Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 19

CHAPTER 13-2

You’ll sweep floors, clean tools, organize parts.” I said as he nodded along.

“I can do that.” He siad.

“And if you survive without blowing anything up, I’ll let you touch an engine.” I said and he grinned.

“Deal.” He said.

By lunchtime I was already questioning my decision.

“Ben.” I said.

“Yeah?” He answered.

“Where’ the thirteen millimeter socket?” I asked and he looked around.

“I had it.” He said.

“I know.” I said.

“I weas using it.” He said.

“I know.” I frowned.

“I’ve… misplaced it.” He said and I pointed toward the engine.

“It won’t have wandered off on its own.” I said.

Five minutes later we found it sitting inside the air filter housing and Ben rubbed the back of his

neck.

“I don’t know how that happened.” He said.

“I do.” I said.

“How?” He asked.

“You put it there.” I said and he laughed awkwarkdly.

“That would explain it.” He said.

I

An hour later he accidentally knocked over an entire tray of neatly sorted bolts. Thousands of tiny pieces scattered across the floor and he froze.

I stared at the mess for several long seconds before I finally sighed.

“Congratulations.” I said and his shoulders slumped.

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“I’m sorry.” He said.

“You’ve just invented a brand new organizational system.” I said.

“I have?” He asked.

“Yeah. It’s called complete chaos.” I said.

+25 Pamse

Even George laughed from the waiting area and Ben spent the next forty minutes sorting bolts into

the correct trays while I pretending not to notice how embarrassed he looked.

Everyone made mistakes and mine had simply happened years earlier.

His was happening now and that was how people learned.

As long as he didn’t instal a piston backwards, I figured we’d survive.

By the end of the week Ben had stopped looking terrified every time I handed him a wrench.

He still made mistakes. Just fewer of them and he finally managed to change the oil on a customer’s motorcycle without wearing half of it, although I considered that a major achievement

rather than a basic expectation.

“You missed a spot.” I said and he looked down at the small smear of oil on his book.

“I was so close.” He said.

“You were.” I said.

“I almost looked professional.” He said.

“I wouldn’t get carried away.” I said.

George chuckled from the waiting area before climbing onto his Triumph and waving goodbye

before he headed home.

A familiar motorcycle rumbled into the parking lot a few minutes later and I didn’t need to look through the office window to know who it was.

I’d already recognized the sound and that realization caught me off guard.

I knew Jace’s motorcycle and I slowly shook my head.

“That’s probably not normal.” I said and Ben looked up from organizing parts.

“What isn’t?” He asked.

“Nothing.” I said

Jace stepped into the workshop carrying two coffee cups and he smiled as he held one out.

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<CHAPTER 13-2

“I guessed.” He said and I accepted it without thinking.

“You’ve got to stop doing this.” I said.

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