Page 22 of Triple the Secrets
She’d just finished calling every shop she could think of, and now she was shit out of luck. She let herself have a small pity party and then she lifted her head, determined to figure this out. She yelped in surprise when she saw Gabe’s mom, Esme, standing there, watching her curiously. She flushed in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize anyone had come in,” she said with a small smile.
Esme waved that away. “I was just running in to drop Gabe and Ronin’s books off before I head back to work. Having a rough day?”
“You could say that,” she said drily. “My girls are fifteen and there was a knock-down-drag-out fight about the bathroom this morning.” Esme chuckled. “Then my car broke down and no garage in town can fit me in until later this week at the earliest. I’m just wallowing for a minute before I figure out my next move.”
Esme frowned. “Wow, that does sound like a shitty day. But, I’m going to make it a hell of a lot better.”
“You are?” she asked in confusion.
Esme smiled. “I work as the office manager for the club’s garage. I’ll call Razor and have him come and get your car. You can come with me to the shop and wait for it. But if it’s not something they can get done quickly, then I’ll drive you home.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Scarlett protested. “It’s already almost the end of the day.”
Esme shrugged. “So? The guys are probably just going to go to the clubhouse and party. Unless you have to pick up the girls?”
Scarlett shook her head. “They’re going to a friend’s place for a sleepover, so I’m on my own tonight.”
“Then that’s settled. I’ll call Razor and then we can head to the shop together.”
She should decline and figure out something else, but the idea of being stranded with no car and having to take a cab home didn’t sit well with her either. The more important question was, would she run into Rogue? He had been outside her house again last night, and she had been both amused and frustrated. The man just wasn’t getting the hint. “Are you sure?” she asked Esme again.
Esme pulled out her phone. “Of course I am,” she smiled. “You’ve been a life saver in keeping Gabe occupied this summer. Take this as my thank you.” She dialed a number and put the phone on speaker.
“Gorgeous!” a warm voice said on the other end answered almost immediately. “Does your man know you’re calling me and not him? Please tell me I can tell him.”
Esme’s lips pulled back into an amused grin. “Sure, go ahead,” she said easily. “Tell him I’m switching teams and taking Ms. Scarlett to Bora Bora where we’ll be wild and crazy jungle women that scare the animals away with all the crazy sex we have.”
Scarlett snorted and tried to control her laughter when Esme winked at her. The silence on the other end only lasted for a moment before another deep voice yelled loudly, “Like fuck you are, woman! I’ll drag your ass back here and remind you why you love my cock so damn much.”
“Sure thing, honey,” Esme purred. It was clear to Scarlett that for all his bluster, Esme was not afraid of the man, and the love between them was obvious. “Now, Razor, I need you to bring the tow truck and come grab Ms. Scarlett’s car for me,” Esme said briskly, all joking done. “Her car is broken down and it’s her only mode of transportation.”
“Sure thing, Gorgeous,” Razor said on the other end. “Be there in twenty.”
Esme hung up the phone and smiled at Scarlett. “There, see? No sweat. Are you okay to leave a little early?”
Scarlett nodded. “I’ll just send my boss a quick email and then start closing everything up. No one else is here and haven’t been all afternoon. Too nice of a day to be inside, I guess.” She made quick work of her closing duties while Esme waited patiently.
They made it outside just as Razor arrived to load up her car. He gave her a warm smile when he saw her. “Howdy, Ms. Scarlett,” he drawled. “I’ve heard lots of good things about you.”
“You have?” she asked in surprise.
“Ronin sings your praises,” he said easily. “Every time he comes back, it’s Ms. Scarlett this, Ms. Scarlett that. I’m his favorite uncle so I get all the good details,” he added with a wink.
Scarlett laughed. This one was a charmer and while he was handsome, that was as far as it went for her. “He’s a sweetheart. Both he and Gabe are.” She glanced at him getting the car up on the tow truck. “Thank you so much for helping me out. I really appreciate it.”
“We never leave a pretty lady in need,” Razor flirted.
“Tone it down, Romeo,” Esme chuckled. “I’ve already called dibs anyway, right?”
“Ah, yes, the lesbian sexcapades in Bora Bora,” he sighed dreamily. “Your man might not appreciate the visual, but I certainly do.”
Esme rolled her eyes. “Ignore him,” she advised Scarlett. “We only let him out of his cave once in a while. My car is over here and we’ll head to the shop.” She looked at Razor. “You’re good?”
“Peachy,” he said with a grin. “I’ll see you there.”
Esme nodded. They started to head to her car, but Esme stopped and gave Razor a wicked grin over her shoulder and said loudly, “Karissa says hello, by the way.” Razor’s grin morphed into a scowl and Scarlett could swear she saw him curse.
“There’s a story there, I assume?” she asked Esme as they made their way towards the dark SUV at the back of the lot.
