Up to the Challenge

“I know what you mean,” he interrupted. No reason to make this more difficult than it had to be. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll make this work.” He tried a grin but his heart wasn’t in it. “Six weeks. We can handle six weeks, right?”

Beth seemed to spot someone coming up behind him and straightened. “Right. Six weeks. I’d better get back in the room.”

Lucas turned to see Sid Navarro coming down the hall. The pint-sized boat mechanic had been on the fringe of his reality since high school, but he wouldn’t say they were friends. Not like she and Joe were. In fact, Lucas couldn’t remember ever having a real conversation with the woman.

Every time he saw her, she was either snarling at someone, or covered in grease and cursing a blue streak. She had to be the least ladylike chick he’d ever met.

“How’s it going?” Sid said, joining him at the machine. He expected an assault of diesel fumes but instead caught the scent of … watermelon?

“Hi.”

Chocolate brown eyes met his for a brief moment, then turned to the display of junk food. “You getting something?”

“Trying to.” He pulled his eyes from the smooth patch of olive skin exposed under her ponytail. “The machine is holding my chips for ransom, and I’m not paying. Guess I’ll go without.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Sid stepped forward and pressed her ear to the side of the worthless box of bolts.

As she moved to listen at another spot, Lucas asked, “What are you—” but she shushed him with one finger in front of his nose. His mouth clamped shut.

Pulling back, Sid smacked the side of the machine with the butt of her hand, causing his chips to drop into the tray. He’d smacked the damn thing twice and gotten nothing.

“How did you do that?”

Sid shrugged. “I’ve got a way with machines. Are those the right chips?”

“Yeah.” Lucas pushed the door to retrieve the snack as Sid pulled a wallet from her back pocket. “You don’t carry a purse?”

She looked at him as if he’d asked if she had meth for sale. “Do I look like a purse carrier to you?”

He took in the hoodie, cargo pants, and work boots. “Guess not.”

“You good with this working together thing?” she asked, falling into step beside him, after retrieving her candy bar from the drawer. Which fell on the first try.

“Fine with me. You probably know the staff better than I do. That should help until I get my bearings and the staff realizes I’m in charge.”

Sid stopped. “You’re in charge?”

Lucas crossed his arms, nearly smashing his chips. “It is my family’s business.”

She crossed her arms, mimicking his stance. Her head didn’t reach his shoulder but she still managed to look like a badass. Must have been the boots. “I’m covering for Patty, who is as much in charge, if not more so, than your dad. So you may be in charge of everyone else, but you’re not in charge of me.”

Lucas debated how to handle the situation. He was used to being in charge, leading the team. Having a coleader would be something new. Running a restaurant wasn’t the same as running a legal team, and deep down, he knew he needed her. He could always take the upper hand later if necessary.

“Equals?”

“That’s right.”

“We’ll see.” Not the strongest comeback, but for a tiny woman, Sid had a steady gaze.

“For a lawyer, you suck at this.” Sid started walking again, then turned back to face him. “I hope you tend bar better than you argue, or I’m going to have to cover the whole damn place.”

With that she disappeared into the hospital room, leaving Lucas in the hall with a bag of crushed chips and a bruised ego. Six weeks in hell had officially begun.

CHAPTER TWO

Thirty minutes later, the floor nurse announced visiting hours were over. After a brief round of good-byes, Lucas left his keys with Patty so she could use his car, then the younger generation headed for the parking garage. No one spoke until the elevator opened to Joe and Beth’s floor.

“Do you guys mind if I ride with Sid?” Lucas asked, drawing blank stares all around. “It’s a long drive and she shouldn’t have to make it alone.”

Sid tried to remain nonchalant about riding with Lucas. Alone. Her teenage self would have had a mental breakdown had this situation arisen all those years ago. But she was no longer a teenager, and this man had no idea he’d been the star of her fantasies for more than a decade.

She tried to be offended at the assumption she couldn’t drive an hour in the dark alone, but Lucas’s true motivation shone through loud and clear on his face. This had everything to do with his own mental preservation and nothing at all to do with Sid’s safety.

She hoped the man didn’t fancy himself a poker player.

“We don’t mind,” Beth said, giving Joe a just agree with me look.

“No,” Joe said, catching on quicker than Sid would have expected. “No problem.”

Beth dragged Joe away from the elevator and the doors slid closed. Sid waited until they’d stepped out at the next level before speaking. “If you think you can avoid them for the next six weeks, you’ve forgotten Anchor is the size of a postage stamp.”

“I haven’t forgotten anything. I’m just not in the mood tonight.”

“So long as you wallow in silence, I’m good with it.” Sid wasn’t sure why she was provoking him, but it seemed a good enough way to keep a sort of distance between them.

Lucas stopped. “I’m not wallowing.”

Sid kept moving. “Yes, you are.”

“What do you know?” he said. Hard to believe this man argued legal cases in front of a jury. Good thing he was pretty.

“I know a man stuck in a pout when I see one.” Distance shmistance, Sid had no intention of contributing to Lucas’s pity party, especially not over another woman. She was more the snap-out-of-it type than the huggie type. Sid didn’t hug as a rule. “Truck’s over here.”

“You like this with everyone or am I just special?” Lucas joined her next to the Chevy, looking like he might change his mind and run off to catch Joe and Beth.

Sid unlocked the passenger door, then turned to face her long-time crush. Don’t let it show. “If we’re going to spend our days together, we need to get something straight right now. I’m not a coddler. I’m not going to nurse that damaged ego of yours, and I’m sure as hell not going to tiptoe around trying not to say something that might make you feel bad.”

His full lips flattened. “I hope you’re not on the island welcoming committee.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, I don’t know. That maybe your attitude would send a shark racing in the other direction.” Lucas leaned on the truck bed, looking proud of himself for that one.

Sid gave him her best fuck you look and headed around the front of the truck.

“And another thing,” Lucas said, following her. “You can drop that chip on your shoulder at the door.”

“Screw you.”

“You might be the first woman I’ve ever met with a Napoleon complex.”

Sid stopped. No one made fun of her height. She counted to ten as she turned. The man was hurting, but he’d crossed a line.