Forever Found Page 5

  “Hi, girl,” Gabe said softly. He reached out a hand, and Mad growled. Gabe blew out his cheeks and focused back on his work. “It’s no wonder your dog is so pissy. Pink bows in her hair? Really?”

  “Maddie likes pink.”

  “Dogs shouldn’t be dressed up like children.” He jerked on the wrench. “Or dolls.”

  “And what’s your excuse, Mr. Grumpypants?” She took the rag from Maddie’s jaw and pointed to the floor. Maddie lay down. Really, she’d come here with the best of intentions, but Gabe just sucked them right out of her. “You’re always pissy, and I don’t see any bows in your hair.”

  His only response was annoyed breathing.

  She stepped closer and chewed on her bottom lip, eyeing the wooden dowel holding up the hood. “Your hood isn’t staying up on its own? You probably need new springs.”

  “I need a lot of new things.”

  She inched forward. “Don’t you have a real hood prop? That little stick doesn’t look sturdy.”

  Gabe sighed and rolled his head. “This works fine.” Reaching for a combination wrench, he asked, “How did you know where I live?”

  “I called Brad. He gave me your address.”

  “Of course he did,” Gabe muttered. He stuck the light between his teeth and used both hands to try to twist off a nut.

  “Don’t blame him. I can be very convincing.” Marla stepped to his side and peered in. Pre-computer-era engines were beautiful in their simplicity. Easy to work on and maneuver around. Gabe, or someone, had made some upgrades to this one.

  She tugged the light from his mouth and aimed it for him. “The 1970 Chevelle is a beautiful car. You’re installing a Serpentine drivebelt system?”

  Gabe turned his head and blinked. “Yes,” he said, drawing out the word. “You know cars?”

  She shrugged. “Some.”

  He stared at her for a moment longer before turning back to his task. “I want to free up some engine bay real estate. Using a single belt instead of the multiple V-belts is simpler, too.”

  “Hey, you don’t have to sell me on the Serp system,” she chattered. It was so much easier talking about cars than harassment. “The wide belt has a longer life and reduces slip. It’s a good upgrade.”

  He jerked out from under the hood and glared. “Who are you and what did you do with the Marla Popov I know?”

  She looked him in the eye. “Are you sure you knew her?”

  He opened his mouth, shut it, then disappeared back under the hood.

  Marla shifted her weight. “What do you call her?”

  “Who?”

  “Your Vellie.”

  Gabe gave her the side-eye. “Excuse me? Are you asking me if I named my car?”

  “Oh, is it a him?” She leaned closer to the engine block. “Most guys anthropomorphize their vehicles into feminine objects.”

  “Anthro…” He heaved a beleaguered sigh. “Look, it’s a car. Just a car.”

  “Hmm.” She shrugged. “I call my Jag Red Arrow.”

  He snorted. “Of course you do.” Removing a nut, he used the rag to clean it of grease.

  “And when you’re low on gas and pleading with your Vellie to make it to the station, you don’t call her anything?” Marla had never known a man who didn’t have a name for his car. Not a car like this one. She waited while he put his effort into ignoring her.

  Finally, he muttered so softly that she had to lean even closer, “Miss Elle.”

  “Miss Elle?” She wrinkled her nose. Gabe wasn’t the most creative of men, that was for sure.

  He tossed the rag down. “At least it’s a dignified name. What the heck is Red Arrow? A superhero?”

  “A literary reference,” she said mildly. A flush was crawling up his cheeks and he looked like a boy caught doing something naughty. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning. “And Miss Elle is a lovely name.”

  Gabe huffed. “What are you doing here?” He sounded as put upon as a hobbit surrounded by orcs. “Don’t I see enough of you at the shelter?”

  Twirling her emerald ring around her finger, Marla inhaled past the tightness in her chest. The moment of truth. “I came to apologize for my behavior the other day. It was inappropriate, demeaning, and offensive. I’m sorry I put you in a bad position.” She blew out a breath. There. That hadn’t been so hard.

  Gabe straightened. Angling his body, he leaned a thigh against his car and crossed his arms. His long-sleeved cotton tee tugged upwards, exposing a small strip of skin over the waistband of his jeans. “Inappropriate, demeaning, and offensive, huh? Those are a lot of big words to apologize for a clumsy come-on. Most people just grab a beer and try their luck elsewhere.”

  A tingling sensation swept up the back of her neck. “I’m not apologizing for hitting on you per se. And it wasn’t clumsy!”

  He shrugged. “So, what are you apologizing for?”

  “For behavior that could be deemed sexual harassment. As someone in a position of power over you—”

  Making a sound of disgust in the back of his throat, Gabe turned back to his engine.

  “I donate a lot of money to Forever Friends, money that could be used to help pay your salary, as you yourself pointed out.” She swallowed. “If you felt pressured or uncomfortable because of my actions—”

  “Could you get the light back down here? I’d like to finish changing the belts sometime before morning.”

  Pressing her lips flat, she re-aimed the flashlight. “Am I to understand by your dismissive attitude that you did not feel pressured or uncomfortable?”

  “That would be correct, darling. I didn’t think it needed to be said, but I guess I was wrong. You have no power over me, got it?” He yanked on the wrench’s handle, and it slipped from his grip. He cursed. “Can you hand me the tool with the red handle next to you?”

  Marla glanced at the bench. “You mean the fifteen-millimeter wrench?”

  Gabe’s shoulders shot toward his ears. “Yes. That one.”

  “A belt placement tool with an extension bar would make this go much more quickly,” she said, handing him the wrench. “If you’re going to make a habit of maintaining Miss Elle yourself, you should really invest in one.”

  Gabe looked at her over his shoulder, his eyes wide. “Okay, really. How do you know so much about cars?”

  She sniffed. “My dad sold cars. I know a thing or two about their maintenance.” And their manufacture, distribution, and price points.

  He slowly shook his head. “Your dad must be proud he was able to pass on his knowledge.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” Marla carefully placed the flashlight on the bench and stepped back. “He would have been happier to pass it on to my brother.”

  Gabe went to the tray and laid his tools down. His body was inches from hers, and the scent of motor oil and man invaded Marla’s senses. It was a comforting smell, something straight out of her childhood. When he spoke, his voice was just as soothing. “Marla, since you’re here, I suppose I should apo—”

  Gabe broke off and looked past her, frowning. “Maddie, get away from there.”

  The poodle turned her back to Gabe and continued pawing the red plastic gas can.

  He evened out his voice, making it friendly but firm. “Maddie. Come here.”

  If a dog could give someone the middle finger, she did it. Maddie continued her nosing around.

  Marla bit back a smile. “Mad. Here.” She pointed to the side of the car, and her dog obediently trotted over and lay down where she pointed.

  Gabe’s nostrils flared, and he ducked back under the hood.

  “Don’t take offense.” She watched him wrestle in the new belt, his hands strong and capable. And when they touched an animal they were gentle but just as skilled. She loved watching him work, whatever his task. “Maddie really only likes me
and merely tolerates everyone else.”

  “I’m not offended.”

  “Okay. Good.” Marla cocked her head. “What were you going to say before?”

  “Nothing. I forget.”

  Hmm. It had sounded an awful lot like he was going to apologize. But for what? Turning her down? Being a Mr. Grumpypants? She hoped not that. A perverse part of her rather liked that personality quirk of his. Still, an apology from Gabe Moretti would have been memorable.

  She cleared her throat. “So, I don’t have to feel guilty about sexually harassing you? We’re good?”

  “Just fine and dandy,” he muttered.

  He made a few more adjustments, the muscles in his back flexing beneath the thin cotton. She bit her lip as her belly knotted. Now that she was reassured Gabe hadn’t felt pressured, regret tugged at her. The way they butted heads could only result in delicious, claw-marks-on-the-back sex. Too bad he was too pigheaded to see that.

  The wrench slipped from his hand and tumbled down the engine block. He cursed, and Maddie popped to her feet, wary.

  Striding over to her dog, Marla bent and rubbed her back. She watched Gabe struggle trying to reach the tool. “Do you want me to try? I have smaller hands.”

  “No, I got it.” His face contorted. “It’s right…there…”

  “Have you thought of swapping out your radiator? It would free up even more space…” Gabe shot her a glare. She held up her hands, palms out. “Fine. It’s your car.”

  “Glad you remember that.”

  She looked at the engine, at Gabe, and back at the engine. Her fingers itched to grab a wrench and play with Gabe under the hood. She pressed her lips together, but it didn’t help. The words burst forth. “But if you want some friendly advice, the Chevelle SS—”

  “Oh, sweet Jesus.” Gabe stared at the ceiling. “I can’t win with you.”

  “But—”

  “Come on,” he said loudly. “Leave it alone.”

  Marla would swear later that Maddie must have heard his ‘come on’ as a command. It couldn’t have been that she disliked Gabe’s tone and decided upon her next action with premeditation. Dogs didn’t think that way. But whatever her girl intended, it couldn’t be denied the results were damaging.

  To Gabe.

  Mad hopped her front feet up on the car and her paw knocked into the dowel holding up the hood. The thin cylinder of wood slipped out of its notch just as Gabe placed his hands on the frame and leaned over the engine. The hood fell, Gabe yelped, and something crunched. His fingers, as bad luck would have it.

  More cursing ensued, which Marla ignored. She dropped next to Maddie who was now sitting in front of the fender, as regal as a queen, and quickly checked her girl over. “You okay?” She ran her hands over the poodle’s paws and got a lick to the cheek. “Oh, thank goodness.”

  With one last bellow, Gabe uncurled from his crouched position and held out his hands, gently moving each digit about. “She tried to take out my fingers!”

  “She’s a dog, Gabe. It was an accident.”

  Ever so slowly, as though every inch he moved required the utmost control, Gabe lowered his arms and turned to face them.

  Maddie darted behind Marla, and Marla couldn’t blame her. The hood had scraped down Gabe’s cheek, taking some skin with it, before landing on his hands. The skin below his eye was already starting to swell. But it was the look in that eye that made Marla hiss in a breath.

  Both she and Mad took a step back. “Well, I can see you’re busy. We’ll just head out.”

  He advanced a step, nostrils flaring like a bull.

  Maddie’s toenails skittered across the cement as she fled the garage, the tails of her pretty pink bow trailing on the ground. The traitor.

  “I did warn you about the dowel being unstable,” she said, which in hindsight probably wasn’t the smartest thing to tell a man in pain. They could be such babies, after all.

  “Get. Out.” He tried to point, but his index finger was bent in a claw shape.

  She opened her mouth, but Gabe dragged his head from side to side.

  “All right then.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll just see myself out, shall I?” And with about as much decorum as her dog, she hightailed it down his driveway and to the street where her car was parked. Maddie sat waiting next to the passenger door, looking completely unrepentant.

  “That wasn’t nice,” she told her dog as she settled her inside. “I think he was just warming up to us, too.”

  Maddie rested her chin on Marla’s arm and looked up at her with big brown eyes.

  Marla gave her a good chin scritch. “Don’t worry. You’ll always be my girl. I’d never take a man’s side over yours.” No matter how gruff and sexy that man might be.

  Climbing behind the wheel, she started the engine and pulled onto the road. She found a blues station on the radio, and, heart lighter than it had been in days, whistled along all the way home.

  Chapter Five

  Marla scanned the small parking lot, but Gabe’s Chevelle was nowhere in sight. Gabe wasn’t supposed to be at Forever Friends. It was his day to work at his own practice. But still, she was cautious. She might be feeling friendlier towards the grump after their conversation last night, but after the bruise that Maddie had given him, she didn’t think the feeling was mutual. Safest to steer clear of him for a couple of days.

  She popped open her door and climbed out. Maddie hopped down behind her, giving a small huff of displeasure, and trotted after Marla into the shelter.

  “Oh, come on, girl.” Giving a little wave to the young woman at the reception desk, Marla headed to the back and opened the door to the playroom. “The other dogs love to see you, and I know you’re starting to like them, too. Admit it.”

  Holding her head high, Maddie flounced inside. She found a vacant dog bed and, ignoring a terrier yipping at her heels, dropped onto it, burying her nose under her paws. Marla sighed. Her girl had come a long way when it came to socializing with other dogs, but there were still miles to go.

  Leaving the poodle to her own devices, Marla headed down the long hall to the newly built-out offices at the back of the old mill. The sage green paint on the walls was soothing, and the light spilling in from the high windows that ran the length of the building gave the place a cheery glow. Marla paused to adjust a framed print that was a smidge uneven. But maybe sage was too light a shade. Gabe, Brad, and Dax oozed masculinity, and a darker green would suit them better. It wouldn’t take long to get a painter out here.

  She knocked at the frame of Brad’s open office door, and he looked up and grinned. “Marla! How nice to see you.”

  “You too.” She shifted on her two-inch heels, the gray pinstriped pumps no-nonsense and completely unprovocative. There would be no misunderstandings of harassment here. A fleeting thought soured her stomach. Would Gabe have told his friend about her hitting on him and being refused? Had the two men had a good chuckle over it, mocking the silly socialite and her pretensions?

  Since Gabe didn’t laugh, the more likely scenario was Izzy telling Brad. Marla sighed.

  Brad stood and rounded his desk, his gaze open and friendly. Not at all like a man who’d been yukking it up over her failure. The muscles in Marla’s back unclenched. She turned her cheek for his kiss.

  “Izzy wanted to make sure you’re coming to our barbeque.” Brad said.

  Marla nodded. “Yep. And speaking of get-togethers,” she said, pulling two cream envelopes from her purse, “I wanted to give you and Dax invitations to my next shindig. It will be at my cabin, so bring your swimsuits. You can swim in the lake if you’re brave, or my pool if you’re smart.”

  Brad took the invitations. If he noticed that she didn’t have a third for Gabe, he was too polite to question it. “I don’t know if Iz will survive another cabin party. Your last one was what, two months ago
? And she’s just now starting to drink alcohol again.” Brad’s lips twitched. “For Iz, that’s a big deal. One thing I can say about you, Marla, you sure know how to throw a party.”

  That was the one good thing he could say about her? That she could throw a party? Yes, she could entertain with the best of them and excelled at getting people to enjoy themselves. But she was more than that. Wasn’t she?

  She cleared her throat. “How are things here at the shelter? Everything running smoothly?”

  “Everything’s great.” Brad leaned back on the edge of his desk and hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. “With the expanded capacity, we’ve been able to start rescuing dogs from other jurisdictions that are scheduled to be put down. When we hear about a kill shelter that is full-up, we send Dax with the Forever Friends van to bring back as many as he can. Currently we’re sheltering forty-two dogs, but we can take in almost thirty more.”

  He turned and plucked a fire-engine red prosthetic leg off his desk. “And with my online business selling these mobility devices, I can actually afford to feed all of them.”

  Marla hesitated. “But Izzy told me a distribution venue for your devices fell through. If you need more money—”

  He waved her words away. “Nah. You charge us virtually no rent and paid for all the remodeling. You’ve done more than enough. Besides, after that one deal fell through, I got a call from a nationwide pet store. They’re going to start selling my products, on a trial basis. Everything is looking up.”

  “Good.” That was great news for Brad and for Forever Friends. The shelter shouldn’t have to depend so much on private donations. She twirled her ring. It was really great news. “But about the shelter, I was thinking of changing the interior paint color.”

  “I like the green.”

  “Okay.” Marla chewed on her bottom lip. “Well, how about extending the fencing down by the river? I’ve always thought—”

  Brad stood and took a step forward, resting his palms on her shoulders. “Everything is perfect here. We couldn’t ask you for anything more. Relax. This is the time for you to sit back and enjoy what you’ve accomplished.”