I exhaled through my nose. “Yeah. Okay.”

Mason blinked. “Wait, that's it? No arguing? No grumbling?”

I shot him a look. “Don’t push it.”

He smirked. “Too late.”

Owen shook his head. “All right, if the crisis is over, we still have cars to check.” He gestured to the logbook I’d set down. “I'll start cross-checking service records. Mason, you check inventory, see if anything else is off.”

“And you?” Mason asked, arching a brow at me.

I grabbed a rag and wiped my hands before picking up my wrench again. “I have a Jag to look at.”

Mason let out a snort. “Oh,nowhe's eager to get back to work.”

Owen shook his head, already flipping open the logbook. “It’s not justwork.He's got an expensive excuse to keep thinking abouther.”

I shot him a look again, but he didn’t even glance up, just smoothed a hand down the page and started cross-checking the most recent service entries.

Mason smirked. “The man’s got a point. You’ve been hovering over that car like it’s a goddamn miracle on four wheels.”

“Itisa goddamn miracle on four wheels.” I tossed my rag onto the tool chest and rolled my shoulders. “Not my fault you two don’t appreciate fine engineering.”

Mason leaned back against the counter, arms crossed.

“Oh, weappreciatefine engineering.” His smirk widened. “We just happen to think Aurora's the real reason you can’t keep your hands off that car.”

I exhaled hard through my nose. “You two done?”

Mason grinned, but before he could open his mouth, Owen spoke. “For now.”

I ignored them both and turned back to the Jaguar. At leastthisI could fix.

The sleek engine components gleamed under the garage lights, and I ran a hand over the polished surface, mentally cataloging the repairs still needed. The shorted wiring would take the longest.

Ordering parts, rewiring the system, testing it all to make sure nothing else was compromised. It wouldn’t be quick, and itdefinitelywouldn’t be cheap.

Aurora wasn’t going to be happy. But then again, she hadn't seemed all that happy to be in Medford to begin with.

I tightened a bolt a little harder than necessary.

She was a puzzle. A woman who looked at this town like she couldn’t decide whether to tolerate it or burn it to the ground.

I’d seen plenty of outsiders pass through, but she wasn’t like the usual weekenders looking for some quaint, small-town escape.

No, she wasstuckhere.

And for some reason, I didn’t hate that.

Mason clapped a hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“All right, big brother, you romance that engine for a little longer. Me? I’ve got inventory to check. Gotta make sure we’re not missing anything else. Other than your dignity.”

I rolled my eyes as he walked off, whistling under his breath.

Owen lingered, flipping the page in the logbook. “You want me to break the news to her about the car?”

I snorted. “You volunteering?”