Page 19 of Skid
I groaned when I pulled into the Vault and found that it was closed. I’m not sure what I was thinking. It was barely after ten. There was no way it would be open at this hour. I shook it off and whipped the car around, then headed across town to the Black Crown. It was open twenty-four hours a day, so there was at least a possibility that I might find him there.
I was relieved when I pulled up and found that it wasn’t very busy. I hoped that meant it would be easier to track Thatch down. Once I was parked, I got Baylor from the backseat, and with her perched on my hip, I made my way up to the front doors. A guy in a leather vest was standing just inside, and his brows furrowed with disapproval when he saw that I had Baylor with me.
“Can I help you?”
“Is Thatch working today?”
“Who?”
“Thatch. I mean, Skid. Do you know him?”
“I do.”
“Great. Can you tell me where I can find him?”
“What’s this about?”
“I need to pay him back for a favor he did for me.”
“I see.” The man’s eyes flicked from me to Baylor, then back again, a slow smirk tugging at his mouth. “You the girl with the broken-down car?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Thought so,” he chuckled. “His shift isn’t until later.”
“Oh.”
“I’m sure he’s over at his place.” His eyes skirted over me with a smirk. “I could give you the address.”
“That would be great.” He walked over to the bar and wrote the address on a napkin before handing it to me. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Be sure to tell him Shep sent ya.”
“I will. Thanks again.”
With that, I turned and darted back out to the car. I put Baylor back in her seat, and as I buckled her seat belt, she asked, “We going to see Thatch?”
“Yes, but only for a minute.”
“Why a minute?”
“I have to give him something.”
“What do you have to give him?”
“It’s nothing, sweetie.”
I closed the door and rushed around to get in on the driver’s side. I’d barely closed the door when she asked, “Why’s it nothing?”
“Baylor. Enough of the questions. I just have to give him something really quick, and then we will go back home, and you can watch cartoons while I make us some breakfast. How does that sound?”
Sounding defeated, she muttered, “Okay.”
I was ready to get this over with, so I put the car in drive and started toward the address Shep had given me. My mind was reeling, and the drive felt like a blur of turns and stoplights. By the time I pulled into the driveway, my hands were tired from clutching the steering wheel so tightly. I threw the car into park and hopped out as I told Baylor, “Stay here, baby. I’ll be just a minute.”
She nodded and watched as I marched up the walk and up to the front door. I knocked, then dug into my purse for the wad of cash. I clutched it in my hand as I waited for him to come to the door. When he didn’t immediately answer, I raised my hand to knock again, but before my knuckles touched the wood, I heard, “Morning, beautiful.”
I spun around, and there he was, all handsome and smiling like the Cheshire cat. It seemed unfair for a man to be so damn good looking. It almost made me mad, but my anger failed to overpower my urge to kiss him. I wanted to think it was just foolish curiosity or the fact that I hadn’t been with a man since Baylor’s father, but deep down, I knew it was more than that.
