Ava shouldn’t be doing this. She really shouldn’t. She knew that—logically. Emotionally… That was another story entirely. Which was exactly why she shouldn’t be letting her emotions direct this drive.

But she just kept following her iPhone’s GPS directions to Revival, Isaac’s bike shop in Devil’s Den, because, well, to get right down to it, Ava was damn sick and tired of doing what she should be doing—placating her father over the loss of employees, calming her mother over the canceled wedding, doing all her own work and the work of the three people she’d fired.

She was sick of being who she’d always been—the perfect daughter, the most loyal employee, the achiever, making her family proud.

But what could really come of this attempt to find Isaac? She didn’t know anything about him. Hadn’t even known he’d owned his own motorcycle repair shop until she’d stopped at Grind to ask where she might find him. Hell, he could have a girlfriend. Or worse, he could be married for all she knew.

He hadn’t asked for her number when he’d dropped her back at the bar after hours of sex by the lake. Hadn’t mentioned seeing her again. He’d just cupped her cheek and scanned her face with the strangest expression—a mix of intrigue, melancholy, and resignation—before he’d kissed her one last time and said, “Remember your promise.”

Her stomach squeezed with stress. She’d thought he’d been concerned for her safety, but maybe…maybe she’d missed his point. Maybe that was his way of warning her not to come back to see him?

“Crap.” She felt like a naïve idiot. Why hadn’t she thought of that possibility before now?

Ava rolled down her window and breathed deep of the cool country spring air. She was confusing the hell out of herself.

What was she expecting? It had been weeks since she’d seen him at the bar. What could really come of this visit? Best case scenario, another round of great sex. Worst case… Humiliation if he didn’t want anything to do with her. Shame if she discovered she’d slept with a committed man.

Her stomach sank a little lower.

Ava forced her mind off Isaac, trying to appreciate the beautiful weather, the lush scenery, and the quiet country road. She hadn’t seen another car in either direction for miles and relished the serene sound of birds in the trees. She’d been through hell at work. She deserved a break. Maybe she ought to just look at this as a simple drive in the country. Maybe she wouldn’t even stop at the shop but just drive on by and consider this nothing more than a spin to relive a great memory, then return to…

To what? Real life?

Real life was what had sent her on this drive in the first place. To escape the pressure of training new employees and the embarrassment of the innuendos floating around the office. Matthew might have lost his job, his apartment, and his wealthy, well-connected fiancé, but he’d gotten her back by pinning her with the reputation of an ice queen.

If it weren’t for Isaac, she’d believe she deserved it. But he’d proven Matthew wrong. Isaac had seen the heat inside her, stifled and dying, before Ava had even known it existed.

She wanted that again. Wanted to feel the burn.

She turned the last bend toward Revival, holding her breath. She didn’t even know if the shop was open on Saturdays. And she had no idea where he lived. If this didn’t pan out…

Around the curve, a building came into view on the left—an old gas station resting at the base of a hill. Ava’s heart jumped. Then she spotted an open bay door to the garage and excitement surged, pushing her mouth into a smile and her heart into a tap dance.

All thoughts of just passing by fled. She slowed and pulled into the dirt lot beside the building and parked between a touring BMW coupe and a 1990s Ford F150 that had seen better days. A fluorescent Help Wanted sign hung in the front window, and the building was surrounded with motorcycles of all kinds, lined up like soldiers. Inside the garage bay, three bikes sat in various states of deconstruction.

Ava shut down the engine, and the tranquility seemed to swallow her whole. Silence, broken only by the tweet of a bird, filled her head. She blew out a breath, relishing the peace, but nerves of a whole different kind bubbled in her belly.

This wasn’t her. She didn’t chase guys. Certainly not guys who owned garages in the country and hung at biker bars. But she wasn’t who she’d used to be either. She didn’t want anything to do with dating another suit, a man who loved her father, her father’s money, or his company more than he loved her. And right now, she didn’t even want a man who loved her. She didn’t want obligation or promises or even a future.

Ava might not know exactly what she did want, but she was very clear on what she didn’t want. And right now, that was a start.

She stood from the car and looked around as she wandered toward the open garage bay.

“Hey there.” A male voice pulled her gaze back to the parked cars. Someone put a hand out the window of the BMW coupe and waved. “You lookin’ for Isaac?”

She took off her sunglasses, folded the arms, and tucked one in the vee of her blouse, approaching the BMW with a smile. “Hi. Yeah.” She stuck her thumbs in the pockets of her cutoffs and smiled at the man in the car. He was attractive and in his forties. “Is he around?”

“In the office, interviewing.” He pointed to the shop and the Help Wanted sign.

“Ah, okay. Are you waiting to talk to him too?”

He grinned. “Yeah, but not for the job.”

She gestured to his car. “I sorta figured.”

He laughed. “We’re gonna look through some bike catalogues and mix and match me a new bike.”

“That sounds exciting.”

“Spice of life, that’s for sure.”

“No doubt.” Isaac had certainly been the spice of her life. “I’ll just wander until he’s free. I promise not to steal your place in line.”

Ava started toward the garage with a smile. He was here. That was half the battle.

Inside the open bay, a phone rang, echoing in the space. The garage was ridiculously well organized and surprisingly clean. Even the bikes that were in pieces had their parts laid out in a very orderly way. All the surfaces shone, the floor wore a clean, textured finish, and all the cabinets looked freshly painted.

Ava was officially impressed.

The phone stopped ringing as she neared the office door, and a woman’s voice filled the void for only a moment before the phone started ringing again.

Ava picked up the woman’s monologue inside the office, “…so, see, I’m ADHD on accounta my momma bein’ on the pipe while I was in her belly. But it don’t affect me none. Nope, my daddy always said I’m sharp as a tack. And tacks are sharp. You ever step on one of those things?”

Ava froze beside a row of cabinets and open counter space. Her brow creased. Head tilted. If she hadn’t known Isaac was with someone, Ava would have thought he was watching a sitcom.

The phone went quiet again.

“I’m sure they are.” The sound of Isaac’s deep voice created a warm river down the center of her chest. “Can you tell me about your work at…what’s this third one on the list? I can’t read your writing—”

“That there’s Walmart.”

“Right, and what did you do at Walmart?”

“Well, I started off as a greeter, and that went real well, seein’ as I know everyone in town. Then I got promoted to stock clerk. And that sucked because every time you straightened a shelf, a customer would come right behind you and mess it up. I’d just stock my little heart out, and the next day, I’d come back and the shelves would be empty. And when I told them that made me mad, they fired me. Best for all of us.”

Ava bit her lip against a laugh.

“Uh-huh,” Isaac replied. “So, great. Thanks for coming in.” The phone started ringing again. “Excuse me. I need to get that.”

“I don’t mean to be pushy or nothin’, but does this job come with health benefits? See, I have asthma, and I’ve got to get to the doctor twice a week for shots, not to mention my inhalers. And my kids, they’re always comin’ down with bronchitis or pneumonia—”

“Sorry, I’ve really got to…” He stepped out of the office, striding toward a phone on the opposite wall. The sight of him made Ava’s heart knock against her chest, then speed into a quick patter, matching the flutter in her stomach.

His black T-shirt clung to wide shoulders, a muscled back, and trim waist. His tan cargo pants had greasy finger swipes on the thighs, and his dark hair was mussed. He grabbed the phone. “Reviv—” Exhaling hard, he slammed the phone down with a quiet “Goddammit.”

He spun and took one step toward the office before lifting his gaze. His eyes homed in on Ava, and his feet stopped dead.

Ava’s heart skipped, then beat doubly hard. Damn, he was ridiculously hot. Even hotter than her memories.

She smiled, forced herself to relax. “Hey.”

“Ava.” He glanced outside where the waiting customer stood by the BMW. Another car pulled up, an ancient Toyota Corolla with rust eating at the seams. “Jesus.” He put his hands at his hips and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t talk right now.” He waved at the man. “Joe. Come on in.”

He took a few more steps toward Ava and scanned her from head to toe. His eyes darkened, his jaw pulsed. Ava wasn’t sure if that was hunger or anger, but either way, the look added gasoline to Ava’s fire.

Then everyone converged on them at once—the woman he’d been interviewing came out of the office, Joe, a potential customer, started into the garage, and so did another woman waving an application.

“Let me help,” Ava said to Isaac in a low voice. “I know nothing about bikes, but I’ve become an expert at interviewing. You work with Joe, I’ll take care of the applicants. Just tell me what position you’re filling.”

He closed his eyes on a heavy breath. “I’d take someone who could answer the fucking phone on a regular basis at this point.”

The ring of the phone punctuated Isaac’s frustration.

Isaac growled and turned toward it again. Ava caught his arm. “I’ll get it. You talk to Joe.”

She turned to the woman who’d just been interviewed and offered her hand. “I’m Ava. I’ll have Isaac give you a call once all the interviews have been finished. Thank you so much for your time.” She walked that woman to the door and turned toward the one approaching. “I’ll be right with you.” Then she spun and picked up the phone. “Revival, how can I help you?”

“Hi,” a woman said. “I’m callin’ ’bout that job posting in the window.”

“Great, can you give me your name and number? I’m with someone, but I’ll call you back as soon as I can.” She scribbled it down and hung up. When she turned to the woman waiting for an interview, she found Isaac and Joe staring at her. She shooed them away with a laugh. “Go, do your thing. I promise not to burn the place down.”

She offered her hand to the applicant. “Hi, I’m Ava. I’m helping Isaac out today.”