Page 33 of To Belong Together
“Serious accidents make people reevaluate what’s important. I know I have, and Erin may have too. Besides. What was your plan? To marry her without her knowing what you do for a living?”
He’d had a better plan than that, hadn’t he?
“You’ll miss out if you assume everyone has the same motives as Nicole. Maybe Erin’s different, and she deserves a chance.”
Erin didn’t evenwanta chance.
Instead of arguing, he kept his eyes closed and let Gannon believe he’d fallen asleep.
Erin unlockedthe front door of Hirsh Auto at five a.m. The lobby was still dark—at this hour, she was almost always first in—so she flipped on the light and collected the paperwork and keys for the first repair on the docket.
Early mornings like this were her favorite time to work. She liked getting a head start in the quiet. Well, not exactly quiet, since her own tools and methods could make a racket, but she much preferred her noise to Sam’s and Roy’s. She parked the car in her stall and got out to begin the job.
A clunk emanated from the dark hallway that led to the offices and waiting room. She froze. She’d been up front moments ago and had seen no sign of anyone else. A heavy-set shape appeared. As the figure moved from the dim hallway into the light of the shop, she recognized Uncle Nick.
Erin’s shoulders loosened with relief. She swung the arms of the hoist into place and held the button to lift the car.
Nick’s boots clunked as he approached.
“What brings you in this early?” The hoist raised the car high enough for her to see Nick beneath it.
He crossed his arms. “Why did he take his car to Rodney’s to begin with?”
Her conscience sparked as if she’d crossed jumper cables. That question had haunted her all night. “I did good work. Squeaks aren’t always straightforward.”
“Most customers understand that. Why didn’t he?”
Erin retreated to her toolbox for a wrench. Nick wouldn’t understand what she’d been thinking. Even she didn’t understand anymore.
Okay, she did. She just didn’t want to own how poorly she’d responded to being asked out.
She should’ve taken John’s interest as a compliment. She’d turned it into an insult, and her reaction had almost gotten John killed.
“Doesn’t matter, does it?” Nick frowned at the car on her hoist, then leveled his gaze on her. “Point is, how will you make this right?”
If only that were possible. “I didn’t do the brake work, and the squeak isn’t an issue anymore, so what do you want me to do?”
“He’ll have other cars that’ll need to be fixed somewhere.”
“He won’t go back to Rodney’s.”
“And how will we see that he brings them here?”
She’d already tried talking to him about that. What more could she do? “Sometimes, we have to take a no.”
“He’s a celebrity, Erin. Do I have to spell out why we need him as a customer?”
They wouldn’t make more money off John than anyone else, but Uncle Nick must hope his business would bring in other customers. “Offer him free oil changes.”
“That won’t be enough incentive if he has a reason not to come here.” Her uncle leveled an accusatory stare. “I want you to talk to him.”
“Okay, I’ll give him a call.” It wouldn’t change John’s mind, though.
“No. You’ll go in person.”
Her stomach soured. “He’s still in the hospital, isn’t he?” They wouldn’t let just anyone into his room.
“Everybody’s got to earn their keep around here, Erin.”
