Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
By the time Dante returned to Lilly’s side, I was back behind the safety of my desk, sitting in my chair staring back and forth between the pair. Dante was biting his lower lip so I sent a scowl his way. I knew he was trying to keep from laughing, but nothing about this was funny. I shifted my eyes from Dante to Lilly, and Christ, the woman was staring at me, and she wasn’t blinking.
“Dante.” I cleared my throat. Twice. “Does Lilly have an appointment, or is she makin’ a bookin’?”
“Neither,” he answered. “Lilly here is our favourite lady. She doesn’t need to book and make appointments.”
Lilly’s chin lifted, and her stare sharpened.
“I see. I’ll leave ye both to it.”
With a smile, I turned my attention back to my computer, but for the life of me, I couldn’t begin to focus. I felt the pair’s eyes on me, and I almost deflated with relief when the phone rang. I practically dove on it.
“Collins Auto Repair, this is Ina.”
I listened to the customer on the phone who was booking an appointment. I typed up the issues the person was having with their vehicle while asking relevant questions about their information. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dante leave Lilly sitting in the waiting area while he ventured back into the hangar. I finished my phone call after I booked the customer in for an opening we had in three days’ time. When I hung the phone up and looked up, I sucked in a sharp breath.
Lilly was standing in front of the desk.
I was a short woman, but she was a really short woman. She had to be less than five feet tall. I couldn’t see her shoulders as she stood in front of my desk, just her floating head. I swallowed as I stared back at her. Her eyes were dark brown, and she had the most fantastic blood-red hair styled into a pixie cut with one side shaved down to her scalp. Her left eyebrow was pierced with two silver rings, and she had a large colourful tattoo on her neck as well. I just couldn’t make out what it was. The woman looked so badass.
“Hello.”
“Listen here, country girl.” She squinted her eyes. “What’re your intentions?”
“Me … me intentions?”
“Yeah, your intentions … with my Date.”
Oh, Christ. This elderly lady was marking her territory with Dante, and I was too scared to do anything about it.
“Dante is me friend, Mrs—Lilly.” I swallowed, hoping she didn’t hear my slip of tongue. “Me only intention here is to do me job, get paid, and go home. I promise.”
“Hmph.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but Lilly didn’t threaten me, and I saw no sign of her cane, which I took as a good sign.
“Date is fixin’ me car,” Lilly said. “He’s a good boy.”
“Yes,” I agreed with a bob of my head. “He is lovely and so are all the others.”
“Hmph.”
That noise was like a warning signal.
“Do … D’ye live close by, Lilly?”
“Why?”
I shrank. “Just makin’ conversation.”
“Hmph.”
She turned and hobbled back over to the waiting area empty of female customers for once. When Lilly sat back down, she turned her head and looked right at me. I lowered my head behind my computer so she couldn’t see me. I wasn’t sure what I did wrong, but it was as obvious as the day was long that Lilly Doherty hated me.
“Ina, can you call—”
I jumped in my seat, making Ryder laugh.
“Easy. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Ye didn’t.” I straightened. “I’m fine.”
His lips twitched. “Can you call this customer for me? His car is ready to be picked up.”
I took the clipboard Ryder handed me. “Did ye fill out your report?”
“Yup.” He leaned his elbows on the desk’s top. “All done. It’s ready to be printed.”
“I’ll give the man a buzz now,” I said, moving my seat so Ryder’s body blocked my view of Lilly. “Stay there,” I whispered. “She won’t see me that way.”
Ryder looked over his shoulder to see who I was talking about.
“Lilly Doherty,” he practically boomed. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, beautiful. How’ve you been?”
“Better now that I’ve clapped eyes on you, me American heartthrob. Ye still married, son?”
“Happily, Lilly.”
Lilly sighed. “That midwife of yours is a lucky woman.”
“Trust me, Lil,” Ryder said. “It’s me who is the lucky one.”
“Sweet talker.”
“If I was single, Lil, the only sweet-talking I’d be doing is to you.”
Lilly’s giggle sounded almost human, and she looked so cute. Like a cuddly old lady who baked the most delicious chocolate chip cookies while she listened to heavy metal music … then she turned her gaze back on me. Her dark eyes narrowed, and fear filled me once again. Gone was the sweet old badass lady, and before me was an evil goblin.