by Carian Cole
I dig into my purse for a honey lozenge and pop it into my mouth. My throat has been burning lately. I hope I’m not getting a cold. The last thing I need is to get sick.
“Did you get laid in the back room or something?” Megan asks as I climb into the passenger side of her Audi.
“No, why?”
“Because you’re smiling like you did.”
Rolling my eyes, I pull my seatbelt strap across my chest and buckle it. Megan drives a bit erratically and I’m not about to take a flying header through the windshield.
“Look at this.” I present my phone to her as if I just caught a unicorn. “Is this not the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen? I got to keep my old phone number, too.”
Her brown eyes flash. “Holy shit! Lavender! Did you steal that?”
“No, bish. Rebecca gave it to me to take pictures of the products and post online. Dude, I’m loving it. I had so much fun doing this today. The time flew by. It’s going to be part of my job now. She’s giving me a raise, too.”
“How much is she giving you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I don’t care.”
She reverses out of the parking lot, and my head wrenches back into the headrest as she floors it onto the main road.
“I don’t know how you haven’t lost your license yet,” I say, gripping the armrest.
She ignores me. “Sky, you can’t just not care about a raise. You need to know these things.”
“To be honest I’m just excited for the opportunity to do something I enjoy while learning and getting paid at the same time.”
“How much you’re getting paid should be the priority, though. You might be doing the kind of work that deserves like, thirty bucks an hour.”
“I doubt it. I’m a part-time employee with zero skills. Rebecca has always been more than fair with my pay and my holiday bonus. I trust her. Not to mention, this phone was legit expensive and she gave it to me to keep.”
Megan side-eyes me. “I’m jelly over that, I must admit.”
My body lurches forward as she brakes abruptly at a red light. “Oh, hey,” she says, unfazed by the sudden stop. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t give you a ride to pick up your car tomorrow. My mom texted me earlier and told me they’re going out and I have to babysit Johnny. Like seriously, they have no regard for my social life at all. None. I’d bring him, but I don’t like putting him in the car. He always screams bloody murder.”
I rub the back of my neck. “That’s okay. I have a backup plan. No worries.”
“Are you sure? I feel really bad.”
“Absolutely. Don’t feel bad. If you want, I’ll stop by your house to visit on my way home.” Her little brother is adorable, so I don’t mind hanging out with her when she has to babysit him. He always makes me laugh.
“Cool. Do you want to go to the diner? I could go for a salad and a strawberry shake right now.”
The idea of onions and lettuce commingling with mushed-up strawberry milk has my gag reflex on overdrive. There’s no way I can sit across from her and witness that kind of culinary cohabitation.
“I’d rather just go home. I’m not feeling too great, and I have to work again tomorrow. I want to go to bed early.”
“You never feel good. Why don’t you go to the doctor?”
“I think I’m getting a cold. Or it could be allergies.”
On that note, I unzip my purse and hunt out another lozenge. I’m going to have to buy more. I’m gobbling these things like candy.
“Take some vitamins,” she says. “Maybe you should get one of those IV vitamin infusion things.”
“What’s that?”
“You get an IV from a nurse that’s filled with all sorts of vitamins. It’s supposed to boost your immunity and make you feel healthy and energized. My cousin gets it done when she travels or doesn’t sleep enough.”
I’m sure I can’t afford that, even though it sounds interesting. I feel tired no matter how much I sleep.
“I’ll keep that in mind if I don’t start to feel better,” I say.
“You know that kid Erik whose locker is like, two down from mine?”
My mind shuffles through her row of lockers and comes up blank.
“No.”
“Yes, you do. He’s always been super quiet, kinda nerdy, and skinny? He had glasses like Harry Potter?”
Nodding, I say, “Kind of.” I have no idea who she’s talking about.
“Well, he’s got contacts now and I think he’s been working out because he’s not so skinny anymore. He’s still nerdy, but in a sexy way. And his hair is a bit longer.”
“Okay…”
“I think I’m going to ask him out.”
I almost choke on my lozenge. “What? Why?”
“Because he’s cute and he’s essentially new meat now that he’s rebooted himself.”
“Meg, just flirt with him and wait for him to ask you out. You’re a total babe, you know he will if you show him some attention.”
“It’s the twenty-first century! I don’t have to wait around for a guy to make the first move.”
That’s true. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“I want to get to him before someone else does.”
“Geez. He’s not an X-box.”
“I know. But if I noticed how cute he is, the others will, too.”
The way she says the others makes it sound like there’s a ship of female Vikings coming to claim all the cute boys.
When she pulls into my driveway and puts her car in park, I turn to look at her. I can see her mind spinning, conjuring up ways to snag unsuspecting Erik.
“I hate to break this to you, Meg, but he’s probably still a virgin if he was nerdy and shy up until this year.”
Her mouth scrunches up. “Ya think?”
“I think it’s a good possibility.”
“Hmm. That could suck.” She taps her fingers on the steering wheel, her lips pursed crookedly in thought. “But it could be fun, too. I could rock his world.”
“He’ll probably fall madly in love with you if you’re his first.”
She frowns dramatically. “He better not. I want fun. Not some lovesick puppy drama.”
“Just be nice to him. No breaking hearts.”
A laugh bursts from her. “I’ll try.” Her smile fades as she stares at my house. “This place is getting sketchy. Doesn’t anyone mow the lawn?”
The knot in my stomach twists. “We’re looking for a new landscaper. The last guy quit.” It’s a lie. I’m the one who mows the lawn, but I’ve felt too weak lately to do it in this heat.
“I hope you find someone soon or the grass will be up to your knees. There could be snakes slithering around in there.”
“There aren’t any snakes.” I grab my stuff. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Love ya, babe.”
“Love ya, too,” I reply before I slam the door.
I linger by the mailbox at the end of the driveway until she’s gone. I don’t want her seeing me crawling through the window. She’ll abduct me and have me living in her guest room on an IV drip in less than twenty-four hours. As much as I’d be grateful for the care, I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me.
Later, after I’ve settled in bed to watch TV, I stare at my pretty new phone screen, debating on whether I should take Jude up on his offer for a ride. He’s already gone out of his way for me twice, more than anyone besides Megan ever has. He refuses gas money, not that I can really afford to give it to him. I would, though. I don’t expect freebies from strangers.
Walking to the shop in the morning shouldn’t be bad since the temperature will be cooler, but later in the afternoon when I have to get my car it’s expected to be ninety-five degrees with humidity, and I just don’t think I can walk that far.
Finally, I shove pride and the risk of being that annoying person to the side and send Jude a message:
Me: Hi.
Fluf
fle-Up-A-Gus curls up against my side, purring loudly. I scratch her head as I eye my phone for a reply.
Jude: Hey you.
Me: I hate to ask, but if your offer to drive me to pick up my car still stands, I’d really appreciate it. My BFF has to babysit, so she can’t take me.
A few seconds creep by before his answer lights up my screen.
Jude: Sure. What time?
Me: I’ll be at Belongings. I can leave at 3.
Jude: K. I can do that.
Me: I’m really sorry to ask. It’s just kinda hot to walk that far.
Sure, I could use Uber or Lyft, but that makes me nervous. We’re told from the time we can understand words not to get into cars with strangers, yet here we all are, paying strangers to let us get in their cars. I just don’t feel okay with it.
Jude: Don’t worry about it. I don’t have any plans tomorrow. Not a big deal.
Me: Okay. Thank you :-)
Jude: C-ya then, Sparkles. ✷
My heart flutters a little over his nickname for me, just like it does every time he says it in person.
Chapter 6
Skylar
“Lucky. Wow, it’s been a long time. Can I… um… help you find something special?” Rebecca’s soft, curiosity-tinged voice floats to the back stockroom.
Shit. It figures he’d come while I wasn’t out front. I switch off the light and walk out. He’s standing there, looking totally out of place in this cozy shop, in a white tee, black baseball hat on backward, jeans so faded they’re almost gray, and scuffed, untied work boots. Grinning around a lollipop stick hanging out of his mouth, he nods in my direction as I approach them. “Already found it. I’m here for her.”
My boss studies him quizzically. “Excuse me?”
“He’s giving me a ride to pick up my car at the mechanic’s, Rebecca,” I explain.
Surprise lifts her eyebrows. “Oh.”
I can feel her eyes boring into me as I pick up my purse from behind the register. No doubt she’s wondering how Jude and I know each other, but I’ll have to explain another time if I want to catch the mechanic before he closes at 3:30.
“Are these free?” Jude holds up one of the small robin-egg-blue paper bags filled with cookies, squinting through the little cellphone window under the logo. “Those better not be raisins in there.”
“Technically they’re free, but they’re for customers,” Rebecca replies. “And they’re chocolate chip.”
He flashes a smirk, which I’ve quickly realized is his signature sexy trait. “Can I just buy the cookies?”
Rebecca shakes her head, but smiles. “Just take them.”
“Thanks. How's Adam doing?”
She grimaces at the mention of her ex-husband. “I’m sure he’s doing great considering the last time I saw him his secretary was on her knees under his desk.”
“Ouch,” Jude says. “Sorry to hear that. He always was an asshole.”
“That’s true. And so were you.”
“Hey, I’m a nice asshole. There’s a difference.”
I narrow my gaze at him. “What’s a nice asshole, exactly?”
“Him,” Rebecca replies, wiping down the glass cabinet. We always joke that it breeds fingerprints. “Exactly him right in front of you.”
I give Jude’s arm a tug. “We better go, nice asshole. The mechanic said he was leaving at 3:30.” I smile at Rebecca. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Have a good night. Enjoy the cookies, Lucky.”
He waves. “If I like them, I’ll come back and buy something so I can get more.”
We leave to the sound of Rebecca’s laughter—a sound I don’t hear often. I wonder if she had a crush on Jude when they were young. I thought I caught a hint of flirting from her. But now that I think about it, I’ve never seen her interact with a man in the store before. They would actually make a cute couple.
“Maybe you should ask her out to dinner,” I say on the walk to Jude’s truck.
He pulls a face of shock and disdain. “Who? Rebecca? Why?”
“’Cause she’s lonely since she got divorced.”
He opens the passenger side door for me and I hop in.
“I have a no-dating-divorced-women rule,” he says when he’s settled behind the wheel. “Especially lonely ones.”
Turning to him, I put my sunglasses on. “What’s wrong with divorced women?”
“In my experience, they’re usually trying to get married again. Which is weird, ’cause you’d think they’d want to never go down that road again. I ain’t looking for a wife and kids.”
“How come?”
He shrugs. “The divorce rate is insane. And kids are out of control, especially teens.” He glances over at me with his grin. “Present company excluded, of course. I put my parents through hell when I was younger. So did my sister.” He takes a deep breath and stares at the red light we’re stopped at. “I just don’t want to invest my heart and soul into someone who could shred it all like a raptor, take half of my stuff, mess up my kids, and let God-knows-who into their lives on weekends and holidays. Fuck all that.”
I nod at my new kindred spirit. “I feel the same way. Like, I don’t mind dating someone, but I’d rather leave it as a free-will arrangement, like when you work for someone. You can quit anytime; they can fire you anytime. There're no promises, no legal ties, no two-week notice, no expectations. You’re free to go when you want. No hard feelings.”
“Yes. Exactly all of that, Sparkles. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Your parents divorced?”
“Yup.”
“Mine too. That’s a hell I never want to experience again.”
My parents’ divorce was quiet and uneventful. Dad just left. There weren’t any screaming fights or drama that I can remember. They didn’t fight over custody, or furniture. I doubt either of them had an affair, even though they’re both decent-looking people. I’m not sure if my father pays alimony or child support. As far as I know, they just signed the papers and that was it. Marriage over. The only evidence they were ever together is my existence, which wasn’t magical enough to make them fight to get better. To make it work. To think—or even worry about—me.
Jude comes into the dingy office of the auto shop with me. I assumed he’d just drop me off in the parking lot and leave, but no, he walked me inside, waited while I shelled out five hundred and ten dollars in cash onto the dusty counter, then walked me to my car in the back lot. He eats the three chocolate chips cookies from the bag as we walk.
“These are delicious.” He’s practically drooling over the cookies. “How do you not eat these all day long?”
“I’ve never had one, to be honest,” I admit as I wiggle my key into the driver’s side door lock. The thin layer of dust that was on my car when it was towed is gone, and I wonder if the mechanic took it through a car wash.
Jude’s gray eyes blink at me. “Are you kidding? How the hell can you resist these? They’re all soft and buttery and gooey.”
Because eggs. That’s how.
“I’m just not big on sweets.”
“Start it up,” he says, leaning against the hood. “Let’s make sure it starts before I take off.”
The engine turns over with its familiar, yet comforting, deep rumble.
“Yay!” I exclaim, clapping my hands. “I missed my baby.”
He comes around the open door and kneels next to me, peering inside at the cracked, red vinyl seats. “I’ve always loved ’vettes, especially the older ones like this. I wanted one wicked bad when I was your age.”
“You should get one.”
He runs his hand over the ripped armrest, and I’m sure he sees it like I do—not for the condition it’s in now, but for how it’ll look with some love.
“Maybe someday.”
I stare at his tattooed hand caressing my car door. Sterling-silver rings wrap around two of his fingers. One with an onyx stone, the other a knot of twisted metal. They’re tarnished and dinged up, not polished and p
erfect.
Like him.
Like me.
Licking my lips, I inhale a short, nervous breath. “Hey, do you want to go for a drive? I mean, you drive. My car. With me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I don’t have anywhere to be.” Except to stop by Megan’s, but I can do that later.
My breath pauses as he chews the inside of his cheek for a few seconds, until a big grin blooms on his face.
“Fuck it,” he finally says, standing. “Why not? That’s an offer I can’t turn down.”
Smiling, I tell him to get in as I climb over the console to the passenger side.
He’s like a little kid behind the wheel. Grinning excitedly as he pushes the seat back and adjusts the rearview mirror.
“Listen to that purr,” he says wistfully before he puts the car in gear and heads out to the main road.
The word purr coming out of his mouth is sensual, almost secretive, as if I wasn’t supposed to hear it.
“That’s not the stock radio, Sparkles,” he says teasingly, touching the volume dial. “I’m a little disappointed.”
I laugh. “Trust me, I am, too. But I just couldn’t drive it without listening to my favorite music. RingPop put this in for me. He got me a deal since he works at a car stereo place. Don’t worry, I saved the original.”
“RingPop?”
“He used to live next door to me. We’ve been friends forever. When we were like seven years old he proposed to me with a ring pop candy.”
Jude laughs. “Very cute.”
“It gets worse. I started licking it and it came off and got stuck in my throat. I choked on it until I couldn’t breathe. I legit thought I was gonna die. He kicked me in the stomach and I coughed it up.”
“Holy shit. I guess that explains your aversion to sweets, then?”