Page 40 of Beat around the Bush
She dropped the bite she was about to take off her fork, then poked at a piece of mushroom with it. “Family.”
I waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. She finally took a bite, her eyes closing at the taste of the food. After she was done chewing, her eyes found mine. “This is delicious. Thank you.”
I nodded, and we ate the rest in silence. Once she was done, I picked up her plate and brought it to the sink. “More coffee?” I asked as I filled my own cup. Turns out, Jacey was getting her way and I was drinking two cups of coffee after all.
“Please, thank you,” she said.
I poured the rich liquid into her mug and set the decanter back on the machine.
“Where’d that guy go that was there last night?” she asked after taking a sip.
Setting my mug on the counter, I leaned back against the edge by the sink, crossing my arms. “He left.”
“Oh.” The look on her face gave no indication on whether she remembered what I’d said to him.
“Do you know him?” I asked.
“Not really. I mean, I’ve seen him at the store, but that’s it.” She grabbed her coffee mug and brought it to her lips, the cuffs of my sweatshirt covering her hands to her palms, so only her fingertips were showing.
I nodded, then turned to wash the dishes I’d used for breakfast. “I’m taking you to the rental car place today.”
“I need to call a tow truck for my car. I can’t leave it there,” she said.
“Already done.”
“What?” she asked, her voice a slightly higher pitch.
“I already called the tow company.”
“When?”
“I slipped out of bed last night to let them know where your car was. They already picked it up and it’s in the shop.” It was the only reason I’d let myself leave her side all night. My friend Wyatt had no problem taking the car in to fix it.
“At a shop? Lennon, I can’t afford a mechanic right now.”
I set the dishes on the drying rack after shutting off the water and turned to face her. “What was your plan, Oak? Walk to work in this weather? You don’t even have snow boots.”
“Yes, I do. They’re just in Denver.” Her face scrunched as she realized those boots would be no use to her here. “I don’t have a plan yet, but I can’t just fork up money I don’t have.”
“It’s covered,” I stated.
Her green eyes blazed. “I’m not taking your money.”
“Not mine. The mechanic is a friend. He’s doing the work for free.”
“For free?” she squeaked.
I nodded. “Yep. It’s also the same mechanic I suggested you take your car to when you rear-ended me, but he said he’s never seen the vehicle before.”
She opened her mouth but then closed it before she said anything, pursing her lips tight.
“If you don’t take care of the car, it’s not going to keep running, Oak,” I pointed out.
“I know. I was going to take it, but I just-” She stopped, inhaling a deep breath. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.”
She was frustrated with the whole thing, and I didn’t blame her. The entire situation was fucked.
“I’m scheduled today, so I can’t go to the rental place until tonight,” she said, like it just dawned on her that she had a job. With the events that took place in the last twelve hours, her mind was probably scattered. No car, no money, no heater at home, being in her boss’s house, sleeping in her boss’s bed. The list could go on and on.
