Alex grinned. “It’s gotta be that good, huh?”
“Well, nothing too spectacular,” Topaz cautioned with a wave of her hand. “Your usual first date stuff will suffice.”
“Nah, I feel like I need to impress you.”
“Why?”
Alex knew he wouldn’t answer that. Not yet. “You like pool?” he asked instead, coolly dismissing the previous question.
Topaz wrinkled her nose. “It’s not one of my best games, but I can hold my own.”
Alex reached for his drink. “A new billiards place just opened up downtown. Supposed to have a good bar and grill. Care to join me?”
“Sounds like fun. When?”
“Good question,” Alex responded with a grimace. “I’ve got a dinner meeting tomorrow,” he recalled, taking a sip of his drink. “What about the night after that?”
“Sounds perfect,” Topaz accepted with a smile, even as her expression grew a bit wary. “I think I’ve made enough of an appearance at this thing,” she decided.
“Ready to go?”
“Mmm ...”
Alex scanned the crowd. “You seen Casey?”
“Actually that’s who I went to talk to while you were with Horace and Stan,” she explained. “He’s already hooked up with somebody and they’re going out for drinks.”
“So he’s just leaving?” Alex whispered, not bothering to mask his disapproval.
Topaz waved her hand. “It was my idea. I told him to go. Someone already offered to take me home anyway.”
“Tell him to forget it.”
“’Scuse me?”
“I’ll take you home,” Alex decided, already moving to stand.
“Alex, you don’t have to.”
“I know I don’t have to,” he acknowledged, tossing a few bills to the table. “Are you ready?”
Topaz sighed and stood as well. “I guess I’ll go tell Goldie I have another ride.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “Uh-oh, we gotta make the birthday boy cry.”
Topaz’s laughter turned many heads.
FOUR
Top E Towing and Mechanical was in its usual noisy, bustling state. The establishment stayed busy from open to close, much to the satisfaction of its owner and employees. The garage was a veritable hodgepodge of cultural and social activity. Customers who opted to wait for their cars to be serviced collected in the main lobby before a wide-screen TV. The proprietor of the establishment believed in keeping her patrons comfortable—there was always fresh coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts in the morning or chips and sodas for the afternoon crowd. Free of charge, of course. The air was filled with the meshing of pulsing rap music, smoother R&B tunes, passionate conversations, laughter, and the unmistakable clanging of heavy machinery.
“Is this gonna be a short job, guys?” Topaz queried as she peeked beneath the hood of her Corvette. “Or have I let it go too long?” she asked, looking up.
Darryl Groves and Stacy Merchants wiped the sweat from their brows in a syncopated fashion.
“We can get you rollin’ in a couple of days, Paz,” Stacy promised his boss.
“Yeah, two or three days,” Darryl concurred. “We found a few things we wanna spruce up for ya.”
“Spruce up?” Topaz parroted, her bright gaze filling with playful doubt as she eyed the two gorgeous giants. “Spruce up,” she repeated, stepping away from her car. “I’m just happy I don’t have to pay for this.”
“Aw, Paz, you know we treat you right,” Stacy chimed.
“Y’all just don’t do too much sprucing up for your paying customers without their knowledge,” she advised.
The dark hulks both raised their hands in the air as though they were taking oaths. “We never scam our customers,” they simultaneously recited.
Topaz shook her head. “I don’t even want to know,” she groaned.
The threesome stood talking and laughing as a man strolled into the garage. It wasn’t the fact that he looked like a salesman that set everyone on edge. It was the superior way he observed his surroundings and his obvious disregard for the countless signs that prohibited anyone other than Top E Towing and Mechanical personnel from being in the garage area. Topaz, Stacy, and Darryl eyed his short-sleeved olive-green dress shirt and the trousers that fit just a bit too snug.
When the man looked over at the silent trio, his gaze appraised Topaz in her low-rise jeans and long-sleeved shirt. Then he nodded toward Darryl and Stacy.
“Morning, gentlemen.”
Darryl and Stacy mimicked the nod. “Morning,” they replied.
“Looks like business is good, gentlemen.”
