Page 23 of The Relationship Mechanic

It was also amazing how much she liked it here. Jessica wasn’t just realizing it now. It had been a slow trickle of realization that, even without Vini and her gloriously heated kisses, Peach Blossom was actually a really nice town. Sure, there wasn’t a ton of things to do. But everyone had been welcoming and made Jessica feel like she was one of them and not some weird transplant who had shown up to buy their land and kick them off it.

“You’re going to a drive-in? I didn’t even know those existed anymore.”

“I’m sure some hipster out there has announced he reinvented them or something and is charging admission. You could probably find one there if you really tried.”

“Probably,” Jason conceded. “So who is this mysterious friend who is taking you under their wing? I notice you haven’t named them, but I know Mom and Dad have been talking about some mechanic you’ve been hanging around.”

Jessica’s heart jumped, and she scowled down at the phone. “They are the biggest gossips, I swear.”

“Spill it. Is it serious?”

She swallowed hard at the thought of being serious about anyone. She was seriously having a good time. Wasn’t that enough? “Her name is Vini, and she’s just a friend. She rescued me from the side of the highway when the shitty rental car I got crapped out on me.”

Jason made a noise that had her rolling her eyes. Anytime Jessica mentioned another woman, Jason immediately went to trying to figure out a way to get her to settle down with them. It probably had a lot to do with him being in a relationship with his high-school sweetheart. The two of them had been a thing since before Jessica even realized she liked women. It would be so cute if it wasn’t so damn nauseating.

“And besides, I don’t do long-distance relationships. You know that.”

“Sadly, I do. Despite your commitment issues, the fact that you are getting out there and making friends is a good thing. Maybe small-town life will rub off on you and you’ll want to stay forever.”

Jessica almost gagged at the thought of being in one place forever. She was a rolling stone. A whisper on the breeze. She could not be held down.

Not that she even wanted to.

“But don’t do it until after we all meet up in Italy,” he continued. “I’m bringing Alicia, and I plan to propose to her while we are all there. I want to make it special.”

“It’s about time,” she exclaimed. “The poor girl has been hanging on by a thread for damn near a decade.”

“Seriously? I would have married her years ago, but she refused. What is it with all the women in my life being so stubborn?”

Jessica chuckled. “You’re just lucky, I guess.” She glanced at the clock. “Listen, I have to go get ready for tonight. Just because I’m out in the sticks doesn’t mean I plan to dress like it.”

Jason’s laughter rang out over the line. “I find it very interesting that you are insisting this isn’t a date, and yet you’re getting ready hours before you leave. But hey, what do I know. Let me know how it goes.”

He hung up before Jessica could counter his comment, leaving her staring in silence at the phone. He didn’t know what he was talking about. Jessica always got ready ahead of time. She liked to put extra thought into her outfits no matter who was going to see. So what if she normally didn’t get ready this early? There was nothing else to do.

She tossed the phone onto the bed and stood up. Jason was just being a little shit. There was nothing wrong with pampering yourself, and that was just what Jessica planned to do.

“I can’t believe these exist.”

Vini laughed as she pulled the truck into the lot. Jessica’s mouth hung open as she looked at the number of cars already parked in a row. The sun was just starting to set, and yet there were at least twenty cars, some packed with families as they waited for the show to begin. Seeing it all was like traveling back in time, and Jessica couldn’t help but be charmed by it all.

“How often do you come to these?”

Vini shrugged. “Whenever I can. They do this every weekend during the summer and once a month when the weather gets cooler. I missed it last month, though.”

Jessica followed Vini’s lead, hopping out of the truck once they had parked and then heading to where there were a couple tents with delicious smells wafting out of them. She had expected to see the usual fare of popcorn and oversize boxes of candy, but Jessica was surprised that there was so much more offered.

“Get whatever you want,” Vini said, waving her hand at the menu in front of them. “Seriously. My treat since this is your first time and everything.”

“Really?” Jessica wanted to be sure before she went hog wild. “I might legitimately get one of everything, and I’m not trying to blow your budget.”

Vini’s hand landed softly on Jessica’s back before she guided her forward. “For the privilege of popping your drive-in cherry, I will gladly pay as much as is needed.”

Jessica laughed and gave Vini a soft sock on the arm before letting go of her worries. When it was their turn to order, Jessica ordered a bucket of homemade kettle corn popcorn, a pulled pork baked potato and cotton candy.

“You want anything to wash all that down with?” Vini’s amusement was clear, but Jessica only nodded enthusiastically and happily ordered a sweet tea lemonade. Vini’s smile widened with each item that filled her hands, and when they settled back in the truck, the previous space that had been between them had shrunk until Jessica could feel Vini’s warmth on the other side of their food trays.

The setting sun bathed the car in deep oranges and gorgeous reds painting intricate patterns across Vini’s skin. It made Jessica want to reach out and touch to see if the colors felt different beneath the whirls of her fingertips. They weren’t alone here, though. They were parked in the middle with cars surrounding them on all sides. There was a good bit of space between each vehicle, enough to be able to open doors without fear of dinging someone’s car, but it still meant that if they decided to take advantage of being so close, they would be spotted easily. Peach Blossom seemed open, but Jessica knew that not everywhere was like that, and she wasn’t trying to get caught out among an angry group in a town she didn’t live in.

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