Free Always My Girl (The Shaughnessy Brothers) by Samantha Chase Page B

complete a job like this on one car.”
    “Holy crap.”
    Quinn nodded again. “Exactly. I’m going to go a little in between and figure about fifteen hundred man hours per car.”
    Aidan chuckled. “Good thing your friend isn’t in a rush.”
    “That’s the beauty of working with a fellow car enthusiast. They know the importance of doing things right. If he gives me the time now, he’ll get all the time he wants out of the car when I’m done.”
    Aidan stopped and thought for a moment. “You said this guy’s name is Jake?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You mean Jake Tanner? The Jake Tanner?”
    Quinn rolled his eyes. “Yes, Jake Tanner. Why? Got a man crush on him?”
    Aidan let out a bark of laughter. “Cute, but no. I just remember he was an amazing driver. I used to follow him when you were racing.”
    “Oh yeah? Then you know that I ranked higher,” Quinn said a bit defensively.
    “Easy there, baby girl. No one’s saying he was better than you. I was merely pointing out that I was a fan.”
    “Yeah, well…you were supposed to be cheering for me. Not following and cheering other racers.”
    Aidan ran a hand gently over the Camaro’s hood. “Insecure much? What’s going on in this family? First Riley, now you?”
    “I’m not insecure. I just didn’t realize you followed anyone else in racing other than me. And as for Riley, who knows? I’m sure it’s hard for him. There are new bands coming out every day. There’s constant competition and he’s having to prove himself on a daily basis. Anyone would get freaked out from time to time if they had to live like that.”
    “I guess.” Stepping away from the car, Aidan sighed. “Where were cars like this when we were kids?”
    “Out of our price range.”
    “Oh yeah. That’s right.” Aidan laughed and then straightened and looked at his brother. “So things are going well?”
    “Absolutely. I didn’t think I’d enjoy sticking around town for so long, but it’s really not so bad.”
    “I never understood your need to move around so much.”
    “Yeah, well, you’re a homebody. No one else in the family is, other than Dad.”
    A small shrug was Aidan’s only reply.
    “And now that I’ve got these babies here, I’ll be around even longer,” Quinn continued. “I promised Jake I’d be the one to do the bulk of the work.”
    “Is that smart for you? I mean, you have other shops to manage.”
    “It’s not a big deal. I have a great team of mechanics and managers. I’ll still go and spend some time at each of them, just not the extended amount I was doing before.”
    “You’ve done other restorations before. Why is this one such a big deal?”
    “The other cars weren’t nearly as impressive as these—at least not to me. I’ve done cars from the thirties and onward, but the muscle cars? Those are my favorites. And to have two of them here?” He sighed dramatically. “It’s almost enough to give me a hard-on.”
    “Grow up.”
    Then Quinn’s teasing grin faded. “If I get these cars right, besides making a boatload of money on them, it will go a long way in cementing my name in the industry. There are still a lot of people who think this is just a hobby for me and that I don’t take it seriously. I really need to get everyone to see how I love what I do and I’m good at it.”
    Aidan nodded. “I get it. And you’ll get there, Quinn. You do great work and it’s going to speak volumes.”
    “I don’t know. So many things have come easily to me, and this is the first time in my life I’m having to really prove myself. Car restoration isn’t a quick turnaround. It’s not like racing or baseball, where I could have a good season and make the news. I just…I didn’t think it would be so hard.”
    “It’s not a bad thing, you know. Having to work a little harder. Makes you appreciate it all the more.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m not getting any younger.”
    Aidan laughed. “Or prettier.”
    “Shut up,” Quinn said and walked over