Page 15 of Skid
“Careful, brother,” he chuckled. “That’s how it starts.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I waved him off and headed for the door. Minutes later, I was on my bike and driving back to the house. The ride was just what I needed to clear my head and to gain some focus, because damn, I needed it. Getting this car fixed was a real undertaking, and I was ready to get it done.
Once I made it back to the garage, I went straight to work, and the hours went by without me even noticing. I was just doing what needed to be done, and around midnight, I finally decided to call it a night. Early the following morning, I was back at it. I gave everything one last once-over and tightened a few bolts before easing behind the wheel.
“Alright, sweetheart. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Just as I’d hoped, the car started, and the engine sounded smooth as silk. I’d outdone myself. There wasn’t so much as a tick or rattle, and considering where I started, that was quite a feat. I cleaned up a bit, then grabbed my phone and sent Laken a message.
Me:
The suffering is over.
Laken:
She’s running?
Me:
Purring like a kitten. I’ll bring her by in a bit.
Laken:
I can’t believe it! Thank you so much!
Me:
No problem. Just glad to get you back on the road.
Laken:
You’re the best.
Before heading out,I called Smitty and told him to meet me over at Laken’s apartment in half an hour. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and drove Laken’s car over to her place. When I pulled up, she was standing at her front door. Her eyes grew wide as she stepped outside and gasped, “You not only got her running again, but you washed her, too?”
“Figured the poor thing deserved it after all she’d been through.”
Her face grew pale as she muttered, “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to repay you for this.”
“I have an idea.” Curiosity filled her eyes as she waited for me to say, “Have dinner with me.”
“How is that repaying you? If anything, I should be the one taking you to dinner, but this deserves way more than that.”
“I think it’s more than enough.” I leaned back on the hood of her car as I pushed, “Just need to know if you’re up for it.”
Her eyes searched mine for a moment, then a soft smile swept across her face. “Alright. Dinner it is.”
“Good deal. You free tonight?”
“I get off at five. Would 6:30 work?”
“Works great.” I heard my ride pull up, so I stood and said, “I’ll see you then.”
I slipped into the truck with Smitty, and as I closed the door, I glanced back at Laken and couldn’t help but notice the faint blush on her cheeks. Hell, that alone made all my hard work worthwhile. I gave her a quick wave, and a few hours later, Laken and I were sitting in the back of a quiet restaurant on the square.
It was small with creaking wooden floors and candles on every table, and there was a low hum of elevator music playing in the background. It was the perfect place for a quiet dinner where we could actually talk and get to know one another, and I intended to take advantage of every second. “So, where’s your sidekick tonight?”
