A Tender Rough

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An Excerpt From: A TENDER ROUGH

Copyright © FAE SUTHERLAND, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

"Beau, ya sure there ain´t nothin´ else can be done for the nice gentleman?" Lillian flashed Mason a smile that he half-heartedly returned. He wasn´t exactly feeling friendly.

The young mechanic, Beau was his name apparently, shook his head. "Nope. Best we can do is set you up at the Olson´s inn. Course, you could always get a rental and maybe come back to pick up yer car when it´s fixed. Dunno how important this place you gotta get to is."

Mason sighed, shaking his head. "No. I have no intentions of being back this way anytime soon. I live in Tampa." He ignored the little voice that said he should take the option of leaving his car behind. His mother´s wedding was important. Or at least the first three had been. This one was...he shook his head. "I don´t have much of a choice."

Besides, the wedding wasn´t for another week. He´d given himself extra time to drive, so if the car could be fixed, he could drive to Montgomery and leave it in long term at the airport and just suck it up and fly. It´d been a stupid idea to try to drive anyway.

Lillian clucked her tongue sympathetically and slid back behind the counter to fill out the paperwork. Mason pulled out his credit card and handed it to her, not even bothering to ask for an estimate. It wasn´t like he had a choice but to pay what they asked, he couldn´t exactly go comparison shopping right now.

Beau came around to peer at the paperwork, then up at Mason. "Mason. Nice name."

Mason´s eyes lifted, surprise evident, he was sure. The last thing he expected was a compliment and a dash of kindness in the young man´s eyes. He had kind eyes, when they weren´t mocking him. A deep, warm silvery gray and fringed with wicked long lashes. Mason nodded. "Thanks. So. Where is this inn?"