Opening Up

  “I apologize for taking so long to return your calls. It’s been crazy here and we’ve had some major deadlines to meet, so everything else fell by the wayside.” He held up a soda. “Thirsty?” When she nodded, he popped the cap and handed it her way.

  “Thanks. And I understand that it gets busy sometimes.” PJ placed the soda on the table to her left and then slid the folder his way. “That’s my work.”

  He looked from that face down to the photos, sifting through them. He held one up. “Tell me about this.”

  Her smile raised his respect for her. She was proud of doing good work. An excellent sign in someone you’re considering doing business with.

  “That’s the new Colman Enterprises logo for our racing team. I hand-paint them on all the cars.”

  Clever work. She had a good eye. A real understanding of the overall placement of all the elements. She’d gone with a clean design, drawing the eye on what would likely be a car covered in a whole lot of busy graphics.

  Which was how Asa had noticed the logo when he and Duke had been out at the track. “I was just telling Duke we needed something like this for our team. He and I saw one of the Colman cars at a drag race in California. Really nice work.”

  “Thank you.” She didn’t downplay it like some people would. She was proud of her skill.

  “But we send out our custom work already. We have people who handle our accounts.”

  “I know you do. But I’m better. Okay, not better than Richie Carlyle. But no one is. Give me twenty years.”

  “You have a gig with Colman, don’t you? The next generation, right? Why this?”

  If she’d quit or had been fired, he’d toss her some work to help her until she got something else.

  “I do have a job with Colman.” She paused, clearly trying to decide something. “My family’s business is great. But it needs to move into other sectors of our industry. Yes, we sell tires. And we’re good at it. But the world is changing, and we have to change with it. I think Colman can do more than sell tires and sponsor racing teams. Innovation is how we started. I like to think it’s how we’ll continue to be relevant into the next generation.”

  “And custom paint does that? Not shock absorbers? Or air filters?”

  “We tried shocks for a while. It didn’t work for us.” One of her brows rose. See, I know more than you assumed I did. “We have so much to offer a significant portion of our market we’ve previously taken for granted. Neglect loses you customers.”

  She had the kind of confidence people have when they’re on solid ground. She knew what she was talking about. He liked that.

  “What market portion do you mean?”

  “All the hot rods, custom and restoration build operations. You buy our tires already. And that’s great, thanks for your business. But we can offer you more. So I’m starting with some smaller jobs and building contacts.”

  Asa bet her ease at presenting herself came from being put to work as a kid. She sat there in one of his chairs, eyebrow pierced, ink on her back—a lotus, he thought, but he couldn’t get a full view—as well as in a few other places he’d glimpsed.

  She wasn’t as buttoned-up and straitlaced as her brother. But she took herself seriously and he dug that. Not as a quality in a woman but as a quality in anyone he did business with.

  “Like I said, your work is impressive. I’ll talk to Duke and get back to you.”

  There was a pause. He normally would have filled it with an invitation to drinks or something, but he wasn’t ready for that. Being alone with her outside a work situation might send messages he didn’t intend to send.

  She stood and he followed suit, his body so close he could feel her warmth. He made no attempt to step back.

  Her smile was slightly teasing. “Thanks for your time. I hope to hear from you soon. You have my number.”

  “I’ll walk you out.” He held the door for her, then escorted her through the shop and out the showroom. She bent to grab a duffel bag, and he smoothly snatched it first. “Is this yours?”

  “Yes. I designed that logo too.”

  He looked down at the bag, approving. “Did you get a degree in marketing or something?”

  She laughed. “No. I dropped out of college, much to my family’s terrible disappointment.” She pointed at her car. “That’s me.”

  He looked up and skidded to a halt. “That’s yours? Yours?”

  A 1969 Camaro Z28 with deep purple metallic paint and white stripes sat a few feet away.

  “It belonged to my grandfather. When I was little and he was still able to drive, he’d take me out in it. We’d go to Dick’s and have burgers and shakes. After his last stroke when he couldn’t drive anymore, they moved it to a warehouse where it sat under a tarp until he passed away. He left it to me.”

  She unlocked the trunk and he dropped the duffel in. He noted the general level of care that’d been put into the car.

  “This is Howie Colman’s Camaro.”

  She grinned. “Yes. Though Jay had a fit when they read the will and Gramps left it to me. He tried to get me to auction it a time or two. He had kittens when I painted it purple. Hates it when I drive it too.”

  “Your brother seems rather irritated by everything about you. What’s his problem anyway?”

  “Thank you. I think I’m the one with the problem, judging by everyone else in my family.” Her laugh wasn’t bitter. “He loves the company.” She shrugged and then ran her palm over the roof. “I love cars. My grandfather loved cars. It’s what Colman could be again.”

  He nodded. Respecting that a great deal.

  He opened the door for her and she slid inside. “Don’t forget to talk to Duke and call me to offer me some jobs, Asa Barrons.”

  She started the engine and it roared to life. He stepped back and she waved before driving off, leaving him in his parking lot trying to piece through what had been a most unexpected Saturday.

  Full of tingles and feeling like she’d done a lot of great work for the day, PJ headed over to her sister’s place. Julie lived in a very tidy, elegant condo in Bellevue with a great view of the water. And a lot of distance to Colman central up in Edmonds.

  Julie loved numbers. She fit just fine in their brother Shawn’s office handling money, and she and Shawn had a great rhythm. PJ had long ago stopped wishing she had that same sort of click with her siblings, or anyone in her family, really.

  Her sister opened with a hug and handed over a cocktail as PJ entered. “Just finished this batch. Come on, I need to check on dinner.”

  As usual, Julie’s hair was done perfectly. It framed her face just so, hung just right. A split end wouldn’t have dared to exist on Julie Colman’s head. It simply wasn’t done.

  PJ took a sip of what turned out to be an excellent dirty martini. “Nice. Thanks.”

  “I spent three hours down at the factory today. Jay said you cut out on it?”

  “He said what? That pissant! He came to me yesterday and asked if I’d cover it. Which I was open to doing last night because I had the shoot today. Then he insulted me about a dozen times and I told him to fuck off.” PJ grabbed a pita chip from the bowl on the counter and pointed for emphasis. “I’m sending my legion after him.”

  “I don’t know why you let him get under your skin. You only let him win when you do that.”

  “Because he’s a smug asshole who wanted me to cover a meeting where real employees had to be talked to so he could play golf with all the Colmans who have a penis. How can I let that go?”

  Her sister grimaced. “Yes, he’s all that. We should have shown up for that golf game. Just to see Jay’s and Fee’s faces.”

  Fee was their father’s far younger brother. One of those Hey oops I’m pregnant at forty! moments for their grandmother. He and Jay were a lot alike, which made Colman Enterprises doubly annoying at big meetings.

  Though to be fair, she also knew part of it was that Jay understood Fee was the doorway to their father. For whatever reason, t
heir father looked to Fee for his opinions more than he did anyone else. Jay was smarter than Fee, but not craftier. Julie would have been way better at Fee’s job, but he’d hold that seat on the board until he was ready to scamper off and chase women full-time.

  “I don’t like to play golf. They should try making decisions at business meetings set up just for that. Ugh. What’s for dinner?”

  “Citrus-infused chicken. Farro salad with feta and tomatoes as a side.”

  “Yum.”

  Julie’s expression said she knew exactly how yum that was. The Colman women might have opinions the men in the family didn’t care about. But that didn’t mean the women weren’t confident, hard-as-nails people in their own way.

  “How did the shoot go?”

  After refilling both their glasses, PJ sat up at the kitchen island and gave her sister a general overview of her interactions with Asa that day.

  “I think my car impressed him more than my body, my face, or my painting.”

  “Considering how much you love cars, I think that’s a compliment. You’re beautiful, even when you pierce your face.” Julie shuddered. “And other parts. But pretty isn’t rare. Anyway, that’s nice. You two having shared passions is a good thing.”

  “He’s got this… ugh, I can’t even describe it right. He’s so much. He doesn’t just look at me, it’s like he looks right into me. He makes me fluttery and blushy. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s like turned to twenty-five on the one-to-ten dial. Know what I mean?”

  “Yeah. I do. What’s your next move then?”

  “Well, I gave him the photos of my work. He said he was going to talk to his partner about it. I’ll give him until Friday before I check in. I’d be happy if he called first, but I get the feeling it’s going to take some more poking to get him to move on anything. I’m assuming he’s stubborn. He’s definitely got that I do what I want vibe going on.”

  “You should be used to that by now, so you already have a leg up. Get some plates and stuff out and I’ll handle the food.” Julie pointed to the table and PJ moved to obey.

  She and her sister talked about the fight PJ had with Jay, Julie frowning the whole time.

  “I can’t believe he said all that. He doesn’t mean it. He just said it because he knows it pushes your buttons.”

  “But he said it. And it’s not the first time. I’m trying to contribute! I’m trying to bring my ideas to the table so I can be an active participant in Colman’s future.”

  “You hate hearing this, I know, but you have to prove yourself.”

  “For how long? I dropped out of college three years ago. I’ve been trying to show everyone how serious I am ever since.”

  “You’re twenty-five. No one takes twenty-five-year-old women seriously. No one takes pretty women seriously. No one takes women with hoops in their eyebrows seriously. No one takes women with boobs like yours seriously. You dropped out of college, you pierced your face, and you’re telling one of the most uptight guys on the planet that you have ideas. Jay and Fee and Dad already think women are best at adding shit up and looking pretty.”

  “So the only way to get anyone to take me seriously is to be an old man?”

  Julie thought this was hilarious. “Well, since that’s probably not going to happen, I’m telling you to remember your struggle. You’re different. They can’t even deal with the vagina part. You add blue or purple hair and face piercings and they just lose their shit. But don’t let that stop you. Penelope Jean, you are a badass. That comes with a price tag. You know it. You’ve chosen this path. Understand its strengths and limitations. You have to be twice as good as any man your age. Whether that’s fair or not, that’s reality.”

  “Can I tell Jay you said he was uptight?”

  Julie’s mouth fought a battle with a smile.

  “Go on. You know you want to.”

  Julie waved a hand, laughing. “You’re a bad influence.”

  “I know. It’s a gift. But you’re a good one. So there’s hope for one of us.”

  “Just keep being PJ. This is a male-dominated business. Our company is male dominated too. I have faith in your ability to never let anyone ignore you for very long. Jay is testy because he knows you have a point but he’s scared of new things.” Julie shrugged.

  “You always know what to say.”

  Her sister smiled. “All my facial piercings are on the inside, but I’ve got your back on this. You have good ideas. Colman should be listening to you. Keep talking, baby sister, keep talking. You’re good at that too.”

  “Har. Enough about me. How was your date?”

  Julie exhaled long and slow. “It was okay. He’s nice. Maybe too nice? I don’t know.”

  “Did he kiss you?”

  “At the door. Which he walked me to like a total gentleman.”

  “And?”

  “Meh. It was proficient.”

  “Proficient?” PJ curled her lip. “I wouldn’t even want a car that was ‘proficient,’ much less a kisser.”

  “It wasn’t bad. He had some technique. We just didn’t have any energy as a couple. If he calls again I’m going to say no.”

  “Or you can say yes, fuck him, and see if he can top proficient. And if not, then you say no. Because if you fuck him on the second date he’ll definitely call again.”

  “You should write a dating advice column in the Stranger.” Julie raised a brow. “I don’t fuck on the second date.”

  “Two words for you, Julie. Gavin Suarez.”

  Her sister blushed madly at the mention of her ex. “Well, that’s different.” Julie had been engaged when she’d met Gavin, who was sitting next to her on an airplane headed from Seattle to Washington DC.

  A week later she came back home, broke her engagement, and banged Gavin like a gong until he left six months later to spend three years working for an international aid organization based in Belgium.

  “The guy was worth you breaking an engagement over. You let him into your underpants while he was still a relative stranger. I don’t know why you don’t see these things are the hugely important exclamation points on you needing to run this dude to the ground and claim him before someone else does.”

  “It’s been two years. Someone else probably has.”

  “None of them are you. You said he told you he wasn’t seeing anyone and that he was coming back here to the Northwest when he finished things up. For you.”

  “I guess I need to see what happens next year then, huh?”

  “Honestly, you’re so smart and awesome at stuff I’m just shocked at the depth of I don’t want to over this issue. This guy means something to you. Why are you running from him?”

  “Nothing can happen between us right now. He’s half a world away. I could visit him and then what? Love him but from here? Where I can’t even touch him?”

  Frowning, PJ took her sister’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “You love him.”

  Julie nodded. “But it does me no good. Because he’s there and I’m here. He told me I should see other people. I guess that means he wants to.”

  PJ shook her head. “Or maybe he thinks you want to and he’s trying to be nice because he loves you too. In any case, scrap plans to bang proficient kisser and save your ladygarden for Gavin.”

  “Ladygarden?” At least the sadness had eased around Julie’s eyes at the joke.

  “You got really mad the last time I said ‘pussy.’ I could say ‘vagina,’ but that’s boring. ‘Flesh pocket’? Do you like that better?”

  Horrified, Julie recoiled, her eyes widening to the point that all PJ could do was laugh.

  “What? I’d rather have a flesh pocket than a Hot Pocket. At least my stomach won’t cramp with the former.”

  “Stop!” Her sister managed to get the word out through a gale of laughter.

  Her work cheering Julie back up was done, so PJ sat back with a smile and narrowly avoided the cherry tomato Julie tossed at her head.

  CHAPTER

  F
ive

  Hey, Asa. Someone here to see you.”

  He looked up from the screen to their office manager, Lottie.

  “Thank god, something else to do.” He stood. “Who is it?”

  “Hi there, Asa. I was in the neighborhood, and since I hadn’t heard back from you and a few weeks have passed, I thought I’d drop in.” PJ Colman stood there, a bright smile on her face.

  Lottie hid a smile as she left, but that didn’t dampen his pleasure at the sight PJ made in his doorway.

  “Want something to drink?” He looked her up and down. She was more businesslike than the times he’d seen her before. Navy blue high-waisted trousers and a long-sleeved white blouse. Her hair was pulled back from her face, which he liked just fine indeed because her face was really easy to look at.

  And yet there was something about her… something that always cried out for his attention. A pop of color at her arm where her sleeve was rolled up and her ink was exposed. The earrings, which at first glance looked like cameos but were really skeletons instead of women’s faces. Just little things that made up a unique package.

  “I like that you’re not only giving in right away but offering me refreshments. I’d love something to drink.”

  He moved to her, wanting to brush a kiss against her cheek. But she was there on business, so he reined it in, telling himself it was better anyway. Flirting, sure. No kissing. Kissing those lips would be disastrous. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop until he’d bared every part of her to his touch.

  Which would also be disastrous.

  That didn’t mean he didn’t want to be around her for the next while. He liked her. “You’re persistent. I know that already. So I might as well give in, take a break, and agree to give you a job so we can see how you work.”

  He and Duke had talked about it a week before. Her work had been really good, and they did need to expand to new contractors from time to time. Duke also rightly pointed out it didn’t hurt them at all to have a better relationship with Colman Enterprises either. If PJ was the next generation and she wanted them to be part of the customer base from then on, it was smart to support that.