Page 101 of Flipping the Script

Slowing down enough a bunny could outpace me, I flipped on my high beams so I could check out the road ahead of me.They didn’t work all that great with the rain, but at least I could see more than three feet in front of my hood now.

Gripping the steering wheel tight, I focused on driving and not on the dozens of worst-case scenarios flashing through my mind.

Just as I was working myself into a full-on tizzy, my headlights reflected off something shiny as I came around a corner.

Was that Bas? Or was some other poor soul stuck on the road too?

It was too dark to be sure, but the car ahead of me was the same color and type as his. That had to be him.

The driver’s door opened and Sebastian jumped out.

Thank fuck he was okay.

My relief was short-lived as I pulled up behind him and put my truck in park.

He was beside my door as I threw it open and stepped out onto the muddy ground, the warm rain soaking into my clothes and hair.

“Where have you been?” he demanded.

My hackles instantly rose, and all the concern and goodwill I’d felt for him in the past few hours disappeared in a flash.

“What do you mean where have I been?” I slammed the truck door behind me, barely noticing that we were still being pelted with rain. “I’ve been driving on the worst roads on the planet to come save your stupid ass.”

“My hero.” He glared at me and pushed his wet hair back from his forehead. “You want a cookie?”

“A thank you would be nice.” I made a shooing motion with my hands. “Can you back up a bit so I can get your fucking tire on?”

He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, his glare shifting into a look I couldn’t make out in the dark.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine,” I said icily, stomping past him to get the tire and my jack out of the backseat.

The rain had soaked through my clothes and hair, and my shoes were covered in mud, putting me in a fouler mood than I already was.

“I can help,” Sebastian offered.

I almost told him to back off and let me handle it, but the faster we got the tire on, the quicker we could get the fuck out of the rain.

I handed him my lug wrench, and he hurried over to his car. I followed a bit slower since I had the spare and the jack to balance and didn’t feel like face-planting.

My headlights lit up the area around his car, so I was able to see where I was going, but the darkness around the little swath of light was unnerving.

His left front tire was completely flat, the rim nearly resting on the ground. I could see a scrape on the underside of the bumper and some damage to the wheel well, but it looked like the tire had taken the brunt of the impact.

“Is that the one you hit?” I pointed to a giant pothole between our vehicles.

“Yeah. I didn’t see it until it was too late.”

“How could you not see it? It’s the size of a manhole cover?” I used my arm to wipe some water from my face.

“I guess I’m in dumbass mode today. Haven’t we already established that?”

“I guess we have. Hold that while I get the car up on the jack.” I pointed to the wrench he was still clutching.

“I’m not some damsel in distress, you know. I can help.”

“I never said you couldn’t. But it’s dark and wet, and it’ll be easier if I do this part alone.” I paused what I was doing and gave him a little smirk. “I am, after all, a professional.”

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