, this is a ploy to get to see her again?”

  Yes. No. It was more than that. He enjoyed the dynamic between them. Yes, the attraction was strong, but it was more than a physical attraction. He liked everything about her. He also didn’t want to have to explain anything to his sister.

  He pulled in a deep breath. “I’ll tell her soon, but I want to get to know her a bit better first.”

  There was silence on the line for a moment. When Susan spoke, her voice was warm. “You don’t need an excuse to see her you know. She blushed when I mentioned your name. I’m pretty sure she likes you.”

  She blushed? Mark grinned.

  …

  The weather worsened over the next few days, preventing Alice from taking her lunch break in the park. The uptick in work meant that more often than not, she shared dinner with Mel and Betty before returning to her apartment.

  Every time she left or arrived at the building she shared with Mark, adrenaline had her keyed up at the thought of a chance encounter that dived to disappointment when she didn’t see him. There were no sounds from the apartment upstairs.

  Not that she was listening for him or anything.

  The brake pads for his car had come in while he was away. She’d called to tell him, but when he didn’t answer, she left a voicemail. She’d been in the pit working on a Buick when Susan came in, explained to Mel that Mark had asked her to pick the pads up. That had been days ago.

  She knew exactly how many days. And the fact that she was keeping count was a major irritation.

  Mel strode into the workshop.

  “So, what news of the haddock? You’ve been quiet about him recently.”

  “I haven’t seen him. Maybe he’s out of town. Why do you ask?” Alice’s mouth dried. She really didn’t want to admit that Mark was constantly in her thoughts. She rubbed at her nails with the rag.