“Uh, yeah. Tori, this is Nick, part owner, head mechanic at this Ignition location. Nick, this is Tori, Des’ friend.”
Nick took her hand again, kissing it. “I have no idea what you’re doing with an ugly-assed dude like Ace, but it’s nice to meet you Tori…wait a minute… ” He turned to me, eyes wide. “Ohh, this is Tori, the one you were telling me about, that you— goddamn, man. No wonder your head was all messed up whe—”
“Alright then, Nick, it was good seeing you, man.” I stepped between him and Tori, lifting my eyebrows in an effort to convey ‘please shut the hell up’. Nick was the one and only person I’d told about Tori, and of course he couldn’t keep his mouth shut in front of her.
When I turned back to Tori, her jaw was tight and she had her arms crossed over her chest as if she was holding herself.
Shit, she’s embarrassed.
“Tori.” I stepped past her to unlock my office door and push her inside. “Can you wait for me in here? I need to talk to Nick for a second.”
When she lifted her eyes from the floor, the look she gave me hit me like a punch in the gut. “I bet you do. Make it quick, so you can take me home.”
With her tucked safely behind my office door, I turned to Nick, who looked amused.
“What are you grinning about man? Now she’s pissed off at me again.”
He shrugged. “My bad, man, but seriously, that girl is gorgeous.” He smiled harder, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his oil-stained jeans. “You think she likes white boys? I mean, you said you weren’t gon—”
I shook my head, cutting him off. “Don’t get your ass kicked, Nick. I know what I told you, but I’m telling you now she’s off limits.”
“So you changed your mind? Is that what she’s doing here?”
“Nah, man, I’m working with her.” Maybe if I made it sound as natural, and normal as possible, I wouldn’t get clow—
“Really? That’s… kinda cool. Weird that she’s helping you after you slept with her, but cool.”
Shrugging, I said one word. “Des.”
“Ah, I see,” Nick responded, nodding in understanding. He hadn’t been immune over the years to the unique charm of my sister. “But… why not date her?”
“Because… it’s complicated.”
He turned his ear toward me and leaned forward. “I’m listening. Explain. Cause you came back from the Maldives sick about this girl, screwing anything that moved to try to get her out of your head. I’ve never seen you like that over anybody.”
“If she was interested in something like that, I’m sure she would let me know, but as it stands right now… she’s my matchmaker. That’s it.”
“Cool, so that means you wouldn’t mind if I wanted to see if she—”
I shot him a sobering look. “I’m serious man. This one’s off limits.”
“I’m messing with you anyway, Ace. I’ll let you get back to your little date, don’t get your panties in a bunch.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Suuure,” he said, chuckling. “But hey, I’m glad I caught you. How are things coming along with that acquisition deal, man?”
“They’re…. coming. I’ve been talking back and forth with Brandon about it, but we can discuss it later. I should probably get in there before this girl combusts. I’ll catch you later, Nick.” He tossed up two fingers as he ambled down the hall away from me. I turned back toward the office, bracing myself for Tori’s anger before I opened the door. She was sitting on the edge of my desk, and she didn’t immediately look up from her shoes when I walked in. I closed the door behind me, waiting for her to speak.
“How many people know, Avery? What, were you bragging about how easy I was? Is that why they were all looking at me like that, like I was—”
Holy shit, I wasn’t expecting this.