Page 73 of Safe With Me

“Hey, Mike. Having car trouble?”

I stiffened at the sound of Amber’s voice. I’d hoped to get Lila’s car fixed without anyone but Aaron and his crew seeing it or knowing who it belonged to.

Amber was a friend, but I didn’t want to explain to her or anyone else what could be going on or embarrass Lila any more than she already was, and the damage was too big to hide.

“Hey. No, not today. Lila’s car was vandalized last night, so I brought it here to get fixed while she’s at work. They keyed up her car and broke her window.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Amber frowned. “I heard about a few kids causing trouble around your neighborhood.”

Her dark brows pulled together as she glanced over at the car. I stepped in front of her as Aaron huddled with one of his workers by the scratches, hoping she didn’t catch the slur he was trying to remove.

“Everything okay?” I asked her, stepping close enough to her to make her walk back to one of the chairs on the side.

“Just here for an oil change,” she said as I followed her to the waiting chairs and took the one in front of her, shifting in the seat to block the view of Lila’s car.

“It’s nice of you to bring in Lila’s car. You’re a good neighbor,” she quipped, leaning back with her arms crossed.

“Well, Lila’s a lot more than my neighbor,” I said as Amber’s eyes grew wide.

“Really? You sure it’s wise to dip your pen in the Russo’s Contracting ink?” She snickered. “I’m surprised you’re hooking up with someone who works for your father.”

“It’s not exactly like that.”

“Well, it’s not like she’s your girlfriend. You never do those.”

I bunched my shoulders, my gaze drifting to the sparks of light from the sander coasting over Lila’s car door before turning back to Amber.

“Not usually, no.”

“You’re kidding me,” she said, her eyes saucer wide. “Your father’s office manager is your first girlfriend since… Wow, I can’t even remember.”

“Lila is special,” I said, a smile I couldn’t help drifting across my lips despite the ominous roll in my stomach. She was beautiful, special, and didn’t deserve any of this.

“I had a feeling back at the festival there was something brewing between the two of you when you were hertour guide.”

She held up her fingers in air quotes.

“And then when I saw you that night holding hands, but you insisted that you were just friends. Even though I had a feeling you were full of shit, I believed you.”

“Yeah, well, I knew I was full of shit at the time, too,” I joked, expecting her to laugh, not search my gaze as if she thought I’d lost my mind.

“I’m just surprised,” she finally said. “I can’t even remember the last time you dated anyone more than a few nights, never mind took their car to get fixed.” She glanced over to where Aaron was still working on Lila’s door.

“She’s…different. Beautiful, amazing. It all shocked me as much as anyone, even though I fought against it at first.”

“Because she works for your father or because she’s so much older than you?”

My head popped up as I squinted at Amber.

“She’s not that much older than me. She’s only thirty-two.”

“I didn’t think you were into cougars,” she said, smirking as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

“I’m intoher,” I said with a defensive edge in my voice. “I would think you’d be happy for me.”

“I am. I’m sorry, Mike,” she breathed out, dragging her hand through her short hair. “I just found out my ex-husband and ex-coworker are getting married. I’m in a sour mood and in a love-sucks frame of mind.”

She dropped her chin to her chest, her mouth pulling down as she stared at Aaron’s concrete floor.

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