by Claire Adams
"No, you won’t. The reason I'm in this situation is because I didn't go to school like you are. My mom and dad warned me a million times before they passed that I should go get my RN, but I just didn't listen." She let out a tired sigh that turned into a terrible hacking.
I stifled the fear welling up inside of me. She wasn't doing well, but if anything happened to her, I wouldn't make it. Outside of Sam, she was the only person I had in the world. "This isn't about a degree. Life's tough sometimes, and we're good people because of the shit we've been through. I stopped to help some rich girl last night with her car because I'm a nice person."
"Was she pretty?" My mother lifted her eyebrows and smirked.
"Yes. Very, but that's not why I was telling you the story. She was shocked by my kindness, by my willingness to help her out. Being good is free and more people should have to go through shit to come out on the other side better for it in the long run." I shrugged and cracked the eggs into a bowl. I was hungry enough to eat all five of them, but we didn't keep much food in the house. Two would have to do. Besides, Jerry always had a big box of donuts at the shop, and much to the other guy's dismay, his secretary Sharon would save me a handful of them for my afternoon shift.
"This is true. You're a good man, Tate. I'm very proud of you." She coughed again and stood up. "I'm going to take a shower."
"No breakfast?" I glanced over my shoulder after cracking the third egg in the bowl for her.
"Nope. Eat my egg this morning. I'm too doped up on cough syrup to enjoy it, anyway." She picked up her coffee and disappeared down the darkened hall.
Something had to give. I could keep living like this forever, but she couldn't. She was sick and needed care; she was lonely and needed a good man; she was everything to me, and I wasn't measuring up.
"I'll fix it. All of it." I swallowed my worry and forced myself to whistle while I finished making breakfast. Today was going to be a good day. A great day, actually. I needed it to be too much to give up hoping for it.
*
After a long ass day on campus, I took the long way to the shop and tried to enjoy the feeling of freedom I had on the bike. It was freezing outside and I was bundled up in three layers, but I was happy. Content.
My classes had been hard as fuck, which I loved. A good mental challenge was the best stimulation I could think of. Well, almost.
I pulled up to the shop and parked my bike outside next to a few of the other ones sitting under a large canopy. Jerry had finally relented and let a few of us build the tent-like structure to keep our bikes from getting covered in snow while we worked. Now, we just had to take turns brushing the snow off the top of the contraption.
The familiar smell of oil and mint rushed across my senses as I walked into the front door of the small two-room office Jerry kept.
Sharon glanced up and smiled. Her red hair was wild and unruly, but it fit her perfectly. I always wondered if she and Jerry were seeing each other on the side, but never got up the nerve to ask them. I'd been working there for three years, so I was still the new kid on the block. It was getting old. I could run circles around most of the guys, Jerry included, but I was still the rookie in their minds.
"Hiya, handsome. How's your day going?" She popped her gum and handed me three clipboards with keys attached to them.
"Good. I'm ready to get to work. I've been sitting in a chair all day. My head is full of useless information, but I'm antsy." I took the clipboards and glanced around. "Everyone out in the shop working?"
"Yes, sir, they are. I saved you some breakfast burritos that Jerry brought in this morning. They're in the bottom left drawer of the fridge." She checked her watch. "You're a little early. Get in there and scarf them down before they see you or find them in the fridge. They were big, but delicious."
"Sounds good. Thank you, I'm starving." I rubbed my hand over my stomach and made a beeline for the break room. After setting down the orders that would fill up the rest of my evening, I got into the fridge and pulled out what would be lunch and dinner. My stomach was killing me, but it was nothing new. It was almost a comfortable reminder that I still had more to do, more to strive to be. I wasn't there yet, or anywhere close to it, but I was pushing hard and fast.
"There you are." Jerry's voice pulled me from my thoughts. He chuckled and lifted his eyebrow as I turned around. "Did Sharon save you those?"
"You know she did." I shrugged. "I'm young and studly. What can I say?"
"Nothing, Mr. Humility." He laughed and sat down at one of the three tables in the break room. "I got a bike coming in later today, so I might pull you from one of those brake jobs and get you to help me look at it. You know I hate doing those things. I'm an auto guy."
"Yeah, sure. I'm a 'whatever gets me paid' man, myself." I pulled the burritos from the microwave and sat down beside him. "You want one?"
"No, you need your strength." He tapped the table and gave me the once over as I dug in, unable to hold back as I scarfed them down. "Tate, you know I'm looking for someone to move up and become the assistant manager for me at this place."
"Yeah, but you know that spot belongs to one of the other guys. Lefty has been your right hand man for twenty years. He's a good pick for that." I licked at my fingers and continued to eat.
"He's a good mechanic, but he has no business sense." He reached out and squeezed my arm. "I know you have a lot going on, but I see a ton of potential in you. I want you to think about it. It's a three dollar an hour raise, which I know will help out at home, but I need you here more."
I nodded and sat back in my chair as I popped the last bit of food into my mouth. "I'll think it over. I appreciate you thinking I'm capable of doing something so big around here."
"We all have faith in you. You're young, innovative, and full of energy. We need more of you, not less. Just think about it." He got up and walked toward the door. "Oh, and Sharon said some girl called earlier today and said you told her to bring her car by for a new tire. Said you were paying for it?"
I laughed and got up as butterflies danced around my chest. The girl from the night before, the one on the side of the road. How many times had I thought about her over the last twelve hours? Too many to count. It was weird, and I'd never label it as love at first sight, but a slight infatuation? Yes. Wanting to get into her panties? Fuck, yes.
"I told her she'd have to pay for the tire, but that I'd do the work for free. I'll do it after hours, though. I promise." I threw away the trash in my hands.
"I don't care when you do it. Sounds serious, though. You working for free? What I gotta do to get a little bit of free action out of you?"
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "You gotta shave that scruffy-ass beard for starters."
He laughed loudly, flipped me off, and walked out.
The feeling of fullness after eating so much left me wanting to take on the world. It was crazy how much my hunger affected my mood.
I jogged back to the front of the office to give Sharon a smile. "That was fucking awesome. I feel like a million bucks." I rubbed my stomach and licked at my lips playfully.
"Stop it, you're turning me on. You're far too hot to be licking your lips like that. You'll make Jerry jealous. Having me blush around you and such." She smirked and turned back to her paperwork. "Who's the girl?"
There was no way Sharon was interested in me. She was a good twenty years older than me at least and had her heart set on the owner of our shop. They would be great together, but one of them was going to have to make a first move.
Good luck there.
"Just some hot girl I found on the side of the road last night. I'm too much of a gentleman to pass up the chance to help a lady. That and sell some business at this here lovely shop." I shrugged.
"You're a good guy. Remember that when she comes in here and steals your heart, hmm?"
"Nobody is stealing my heart. I have my job, my school, and my mother. I'm good." I turned and walked down the hall to the sound of
her laughing. They all figured me to be a playboy, and maybe in some respects I was, but I wanted far more out of life than an occasional romp in the sheets. Funny how when I wasn't looking for anything but sex, all I could find was girls with love on their mind and diamonds in their eyes.
I finally grew up a little and decided that love could quite possibly enhance the package and the sluts officially came crawling out of the woodwork. Where were all these hot chicks who wanted a casual fuck when I was in my late teens?
Sadness worked to wrap around me at the thought, but I forced it back and walked causally out to the garage.
Everyone turned and nodded at me, some of them throwing cat-calls for fun.
"I'm working, so you guys keep it down. Alright?" I pulled on my goggles and barely caught a football that was launched at me.
"Hey, grease monkey. There's a girl up front asking for you. If you're too busy to take her...no worries. I'm more than happy to help her out." Nix smirked at me and ran his hand down his black hair before pulling at his ponytail a little. "She looks like she needs to be reminded what a good man can do in her life."
"Oh, yeah? I guess I should help her out seeing that you're anything but good. Scoundrel." I bumped my shoulder by his playfully before walking back up front.
Please let it be her. Please let it be her. Please...
Fuck.
It was her.
Chapter 7
Val
The ice cream the night before had helped, but sleeping on Amy's couch was another story altogether. I got up early the next morning and made Lucinda take me back to the sorority house for a quick shower before class. I half expected the kitchen to be empty when I walked down the stairs afterward, but everyone in the house was gathered around Katelyn and Carolyn, who were in a rather nasty screaming match.
"You're a slut and a disgrace to the Gammas. We should out your ass right now." Katelyn poked her finger into Carolyn's chest and pushed.
"What I do with my private life is none of your concern." Carolyn swatted Katelyn's hand away from her as she glared at all the girls around in the circle. "It's nobody's business. Paul and I have been in love for a long time."
"Then why was he with me?" Some part of me wanted to keep silent, but I wasn't doing anyone any favors by having Katelyn fight my battles for me. Besides, I was more than capable of doing it myself.
"Good question." Katelyn moved toward me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "We should out Carolyn and have Val take her place. You guys know as well as I do that if she'd wanted any of our men, she'd have done the same damn thing. Don't think you're immune to that viper."
"Shut up. I'm not sitting here listening to this. I'm the president of this sorority and my personal life has nothing to do with me running this place. It's thriving, and you've all said so yourselves." She was losing her cool, and it was almost fun to watch. Almost.
I lamented over not being more of a bitch, but something about feeling free that morning for the first time in a long time made me want to let things be.
"I'm outta here. Paul's as much at fault as you are, and honestly, you deserve each other. Neither of you gives two shits about anyone but yourself. I'll be running for your spot in May when your term is up." I shrugged and moved through the crowd of Gammas to the fridge.
"You'll get it, too," one of the other girls spoke up, and within minutes, they were all sharing their feelings about Carolyn's actions. How she thought that she could stab one of her own and get away with it was almost humorous. I walked toward the front door, turning only as Katelyn called to me.
"You need a ride?" She moved up beside me. Her cheeks were slightly pink, which only seemed to make her prettier.
"Yeah. Can you take me by my car after lunch today? I'm going to walk to campus this morning. I need some exercise." I pulled my jacket tighter and let my eyes take in the beauty of the freshly fallen slow.
"You're not walking in this. It's fucking freezing out here." She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a funny sound.
"It's not that cold, and I've lived here all my life. I'm somewhat used to it by now." I laughed and made a left turn. "I'll see you at Barney's Cafe at noon. That good?"
"Suit yourself, crazy girl. First letting Carolyn off the hook and now this? We might need to check your head. You didn't fall down the stairs at the party last night, right?"
"Nope. Just feeling good today." I shrugged, but didn't turn back to look at her. I was feeling good. Really good.
It had to be the fact that I was going to take the car over to Tate's garage later that day. He hadn't stopped playing along my mind all night. I'd been a bitch and he'd been a perfect gentleman. Funnily enough, our looks alone said that the opposite response should have been true for both of us.
I wanted to know his story. Why was he so calm and assured of himself, yet driving a motorcycle in the snow? The tattered edges of his leather jacket left me to guess that he was either poor or really loved his coat. It had been worn to death and couldn't be enough to keep him warm.
I pulled out my phone and called the number on his business card, checking to make sure it was in fact an auto repair shop. It was, and nervousness pumped through me over the idea of seeing him again later that day.
"Hey." A handsome guy held the door for me as I jogged up the stairs and entered the business building.
"Kade, right?" I walked into the warmth of the building and tugged my scarf from my neck as I turned to focus on him.
He pulled off the black beanie he wore and gave me a warm smile. "Yeah. You remember. I must have made quite an impression."
I rewarded him with a chuckle before starting down the hall to my business law class. He was cute and entertaining myself from time to time with him seemed almost like a good idea, but I couldn't shake the idea that someone was coming, heading my way.
"You treated my friend Amy well. I'm thinking that's worth remembering. At least, for me." I opened the door to Dr. Griffith's class. "This is me. Have a good day."
"It's me, too. I'm the TA for this class this semester." He smirked and moved in behind me. "Make sure you talk good about me in here. Everyone needs a spotter."
"A spotter?" I gave him a confused look to match the emotion swimming around in my chest.
"Yeah, you make sure the weight doesn't fall on my throat and take me out. The girls are vicious in here. They're going to be lawyers. Well, most of them hope to be." He winked at me and walked to the front, leaving me to stare after him like I wanted more of his time, which I didn't.
I found a seat in the middle of the room, not wanting to look too much like a slacker by taking the back row. The class filled up, and Kade worked beside Dr. Griffith to go over the basics of business law. I thought I would have to work to keep my eyes open, but the subject was actually riveting – exciting.
"All right. Make sure you study for the quiz on Wednesday and start looking for a partner for your midterm projects. One of you will have to work with Kade here seeing that there are an uneven number of you." Dr. Griffith started to pack his bag as hands shot up around the room.
I rolled my eyes, grabbed my bag, and walked to the door.
When I noticed Paul was waiting outside in the hall for me, I considered turning back and going into the classroom to search for another exit. The last thing I needed was to talk with the cheating bastard that had left me feeling inadequate.
"Val, wait." He moved toward me, and I couldn't help but notice the way the other girls looked at him.
Good. Have him.
"I have nothing to say to you." I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and turned, bumping into someone who had moved up behind me.
Kade wrapped an arm around my shoulders and extended his hand to Paul. "Hey, I hear you fucked up with this pretty girl. Your loss. My gain."
I wrapped an arm around Kade's back, and we walked down the hall to the exit door.
"Thank you," I whispered and released him before moving out into the freezing cold. "I o
we you one."
"Naw, we're good. You deserve someone better than him." He shrugged.
"Like you?" I gave him a cocky grin as I walked backward away from him.
"Me? Hell, no. I'm way worse than him. There's some good guys out there, though. We need to find you one." He winked at me, waved ,and turned, walking away as I watched him.
Feast or famine.
*
"Sooo...you doing okay?" Katelyn glanced over at me as we drove to my car.
"Yeah, I'm actually okay. It's still a little hard to swallow that Carolyn would sink that low, but it's just who she is. I don't mean to sound like a charity case, but it's not like I could keep a guy like Paul happy. He's like my mother – I'd never be able to measure up. I'm not Allison." I shrugged and glanced out of the window. I sounded hurt by everything, and to some degree I was, but I wasn't nearly as beat down by it as everyone would expect me to be.
"You're right."
I glanced over at her and snorted. "I am?"
"Yep. You're not Allison. You're you, and I for one am damn glad that you are you. You're funny and smart, athletic and giving. You have a great sense of humility and you care about other people. It's refreshing. You're just hanging around the wrong people."
"You especially, right?" I poked at her as she swatted at me.
"You know what I mean." She switched on the defrost and turned the windshield wipers on high. "Where is the car again? It's snowing so damn bad that I can barely see the road."
"Just up here." I squinted and leaned forward as my dark blue car caught my eye. "There. Pull over in front of it. I just need to see if it will start. If not, I'll call a tow truck."
She nodded and pulled in front of my car. "I'll wait here unless you want me to come with you."
"No, I know you hate the cold." I gave her a smile before getting out and jogging back to my car. It was beyond freezing inside it, but I was bundled up properly. I'd survive.
I put the key in the ignition and much to my surprise, the car started. I texted Katelyn that I was good to go, but she wasn't going to leave me there.