Page 18 of Falling for the Mechanic
Nash immediately shakes his head, a firm, decisive motion. “Not a chance.” He gestures vaguely at the stack of invoices on his desk. “Took one look at the orders you put in for parts deliveries this week. I need to be here to figure out the budget, make sure you’re not overspending trying to fix everything at once.” He leans back in his chair, and a knowing look softens his features. “Today, I’m going to make sure you’re okay.”
A scoff escapes me, a weak attempt to regain some control. “So, you’re going to be my babysitter?”
A genuine smile, one I haven’t seen in a long time, spreads across Nash’s face. It reaches his eyes, crinkling the corners. “I’ll be whatever I have to be to make sure my nephew is alright.”
The simple, unwavering loyalty in his words hits me square in the chest, a final, decisive blow to the remains of my defenses. There’s no fight left in me. Just a weary, grateful acceptance.
One thing runs deep in my family, and it’s our stubbornness. Already knowing this man isn’t going anywhere, I abandon my seat and get to work.
7
Chelsea
The map of my life has always been clearly drawn, its borders defined by ambition and escape. Willowbrook Ridge was a pinprick on that map, a place to be from, not a place to be.
All my life, I’ve never really found a reason to stick to the small town. It was a backdrop, a memory. Even Finn, my own brother, seems like he’s still on the fence about staying or leaving, so I’ve never even considered the possibility of settling down here. My future was a skyline, not a mountain range.
But now…now the map is blurring.
The question whispers through me, unsettling and persistent. Can a few interactions with a stranger really be all it takes to change that?
Logically, the answer is a resounding no. It’s insane. It’s the plot of a sentimental movie, not real life. Yet, logic feels flimsy against the weight of memory. The scent of motor oil and soap on his skin. The devastating, silent intensity in his eyes saw pastevery one of my flaws while accepting each of them without batting an eye.
After sharing drinks…and kisses, Cameron doesn’t feel like a stranger. In the space of a day, he has become a fixed point, a new coordinate on my personal map, and the thought of returning to my life in the city—to my apartment, my job, my world—feels like planning a journey back to a place that no longer fits.
It’s a world where Cameron isn’t. And that simple, terrifying fact makes the familiar skyline of my future look suddenly, unbearably empty.
“Tell me I’m crazy.”
The hum of tattoo needles fills the air alongside the soft hum of music. The guy in the chair winces beneath Finn’s grip as he shades an image of a skull.
Living above his parlor, there was no way I could just sit up there while he resumed his work, like today wasn’t supposed to be the day we were meant to be celebrating with our parents.
“Crazy runs in our blood.” Mumbling the words as he concentrates, his brows come together. “But for Cameron Calder of all people? Yeah, you’ve lost a screw.”
“He’s hot. Plus, he took really good care of me.”
The guy groans again, the muscles in his arms flexing.
“He’s an asshole.” Finn pulls back and wipes at his work, causing me to groan at the sight of blood. “How you let that guy near you is something I’ll never understand.”
Groaning into my hands. I never told him the truth, and now Finn thinks I let Cameron into my pants. Well, now I really wish I had. Even now, I squirm from just the thought.
“Well, you’re going to have to make up your mind about what to do one way or another.” He continues, pulling back to give his customer a break to refill his cups to start colors. “How long do you see yourself at your job?”
I force my mind away from the mechanic, back to the life I built. The job I bled for, now threatened by a corporate shake-up. If the stock prices are any indicator, I’m on a clock. A year, maybe two, if I’m lucky. Then what?
“It sounds awful,” Finn says when I explain, finally turning his full attention to me. “So, what happens after? You find another soul-crushing office job? You know this town doesn’t have opportunities for that. Is it worth throwing it all away for one guy? One who, in my opinion, isn’t worth the risk.”
I press my lips together, biting back the retort that he doesn’t understand. He’s never been blindsided by a feeling before. Maybe if he had, he’d get the urge to do something reckless.
“The future’s already shaky,” I counter, leaning back. My phone buzzes. An unknown number, but the attached picture—my car, sitting in a familiar shop—sends a jolt through me. “I think…I’d want to take the route that leaves me happiest.”
“Right. So, more reason to escape this town, Chelsea. If you ask me—” He stops when I stand. “What is it?”
The decision crystallizes in an instant. “I’m going to see him.” I tuck my phone away, a smile tugging at my lips despite the fear. “I’m going to ask him if he wants me to stay. If he doesn’t, then I’ll go back to my boring life. I’ll find another boring job. But if he does…”
My smile widens, my lips tingling with the ghost of Cameron’s kiss.
