Page 6 of Courageous Yearnings

Yep. She was putting on a performance and cashed the check bi-monthly just like anyone else who worked on a commission basis in the customer service field. If people only knew how much some of these policies were marked up… and she paused mid-sentence as she saw Lance walk past her office, talking to one of the service advisors.

“Can you explain the ‘tire and wheel policy’ again?” the woman was asking, and Blythe hesitated, coming back into focus and stepping back into her role.

What was he doing here?

Twenty minutes later and another happy customer, Blythe turned in the deal jacket to her boss… and took off toward the service department on the other side of the building. Her heels were clicking on the tile as her eyes searched carefully every corner where a guest could be waiting or hiding.

“Ernesto, pull up your screen and tell me who’s handling a truck belonging to Lance Cortes…”

“Hey baby, I got you,” the service advisor began and winked at her.

“Don’t call me ‘baby’ and pull up the file or move over,” she snapped, trying to get her ducks in a row before she tracked Lance down.

“He’s getting an oil change – and that’s it. What a freakin’ cheapskate. Declined the tire rotation and replacement of the pollen filter.”

But Blythe was already on the move, ignoring the other man’s scathing comments. She went directly to the parts counter.

“Give me a pollen filter for a 2019 Ram Truck.”

“You don’t have a truck…”

“Are you refusing to sell me a filter?”

“No,” the know-it-all guy retorted. “What engine?”

“Hemi – and we both know that doesn’t matter,” she replied coolly. “You think I can be in this field for ten years and not pick up something? I may not work in service, but I know what I’m doing.”

“Fair enough,” he chuckled. “That’s $38.95…”

“Employee pricing?”

“Fourteen bucks, sheesh. Are you trying to take my bonus?”

“We both know if one air filter is preventing you from hitting your numbers, this place has bigger problems.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you can be mean sometimes?”

“Daily,” she chuckled. “Charge it to my employee number. I’ll take the filter and receipt.”

Gathering the two, she dropped them in her office, under her desk, and continued her search – mentally kicking herself for doing something so ridiculous as trying to help the man who was an utter cretin the last time she spoke to him, and she saw him talking to Ernesto - who pointed at her.

Lance got this satisfied smile on his face and lifted an eyebrow before waving his fingers at her. Blythe held up her middle one in greeting – and heard his bark of laughter despite the closed doors between the showroom and service.

“Whoa there, Blythe… put the finger guns away,” her boss laughed, coming out of his office and looking down the hallway. “Unless you are giving Ernesto the bird – then I’m in. I hate that smart-mouthed kid.”

“I’ll be right back,” she murmured and took off toward Lance, who was already walking in her direction. As he stepped inside the showroom, she slid a hand into the crook of his arm and steered him toward the parking lot where his bright red truck sat, still dripping with water from the car wash.

“What the…” Lance began, and she pinched him – hard.

“Say nothing and come with me,” she hissed.

“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled, stepping into a role too as he leaned down toward her. “Are we supposed to be affectionate, or are you hiding from someone?”

“Keep walking directly to your truck,” she hissed.

A moment later, she was squinting at the blinding sun, realizing her office was exceedingly dim despite the lights directly over her desk. He unlocked his truck and opened the door only to have her look at him.

“You need that pollen filter to keep up your warranty,” she whispered at the shocked look on his face. “They’ll deny a claim if you turn down the work. I bought it and have the receipt, so you have a leg to stand on, but I can’t give it to you now, or I’ll get fired. Do you understand?”

---