Free His Uptown Girl by Gail Sattler

customer I’d have his car ready by tomorrow morning, and that transmission isn’t fixing itself while I’m here talking.”
    â€œWork?” Randy checked his watch. “At this hour? I thought after you hired someone, you would be cutting back your own hours.”
    â€œThat day will come, but not yet. We were further behind than we thought. I hate to think of the shape we’d be in if it wasn’t for George.” He smiled, and his eyesbecame unfocused for a few seconds. He blinked, shook his head, and opened the car door. “See you on the weekend, I guess.”
    Before Randy could respond, the door closed, Bob started the engine, and drove off.
    He turned back to Paul. “See?”
    â€œI don’t see anything except that Bob’s working too much, as usual. Which means he doesn’t have time for a girlfriend, even if she is right under his nose all day. Now if you’ll please move your car, I have to go, too.”

Chapter Six
    â€œG eorge? What are you doing here?” Bob clearly had not expected company at the shop.
    â€œI wasn’t having a very good time at the banquet, so I left early. Need some help?” Georgette tried to appear casual, but her stomach was completely tied up in knots. All during the banquet, all she could think of was Bob. As soon as she could, she made an excuse to leave, although she knew he could do the work himself.
    â€œWell…” Bob’s voice trailed off, and he ran his fingers through his hair. “Now that you’re here, I could use a hand. But only if you’re sure. You work a forty-hour week, and I don’t want you to think you need to do more.”
    Georgette looked down at her feet, still in her best shoes. “I’m not here to put in overtime. I’m here because I’d prefer to help you with the transmission than sit at the banquet and smile for strangers.”
    Bob shook his head. “Fine. Two people will make the job go faster. To tell the truth, it’s not so bad working such long hours when it’s daylight. But when it’s dark and everything outside is quiet, it feels worse becauseit’s obvious the rest of the world is at home with their families, and I’m working late again. Once you’re caught up with the bookkeeping, you’ll be spending more time in the shop, and when that happens, I think we’ll be able to keep up with what comes in on a daily basis without anyone having to put in much extra time.”
    â€œIf it helps, I can see a difference already, even in the short time I’ve been working here.”
    â€œYou’re right about that.” Bob smiled, and Georgette’s heart rate suddenly accelerated.
    Since the first day she’d seen Bob she’d thought he was good-looking, and the faint crow’s feet which appeared at the corners of his eyes when he smiled made him more attractive. Now that she was starting to get to know him, she knew those little lines weren’t from age; they were because of the kind heart behind his easy smiles.
    She adjusted the strap on the duffle bag on her shoulder. “You should know I’m here on my own time; you don’t have to pay me overtime.”
    â€œBut—”
    Georgette held up one palm to silence him. Bob needed the money far more than she did. “I mean it. If you insist on paying me overtime for this, I’m going to go back home.” Not that she wanted to go home. If she did, she would have to explain to her father why she wasn’t at the banquet with Tyler.
    Bob sighed. “This isn’t normally something I would allow, but you’re not giving me a choice. Okay. On your own time. Thanks.”
    Just as she did every morning, Georgette hurried into the washroom to slip on her jeans and a T-shirt, then pulled her coveralls off the hook and stepped into them.Bob had already removed the transmission and was starting to replace the first clutch plate,