“You were in Benton last night?”
“For business. Kind of. Anyway, I was grabbing some dinner and I saw you. You caught my eye because you’re well, gorgeous,” he adds with a little blush and my eyebrows shoot to my hairline. “Does that make you uncomfortable? For me to say that?”
“A little.”
“Sorry, again.”
“Honestly, it makes me more uncomfortable that you know where I live.”
“I can see that.”
“So, yeah, maybe we need to just part ways and I’ll get my tire fixed and leave it somewhere for you?”
“How am I going to know where you leave it? I mean, I can get it from you in Benton sometime, but it’d be better if we made a plan. Or, exchanged numbers.”
I can’t help it. I burst out laughing. “You think I’m going to give you my number? You really are crazy!”
He grips the back of his neck and looks a little sheepish. “I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever had this much trouble trying to ask a girl out.”
My eyes widen at this extra bit of information. “You’re trying to ask me out?” I double over in laughter this time. He can’t be serious! There’s just… “You can’t be serious!”
“Well, I was. But not anymore!” he says, laughing also. “I wouldn’t go out with you if you paid me,” he adds on good naturedly.
I roll my eyes. “Wow. You’re something else. How about if I get my tire fixed and leave your spare at the tire shop in Benton? Would that be okay? Do you know where that is or won’t you be back in town for work again?”
“I’ll be back and yeah, I know where it’s at. Think I passed by it this morning. Let’s plan on that, though you honestly don’t need to get it back to me. I can get a new one.”
“No way! That’s a huge pain and way too much to ask.”
“Okay, then you win. That’d be fine. I’m sorry for scaring you. Can I make it up to you?”
“You just don’t quit, do you?” I tease. “I thought I already let you down easy.”
“Laughing in my face is letting me down easy?”
I shrug and grin. “I couldn’t help laughing. It’s all so ridiculous.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I don’t just give my phone number out to strangers or go on dates with them!”
“Aren’t people usually strangers until they have a first date?” he counters.
Okay, he has a point there. But still… he saw me walking in Benton and maybe that makes me paranoid, but it’s a little nerve-wracking. My parents drilled into me from childhood to be alert and not trust just anyone, no matter how good looking they are. And now that I’ve gotten a better look at Elijah, he is quite handsome. Brody’s still better, though.
“Let’s start over.” Rather than extend his hand for me to shake, he gives me a little wave. “Hi. My name is Elijah. I’d love to walk into that café here with you and have a cup of coffee or maybe a whole meal of food, if you have time for that and are willing to give it to me. It looks fairly busy and we’ll be surrounded by people. It’ll be safe.”
Shifting my focus from being nervous about him seeing me in Benton to chalking it up to coincidence, I look at him closely, trying to get a better read on this stranger who helped fix my tire out of the goodness of his heart, even going as far as to lend me a spare tire. That’s… what a nice person does. Right? Surely he’s not a complete whacko who would chop me up into bits and pieces, right? There’s also something oddly familiar about him that I can’t put my finger on — like I’ve seen him before. Maybe whenever he saw me yesterday, I happened to see him also and just don’t remember it.
“Just a coffee. Or a Coke. Maybe tea? Whatever your preference is.”
I sigh and look at my phone checking the time. It’s not like I had a timeline for the day, but I really wanted to get back home so I could work at Daddy’s insurance office for a bit. I had purposely taken no clients today because I wasn’t sure how long I would be gone. I’m hungry, and honestly a little curious about this stranger so figure I might as well give in. “Fine.” I lift a finger and point it at him. “But I’m paying for yours because I need to thank you and I know that’s not nearly enough payback for what you did for me, but it’s a start.”
“I’ll take what I can get.” His grin is victorious and it annoys me.
I grab my purse out of the front seat and we lock up our cars before going inside the café. There’s a sign that tells its customers we can sit where we’d like so we do. Right in the center of the café where everyone can see us. Because I’m still not completely convinced he’s not going to kidnap me, peel off my face, and wear it as a mask. Man, I need to get a handle on my imagination.
Awkwardness settles in as we sit at the table. A waitress comes over and hands us each a menu and tells us she’ll be right back to take our order.
“You said you were in Benton on business?” I ask, trying to make conversation as I look through the food items. Ooh, they have a big breakfast menu. Maybe this was a good idea after all. I’m pretty hungry, like usual.
“Yeah.” He nods then twists his lips like that’s not the right answer. “Well, kind of. I was sent there to check something out for the company.”
“Ahh. Very mysterious.”
He wiggles his eyebrows up and down and leans on the table. “Tell me about yourself. Have you lived in Benton your whole life?”
“No, not exactly. I lived there when I was in high school, moved away, and eventually made my way back.”
“Couldn’t stay away, huh?”
“Guess not,” I say. I don’t get into the reason why I’m back in Benton, even though I’m happy I am. If I hadn’t moved back, Brody and I wouldn’t be together now.
“What can I get you two?” a server asks, standing next to our table.
Elijah points at me to go first. “Are you still serving breakfast?”
“All day.”
“Awesome. I’ll take a Denver omelet. Coffee to drink, please.”
“Hash browns, pancakes, or toast on the side?”
“Hash browns, please.”
She nods and writes down the order. “And for you?”
“I’ll do the ultimate skillet and a side of pancakes. Coffee also.”
“Comin’ right up. And I’ll be right back with your coffee. Do y’all want cream or sugar?”
“Both for me, please. Thanks,” I tell her and Elijah shakes his head.
She leaves and Elijah turns his attention back to me.
“I don’t blame you, you know? Benton seems like a great town. I’ve always lived in a bigger city and I feel like I missed out.”
“I’m not sure you missed out. I think there’s good and bad in both. When I moved away from Benton, I lived in Knoxville. It was great to live somewhere that had a little more action and things to do. More restaurants and actual food delivery for more than just pizza.”
He nods in understanding. “Yeah, I get that. Knoxville’s a great city. I’ve been a few times.”
Our coffee is delivered and I doctor mine up while Elijah takes his first sip.
“Good coffee,” he says, smacking his lips lightly and looking into his cup.
I nod my agreement after taking a drink and keeping hold of my cup.
He asks me question after question about Benton and what I did for work while living in Knoxville, but every time I try to flip any questions in his direction, he smoothly — though, maybe not so smoothly since I noticed — turns the line of questions back to me.
The same awkwardness settles in once again when I get tired of getting non-answers and I look around the café, trying to come up with something to talk about. He is very obviously pretty closed off, which isn’t a big deal, but still, it doesn’t leave much room to make small talk.
Not only that, he appears to be incredibly uncomfortable in here. He’s fidgeting and looking around nervously and it makes me wonder why he even asked me to join him for coffee if he doesn’t want t
o be here himself.
After five minutes of just looking around, I slump my shoulders. “You asked me to eat with you, you gotta give me something.”
“What?”
“You’re so quiet and a terrible conversationalist,” I blurt out.
He throws his head back laughing. “Just say it like it is.”
I scrunch my nose. “Sorry. I sometimes forget to have a filter. But seriously, what’s the deal?”
Still laughing, he shakes his head and readjusts his ball cap. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s the city boy in me, but I’m kind of private.”
“I’ll say.”
Luckily, our food is delivered which gives us something to do with our mouths since talking is out of the question. And like the true lady I am, I practically inhale my omelet in an effort to speed this bad morning along.
When the waitress comes back to see how we’re doing, I slip her my credit card to pay when he isn’t paying attention. She nods and looks closely at him, shrugs, and moves along.
“So when you’re not yelling at your car on the side of the road, what do you do?”
I hesitate to give him anymore information about me, but in a desperate attempt to relieve ourselves of this awkwardness, I tell him, “I’m a massage therapist.”
He pauses, his fork up to his mouth but suspended mid-air. “You’re kidding.”
“No. I actually just started because I only graduated from the classes a few weeks ago.”
He finishes the bite he was about to take and sits back in his seat. “What kind of massage do you do?”
“Right now, I do deep tissue, Swedish, Aromatherapy, trigger point, and Shiatsu. I’d love to get into hot stone and am considering sports massage therapy as well. Like I said, I just started.”
“Do you like it?”
“I do.” I nod. “It’s more rewarding than I anticipated, actually. Helping people who are in pain is really satisfying work.”
“As someone who gets regular massages, I can attest to knowing that you’re helping people.”
Finally something to talk about! I could cry I’m so happy. I am not someone who likes to sit with someone in silence. By myself? Fine. With others? No thank you. “What kind do you get?”
“Usually deep tissue but sometimes hot stone.”
I nod and finish the bite of cheesy omelet I just shoveled in my mouth. “Do you have a lot of muscle pain?”
“Not if I get regular massages. A lot of it is from stress but I’ve learned it’s a way for me to cope, too.”
“How often do you get them?”
“Once a week. Religiously. If I have to travel, I make sure I have a masseuse available.”
“How boujee of you,” I tease.
He laughs loudly, causing people to turn and look at us. He ducks his head when he notices but doesn’t stop laughing. “Absolutely. I’m very high maintenance.”
Shaking my head, I give him a look and roll my eyes. He continues to ask me questions about my new career and growing up in Benton, even though I don’t really consider Benton where I grew up. He seems very interested in our sleepy little town, but at least I’m no longer getting the feeling that he’s somewhat of a stalker. If anything, he appears to be a little nervous, like maybe he doesn’t date much — even though this isn’t a date — or maybe he just isn’t comfortable talking with others.
“I’m stuffed,” I announce, leaning back in my seat.
“Me, too. I haven’t had breakfast like that in years.”
“Breakfast is my favorite. It might sound cheesy but I love IHOP and going places like that.”
“Not cheesy at all. Waffle House, IHOP, anywhere that focuses on breakfast, really, they’re the best.”
I cheer. “Finally! Something about you other than you get massages!”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m reserved, okay? I can’t help it.”
“It’s fine, just makes it tough to get to know you. Also, if this actually was a date, which it wasn’t, for the record, it would have been terrible.”
His eyes widen. “So it could have been a date?”
I shake my head. “Nope. I’m seeing someone.”
“Damn. The good ones are always taken.”
I give him a soft smile and let him know that I need to use the restroom before leaving. “Oh. And I already paid,” I add as I’m walking toward the bathroom.
Quickly doing my thing, I return to see our table empty and wonder if he left or is waiting outside. Part of me hopes he just left, but I quickly usher that thought out of my head. I’m not a rude person and he truly did a very nice thing for me by giving me his spare tire. That’s above and beyond what most people would do for a complete stranger.
He’s waiting outside next to my car looking down at his phone when I approach.
“Thanks again for helping me out. I couldn’t get ahold of anyone and I was starting to panic.”
“No big deal. I’m glad I could help. You didn’t have to pay for our food,” he says with a stern expression. “I had planned to pay but somehow you’re sneakier than I gave you credit for.”
“Of course I paid, Elijah. That’s what people do, right? They thank the person who did something nice for them?”
“I guess.”
He rests a hip against the back driver’s side door and crosses his arms.
“Okay, well, thanks, again. I’ll leave the spare at the Benton tire shop for you and tell the guys what happened. They know me pretty well there. Just go in and ask for Johnny and he’ll know what’s happening.”
“Johnny… the boyfriend?”
I giggle. “Hardly. Oh, gosh. He’s awesome but no. Not my boyfriend. I don’t think that boy’ll ever settle down. He’s too wild.”
“Old friend then, I take it.”
“Definitely.”
“Small town.” He nods knowingly.
“Exactly. Anyway, I gotta run. Thanks again.”
“Anytime. Happy to help. Good to meet you, Katie.”
“You, too.”
Then before I can stop him, he leans over and kisses my cheek, squeezes my bicep, and spins on his heels and struts to his own car.
I stand here stunned for a few seconds before sliding inside my car.
What a strange morning.
Chapter Fourteen
Brody
“All right then, you’re good to go,” I tell the transport driver who’s taking Chase’s truck to the video site.
“This thing is sweet. If it doesn’t make it there, just look the other way,” he jokes.
“Ha ha. I’ll do that.”
Once he’s pulling out of the driveway, I take my phone out of my pocket and dial Katie. I haven’t talked to her all morning and after waking up next to her, I miss her.
“Brody?” she answers, her voice a little higher than normal. It puts me instantly on alert. “Oh my gosh, finally! I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for hours!”
“What’s wrong?” I ask, rather than saying hello.
“Nothing. Well, there was, but oh my gosh, you wouldn’t believe the morning I’ve had!”
“What happened?” I ask, my voice hard.
“Hang on. I’ve gotta switch you to Bluetooth so I’m not on the phone while I drive. That’s all I need is to be in an accident because I’m distracted.”
A few seconds later, she’s back.
“Sorry.”
“Not a problem. Now, tell me what’s been going on.”
The story she goes on to tell me has me pacing around the parking lot, irritated that I wasn’t there to help her and also irritated that she actually sat down to eat with a stranger.
“Katie. You get how dangerous that is, right?”
She sighs. “I know. I know! The café was busy, though, and I know that doesn’t mean anything, but honestly, I went with my instinct there and I stayed alert. Promise. I also had my can of mace handy the entire time.”
That makes me feel a little better. “I’m just glad that you’re
safe now.”
“It was nice of that guy to help, you know? I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. It’s not like they have pay phones around anymore.”
“Seems like they should, at least there, anyway, if it’s a complete dead zone.”
“Right. I suppose I probably could have asked someone in the café if I could use their house phone. He showed up to help before that thought crossed my mind, though.”
“Maybe. Anyway, did you get in touch with your professor to let her know why you weren’t there?”
“Not yet. This is the first my phone found service. I’ll call her when I get off the phone with you and explain what happened. If she doesn’t believe me, I’ll show her the ugly spare tire on my car,” she snickers. “She’s pretty nice, so I’m not too worried. Hopefully we can still get together and then I’ll be back to Benton in no time.”
“You can’t drive a spare all the way back, you know. I’ll come meet you with the shop’s service truck to get it fixed.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Are you my girl?”
I can hear the smile in her voice when she replies, “You betcha.”
“Good. Then let me take care of you. You were stranded. Some other dude helped you. I’m grateful for that, but now’s my turn to step in.”
“You’re the best boyfriend there ever was, Brody Redding,” she says in an exaggerated accent.
Damn she’s cute. Funny. And luckily, mine.
“I’m about twenty minutes away,” she says. “Do I need to send you my location when I get there so you know where I am?”
“That’d be good. I’ll be leaving here pretty soon and I’ll try to hurry. It probably won’t take you long to get through what you need to do there, right?”
“Right. Thanks so much, B. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I feel like such a burden.”
“Of course. It’s not a burden at all, though. See you in a bit.”
We say good bye, hang up, and I drive straight over to the tire shop, glad to see the service truck parked in its usual spot.
Without You: A Friends-to-Lovers Small Town Romance Page 15