“I believe you,” I whisper, knowing that even if it’s not okay, he will do everything he can to make it all right for me. And on that thought, I press my mouth to his then curl myself deeper into his chest, letting worry from earlier wash clean away.

Chapter 8

Harlen

WATCHING HARMONY HEAD down the sidewalk toward the double doors that will lead her into the hospital, I feel my scalp prickle. I look to the left and feel my jaw clench when I see the guy I spotted earlier with his eyes on Harmony. I clocked him sitting in his car when we pulled up, noted his brand new black Mercedes SUV is parked in one of the spots reserved for doctors. I also noted, even with the distance between us, his eyes are locked on Harmony and me through his windshield. Seeing that, I knew who he was without needing confirmation. I also knew that him realizing the fact that Harmony had a man, didn’t sit real well with him.

Locking my eyes with his, I lift my chin, watching his chin shoot back and his eyes narrow. Fuck but he’s gonna be a problem. Putting her car in drive, I take off toward the hospital exit and head across town to the shop. As soon as I arrive, I pull her car up and park in the lot out front, so I can fix her taillight at some point today.

I shut down the engine and get out, slamming the door and pulling my cell out of my back pocket. Finding a number I never thought I’d call, I hit send and press my phone to my ear, listening to it ring two times.

“Yo,” Nico answers, and my jaw clenches.

Fuck, I don’t want to talk to him, but I have no choice.

“You got time to meet me this evening?”

“Is Harmony okay?” he asks, and I wrap my hand around the back of my neck, thinking about the way she woke me this morning and the kiss she left me with when I dropped her off. She’s definitely okay, but I want to keep her that way.

“She’s fine.”

“Where do you want to meet?” he asks after a moment of silence, and I stare down at my boots.

“Skitter’s, at six.”

“See you then.” He disconnects and I shove my phone back into my pocket. Going into the garage, I pull a pair of coveralls on over my jeans and tee then get to work on an engine I’ve been rebuilding for the last two weeks.

***

Later that evening, I tag my cell off the top of my toolbox, pull up Harmony’s number in my phone, and put it to my ear as I head out the open bay door and away from the loud noise in the shop.

“Hey, honey,” she answers after the fourth ring, and I feel a smile twitch my lips. I never thought I’d like a woman calling me honey, but coming from Harmony, in her soft, sweet voice, I not only like it; I fucking love it.

“You got a second to talk?”

“Yep, just walked into the break room to warm up my lunch. Is everything okay?”

“Your light’s fixed.”

“That was quick. How much do I need to tell Gareth it cost?”

“It’s on me,” I say, knowing Gareth personally, and also knowing his ex left him over two years ago, abandoning him and his two boys behind. She also abandoned him with a mortgage and a shitload of bills, which is why he not only works full time at one of the local tattoo parlors, but also part time at a mechanic shop in town that his uncle owns.

“Are you sure?” she asks, and I can picture her biting her bottom lip—something she does when she’s indecisive or overthinking shit.

“Baby, he’s on his own raising two boys. He doesn’t need a hit to his pocket for fixing your taillight when it cost me almost nothing to do it.”

“So he is single,” she mutters, sounding far too curious, and I frown at my boots.

“Yeah, he’s single, but I’ll remind you—you most definitely are not.”

“I know that,” she grumbles, and I shake my head. Christ, I don’t know when I turned into the kind of man who gets jealous over petty bullshit. But with her, the word mine is constantly rolling around in my head, along with the urge to tattoo my name across her forehead.

“Since I got your car, I’ll stop by your place, grab Dizzy, and bring him with me to pick you up. We’ll stay at my place tonight. You good with that?”

“As long as I get to go to sleep with you and wake up with you, I don’t care where I actually sleep,” she answers, and my chest gets tight. She’s not just saying that shit to say it. She doesn’t give a fuck where she stays, as long as we’re together. Fuck but I’ve fallen for her, and done it hard. “Besides, I like your bed more than I like mine anyway.”

“You do?” I ask, surprised.

“Yeah, it’s like sleeping on a fluffy cloud of marshmallow goodness,” she says, and I laugh, shaking my head. “Seriously, it’s awesome,” she adds, and I smile.

“All right, Angel. I’ll be there when you get off. Everything been okay today?”

“It’s been quiet,” she murmurs, and her telling me she hates when it’s quiet ‘cause the day drags and she’d rather be home with me filters through my head. Yeah, I’m falling hard for her. “But things should pick up. I have two patients coming in soon.” She quiets when the microwave on her end of the line dings.

“Okay, eat. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“See you when I get off.” She hangs up, and I shove my cell into my back pocket.

Going back inside, I head for the office, where I find Wes sitting at the desk, glaring at a stack of papers in front of him. “We need to hire someone to run the office, so you can get back to work,” I tell him, and his eyes come to me as I lean against the doorjamb.

Rolling back from the desk, he runs his hands over his head and sighs. “Ten interviews in one week, man, and swear to God every single one of the chicks who applied came in here looking like they just rolled off the set of a nineties rock ‘n’ roll video. I don’t know about your woman, but July would lose her goddamn mind if she came here and saw a chick wearing a tube top, jean skirt, and heels prancing around the office, playing secretary.”

“Maybe we can convince one of them to throw on a cardigan over their tube top,” I suggest, and his lips twitch.

“You can sit in on the next interview and suggest that shit.” He laughs, then asks, “You taking off?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting up with Nico at Skitter’s in about thirty minutes.”

“You having a beer to bond, or do you need backup?”

“No bonding, it’s about Harmony,” I say, and his eyes narrow.

“What’s going on?”

“Doctor at the hospital asked Harmony out. He makes her uncomfortable. Didn’t like it much, but figured it wasn’t a big deal. Then today, I saw him, saw the way he watched her, and I didn’t like the vibe I was getting from him. As you know, the Mayson name tends to bring drama, so I’m trying to prevent that shit from happening before anything actually does happen.”

“You didn’t like the vibe you were getting?”

“Nope.” I shake my head. “Don’t know what it was, just know I didn’t like the way he was watching her.”

“I’d never felt jealousy until I met July. It’s not a comfortable feeling, not even something I’d recognize before. Now, it’s an old friend, but at the beginning, I didn’t know what it was. Didn’t know what to do with it.”

“It’s not jealousy.” I cross my arms over my chest. “I’ve accepted those feelings. This is different, and if she’s telling me that he makes her feel uncomfortable and there are rumors of nurses losing their jobs because of him, I need to make sure she’s protected.”

“That’s probably smart. With everything that’s happened with Dillon and Ashlyn recently, you can’t take a chance.”

“You’re right.” I lift my chin in agreement.

“You’ve fallen for her.”

“Hard and fast, brother,” I mutter, and he smiles.

“It’s a good ride. Hold on tight and enjoy it,” he murmurs back. He would know; him and his wife July fell hard and fast for each other. It wasn’t always easy and they had their own dramas, but things between them are solid and have been that way from pretty much the beginning. I’ve never seen my friend as happy as he is now.