Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 105

Summary for Chapter 105: Ride With Me (Paige and Jace)

Ride With Me novel Paige and Jace by Kylie K Chapter 105

CHAPTER 66

The morning started with the sound of an engine coughing to life. I looked up from the work order I was reading and immediately knew something was different, because the sound coming from the far end of the workshop wasn’t the rough, uneven noise of a damaged motorcycle.

It was an engine that had finally found its rhythm and I set the clipboard down and walked toward the service bay.

Ben stood beside the motorcycle with both hands covered in grease and his expression looked like

someone had just handed him the keys to the world.

“Did you do it?” I asked.

He turned toward me with the biggest grin I’d seen on his face.

“I did it.” He said.

I stepped closer and listened as the engine settled into a smooth idle.

Ben had spent most of the past week rebuilding it under my supervision and there had been

several moments when I thought frustration might beat him before the engine did.

Instead, he had stayed late. He had asked questions, he had taken notes, he had made mistakes

and corrected them. Most importantly, he hadn’t given up so I smiled.

“You rebuilt your first engine.” I said.

“I rebuilt my first engine.” He said and I reached over and switched the engine off.

“Congratulations.” I said and he stared at me.

“That’s it?” He asked,

“What were you expecting?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” He said and I laughed.

“Fine. That was excellent work, Ben.” I said and I held out my hand and he shook my hand proudly.

“Thanks.” He said.

“You’ve officially graduated from making mistakes that scare me to making mistakes that I can. survive.” I said and he laughed.

“I’ll take that.” He said.

Mia appeared from the office carrying a cardboard box.

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“Move.” Mia said and Ben frowned.

“What?” Ben asked.

“Move.” Mia said again.

She pushed past him and placed the box on the workbench.

“Celebration cupcakes.” Mia said and Ben stared at the box.

“You made cupcakes?” Ben asked.

“I bought cupcakes. I know my limits.” Mia said correcting him and I laughed as she opened the lid.

There were chocolate, vanilla and red velvet cupcakes arranged neatly inside. Ben immediately reached for one and Mia slapped his hand away.

“Wait.” Mia said.

“Why?” Ben asked.

“Because everyone deserves one.” She said and he looked genuinely offended.

“I’m everyone.” Ben said.

“You’re one person.” Mia said.

“That sounds like discrimination.” Ben said.

I laughed so hard that I had to lean against the workbench. The garage had changed over the past

few weeks.

There was still temporary glass covering one section of the front windows and the marks from the

break-in remained visible despite everyone’s efforts to clean and repair everything.

But the damage no longer dominated the room. Work had returned. Customers had returned and

Laughter had returned.

Lawson Customs felt alive again.

Around lunchtime, George Miller arrived carrying several large paper bags and I looked at him suspiciously.

“What did you do?” I asked making him smiled.

“Bought lunch.” He said.

“For everyone?” I asked.

“For everyone.” He said and Hunter walked in behind him.

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CHAPTER 66

“I like George.” Hunter said and George laughed.

brought enough for the whole crew.” George said.

Within minutes the workbenches became temporary dining tables and everyone gathered around

with burgers, sandwiches, fries, and cold drinks while George sat beside me.

“How’s the new restoration?” George asked.

“Busy.” I said.

“That’s good.” He said.

“It is.” I said.

I glanced across the workshop at the rare motorcycle sitting beneath its cover.

“It’s going to take months.” I added.

“Then you’ve got months of work. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” He said smiling and I looked

around.

“More than you know.” I said.

Ben was explaining his engine rebuild to Hunter, although Hunter clearly understood very little of

the technical details.

Mia was handing out cupcakes and George was arguing with Derek about which motorcycle brand made the better engines.

The workshop was loud. Messy, warm and it reminded me of something I’d almost forgotten.

This was what a successful business was supposed to feel like. It wasn’t just numbers. It wasn’t just contracts. It was people.

After lunch, I walked toward the old storage area and pulled the photograph I’d been keeping carefully wrapped in paper from a drawer.

The photograph showed Uncle Will standing beside Jace’s father decades earlier. Two young men. Two motorcycles and two friends who had somehow crossed paths long before Jace and I ever knew each other.

I looked around the workshop and then I found the perfect spot. The empty section of wall beside the main workbench had always bothered me.

It needed something. Something personal so I carried the photograph over and carefully hung it there.

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Casey

I stepped back and the picture looked right. Uncle Will belonged here. Not hidden inside a journal. Not tucked away inside an envelope. Right here.

Where everyone could see him and Ben walked over.

“That’s a good picture.” He said as I smiled.

“Yeah.” I said.

“Who’s the other guy?” He asked and I hesitated.

“Jace’s father.” I said as Ben’s eyebrows rose.

“Seriously?” He asked.

“Seriously.” I said and he looked between the photograph and me.

“That’s crazy.” He said.

“It is.” I said and Mia joined us.

“Maybe some things were always supposed to connect.” Mia said.

I looked at the photograph again and maybe she was right.

The afternoon passed quickly. I finished two customer bikes, helped Ben inspect another engine,

answered calls and spent nearly an hour discussing parts with a supplier.

By five, the workshop was humming with that satisfying end-of-day exhaustion that came from

knowing you’d actually accomplished something.

I cleaned my tools and wiped down the main workbench while Ben finished his final checklist.

“Good work today.” I said and he smiled.

“Thanks.” He said.

“You’ve earned tomorrow morning off.” I said and his eyes widened.

“Seriously?” He asked.

“No.” I said and he groaned so I laughed.

“You’ll be here at eight.” I added.

“You’re cruel.” He said.

“I’m your boss.” I said.

“That doesn’t make you less cruel.” He said as Mia laughed from the office.

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