Page 9 of Grumpy Mechanic

He also hands me my phone. "I put it in some rice to help it dry, and if it doesn't work, mine is right there under the pillow."

"Passcode?"

He shrugs. "Ain't got nothing important on that thing, unless someone wants to steal phone numbers to my vendors, family, and friends."

I look at the phone, and it's a relic. Encased in rubber that looks like it doubles as a walkie-talkie, I pick it up and flip it open. I can’t contain my laughter as I shake my head. “You’re just like my dad. He has one of these, too."

Chase folds his beefy arms across his chest, raising one brow at me. "I mean, I like that one because I've dropped wrenches about half your size on a new model, and that shattered. This thing I can throw out of a plane, and it'll dent the ground when it lands."

"My dad says the same thing. He had his fancy phone trampled by a horse and decided to get something more rugged since he treats farm animals for his vet practice."

Pain shoots across my shoulders and the middle of my back as I grab a waffle and scoop some eggs into it. A slight drizzle of syrup, and I eat the concoction like a taco. With a mouth full of food, I close my eyes to let it replenish me, Chase staring in amazement.

"What?" I ask, my mouth full, but the pain still radiating up and down my torso.

"I like you." He scowls as if he can’t believe the words coming out of his mouth.

"I should hope so, considering you fucked me eight ways from Sunday last night."

He bursts out laughing. "You got one hell of a mouth on you, Maddie. Call your people and let them know you're all right. I should have made you call them last night."

"I was in no mood to listen to Dad tell me how much I should have listened to him last night. I was supposed to call my sister to get me from the shop, but?—"

He cuts me off. "But you thought you had more time, and I'm almost positive you didn't anticipate your tires giving out on you. Where do youthinkyour car is?"

"I'm pretty sure it's in a ravine between here and the Garrett place. Once I started spinning, I lost track of which direction was where. I saw the lights in this house and thought they were a house closer to your body shop."

He nods. "Okay. I have to go into town anyway to see about renting a backhoe to move that tree from my kitchen door. If I spot your car on the way and I can tow it, I'll bring it to my shop."

"Thank you, Chase. I don't know what I deserved to get you to take care of me like this, but I'm grateful. Anything you need, just let me know," I tell him earnestly.

The expression on his face shifts to one deep in thought, but only for a minute before he looks at me and says, "You know what you can do is appraise this house. Let me know what you think about the place, what it can go for on the market, and what I need to do to bring it up to market value. I'll pay whatever your rate is, so this isn't a freebie. Just let me know your honest opinion."

Chase doesn't wait for me to answer, and I'm grateful to help. The appraisal is something I can do with my eyes closed, but I would need to see the place without a tree crashed in thebackyard. If there is any damage to the house that he can't see, it will affect what I tell him.

A sigh pushes through my lips as I finish my breakfast. To my surprise, the device turns on, and there are dozens of missed calls and text messages. Guilt riddles my entire body as I dial the number taking up the most slots in my call log.

"Where in the hell have you been, Madison Monroe?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," I tell him softly, hoping to win some sympathy with my tone of voice. "I had the car trouble?—"

"And you told me you were going to call Kenny. So imagine my surprise when my daughter, who told me she would do something, doesn't do it. You had me worried out of my mind. Where are you?"

"Chase Carpenter's house."

"Who the hell is that? Where the hell is that? What happened, Maddie?"

"The guy who fixed my car yesterday agreed with you that I shouldn't be driving my car around in its condition."

"And you drove it anyway?" Dad screeches. "I told you to junk that damn thing."

"And I told you I couldn't do that. Throwing this car away is the same as throwing Mom away."

The pause in my father's temper lets me know that he gets it. He lets out a sigh. "Are you okay, Maddie?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit sore, and Chase is going to go fish my car out of a ditch. He took care of me, Dad. He kept me safe, and he even has the same kind of phone as you."

I can almost picture him shaking his head. "Fine. You have to know that the car isn't a piece of your mom, hun. She may have taught you how to drive in that car, but?—"

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