Page 13 of Stuck With You
“Fine. We close at five. If it’s after that, you can drop the keys in the drop box.”
She watches me for only a second before nodding. “All right, I’ll have it here tomorrow.” Her weight shifts to her other foot, and her brow furrows, but then it’s gone.
“Ok.”
She turns, and I definitely see her limp as she tugs the door open. I wonder what happened.
It bangs closed, and I run a hand over my face. What in the hell is wrong with me? I shake my head, knowing the guys will give me nothing but shit for this when they find out.
I log off the computer and lock up, ready to get to the gym to burn off the flustered annoyance running through me. It’s uncomfortable and irritating as hell.
I don’t make exceptions and push other jobs aside.
I don’t like lawyers.
I shove out a breath as I climb into my truck and start it. I have a feeling I just agreed to something I’m really going towish I hadn’t.
Chapter 3
SARAH
ME: Call me back, Miles. It’s important.
______
“What are you gonna do?”
I rinse a stinky sippy cup, trying not to gag, and put it in the dishwasher. “I don’t know. He said it wasn’t safe to drive, so I’ll have to figure something out.”
“Do you believe him? Cause I’d have serious doubts about Ron’s ability to advise when anything is dangerous.”
Ron owns the small repair shop in the town where I grew up, the place Roxie still calls home. He’s toothless and heavily sedated all of the time. I wouldn’t trust that viable neurons are still firing.
I don’t think Ron and the grump that climbed into my car have much in common. From what I could see behind his tight-lipped exchange, he had teeth. I also got the feeling that, despite his big, burly, tattooed gruffness, he knew what he was talking about.
“He was nothing if not blunt, so I have no choice but to believe him.” The tall, scowly man was direct in a brutal way that was both refreshing and irritating as hell. “Although he called me an asshole.”
It almost made me smile, but then he turned that broad, towering body toward me, and the intense gaze that followed felt like I’d intruded on his private property. For some reason, the pinchedexpression from underneath his ball cap made me want to pick at that rough, rugged, intimidating exterior.
“What?!” Roxie’s voice inclines. “Did he lose a nut?”
I laugh. “Not yet. I need him to fix my car first. I think he thought I was someone else. But I can’t really blame him for being irritated. I walked in two minutes before they closed.”
I curse the car I never would’ve chosen in the first place. I’d sell it, but getting another reliable vehicle would likely require financing, and that’s not currently an option.
I hear Roxie take a bite of an apple. “He sounds like a jerk. Maybe you should get a second opinion.”
“I thought about it, but I read reviews, and they all rave about their experience.”
Am I defending him or my decision? Dammit. I’m not sure.
“What if this joker spends his nights and weekends crafting elaborately shining reviews to lure hot pieces of sophisticated ass like yourself into letting him fix your car, but really he’s dropping bricks of coke in your undercarriage, and you then become the mule for his trade.” She breathes. “Sarah, I love you, but you won’t survive in the clink.”
“You’re insane.” I laugh.
“Ha! And don’t forget it. I got your back, babe.” She takes another bite and talks as she chews. “Did this mofo get all weird and ask about your eyes? I’ll bug out for the night and run over to drop an elbow on his ass.”
“Actually, he didn’t even seem to notice. He was too busy maintaining his Pissy Pants to notice or care.” The man crossed his elaborately tattooed arms over his chest and stood there like I was supposed to know they closedbeforefive—their listed closing time.
