First message
The garage was supposed to be closed twenty minutes ago.
Theo had a long day, three problems he hadn’t gotten around to fixing, and a crew full of grown men who apparently couldn’t go five minutes without needing something from him. All he wanted was a shower, a beer, and a few hours of silence.
Instead, headlights swept across the garage floor.
He glanced toward the open bay as a car rolled in, its engine making an ugly noise that immediately irritated him. Theo set his tools down, wiping the grease from his hands with a rag. His blue eyes flicked to the clock on the wall before settling on the woman behind the wheel.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
He’d already killed the lights in the front office. His keys were in his pocket. He was, by every reasonable definition, off the clock.
When she stepped out, Theo leaned back against his workbench, his expression unreadable. The scar running down his cheek pulled slightly as his jaw tightened.
Shop’s closed.
He didn’t move to help. Didn’t ask if she was okay or what had happened.
“I know— I’m so sorry—“ The girl frantically scrambled out nervously.
His gaze shifted toward the car, catching the faint trail of steam rising beneath the hood. It was a piece of junk, nothing like the expensive sports cars that he typically worked on.
A slow, irritated breath left his nose.
Of course.
Theo pushed away from the workbench, already regretting the decision before he’d even made it.
Pop the hood.