Read Online Spirited Ride by Rebecca Avery - Free Book Online Page B

near the boy shook his head as though he didn’t think it was good idea while Chuck fished around in his pocket for some money as well and laughing said, “You’re going to fit right in around here, TJ.”
    Bobby approached him and held his hand out to him. “Welcome back, man. It’s good to see you.”
    He shook Bobby’s hand and the next wrestling match was soon underway. With each adult the young boy beat at arm wrestling the noise level grew as well.
    “What are you people doing?” Meredith asked from the doorway.
    TJ nearly jumped out of his skin as did several of the other men standing around. The young boy jumped up from the table and ran over to the very pregnant and currently disapproving woman and gently hugged her and said, “We’re working off my extra energy, sis.”
    “If mom catches you guys, it won’t be pretty. You’re one of my favorite brothers but I will not cover for you or even my husband,” Meredith said looking pointedly at Chuck. Then glancing around at the rest of the men she continued. “Shouldn’t you guys be working or training our newest employee or doing something besides contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”
    “Come on, man. I’ll show you the paint bay,” Chuck said with a laugh and a wink for Meredith as he walked past TJ.
    TJ followed behind Chuck but not before noticing Meredith walking away with the young boy, running her hands through his hair in a motherly fashion.
    He’d missed the camaraderie between close friends. It had been a long time since he’d felt like one of the group rather than an outsider trying to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. He hadn’t realized that he’d been suffering with a case of homesickness all these years.
    “Since you don’t officially start until tomorrow, I’ll just give you a tour of the garage for now. You’ll be spending most of your time in here though,” Chuck said, opening the door to a large room at one end of the building and then turning on the light inside.
    The room was long and narrow but broken up into sections by long black plastic flaps that acted as doorways from one area to the next. The outer walls of the section nearest the entry door contained built in overhead shelves that stored everything one would need to paint a car or motorcycle.
    Chuck opened one and pulled out ventilation masks from within and handed one to him and then donned the other one himself.
    Moving past the first set of flaps, he was led into a room that contained a long counter and several hooks where parts of a bike could be hung, balanced or turned for the detail work required on a paint job.
    TJ stopped to admire some of the items that had already been completed and were waiting on a finishing coat. An overhead ventilation fan competed with a blasting radio somewhere past the final doorway.
    He followed Chuck through the last set of flaps to find a couple of guys working on the primer for one gas tank and speckling for another. The guys both waved at him and Chuck. He nodded back at them and then followed Chuck back out to the very front where they’d come in.
    After putting the masks away they went back out to the main bay area where Chuck showed him all the other sections of the operation.
    “I’ve got some other work to finish up and then I need to get Meredith home but I’ll see you first thing in the morning and give you a rundown of the jobs we’ve got in the works,” Chuck said. Then he gave TJ a funny look.
    “What?” he finally asked when Chuck continued to stare at him.
    “You seem to fit in here so well that I’m just trying to figure out why you left in the first place, that’s all,” Chuck replied.
    “Long story short, I had to try and make it or I’d have always wondered what if…” he replied. “I know that probably makes no sense… seeing that I’m right back where I started from.”
    “What about Sherri, though?” Chuck asked.
    “Well… all things considered… she was right… I didn’t make