In the Groove Read Online Free PDF

"Great," he said, telling himself he just felt sorry for her. He knew what it was like to go it alone. It wasn't easy. "I'll go call Doc Brown."
    Thankfully, she didn't protest again, but when Lance turned to go, Sal grabbed his arm, waiting until they were out of the room before saying, "I should probably use the phone in your office."
    "Why's that?"
    "Because I don't want her to know I'm really calling a tow truck company to tow off her car."
    "You're what?"
    "Shh," Sal instantly said. "Not so loud. I don't want her suspicious."
    "You mean to tell me her car isn't really gone?"
    "Nah," he said, shaking his head and pressing his lips together so his jowls hung down like a bulldog. And that's exactly what Lance's business manager was. A bulldog, even if he was a bit overzealous in his protection. "I just told her that so she wouldn't take off on us."
    "Why the hell'd you do that?"
    "Because I didn't want her trotting out of here, mad as hell, and thinking later on that she might have a good lawsuit on her hands. This way, she's here. We can soothe her ruffled feathers, maybe even convince her to stick around for a while, see a doctor. We really should have her checked out."
    "I know. That's why I'm calling Doc Brown now."
    "I know, I know, and he'll tell us if he thinks her injuries are real or faked."
    "You think she might be faking?" Lance asked in disbelief.
    "It's possible."
    "Doubtful," Lance corrected. "That woman doesn't have a dishonest bone in her body. It's why I like her. And why I want her to stick around. So you better have the tow truck company bring her car here. I want her happy."
    Sal gave him a strange look. Actually, it was more of a concerned look. "You're not attracted to her, are you?"
    "No," Lance denied. "Not my type!"
    But Sal's eyes narrowed. "You better watch yourself," his business manager warned.
    "Don't worry. I will."
    But Sal didn't look convinced. Not surprising because Lance wasn't convinced himself. He had a feeling Sarah Tingle might prove to be a huge distraction. And that wasn't good. That wasn't good at all.
    CHAPTER FOUR
    It amazed Sarah how quickly Lance and his manager arranged everything. Within an hour they had her car parked in the driveway, the doctor examining her leg, and a couple of guys from "the shop" examining her transmission.
    Sarah didn't know whether to be impressed or intimidated. It seemed to her that only the very wealthy and the very influential could order mechanics to repair a car and have a doctor show up on their doorstep.
    In North Carolina, apparently, race-car drivers ranked right up there with the Pope.
    So she waited for the doctor to finish poking and prodding her (diagnosis: superficial wounds) then sat in Lance Cooper's fancy family room while she waited and waited for the mechanics to be equally brilliant in diagnosing her car.
    It wasn't good news. It was terminal.
    "What do you mean you can't fix it?" Sarah asked a little later, feeling as if every molecule of blood had suddenly dropped to her heels.
    "There's a lot of miles on that motor, Miss Tingle. Over two hundred thousand by the looks of it," a blond headed guy said. "Sorry, but the block gave out. It's cracked. Given the number of miles on it, I'm surprised the engine lasted this long."
    She'd bought the car used in college by saving money from working nights and weekends. She'd nursed the blue Bug through a leaky radiator, a bad transmission and a whole host of other problems. That it had finally died made her feel... resigned. She felt resigned. What else could go wrong in her life?
    "So what do I do with it?" she asked. Three male faces stared down at her—only three because one of the male mechanics was still outside with her car, like it was a dying patient or something.
    Would you like some oil, Mr. Bug?
    "Well," said the mechanic, glancing at Lance, hero worship in his eyes. "We could put a new engine in it."
    "That sounds expensive," she said.
    "It won't be too bad if we run the parts