She pulled the Volvo into an empty parking space then waved him over to park beside her. She hopped out of her car and walked over to stand by his door. “Slowpoke,” she teased, grinning down at him.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You surprised me,” he said and he meant it. “For someone driving a Volvo I definitely didn’t expect you to tear up the road like that. Do you always drive that fast or were you showing off?”
“Oh, that’s my sister’s car,” she said with a toss of her head. “I drive a Corvette but the guys were working on it this morning. And yes, I always drive that fast.” Then she gave him an impudent look. “Think I can give Danica Patrick a run for her money?”
That made him laugh. “You want to test a world class NASCAR champion? You’re nothing, if not ambitious."
She laughed, too. “No taxes on dreaming, right?” Then she stepped back and tilted her chin toward the tiny building with the sign that read ‘Steady Auto At Your Service’. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go see what Suave’s up to.”
He’d opened the door and was hauling himself out of the convertible when her words made him frown. He looked at the building then back at her. “This is the business you were telling me about? The one you and your sister set up?”
“Yup. So if you ever need auto service in Cupertino, you know where to come.”
“An auto shop?” He looked around. “What do you know about…” he began then he stopped himself, realizing how patronizing he was sounding. That was not the kind of question to ask a woman, not in the twenty-first century. And definitely not a woman like the one standing in front of him, her face beginning to show just a hint of annoyance. “That’s pretty cool,” he said smoothly, taking his eyes off her to look around the yard. That was when he noticed the two men at the far end of the lot with their heads and half their bodies stuck under the hood of a Land Rover SUV. “Your staff?” he asked, more as a way of diverting her attention from his blunder than anything else.
“Yeah,” she said, her face clearing. “That’s Bill and Keith. They’ve been with us since we opened shop.” She started walking toward the building, leaving him to follow. “The guys and I,” she said as she led the way, “we’re a team. Rain or shine, we’re out here working on cars. Suave, she keeps everything else running smoothly, handling the paperwork, the advertising, client calls, that sort of thing. Me, I like to be outside in the thick of things.”
That, Max could believe. Silken didn’t strike him as the bookish type. She had ‘tomboy’ stamped all over her and that building they called their office would certainly not contain her. He could tell. Silken, a demure office flower? Not happening.
When they got to the building he held the glass door open for her and she stepped in.
“Hey, Suave,” Silken called out. “I’m here and I’ve got a visitor.”
As Max stepped in behind her he heard a rustling of papers and from behind a door at the back of the room came another Silken. The woman standing in front of them looked so much like the one with whom he’d just spent the afternoon that he blinked. No matter that he’d been told that Silken had a twin, it was still a heck of a shock. How did they even tell each other apart?
The new Silken – or rather, Suave – heaved a sigh and her face broke into a smile. “Finally. You’re here. I was beginning to get worried.”
“What for?” With a toss of her head Silken dismissed her sister’s concern. “I’m always careful. You know that.”
Suave didn’t answer but the roll of her eyes told Max that Silken’s statement left quite a bit of doubt on the table. Then she turned her attention to him and it was only then that he began to see the difference between the two women. The eyes had the same color and also the same shape but where Silken’s eyes flashed with a bold impertinence, Suave’s glance was gentle and calm and serene. There was no liquid fire in her eyes, just a friendliness that made you relax in her presence.
“Hello,” she said as she shifted the papers to her left hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Davidoff.” She walked up to him, a soft smile on her lips, and held out her hand.
He took it and it was soft and warm in his. “Good to meet you, too, Ms…”
“McCullen. But call me Suave.”
When he released her hand she turned to look at her sister. “And I hope Silken apologized for the…misunderstanding…the other day?” She glanced back at him. “She did apologize, didn’t she?”
He didn’t even get a chance to respond.
“Of course I did,” Silken gave Suave a look of exasperation. “Don’t you trust me?”
He noticed that Suave didn’t answer that. Instead, she turned her attention back to him and on her face was a pained look. “We really are sorry,” she said, her voice tinged with regret. “I know you must have been…terribly embarrassed and I feel so bad about it.” Then she looked at Silken again and this time she gave her a stern, almost impatient look. “And please forgive Silken for her irrational behavior. The remnant of her childhood ADHD.”
“Suave.” Silken opened her eyes wide. “You didn’t have to tell him that.”
“Yes, Silken, I did. How else would he understand your impulsive actions?” Then she heaved a sigh of obvious frustration. “I’m sorry, Silky, but when is this going to stop?” She shook her head but said nothing further.
Silken answered that with a roll of her eyes as if she’d heard that story a thousand times. She didn’t look the least bit perturbed by her sister’s frustration.
Max had to fight to keep his face serious. These sisters were a trip and if anyone had to choose between the two it was pretty obvious which would be the sane choice. Although Silken kept harping on being the older of the two, he could see that Suave had the more mature personality. She was calm and collected and she seemed very patient, a striking contrast to the sister who had brought him here. If steady and sure was what you were looking for, Suave was it.