Page 70 of Stuck with my Mechanic Daddies

“Aurora!” she exclaimed, setting the curling iron down. “You're here!”

Jaxon leaned against the doorframe, smirking. “I had to take her on a tour before bringing her to you.”

Lila rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you did.”

Jaxon winked at me. “I'll leave you ladies to it.”

With that, he pushed off the frame and strolled away, disappearing down the hall.

I exhaled, shaking my head as I turned back to Lila.

“He's a lot,” I said, my lips twitching.

Lila laughed. “Oh, Aurora. You havenoidea. So, what's going on?”

Her gaze was steady, patient, the way only a good friend's could be.

It was almost unsettling how easy she made it seem, like I could just say the things I was thinking without worrying about how they sounded.

I chewed my bottom lip. “It’s complicated.”

Lila smirked. “Oh, honey. That much I already guessed.” She grabbed a stool and patted the seat next to her vanity. “Sit. Spill. Whatever it is, you'll feel better once you say it out loud.”

I let out a breath and sank onto the stool, twisting my hands together.

She watched me in the mirror, waiting.

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

Opened it again.

And then, before I could second-guess myself, I blurted out, “I spent the night with the Grady brothers.”

Lila froze mid-reach for her hairbrush. Slowly, she turned to face me, eyes wide, lips parted.

I groaned, covering my face. “Oh my God. Say something.”

Her silence stretched for another few seconds before she finally breathed, “Holy shit.”

I peeked at her between my fingers. “Not helping.”

Lila blinked, like she was still processing.

Then, suddenly, a huge grin spread across her face. “Aurora. Oh my God.”

I groaned again, dropping my hands. “I know.”

She practically vibrated with excitement. “Okay, first of all,allthree of them?”

Cheeks burning, I nodded.

Lila let out a delighted squeal. “Girl, you havegotto start leading with this kind of information!”

I buried my face in my hands again, but this time I was laughing. “You're ridiculous.”

“Spill the beans. You have to.”

I sighed, shaking my head, but I knew she wasn’t going to let this go. So I told her about Lucky’s, the way the air between me and the Grady brothers had practically crackled all night, the way one thing had led to another until I’d found myself tangled up with all of them.

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