A Courtesy Call (Green Division Series Book #2) (11 page)

“So, where is it in Canada you hail from?”  Aiden asked.

“We don’t live in Canada.”  Cass laughed.  “We live in Maine.”

“What is the difference?”  Aiden was stone serious despite Raleigh’s clarification.

“Maine is in the United States, not Canada.”

“Right.  Well, where in Maine is it?”

“It’s on the west—”

Once Raleigh thought about the answer to the question she began to cough and inhaled a chunk of food, cutting Cass’s answer off. 

“You alright?”  Mike asked.

“Yea...”  She coughed more.  “Just...”  Cough.  “Went down the...”  Another cough.  “Wrong pipe.”  She cleared her throat.  “How long are you staying in North Carolina?”  She shifted topics swiftly. 

“Another four days.”

“Good, good.”  Raleigh’s eyes watered from her hacking.  “There’s a lot to see down here.  You should definitely see the sites before you head back.”

“I’ve been trying to tell Cass that, but she’s pretty taken up with you.”

“Can’t blame her, can you?”  Raleigh joked.  As long as the topic steered away from the potential train wreck it had neared, she would be happy.

“Right,” Mike said, trying to hide his sarcasm. 

“You said you wanted to see my garage.”  Raleigh looked over at Cass.

“I’d love to.”  She looked at Mike.  “She has an Aston, Dad.  An Aston!”

“Not as impressive as my Camry,” he said lowly, smiling at Cass.

“Come on.”  Cass pulled on Mike’s hand. 

The four walked together to Raleigh’s massive garage, or warehouse as Aiden called it.  Aiden pecked in the security code and one of the bays opened.

“It’s like Noah’s Ark,” Mike commented upon looking at the toys that were lined up inside.  Two of everything.  Dirt bikes, motorcycles, go karts, and ATVs.  Aiden hit the lights and they flicked across the four drive thru bays, enough to house eight vehicles, six were filled with cars, the other two by Noah’s Ark’s items.

“Wow.”  Cass was speechless.  “I think I’ll drop out of college and do what you do.  This is amazing.”  Cass walked over to the Aston and opened the door peering inside.

Mike scanned the garage, but Raleigh didn’t see the same amazement on his face.  He held it inside.

“Nissan GTR, Audi Q7, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Aston Martin Vanquish, Subaru Impreza WRX rally package, and the Judge,” Mike said without an ounce of excitement.

Raleigh took a step back and stared.  A man who drove a Camry knew what these vehicles were without inspecting the badges.

“Where do you think my daughter gets her love of cars?”  Mike walked over to the Judge and leaned inside the window checking out the interior.

“Impressive,” Raleigh said and walked to the black GTO. 

“She’s beautiful.”  Mike ran his hand down the windowsill.  “Surprised you picked the 1967 6.6 liter over the 1968 7.5.”

“It’s not all about engine size.  She’s been my baby since I was sixteen.”  Raleigh smiled.  “And tell me she’s not more beautiful than a sixty eight.  She’s gorgeous.”

“I agree.” 

There was a silence in appreciation of the car.

“And she might have a 6.6, but trust me, she goes.”  She popped the hood.    Mike looked down at the polished metal. 

“Doesn’t look like she’s ever been driven.”

“Trust me.”  She grinned devilishly.  “She’s been driven.”

Mike shook his head. For the first time since their initial meeting, they’d not been contemptuous to one another. 

Mike looked to his left and saw Cass leaned against the wall talking to Aiden.  He perked up in protective father mode. 

“Trust me, he’s no threat.  I think the poor boy is still a virgin.”

“I don’t intend for that to change on this trip,” Mike said.

Raleigh walked to the bay door. 

“Aiden, we’re ready for dinner.” That was Raleigh’s subtle hint for them to go inside.

“Yes, Miss.”  Cass and Aiden followed behind Mike and Raleigh.

The quadrat sat down to the dinner Raleigh prepared.  When she wanted, she was a delectable chef.  Most of the time, she didn’t have that want.

“That was a delicious meal.”  Mike wiped his lips with a fancy linen napkin.  He didn’t have to try to be nice anymore.  Maybe she wasn’t as bad as the press made her out to be.
Maybe.

“Thank you.”  Raleigh slid her chair back and began to clear the table.  “I’ll clean the table and join you in the living room in a moment.”

“I’ll help you.”  Aiden stood.

“Aiden, stop.  You’re not working.  You’re my guest.  Go sit down with Cass and Mike.  I’ll be out in a few.”

“Thank you.”  Aiden and Cass walked into the living room.

Raleigh carried a few dishes into the kitchen and placed them onto the counter.  When she turned Mike was right behind her, dishes in his hands.

“Jesus, you jumped me.”  She put her hand on her chest.  “You don’t have to help me, you’re a guest.  Go sit.”

“Where I was raised, the cook doesn’t clean and do dishes as well.”

“Those are my house rules.”  Raleigh lowered her hand and those feelings she’d first felt when meeting him returned. 
Damn. 
It was easy to ignore the feelings when they were overshadowed by anger.

Mike walked back to the dining room and retrieved more dishes.

“You are a stubborn man,” she said as he walked back to the dining room.

“And you are a stubborn woman.”  Mike said as he returned with more dishes.  The two crossed paths when Mike reached forward to place the dishes on the counter and Raleigh turned to grab something behind her.  The result was a collision between her and Mike, him fumbling with her china to save it from an up close and personal meeting with the tile floor.  Mike was able to give the fragile china a final push onto the counter before the two fumbled together to the unforgiving tile.  Mike landed on his back and Raleigh landed atop of him.

“Oh my God, are you okay?”  Raleigh asked, half laughing, laid atop of him.

“Don’t worry, I only took the brunt of the fall.”  He squirmed.

“Sorry.”  She tried to stop her laughter.  Mike’s arms were wrapped around her back, her soapy hands rested against his chest.  She stared down at him and the giddy smile disappeared.  She brought her hand from his chest to the side of his face and she couldn’t take her eyes away from the scar. Memories flooded to the front.  Why couldn’t she forget?  She traced the scar with her thumb slowly, intimately.

Mike got lost in the moment with her.  He didn’t analyze it, or question it.  All he knew was this was the closest he’d been to a woman outside of a rescue for nearly a decade.

“It’s from the accident,” he said husky.

“I know.”  Raleigh continued to stroke the side of his face, then suddenly stopped and her eyes widened.  “I’m sorry, I ah...”  She got to her feet and brushed herself off. 

“I didn’t mean to fall on you.” 
And then linger and stroke your face.  Raleigh, you are such a fool.  You don’t like him!

“I think it was my fault.”  Mike picked himself up from the floor.

“I can clean the kitchen alone, probably safer.”

“I’ll keep my distance, how’s that.”  Mike went back to cleaning the dishes.

He brought all of the dishes out, then washed the table for her. 

“Thank you for all you’ve done for Cass these past few days.”  He leaned back against the counter.  “Even if I haven’t been exactly receptive, she’s had a great time with you.” 

“I’m glad.”  Raleigh finished washing the last dish.

“So why did you do all this?”

“I like her.”  She could see Cass and Aiden together in the living room from where she stood.  “She reminds me of me when I was that age.”  

Oh God help me. 
Mike thought.

“I know that probably scares you.”

Mike lifted a brow in response.

“Don’t believe everything you read.”  She sat on a barstool.

“There’s a lot to read.”  Mike said dryly.

Raleigh tried to quell the question on the edge of her lips, but failed.

“What have you read?”

“I don’t think we should talk about this.  Like you said, don’t believe everything you read.”

“Do you believe it?”  She pushed her blond hair back from her striking eyes.

“I don’t have an opinion on the matter.”  He wanted to ask why she was going 120mph into the corner, but bit his tongue.  No good could come from it.

“You look like you want to ask me something.”  Raleigh could see he was holding back.

Mike looked behind them to Aiden and Cass.

“He’s not going to make a move, I promise.  He’d be too scared.  Back to what you want to ask me.  I’m not going to let it go so you might as well get it over with.”  She challenged.

“I read the articles about your accident.”

“Oh, did you?”  Raleigh’s voice shook.

“You were going nearly double what that corner was rated for.”

She met the statement with silence.

“Why?”  He asked with a soft voice as though trying to lessen the blow.  “And how were you not found negligent?  I’m a bit knowledgeable of the law and even though it was an ‘accident’, that was grossly negligent.”

Due to the shock of the question it took her a few moments to respond.  “Fuck you.  You have no idea what you are talking about.”  She threw the dish towel in her hand at him.  “Get out.”

“You wanted me to ask.  I wasn’t going to,” Mike defended himself.

“Get the fuck out of my house.  Now.”  Raleigh’s butterflies disappeared.  “Tell Cass it was nice to meet her and to look me up if she comes down here again, alone.”  Raleigh walked to a door off the side of the kitchen and to a staircase.

“Raleigh, stop—” 

She ascended the stairs to her bedroom.

“If you don’t get out of my house right now, I will call the cops.”  She stood on the stairs and waited for him to move.

Mike stared back.  She meant it.

“Okay.”  He turned and walked back to the living room.

“It’s time we leave Cass.”
“What?  Why?”

“Have a good night Aiden.”  Mike shook his hand

“What’d you do this time?”  Cass accused.

“Why is it always my fault?”

“Because you can be kind of insensitive.”

“I wasn’t insensitive, I was honest.”

“You don’t always have to be honest, sometimes it’s better to say nothing at all rather than being hurtful.”

Mike opened the door and they walked outside.