Page 7 of Loathe at First Sight

The rain slows a little while I watch him grab a gas can off the back of his truck and walk it over to my car. Neither of us says a word while he empties its contents. I make a mental note that when I have some money, I’m going to pay him back for the gas. I don’t want to owe anyone anything.

When he’s finished, he says, “Alright. Go ahead and start her up.”

Usually, I’d have something to say about him telling me what to do, but right now, I’m too cold and wet to bother. When I try turning over the engine, it starts making a loud screeching noise.

It doesn’t take me long to turn it right back off. I want nothing more than to slam my head against the steering wheel, but I figure a headache would only add to my current woes.

Mr. Burly knocks on the window.

I roll it down, and he says, “I don’t think a lack of gas was the problem.”

“Clearly.”

“Come on.” He starts to walk back toward his truck.

Getting out, I say, “Come on where?”

“I’m going to give you a tow back to my shop.”

“I don’t need—”

He stops me. “Are we really going to do this again? Do you think it’s safe to leave your vehicle here? Someone comes around that curb too fast, and they’re going to take out that cute little car of yours.”

When I don’t respond right away, he keeps going, “I’ll take your car back to the shop and look at it sometime in the next few days. I’ll drop you off wherever you want. I assume you’re going to Lilly Leaf Falls.”

“Yep,” I say, popping my lips at the end of the word. Ready to admit defeat for the day, I say, “Okay, fine.”

Without another word, he walks over to get in his truck and reposition it to be able to get my car on the back. Before he begins, I duck back inside my car to grab my purse and a duffel bag that has some clothing in it. It will hopefully be enough to get me through the night.

As he’s working, he says, “Why don’t you get in the truck? You’ll be warmer.”

I’m just about to tell him to piss off, but when it starts raining harder, I decide to take him up on his offer. As I climb into the front seat of the truck, I’m surprised at how good it smells in here.

What did I think it would smell like? Gasoline and motor oil?

In the center console, I spot a stack of business cards. Being nosy, I grab one and look it over.

Jack’s Auto Shop

Jack Barrett

Owner.

Then, there’s a phone number and email.

Ronnie said Jack was new to town, and I wonder where he came from before here. And why move to Lilly Leaf Falls? It’s not like people are flocking to it. Hell, it’s not even like it’s well-known. Our tiny town barely even warrants a map dot.

But I’m not about to ask any of these questions. I don’t want anyone prying into my business, so I’m glad to return the favor.

However, there’s nothing stopping me from looking around and trying to get a better read on the man. The cabin of the truck is fairly clean. The only thing that doesn’t belong is an energy drink that I see in the center console. He must have picked it up at the gas station because it’s still cold.

Besides that, there’s not much to see. I turn the radio knob and figure I will hear one of the two radio stations in town that play nothing but country music. But instead, I see that the speakers are connected to his phone. And it’s playing some rock music.

When I see him walking back toward the front of the truck, I turn it back down so that he doesn’t know I was snooping.

He slides in, and we get on the road. The first couple of minutes are dead silent—which I’m fine with.

But Jack eventually breaks the silence. “So, what brings you to Lilly Leaf Falls?”

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