Hot SEAL, April's Fool by Becca Jameson (smart books to read .txt) 📗

arms again. His expression was so serious. “Will you?”

“Of course.” She kissed him and then wiggled free to finish dressing. Thirty minutes later, they were back in his SUV, heading for the shop.

Everything was in full swing at the shop. The bay was filled with cars, and she could see four people working hard as they climbed down from the SUV.

Bart seemed to be the spokesperson for the group, and he wiped his hands and came out of the first bay to greet Cole. “I heard about Chamberlain and Clarkson.”

“Yeah. I’m still shocked. It’s a cluster for a lot of people. That’s for sure. Can I talk to you for a few minutes?”

“Of course.” Bart followed them into the waiting room and then back to the office.

April thought she might wait outside while Cole spoke to Bart, but he didn’t release her hand. She crowded into the small office and leaned against the desk while Cole sat behind it, Bart across from him.

“Everything okay? You think you’ll be able to save the shop?” Bart asked, rubbing his pants with his palms.

“Yes. I’m hopeful. I don’t think Chamberlain’s wife will give us any trouble. I’m not even sure she has the legal paperwork to back up anything my dad owed her husband. Even if she were vindictive and came after us for the loan payment, I doubt it would hold up in court. But I’m hoping she decides to wipe her hands of all this mess and walk away.”

“That would be great,” Bart stated, his shoulders dropping several inches. “The guys will be glad to hear it.” He cleared his throat. “Of course, maybe you’re planning to sell anyway, seeing as you don’t live here. Is that a possibility? It would help if I knew what to tell the guys about their jobs.”

Cole picked up a file folder he’d carried in from the car, spun it around, and slid it in front of Bart. “You can tell the guys whatever you want. I’m no longer the owner.”

Bart frowned, his breath catching as he opened the folder.

April was confused too. What was Cole up to? She knew he wouldn’t give this shop to Jacob. Not a chance.

Suddenly, Bart gasped and his hand started shaking as he held up a piece of paper. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Cole lifted one side of his mouth in a half-grin. “I suspect you’ve been running this place for the last several years while my dad was off gambling it away.”

“Well, that may be, but I can’t afford to buy it from you, Cole. I don’t have the money.”

Cole leaned back in his chair. “Of course you can. It’s already been arranged. The sale price is listed on the next page.”

Bart drew in another sharp breath. “A dollar? What the hell?”

April bit her bottom lip to keep from crying. Cole was such a good man.

“You’ve been here for decades, Bart. The place is yours.”

Bart’s eyes were wide as he held Cole’s gaze. “I can’t accept something like this,” he murmured. “It’s your inheritance.”

Cole leaned forward. “It’s yours now.”

“What about your brother?”

Cole shrugged. “Don’t care. It’s up to you if you want to employ him or not.”

“He rarely makes an appearance,” Bart murmured.

“Well, he doesn’t have that kind of luxury anymore. Not if he’s going to work for you. You decide. I don’t care if you toss his lazy ass out. Let him find his own way. He’s not entitled to a thing and Dad seemed to agree.”

Bart smiled wide and shook his head. “You’re a good man, Cole.”

“I’m just trying to make things right.”

“Well, I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

“No thanks needed.”

As the two men stood and shook hands, April thought Bart was going to choke up. Somehow he managed to hold back his emotion, but it was clear he was beyond grateful.

Their next stop was Amanda’s house. April could sense the tension as Cole parked the SUV out front and stared at it before exiting the car. “I don’t want to face this woman.”

April squeezed his hand. “I’ll be with you.”

He smiled down at her.

The truth is she’d only ever been to this house a few times. Cole rarely had her come to his house. She’d never known why back then, but now she understood better. She wished she’d known the emotional pain he’d suffered when they were in high school. She had no idea what she could have done about it, but she liked to think she would have at least eased some of the stress by being a friend.

He finally took a deep breath and exited the car. When she joined him on the walkway leading to the front door, he took her hand again. He’d rarely stopped touching her the entire day.

It felt good. It grounded her. It reminded her that he was really here with her. That he was hers.

Amanda answered the front door soon after Cole knocked, and she looked exasperated, as if Cole had interrupted something important. “What do you want, Cole?” She didn’t invite them inside.

“Not a thing. Just wanted to stop by and let you know I’m leaving tomorrow.”

She narrowed her gaze. “How you gonna do that with everything so unsettled? I heard about Chamberlain’s untimely death on the news. That mean you don’t have to pay him back?”

“Looks that way.”

“Then how you gonna run the shop from wherever the hell you live?”

April winced at Amanda’s attitude. It was ridiculous for the woman to act like she didn’t know where Cole lived.

“I’m not. I sold it to Bart.”

Amanda’s eyes widened. “You shitting me?”

“No.”

“What’s Jacob gonna do?”

“I have no idea. He’ll have to talk to Bart if he wants to keep working there.”

“You had no right selling that place out from under your brother. I hope you intend to split the proceeds with him.”

“Sure. Fifty cents each if he’s that desperate.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I sold it to Bart for one dollar. The deed is his now. Free and clear. I’m leaving town. Just