Page 27 of Minor Trouble
Seth: What are you up to tonight?
Two minutes passed, and I thought she’d backed out of our conversation, deeming it inappropriate. Then I saw the bubbles dancing around.
Ainsley: Much the same as you. Trying to find a movie to watch. Any suggestions?
A picture of her filled my screen. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, and she wore a tank top that definitely didn’t have a bra underneath. I caught my breath, my dick twitching. Was Ainsley Coren flirting with me?
Twelve
Ainsley
For the whole of Sunday, I fretted about what Seth and I had done. I mean, we hadn’tactuallydone anything. But we’d carried on messaging after exchanging selfies, ended up watching the same movie—Pretty Woman, apparently Seth loved Julia Roberts—and then messaging into the early hours of the morning. When I woke up, I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d done something wrong. Because in the bigger scheme of things, itwaswrong. I was his son’s guidance counselor, and I was pretty sure the school wouldn’t look favorably on it were anything to develop. Lyla and I went for brunch and then grocery shopping. She could tell something was bothering me, but despite her constant questioning, I put her off the scent every time.
I managed to get through Monday without seeing Noah and thus being reminded of Seth. It wasn’t until the end of the day, when I had a catch up with Pepper Smart, that I got to hear more about their weekend. She told me Noah had come over to her house to study yesterday and he seemed fine. I felt bad asking her questions about him, considering I was meant to be there for her, but it seemed like he was good for her too. Both of them needed a friend right now.
“I’m pleased the two of you are getting along so well.” I smiled, watching as Pepper fidgeted with her glasses, her cheeks pinking.
“He’s nice. We play video games, and he lets me be normal. Doesn’t see me as weird for being a girl who likes gaming.”
“Nothing weird about that. I’m sure you’re helping him, too.” The gentle probing statement wasn’t meant to glean any more information, but Pepper was only too happy to share.
“He said he and his dad decorated his bedroom this weekend. And they sort of bonded.”
She wasn’t telling me anything I wasn’t already aware of, but the news of them getting closer filled me with happiness. Sure, I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick fix, but it was a start.
On the drive home, I pulled up sharply at the traffic lights only to hear a banging noise coming from somewhere in the car.
“Typical,” I said to myself out loud. “I’ve already forked out a load of cash to fix whatever the original problem was. Now there’s something else.”
Joining a line of traffic near the mall, every time I stopped and started, the noise was there. Not wanting to be without a car again—my bank balance couldn’t take the Uber costs and I didn’t relish getting up early to carpool with Lyla again—I drove straight to Riley’s Garage.
I pulled into the parking lot, hoping that someone would be there to take a look. When I walked in, Maddox looked up from the engine he’d been tinkering with.
“Hey, Ainsley. What brings you here?” He straightened, wiping his greasy hands with a cloth.
“My car’s making a strange noise.” I glanced around trying to work out whether Seth was there. We hadn’t been in contact since our messaging session on Saturday night, and my stomach swirled around with nerves at the thought of seeing him. “I wondered if you could take a quick look? Sorry to show up unannounced.”
“No problem. Seth!” He yelled the last word, and Seth poked his head out of the office.
“Yes, boss?” Seth replied.
“You’ve got a customer. Given your history, thought it would make sense for you to handle it.” Direction given, Maddox turned his attention back to the car.
Given your history?Shit. Had Seth told Maddox about what had happened between us at the weekend?
Seth walked towards me, and I drank him in. Memories of the selfie he’d sent me flashed through my mind. He was so much better looking in the flesh. His coveralls were tied around his waist, the white tank top he wore clinging to his muscled torso. In stereotypical mechanic style, his bare arms were grubby, and there was a streak of oil across his cheek. The urge to reach over and wipe it off grew sharply. I hitched a breath.
“What’s with the car this time?” Seth didn’t even greet me, getting straight to the point.
“There’s a noise every time I start and stop. A sort of banging.”
“So it happens when you drive?”
I nodded. “It started up this afternoon when I drove home after school.”
“Right. Came on suddenly?”
“Yep.”
