Page 132 of Ice Mechanic

“Idiot,” I mumble. One look at April’s delicate cheekbones, full lips, and sweet smile and it’s clear as day she’s a woman. No amount of T-shirts, jumpers, or steel-toed work boots can disguise that fact.

April ducks her head. Watching her, I realize that she trulybelieves she’s somehow inferior because of her career and style. And it makes me angry to think those words have been inscribed in her heart and a weight around her neck for such a long time.

I blow out a breath and say as gently as I can, “You know that’s not true, don’t you? You are incredibly beautiful, April.”

“Thank you.” The fidget spinner whirs as she gives it another push. “I think I would have been able to get back on my feet again. But right after blowing up at Evan, I was called into my boss’s office.”

She pauses.

“Stewart Kinsey. Mr. Kinsey owned the only garage in town at the time. My dad had worked there before he got sick and I’d been hanging around the garage since I was knee-high.”

Another pause.

“I really looked up to Mr. Kinsey, not just as a good mechanic but as a family friend. I enjoyed working at his shop too because it felt like,” a slow flick of the spinner, “I don’t know, like my dad was still there with me.”

I nod in understanding.

“But after I freaked out at Evan, Mr. Kinsey fired me.”

“He firedyou?”

She nods. “He said I was too emotional, that I couldn’t do the grunt work the other guys could and that everyone felt like they had to watch their mouths around me because I was ‘too sensitive’. Mind you, I usually let all their crass jokes slide unless it wasreallydemeaning to women.” She stops the fidget spinner suddenly. “Evan had complained that working with his ex would be too awkward. It was just an excuse for Mr. Kinsey to side with his family and get rid of me.”

I shake my head in disgust.

“After that,” April adds, “Mr. Kinsey offered me some… personal advice.” She takes a giant breath and seems to prepare herself to speak again. “He said that I shouldn’t be surprised that Evan went looking elsewhere. He said that men are visual creatures and seeing a woman all covered up like me wasn’t what men wanted.”

Inside, my blood starts boiling.

“He said if I wanted to be happy, I had to lower my expectations. After a long day’s work, a guy doesn’t want to come home to someone like me.” She extends her arms to show the stains on her hands and nails. “I should just accept that if a guy had to choose between a feminine lady and a dirty mechanic covered in oil and sweat…” April nibbles on her bottom lip, “he wouldn’t choose the mechanic.”

I explode to my feet. “Where is he? Where’s this Kinsey guy?”

April grabs my bicep. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know? Drive my car through his shop window?”

She laughs.

I sit back down, my eyebrows taut. “I’m open to suggestions.”

“Chance,” she says with a smile.

I can’t even look at her pretty face. I’m filled with so much righteous anger, I might start a political rally and change a few state laws.

“Chance, I’m not finished.”

I look over at April. She’s sitting on the bench, her face upturned and a small, hopeful smile on her face.

“Evan’s actions and Mr. Kinsey’s words really hurt me. I believed that maybe Iwasn’tenough. Pretty enough. Feminine enough. Sweet enough to be in a relationship. Maybe I wasn’t the type of woman that a guy would be interested in. Even if hewasinterested, I wasn’t the type of woman a guy could be faithful to.”

“That unworthy feeling got worse when you and I,” she points between my chest and hers, “started faking our relationship. Everyone on the internet criticized my looks, so I changed it. But when I started dressing more like the woman Mr. Kinsey had described, I felt even worse about myself.” She gestures to her jumper. “Thisis the real me, but people only started paying attention and believing we were really together when I hid it.”

“I’m sorry, April. I should have known. I should have protected you better.”

I don’t realize my fingers are tightening into fists until April starts prying at each digit. When my fist is unclenched, she smoothes her hand down my palm and links her fingers with mine.

Stunned, I look from our joined hands to her beautiful face.

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