The Mechanic Read online

  The Mechanic

  Reina Torres

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  The Mechanic - Story Summary

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  About Reina Torres

  Other Books by Reina Torres

  Original Brotherhood Protectors Series

  About Elle James

  Copyright © 2019, Reina Torres

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2019 Twisted Page Press, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Brotherhood Protectors

  Original Series by Elle James

  Brotherhood Protectors Series

  Montana SEAL (#1)

  Bride Protector SEAL (#2)

  Montana D-Force (#3)

  Cowboy D-Force (#4)

  Montana Ranger (#5)

  Montana Dog Soldier (#6)

  Montana SEAL Daddy (#7)

  Montana Ranger’s Wedding Vow (#8)

  Montana SEAL Undercover Daddy (#9)

  Cape Cod SEAL Rescue (#10)

  Montana SEAL Friendly Fire (#11)

  Montana SEAL’s Mail-Order Bride (#12)

  Montana Rescue (Sleeper SEAL)

  Hot SEAL Salty Dog (SEALs in Paradise)

  Brotherhood Protectors Vol 1

  To the women out there like me, looking for a man who loves whole-heartedly.

  Acknowledgments

  Mahalo and Lots of Love to Elle James -

  You opened up your world to other authors and I hope I’ve done justice to your world!

  The Mechanic - Story Summary

  Adam Masterson had always been at home with any kind of work involving his hands. Joining the military had given him a chance to work on all kinds of vehicles, but after twelve years he’d left to help his sister take care of her daughter. Hank Patterson had offered him a job with the Brotherhood Protectors, but he was just fine with his life the way it was.

  Or so he thought.

  Blake Lennox wasn’t Hollywood’s ‘it’ girl. She was the ‘chubby bestie’ who was always good for a laugh. Until the day she saw something that was as damning as it was criminal. When they realized she wasn’t going to keep quiet, they were going to do it for her.

  She barely made it to Eagle Rock, Montana and that’s when she met a man who did the one thing no one else seemed to do. See her the way she saw him... desirable.

  Hiding only works so long, but Adam wasn’t going to let her face them alone. Not then. Not ever. He was going to take care of her and fix things... because he’s the Mechanic.

  Chapter 1

  In the early morning hours...

  Blake Lennox had never been an easy sleeper. There was always something worrying her, thoughts rolling around inside of her skull that kept her awake to all hours or held her just shy of that lovely REM sleep that most people enjoyed.

  And the last two days had only made her problems worse.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  Whatever it was knocking on her window better go away.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  She sat up, eyes wide and that’s when she remembered.

  She was in her car.

  Alarmed she turned to look out the window and saw a flashlight pointed at her and a face half-shadowed beside it.

  Her heart leapt up in her chest and she reached for something to protect herself. She grabbed the first thing she touched and lifted a plastic mini M&M container. Yeah, big help.

  “Uh, ma’am?” The man outside turned his flashlight around to shine light on his badge. “I’m an officer with the Utah Highway Patrol. Sorry to startle you.”

  Relief sagged her shoulders and she dropped the M&M container on the passenger seat with an out blown breath. “Goodness. I didn’t know what to expect when I woke up. Is something wrong?”

  “I was just trying to make sure you were okay. The fact that you’re a woman traveling alone, well, my sister drives a lot so I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  She felt horrible keeping the window shut but while he may have shown her his badge, trust was not high on her list for strangers at the moment.

  And due to her experience in the last few days, she wouldn’t even trust most people she knew.

  “I’m sorry if I worried you, officer. I was trying to make it to the next town, but I was just too tired to keep my eyes open.” She sat up a little straighter in her seat. “Was there a problem with where I’m parked?”

  “No, ma’am.” He grinned and shook his head. “This is a rest stop. You’re more than welcome to sleep here for the rest of the night. I just worry when I see women travelling alone.”

  “Well, thank you.” She let out another breath and set her hand on her chest hoping to calm the racing beat of her heart. “That’s very sweet of you.”

  He started to move away and paused, leaning back to look in the window.

  She saw his curious look and wondered what had brought him back. “Do you need my license or-”

  “You’re Blake Lennox!”

  There went her heartrate again, shooting up and pounding through her veins. “Oh, you recognize me?”

  “Of course! My wife watches all of your movies with her friends, and my daughters still have their ‘Sharpshooter Sally’ backpacks from the Frontier Friends show.” The officer tucked his flashlight into the crook of his arm and fumbled into his pockets. “I’ve got my notebook somewhere. Dang it.” Taking a chance, Blake lowered her window and smiled at him.

  “Do you have your phone?”

  His eyes popped wide open. “Why, yes... I do!” Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out his phone and unlocked it.

  “You want to be in the photo?”

  He shook his head and stepped back to take her picture. She would have gotten out of the car, but that worked too. “They love you and they talk about being on TV like that Montana girl, but I want them to get a real education, you know?” He fumbled with the phone. “How do I do this again?”

  Pasting a smile on her face she held out her hand for the phone. “I can do that.”

  “Oh, cool. Great. Thanks.”

  Focusing on the phone in her hands, Blake took a picture and edited the photo so they wouldn’t see the horrible state of her hair and then using the pen function, she signed the photo at the bottom.

  When she handed the phone back, she met the deputy’s grateful gaze. “And I agree about school,” she told him and noticed that his expression sobered a little, “I have a masters in Electrical Engineering from Cal Tech. You should look up Danica McKellar and Mayim Bialik to start with. We’re not the only ones who have degrees.”

  The officer looked contrite. “I’m sorry, Miss Lennox, I didn’t m
ean-”

  She touched his arm and gave him a real smile. “It’s natural to want the best for your children, that’s good. Just don’t forget to encourage the artistic interests they have. You might be surprised how academics and art go hand in hand.”

  He looked down at the photo on his camera and sighed before looking back in through her window. “I didn’t mean to... actually, I’m sorry for saying that. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Well, she did. She’d heard it over and over from all kinds of people, assuming that she was as ditzy as some of her characters. “Please give your daughters a hug for me.”

  She reached up and grabbed her seatbelt, pulling across her body to sink it into the buckle.

  “I should be getting on my way. Is there anything else-”

  “Oh no. No. Sorry. Thank you again, Miss Lennox.”

  He backed away from the car and she thought for a quick moment that she should call him back and ask him to keep the meeting to himself. She probably shouldn’t have allowed him to take the photo, but there was no getting that back now.

  And she wasn’t one to disappoint her fans. Especially the young ones who remembered her as ‘Sharpshooter Sally.’ As cheesy as the kids show had been, she still loved the messages that the kids took away from Sheriff Liberty and his Frontier Friends. So, she let him walk back to his patrol car before she pulled out of the space and headed for the on-ramp.

  As for her interaction with the officer, she hadn’t given him any real idea of where she was going, not that she had much of one herself. Her main focus was to put as much distance between herself and the troubles she’d left behind. And after his assumptions about her lack of an education, she hoped he might take a day or two before he even showed his girls the photo.

  She could hope, couldn’t she?

  Testing her lights on the narrow exit lane from the rest stop she merged onto the road and continued on the highway, looking for an option.

  Adam Masterson walked into the diner to get a cup of coffee and maybe a pastry, but before he could find a table of his own, Hank Patterson flagged him over to the empty seat across from him.

  In a town as small as Eagle Rock it would have been seen as more than a little rude to ignore him, even if he knew where this meeting was bound to go, so Adam walked over and set himself down in the empty chair.

  “Morning, Hank.”

  Hank’s smile summoned the waitress who greeted Adam with a smile and a cup of coffee filled up almost to the rim just like he liked it. “Good to see you, Annalise.”

  She gave him a cuff on the shoulder. “Good to see you too, brother.”

  Hank hid his laugh behind the lip of his cup.

  Adam’s sister gave him a pointed look. “You want me to put in an order for food? I can make it to go if you like.”

  Setting down his cup, Hank gave Annalise a side-look. “Trying to give him an escape route for this conversation?”

  She held up her hands. An order pad in one, the other empty. “You’re really good at this interrogation thing, aren’t you? Just make sure you two play nice. People around here still think I’m a sweetheart, but if I have to drag you both out of here for fighting at the table, everyone’s going to know I’m a smaller, stronger version of my brother.”

  “Well,” Hank cleared his throat, “I don’t want to blow your cover, Miss Masterson. Until then, I’ll sit here nice and quiet.” He gave Adam a pointed look. “I can’t vouch for your brother, though.”

  Setting her hand on the back of Adam’s chair, Annalise leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Food?”

  He shrugged and gave her a grudging smile when she told him she was ordering him a bow of soup. “You’re obsessed with feeding me.”

  Rolling her eyes, she took a step away. “You took care of me and Ada. Now it’s my turn to worry over you a little, until we find you a wife.” She turned a wide-eyed smile turned toward Hank. “You wouldn’t have someone you could introduce my brother to, would you?”

  Adam almost felt bad as Hank choked on thin air.

  Almost.

  “Leave the man alone, Annalise.”

  “I want to see you happy. So, sue me.” She shrugged and moved away to put in Adam’s order.

  Hank looked across the table at him. “Looks like she’s got her mother hen skills down.”

  “Tell me about it. Even when I was trying to care for her after Ada was born, I’d catch her trying to get up and make dinner. After a while I got her to stop by asking her if she didn’t like my cooking.”

  Confusion settled over Hank’s features. “Are you that bad of a cook?”

  Adam sighed. “Why does everyone assume I’m crap in the kitchen?”

  Hank wisely stayed silent.

  “I’m a good cook. I won’t say I’m better than Annalise, but I keep her and Ada happy when it’s my night to cook. Still, it did get her to stop trying to be superwoman.”

  “Well, you’re a good man, Adam. I don’t doubt that. If I did-”

  “The answer is still no.” Adam took a sip of his coffee, wincing at the burning touch on his tongue. “Sorry if I jumped on that. I just,” he struggled to find the words, “I just made my mom a promise that my focus was going to be on family. That’s why I left the military when Annalise was put on bedrest during her pregnancy. If something happened to me when she needed me...” he let the words trail off because he didn’t want to think about the alternatives.

  “And then when Ada was born and the nurse put her in my hands-” Adam looked down toward the table and held his hands up in the same way he held his niece, remembering his first look at her precious face. A moment later, he busied his hands with the napkin sitting before him. “I knew where I was needed and what I was meant to do. Putting myself in the line of fire wasn’t something I could do after that, and keep my conscience clean.”

  Annalise walked up and placed the soup cup and saucer before him, she gave them a look silently asking after their needs.

  Adam waved her away with a wink and turned to look back at Hank.

  The other man had lost the joking grin. “Why didn’t you just say that before? I didn’t know that was hanging over your head.”

  Picking up his spoon, Adam dipped it into his soup. “It’s not something I wanted to say. I don’t like to say things like that out loud much. My mom was the kind of woman who believed you should only say the good and positive things. If you give voice to the bad then it’s like you’re inviting it in.”

  Nodding slowly, Hank pondered his words. “I can see the reason in that, Adam. Now I see what you’re dealing with. I’m sorry if I pushed too hard. I wasn’t trying to make things harder. I just knew you from your record and what I knew... I needed.”

  Adam couldn’t help but smile at the other man’s words. He wasn’t someone who sought out platitudes, but when a man like Hank tells you that you’re good enough to make his ‘must have’ list, that’s gold.

  “Thank you,” Adam let out a breath and felt his shoulders and the tense muscles along his neck relax. “It’s good to know.” Needing to shift the tone of their meeting, Adam asked a question as he lifted his spoon toward his mouth. “How are Sadie and the baby?”

  The change in Hank was immediate.

  Sitting up in his chair, he reached for his phone and turned it on, turning it around so that Adam could see the lock screen.

  Adam shook his head with a smile. “You’re a lucky man, Hank.”

  After a moment, Hank, turned the phone back around and lowered it closer to the tabletop, but the smile never left his face. It might have changed, ever so slightly, a little softer, almost sweeter.

  It was almost hard to reconcile the man he saw now to the one who had marched himself into Adam’s mechanic shop and offered him a job.

  Adam set his spoon down on the saucer, his appetite gone. He wasn’t jealous of Hank, but he saw the affection in his eyes and read the ease of his shoulders. Hank was a man satisfied with his life.


  Who didn’t want that?

  Late afternoon...

  Be careful what you ask for.

  The words were whispered into her head with the distinct sound of her third-grade teacher who never quite liked Blake, no matter how much her little self had tried to change it.

  And now, here she was, driving a car that she’d bought from a little old lady who had called the antique ‘her little dear.’ The woman had let her test drive it and she had and it had worked just fine. After an exchange of most of Blake’s emergency cash that she’d brought with her, she’d told herself that she’d be okay as long as she made it to Eagle Rock.

  And she had.

  She just made it past the sign naming the town and its population when ‘the little dear’ backfired and sent Blake lurching forward, gripping the steering wheel as it swerved a little bit.

  Just great.

  Just flipping great.

  Taking in a deep breath she continued down the street. Part of the problem of trying to get off and stay off the grid was that you can’t do a whole lot of research on a town this small from a map you buy at a gas station.

  All it gave her in the way of information had literally been a map dot, but still, there had to be a gas station here. And a gas station meant information and hopefully a guy that would check out her car without making too many comments about ‘women and cars.’

  That she could do without.

  She looked up at a sign for the Blue Moose Tavern and grinned. That would be a must see if she wasn’t here trying to lay low, but maybe someday.