Page 2 of Soul of the Mountain
When I step into the main living room of the inn, I’m surprised to see Gabby bent over her phone, frowning at the screen. “Where is the stupid… erg, what the heck? Where is Grady’s Garage? Why isn’t it showing up? Frickin’ small townhas no Yelp reviews for any business. How does that even happen?”
I’d be lying if I said her frustration didn’t give me a shot of schadenfreude. Does that make me petty? Maybe a little.
Ultimately, my small-town manners shine through. After my mom skipped out, my grandparents raised me. My gran taught me to be welcoming to all our guests, and people as a whole. We don’t know their stories or what they’re dealing with. Everyone deserves a little grace. Even Gabby. Theoretically, at least.
“Need a ride to your car?” I ask, guessing what the issue is.
“No,” comes her clipped response. “I can handle it.”
“I don’t think you’re going to find anything on Yelp.”
Gabby jerks her head up, searing me with a look that shouldn’t make me want to kiss her. That storm brewing just beneath the surface should turn me off. Instead, I get the insane urge to calm the raging waves of emotions she tries so hard to control.
“Yes, I gathered that. Grady’s must have a website or something. You said you had my car towed to Grady’s Garage, right? I can’t find any phone numbers or an address.”
I smirk at her response. “Grady’s garage isn’t exactly an official auto shop. Grady is a whiz with cars, motorcycles, semis, and basically anything with an engine. He takes on projects for people around town and works out of his garage at home. Hence the name.”
“Grady’s garage,” Gabby says, finishing the thought. “Great. My car is withsome guy named Grady.Wonderful. Very helpful. Thank you,” she says sarcastically. “Does he even have access to the right tools to fix it? My dashboard is all electric, you know. And the rearview mirror cam was installed just a few months ago.”
“Yes, Grady has the skills and tools to get any job done. Though, most folks around here don’t need a supercomputer for a car. A truck does just fine.”
“It’s not as safe,” she immediately replies.
I roll my eyes. “Your designer technology didn’t save you from driving through a flood,” I scoff.
She stares at me with an unreadable look. “That was user error,” she finally says. The woman clears her throat and digs around in her purse, producing a credit card. She shoves it in my direction without giving me another glance. “You want to be helpful? Charge the room to this card while I figure out where you abandoned my car yesterday.”
I grab the card and shake my head at her entitlement. “You’re welcome for saving you,” I mutter under my breath.
Gabby’s face turns white, and for a second, I swear I see tears in her eyes. Her demeanor changes for a fraction of a moment, and something close to embarrassment, fear, or maybe even shame flickers across her features. My stomach churns at the thought of making this woman cry, however infuriating she might be.
I’m about to apologize, but she turns her back to me and concentrates once again on her phone. It’s just as well. I head to the front desk and run her card, noting it’s a company credit card, paid for by Top Spot Realty. As if I need another reminder of the enemy’s presence in my home.
A shadow falls over the keyboard, and I look up from the computer screen. Gabby is standing there, presumably waiting for her card. I hand it to her, only instead of taking it, she surprises the hell out of me by resting her hand on mine.
“There aren’t many times in my life when I required…assistance.” She says the word as if it’s repulsive to even think about. “So, thank you for being there when I…” Gabby faltersas she searches for the right thing to say. “When I needed someone.”
She drops her hand from mine and crosses her arms over her chest. No, that’s not accurate. Gabby wraps her arms around her torso, almost like she’s protecting herself from something. I can tell it cost her a lot to admit she needed anything from anyone, which explains her resistance to my offer of a ride. Once again, I see a sliver of the woman behind the clipped words and judgmental remarks.
“That’s what we do around here,” I tell her, trying to lighten the mood. “We look out for each other and help when and where we can. Speaking of, do you need a ride to your car?”
Gabby lets out an exasperated sigh and places her hands on her hips. The mask is firmly back in place, but I know what I saw. She’s more complicated than I originally thought, and as much as I don’t want to, I find her… interesting. Damn it.
“Fine. Will you please give me a ride to Grady’s unofficial garage?”
I smirk at her response. “Of course. But I have a few errands to run first.” I’m expecting her to protest, but she gives me a too-sweet smile.
“Perfect. Maybe you can get a hairdryer while we’re out.” With that, she turns around and gathers her sparse belongings.
Fuck if my dick didn’t twitch at her sassy remark.
2
GABBY
Iclutch the seatbelt strapped across my chest and hold my breath as Sullivan barrels down the road in his ancient truck. We hit a pothole, and the massive vehicle bounces against the pavement, making my muscles tense to the point of pain.
He’s not really going that fast, nor is he a careless driver. My anxiety is through the roof because I’m not the one behind the wheel. I hate being in cars or any small spaces, for that matter. The only way I can stomach it is if I’m driving. I have to be in control. I don’t like being at the mercy of anyone, even the weather.Especiallythe weather.
