CHAPTER35
When I arrive at Maxima’s Auto Shop the next time I work, Max is whistling.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” I ask.
“We’re closing the shop today,” he announces.
“Wait. What?”
“Just for tonight,” he assures me. “Come on. We’re going out to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?” I ask suspiciously.
“I want you to meet Emma.”
“Why not bring her here?” I ask, baffled. “I thought you never close up shop early.”
“Well, that’s one of the stipulations.”
“Whose stipulations? For what?”
“I work too hard, which is why it’s a good thing you’re here, but I need to go with the flow more. I’ll be happier that way.”
“Says who?” I ask, even more confused.
“Emma. Just…” He eyes me and then nods. “That’ll work.”
I glance down. My father preferred I wear dresses all the time, so when I grabbed clothes, I tried to grab shirts and skirts instead. I wore a dress the day that my mom's blood flew up and hit the fan, so I do have one dress, and I happen to be wearing it today.
“Going somewhere fancy?”
“Only the best for my girls.” Max beams.
“Your girls?” I repeat.
He shrugs. “You, ah, your father’s dead, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” I say immediately, without hesitating a second.
Because Brandon Slade is dead to me.
“Well, then?” Max says gruffly. “Oh, and if you want that advance, I might be able to work it out for you, but in the meantime, how about a little raise?”
“A raise?” I blink a few times as he guides me over to his sweet ride. “What is going on? How can you afford—”
“My fiancée…” He trails off and laughs. “Damnit. I wanted to tell you that at dinner, but it’s so damn good to say! To call her that! Emma and I are getting married!”
“Congrat—”
“And it was her idea that I take out a loan and expand the place. It’ll come back in returns over time, and I’ll be able to pay it off in no time, and the profits will all come back to us. You’ll see. I have it all worked out up here.” He taps his temple.
“Wow, Max. If you’re sure—”
“I’m sure.”
“But you were just talking about working less—”
"Well, either you can work more, or else I can maybe hire that other guy for the other days. Either way, it'll all be covered. Everything. All of it. It'll be perfect."