Page 14 of Damaged
Cocking an eyebrow, I search her smiling eyes. “Yeah, it is. What do you know about cars?”
“I know a little. I’d like to check it out if it’s not a big deal if I tag along,” she says.
Well there goes my plan of trying to relax and get my hands dirty. Now I’m going to have to entertain her while I try to work. Not how I wanted this to go.
“Yeah, sure,” I say, walking toward my truck.
When we get to the shop, she’s talking a mile a minute. It’s irritating and frustrating. But fuck, it’s like I don’t want her to stop.
“Wow, she’s gorgeous,” she says, when I flip on the lights and the car comes in view.
“Fuck yeah she is.” Walking over, I pop the hood. “This is going to take a while. I need to replace the water pump. Not sure you’re going to want to hang out the whole time.”
“I’ll help,” she suggests. Slowly walking around the car, she lets her fingers drag along the black paint. Following the curves and dips, she meets me by the hood, looking down at the engine.
I laugh a little as I get the new water pump. “Oh you’ll help? I thought you were a florist. What do you know about cars?”
“First of all, that’s a dickhead response. Secondly, yeah I am a badass florist, but my grandfather taught me enough about an engine,” she says, pulling her silky hair into a bun.
A grin breaks out on my face, as I take her in. “Okay, let’s see what you’ve got, badass florist.”
“Bring it, dickhead.”
“Alright I need to get this fan off the water pump first, so hand me the socket,” I say, testing to see if she even knows what that is.
“Here,” she says, handing it to me.
“Thanks,” I reply. Okay so she knows a socket, that’s not hard.
There’s a lot to get out of the way until I can get the water pump out, but son of a bitch if Eva isn’t leaning over my shoulder pointing it all out. The belts, the pulley, the alternator and radiator. It’s fucking impressive and hot.
I’ve never had a chick work with me on a car. Sure, they’ve watched while I worked, but no one’s ever had any knowledge. Yet, here’s Eva. Her damn perfume circulating around me, while she impresses me with what she knows. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever met.
“Hey you want to order some lunch? We’ve still got a while,” I suggest.
“Sure, how about I run and pick us up subs?”
“Really?”
“Of course, why not?” she asks, wiping her hands on my rag.
“I don’t know, I just appreciate it,” I say.
When she leaves, I grab a quick smoke. It’s as though all the anger I was feeling is gone. This damn car is magic. Just so you know, I’m not that fucking stupid to think it’s all the car, it’s just easier thinking that way.
After Eva gets back, we go into the back room to eat. All the stupid ass pictures Payton put up still hang around and Eva stops in front of the baby in the tire. “Cute, but why?”
I grin and move beside her. “Because obviously every garage needs to have some cute,” I joke, knocking lightly into her side.
“You picked it out, didn’t you?” she asks, smiling up at me.
“Oh yeah. I’m big on babies.”
Her smile drops and she looks back at the picture. “Are you?”
“Am I what?” I ask confused.
“Big on babies?”
