Jacked Up by Erin McCarthy Read Free Book Online Page A

Some of the girls paid their way through school and went off in different directions with their careers. I went to vocational school to be a mechanic and eventually got lucky enough to get on a pit crew. My little brother, Rhett, is the gas can man for the team.”
    “Does that bother you, working with him?”
    “No, it’s the greatest thing ever. I was thrilled for him when he got on the team. He’s a good guy, if a bit of a horn dog.”
    “With a name like Rhett, he’s justified.” Eve drained her beer. “Is it a family name?”
    Hardly. Nolan laughed. “Hell no. He got saddled with the name just like you’re imagining, because my mom was all hot for Rhett Butler in
Gone with the Wind
. She couldn’t name me Rhett because I was her first son and I’m named after my dad. But after a run of five girls in nine years, my dad told her she could name the last baby whatever the hell she wanted as long as she’d go get her tubes tied.”
    She laughed. “Charming. I’m sure that hasn’t affected Rhett’s self-esteem at all.”
    Nolan could have been offended on his parents’ behalf, but the truth was, the story didn’t sound all that great if you weren’t one of the people involved. He knew his parents were just tweaking each other. Every one of their kids had been a conscious choice, he was sure of it. “Don’t go feeling sorry for Rhett. My parents think the sun rises and sets with him. He’s charming. Good looking. Lazy as shit but manages to get away with it. And he’s a good guy, and I do enjoy working with him.”
    “You’re one of those families that just digs each other’s company, aren’t you?”
    “Absolutely.” Nolan studied the choices at the beer booth. He wanted something bigger this time. “My sisters are all amazing women. Well, my sister Jackie is a whiner, but we’ve learned to deal with it. My parents would die for each and every one of us. Just like your folks, I’m sure.”
    “My parents don’t really get me.”
    “No one’s parents get them. But they love you just the same.” It was kind of a rule, it seemed. “Can I have the harvest ale in a stein?” Nolan asked the woman manning the beer booth.
    “Sure thing, honey.” She reached before her for a stein and eyed him. “You know they’re doing a strongman contest every night of the festival. You should enter.”
    Huh. Not only was it flattering to have a woman old enough to be his grandmother suggesting the contest, but he found himself intrigued by the possibility of showing off in front of Eve. He was a guy. He wasn’t above flashing his biceps if he thought it might help get the girl naked. “Yeah? What do you have to do?”
    “Hold your full beer stein straight out at arm’s length. Can’t lower your arm at all. The last man left wins a hundred-dollar gift card to the BBQ joint down the road and a commemorative beer stein.”
    That sounded easy enough. “I do like my BBQ.”
    “Just head to the orange booth over there and they’ll check out your beer, make sure it’s regulation.” She had the raspy voice of a lifelong smoker and jet-black hair that looked better on Cher than it did on her unfortunately.
    Nolan paid her. “Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.”
    She winked at him. “No problem.”
    “Are you actually entering the contest?” Eve asked him, her sweatshirt over her arm, blocking his view of her breasts.
    He shrugged. “I like barbeque. It sounds easy enough. I haul a thirty-five pound jack over the wall then crank up a three-ton car. I can hold a damn beer mug out for ten minutes.”
    “Don’t get defensive. I wasn’t suggesting you were anything other than big, strong, and manly. I just wasn’t sure if you were being polite or you really wanted to do it.”
    “I’m not being defensive.” He didn’t think. Though he had to admit, he couldn’t help wanting to impress her. That was just part of being a dude. They were born with a bragging gene. “But yes, I’d like to do it. Want to be