Uber Bossy: A Small Town Romantic Comedy (Jobs From Hell Book 2) Page 5

  “Heard you were at the hospital with Lenora. What’s your deal?”

  I looked her in the eye and realized my mistake immediately. I’d been negotiating with soft cuddly bunnies previously. This here was a shark.

  “Um…”

  “Yeah. Let me educate you, city boy. See, we’re a small town. We know everything about everybody before you even know it about yourself. So if you’re messing around with my girl, Lenora, I’m gonna know about it before you even flash her that dimple of yours.”

  She extended the keys. I attempted to close my gaping mouth and take them from her. Just as my hand closed around the keys, she held on tight, not letting me pluck them from her surprisingly strong fingers.

  “And I don’t think for one second you’re Jay Jones like this little reservation says.”

  She let go with a warning wink and I nearly tumbled backward.

  I probably looked like a scared little boy running away from a scary snake, but that’s exactly what I was as I ran for the stairs to the second floor where my room was located.

  What the hell was going on around here?

  5

  Lenora

  “Damn, it’s hotter than balls out today.” I pulled my damp shirt away from my body with a grimace.

  “Don’t get me started. Two of our rooms’ air conditioners aren’t working and boy, did the guests give me hell for it. Like it’s my fault they quit working on the hottest day of the year so far. I called Tony, but considering the boss didn’t pay him for his last repair, he refused to come out.” Amelia set her cup of iced coffee down so hard it shook the little table.

  Being a little town right by the coast, most of the houses and businesses didn’t even have air-conditioning. Open a window and all the fresh, cool air you could want would come floating in. Summer was here, however, and she was showing us in no uncertain terms by blasting the sun and leaving us with zero wind to take the edge off.

  My phone dinged as I sat down. I checked it immediately, schooling my face into a bored expression that probably fooled absolutely none of my best friends sitting around the table in Coffee. I hadn’t heard from Jay in two weeks and I feared I never would. I was sure meeting my parents scared him off. I mean, we weren’t even friends really, and he’d already had to deal with my freaking parents. I would’ve run scared too.

  My eyes widened as I scanned my inbox where a new email sat waiting for me. “You guys.”

  “What is it, Lenora? You look like you’ve had a run-in with a seagull.” Lucy snorted, and normally I’d join her as the seagull problem was epic around here, but the email sitting in my inbox had my full attention.

  “It’s from my college.” The hand holding my phone started to shake so badly I set it down and gaped at each of the girls.

  Hazel squealed and clapped her hands. “Ohh! This is so exciting! Did you open it? Did you pass?”

  “Calm down. Can’t you see she’s scared out of her mind?” Amelia patted my arm. “Want me to read it to you?”

  I nodded. “Yes, please. I think I’m shaking too hard to see clearly.”

  Amelia shook her head like I was ridiculous, but it wasn’t every day you got the email that could shatter your dreams or conversely, send you off into the future you’d dreamed of forever.

  “Okay, let’s see here.” Amelia frowned, my heart dropping to my toes. Even the sounds of the coffee shop faded into the background. I was a highly tuned animal about to learn my fate.

  “I’m sorry, honey.” She looked up at me and then back down at the screen.

  My jaw dropped open and the tears instantly sprang to my eyes. Shock, horror, and that evil trickle of shame snaked through my body all at once.

  Amelia smacked the table with her palm. “I’m kidding! You passed, you smart little bitch!”

  My eyes flew open wide and the tears really did start flowing at the reversal. I jumped up, my chair scraping backward and drawing attention.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, seriously? That’s some shady shit tricking her like that.” Lucy looked ready to punch Amelia in the face, which was comical considering she was currently leaking breastmilk from one boob. Lucy was a lover—and a mama—not a fighter.

  I jumped up and down and threw my hands in the air. The girls all hopped up and hugged me one by one. The rest of the coffee shop knew something great had happened and every one of them clapped their hands for me, a wolf whistle thrown in for good measure. I swiped the tears off my face and bowed, thanking them for their celebration on my behalf. Didn’t matter if you knew the person well, celebrating was celebrating. Townsfolk came together for that shit.

  As the applause died down, I snatched the phone from Amelia and had a seat, slowly reading the words to myself, savoring them like the finest wine.

  “Holy shit, y’all. I’m a college graduate.” I beamed, tears still stinging my eyes.

  My girls beamed right back.

  “We gotta have a party.” Hazel finally broke the smile fest.

  “Yes! A graduation party. Want to use the hotel gardens? I know someone who knows someone and we can get you a great deal.” Amelia smirked.

  She was the someone. Poor girl had worked there all through high school and the last ten years since we graduated. She practically ran the place herself. The owner rarely came by and when he did he caused more problems than he solved.

  I gave her hand a squeeze. “I was actually thinking of something a little more casual. Like a day at the beach. Just a bunch of us kids.”

  Lucy’s forehead wrinkled. “What about your parents, honey? Won’t they want to be part of the celebration?”

  I lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “They don’t have to know about it. I’m sure they’ll take me out to dinner to celebrate and that’ll be that. I want to have some fun at this party. You know?”

  Hazel squealed again. “Leave it to me. I’ll make all the plans. Next Saturday work for you?”

  “Hell, yes.” I flopped back in my chair, the adrenaline dump leaving me exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. “Okay, then. Looks like we’re having a graduation party.”

  My phone dinged again and I swore I nearly jumped out of my chair a second time.

  A text from Jay.

  Jay: Any chance you can come pick me up in Monterey this morning?

  My thumbs flew over the screen, my heart matching the rhythm of the taps on the screen.

  Lenora: Sure! Be there soon. Knock on wood we have no medical emergencies.

  Jay: True, but fine by me if we do. You need to tell me all about your dad when I see you.

  I put the phone down and tried to contain my excitement.

  “Uh-oh, I know that look.” Lucy wagged her finger around my face, a mischievous grin poking fun at me.

  I shrugged, wondering if I could play it off enough to escape their twenty questions.

  “I just have a rider to go pick up and I was thinking I’d better change first. I’m super stinky.”

  Amelia winked. “We all know there’s more to the blush on your cheeks than a simple ride pick-up, but we’ll wait you out. In the meantime, why don’t you wear that new tank top you bought at Hell Girl this morning?”

  I bit my lip. I’d have to tell them about Jay at some point. They were my best friends. Only a psychopath doesn’t tell their best friends everything.

  “I don’t know. It’s a little showy.”

  “Exactly,” Hazel jumped in. “You’ve got such a nice body and you don’t play to your strengths. Show the boobs and the tight waist. Flaunt it before you’re Granny’s age. Trust me, no one wants to see your boobs around your waist.”

  “Oh, God, don’t say boobs. Mine are positively aching.” Lucy winced. “I need to get home and feed Roxy before I flood Coffee with breastmilk.”

  Amelia grimaced and Hazel snorted. We all collected our coffees and headed out the door in different directions. I got my car running and cranked the AC. Wouldn’t do to show up at the airport with sweat d
ripping down my forehead.

  As soon as I cleared town limits, I pulled off to the side of the road and changed shirts, watching for oncoming traffic. Thankfully there was none and I successfully traded my threadbare—and slightly odorous—T-shirt for the low-cut red tank top the girls had talked me into buying. Truth be told, it was gorgeous and fit like it was made for me. It was just a bit clingy. I liked my shirts with some breathing room and this one certainly didn’t understand the big gulps of air my lungs required. I had ribs, for God’s sake. Those suckers needed room to do their thing.

  I glanced down and my eyes nearly bulged out of my head. Damn, my girls were propped up and ready for gawking. This shirt definitely wasn’t on my father’s approved list, but he wasn’t the male I was trying to impress. This was an experiment of sorts. If Jay looked and acted normal, we were just friends. If he looked and then looked some more, maybe my hunch was right and there was something there between us. Maybe this tank top could work a miracle and wrangle me a date with Mr. Mysterious.

  With that giddy thought, I shifted into drive and headed to the airport. Today was a good day. Not one thing could bring me down off this high. I graduated. I had boobs. And hopefully I’d have a chance with Jay.

  He was standing on the curb, his thumbs flying over his phone while I pulled up and parked. I climbed out and came around the back to put his bag in the trunk without him noticing I’d arrived. Not like he’d let me put the bag in anyway, but considering he was paying me for this ride, I’d act professional. Minus the yard of cleavage on display.

  His head popped up and his gaze immediately snagged on my chest. Cue the internal victory dance. It featured more lewd hip gyrations than I’d ever admit to.

  His mustache twitched and he finally looked me in the eye. “Nora. Nice to see you again.”

  He came in for the hug and this time I leaned into it, nothing awkward about the way his muscular body pressed against mine. He let go and while he got his bag in the trunk the hug fog cleared. Did he call me Nora?

  Oh, wow, this is awkward.

  Did I correct him? Or just let him keep calling me the wrong name? I’d had visions of going on a date and here he couldn’t even remember my name. I got in the car and tried to decide what to do while he got his seat belt on next to me.

  “You don’t mind me calling you Nora, do you?” Jay leaned onto the armrest, invading my space without even meaning to.

  Relief had my shoulders sagging. I shot him a smile and pulled away from the curb. “Not at all. It’s a much better nickname than the one my parents call me.”

  “Yeah? And what’s that?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Lenny.”

  Jay’s laugh was deep, more chuckle and air than exuberance. I wondered what it would take to get him to laugh out loud. Or to belly laugh. He could use some laugh lines on that face of his. Well, if he’d get rid of that stupid porn ’stache sometime soon.

  “You don’t look like a Lenny. You look like a Nora.”

  My insides went fuzzy and I could definitively say that was the moment I developed a stage-two crush on my mysterious rider.

  “Thanks,” I responded softly, hoping I wasn’t blushing.

  We passed the time talking about nothing and everything, his discourse on various businesses we passed interesting and more informative than some of the business classes I’d just taken. Whoever Jay was, he knew a thing or two about business.

  About five miles outside of Auburn Hill, my car gave a chug and my dashboard lit up like the Griswold’s Christmas lights.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake. This tosser is a shit magnet!” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel and managed to get it off to the side of the road in the gravel before it crunched to a stop.

  I stormed out of the car and pulled up the hood, jumping back when a wall of heat hit my face. Jay appeared next to me and got the hood to stay up with the help of the little stick thing that held it up. I simply stared at the steaming engine, the twist of pumps and parts and plastic and chrome making my head spin.

  “I’m starting to think maybe I’m the shit magnet,” Jay muttered, running his hand through his hair.

  “What?”

  Jay turned toward me. “You said your car was a shit magnet, but maybe it’s me. I arrive in town and calamity ensues.”

  My lip twitched, begging to smile despite our obvious problems. “Calamity Jay? Should I make that your nickname?”

  Jay chuckled again, the dimple peeking out from behind the mustache.

  A cool breeze hit my overheated cheeks, the first gust of breeze to arrive all day. I tilted my head up and took in the huge California oak tree shielding us from the worst of the afternoon sun. There were worse things than breaking down with a handsome man in the shade of an old oak tree.

  “Mind if I take a look?” Jay nodded toward the engine.

  “Be my guest. If it’s complicated, I’ll have to call Clyde to come tow us in.”

  Jay didn’t waste any time, just started unbuttoning his shirt like he knew exactly what my recent naughty daydreams looked like.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” I stuttered.

  “Hold my shirt.” He handed me his dress shirt, muscles bulging everywhere in just a thin white tank top and his dress pants.

  Good Lord, my mystery man worked out. Repeatedly. Maybe even two-a-days.

  He bent over the hood and I couldn’t help but take a mental picture I’d have with me till the day I died. Those forearms I’d admired the first day I’d met him were nothing compared to the biceps and the shoulders as he braced himself against the hood.

  “I know what’s wrong.”

  “Huh?” I guiltily whipped my gaze up from his delectable ass and saw him holding a cap in his grease-smudged hand.

  “You’re out of coolant. Poor car couldn’t keep going on such a hot day without coolant. Got any in your trunk?” A single bead of sweat slid down his tan skin in the valley between his pec muscles, drawing my attention.

  “Uh…”

  His impressive eyebrows came together. “Coolant? Trunk?”

  I hooked a thumb over my shoulder and he hesitated just a moment before spinning on the gravel and walking to the back of the car. I’d apologize, but my speechlessness wasn’t my fault. You couldn’t be throwing around muscles like that and not expect a stunned female or two. I assumed my ability to form words would come back eventually.

  “We’re in business,” came his triumphant, yet muffled shout a moment or two later.

  Hell yes we were.

  Sure, he was a virtual stranger. Sure, he had a fake mustache better left to the porn stars of old. Sure, I knew absolutely nothing about him and might end up murdered on the side of the road under the old oak tree.

  But what a way to go.

  A loud caw broke the trance that had me thinking I’d put the full-court flirt press on a guy for the very first time. I ducked out of reflex. You couldn’t live in Hell without learning to duck at the first sign of seagulls. Those nasty things nearly attacked Lucy one day at the fertility clinic. I mean, they’d been provoked by Bain’s hidden birdseed trap, but the fact remained, those things were a nuisance when they wanted to be.

  “What the hell?” Jay ducked belatedly as one of them swooped down low, beak outstretched like it intended to drink the coolant or Jay’s blood; either would do.

  In a move that had my baby-making ovaries swooning, Jay tucked the white bottle of coolant into his arm like a seasoned football receiver and dove to the ground in an impressive roll. The cowardly seagull flew off, knowing it had been bested.

  I finally moved, rushing over to Jay and helping him off the ground.

  “You okay? That was a nice move! He didn’t see it coming.”

  Jay pressed the coolant into my hands and dusted his pants off, his eyes looking a little dazed. “Wasn’t expecting that level of aggressiveness.”

  I shook my head. “No one does until they have their first kerfuffle.”

  Jay smirked, finding
something about the situation entertaining. “Want to dump that into the radiator?”

  I bared my teeth, debating if I should give it a try or leave the car stuff to someone who clearly knew more. “Where’s the radiation again?”

  The smirk increased to a smile and he took the bottle out of my hands again. “Never mind. How about you just stand there and give me encouragement.” A gray eye shuttered with a sexy wink.

  Well, holy shitbird, that’s definitely flirting.

  He bent over the hood and I stood directly next to him, drawn to the visible muscles like the seagulls to anything resembling food.

  “Good job with the lube there, Jay. My car is super happy. You have a nice pouring style. Smooth and gentle, you know?”

  Jay slowly turned his head. “Maybe just stand there and look cute. Silently.”

  I smiled innocently even as I expired internally over him calling me cute. “Too much encouragement?”

  He put the cap back on the bottle, straightened up, and slammed the hood shut.

  “Nah, I like your insane chatter.” A glint in his eyes showed me he was teasing me. “Any chance you have a rag or something I could wipe my hands on?”

  I glanced down at his hands, even finding them sexy, what with the meaty palms and shapely thumbs. Something about a man’s thumb shape could turn me right on. If a man had ugly thumbs, how could you hold hands with him all the time, or feel those fugly stumps brush across your cheeks as he holds your face in his hands and kisses you silly? Jay had good ones, covered in dirt and grease, but gorgeous.

  “Oh!” I stuck a finger in the air. “I have just the thing.”

  I got in the back seat and grabbed the dirty T-shirt I’d stashed there earlier when I changed clothes. I held it out to him, just then realizing maybe handing him my sweaty shirt wasn’t the best thing to do when the man had finally started flirting with me. Nothing said “kiss me, you big hunk of mysterious man” like the scent of BO.

  He took it, hesitating. “Are you sure it’s okay to wipe my hands on this? It’ll probably ruin it.”