Page 34 of Beat around the Bush
“I totally get that,” she said, standing to pull on her coat and grab her purse. “I know you’re from Denver and all, but are you going to be okay driving in the snow?”
“Yeah, I’ll be okay. Are you?”
She nodded as we headed to the front of the store side by side. “Yeah. Lived here my whole life. I’m used to it.”
Jacey punched a code into the alarm and we stepped out the door. She turned to lock up the store behind us before we crossed the parking lot to our cars. The snow was up over the toe of my sneaker, the cold licking at my ankles. It had to be a good three to four inches already.
“Lennon’s not always like that,” she said.
I stopped by the rear of my car as she unlocked her own, tossing her purse on the seat.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Grumpy, closed off, irritable. Deep down, he’s like..” She searched for the word. “A teddy bear.”
A laugh escaped my lips. “A teddy bear, huh?”
She smiled. “Yeah. He’s sweet on the inside. Just give him some time and he’ll warm up.”
I tipped my chin, toeing at the snow. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Now get home, it’s freezing out here. I’ll see you on our next shift.”
“See ya.” I came around my car to the driver's side and slid in. I locked my doors and started the car, cranking the heater as high as it would go. Jacey pulled out of the parking lot as I waited for my car to heat up enough to be able to move my limbs to drive.
Checking the dash, the temperature read seventeen degrees out. How in the fuck was it that cold already? Wasn’t it just fall? Then again, summer quickly turned to winter in the west, leaving maybe a day or two to feel like fall in between.
Finally warm enough that I could feel my fingers, I shifted into reverse and slowly eased the car back. I tapped the brakes and it stopped, giving me hope that I could make it home in one piece.
Shifting into drive, I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. There was no one out on the roads or sidewalks, the low temperatures and almost blizzard-like conditions keeping them home.
I’d have no choice but to run my heater tonight. I’d freeze to death in my sleep if I didn’t, and the last thing I wanted was for my parents to get a call that I’d died of frostbite in my bed because I didn’t have enough money to run the heater.
Turning onto the next road, my back end slid a little and I felt my heart flutter in my chest. As soon as it felt like it was going to keep sliding, the car straightened itself out and picked up traction again.
I let out a sigh of relief, but it was all too soon, because the moment I thought I was fine, I wasn’t.My car's rear end slid again and on instinct, I slammed the brakes, which made it worse.
Never slam the brakes in the snow, Oakley.
My rear end fish-tailed and the front of my car dove head first into a ditch, my body slamming against my seat belt as gravity shoved me forward. My engine sputtered, and then silence filled my ears as the lights on my dash disappeared.
15
Lennon
“You could always sue the guy,” Reed pointed out.
“For what?” Callan spewed after swallowing his sip of beer.
Reed crossed a boot over the other, leaning back in his chair at the table that sat on his covered porch. It was snowing, but the space heater kept us warm enough. “For breaking the contract. He wants to break the contract by raising the rent, but then says you need to stick by the original contract and continue leasing for another couple years? Bullshit.”
“I’m not going to sue him, guys,” I said.
“Why not?” they asked in unison.
“That’s a whole lot of paperwork, and money, and time. All of which I either don’t have or don’t want to do.” Once you gotlawyers involved, things got ugly. Worst case scenario, I’d just ride the length of the lease and purchase the building at the end. I didn’t want to do that, but if he wasn’t going to budge, I didn’t really have a choice.
The last thing I wanted to do was piss him off and have him kick my business out.
