by Diane Darcy
“So I’m right?”
“As rain.”
Ten minutes later he pulled onto Lena’s street. He didn’t want to drop her off, of course. But he’d abide by her wishes, and move slowly. He didn’t want to chance losing her and could play the waiting game if he had to.
When they pulled up to the shop, she sat up straight. “Oh, my stars! My truck! I forgot all about it!”
She sank back in the seat and groaned. “You know what, I forgot to give him the down payment on the fixes, and I’ll bet he just dropped it back at my house.”
She turned and smiled at him, impish. “Still want to buy me that new car?”
“Yes.”
She laughed. “Just kidding. I guess I’ll have to work something out with Mike tomorrow. I take it I can get back to work now without worrying about creepers showing up at my caravan?”
“Ye should be fine. My men will have the vampire by tonight.” William got out, rounded the car, and opened the door for Lena.
Together, they walked to the old, slightly-beat-up truck.
“This is it,” she said. “Not impressive, but it usually gets me where I need to go.” Lena opened the driver’s side door and slid inside.
There was a yellow receipt on the seat, folded in half, and she picked it up, opened it, and read it out loud.
Lena, it turns out I charged you too much last time, so no dinero on this one. Enjoy.”
She snorted. “Don’t believe it. He’s probably mocking me and now I’m going to have to pay for another tow.”
She checked her visor for the keys, and they fell out.
She scowled. “Someone could have stolen my keys. He could at least have taken them inside the shop.”
“Do ye wish me to talk tae the man?”
She scowled at him. “Of course not.”
She stuck the key in the ignition, turned it, then shot him a look of shock, then joy as it purred to life. “He really did fix it!”
She looked at the note from Mike once again. “Do you think he means it?”
“Means what?”
“He says there’s no charge. That isn’t like him.”
“I’ve no idea. Ye’ll have to call.”
She was sitting in the seat, watching him, and he wished he had the ability to read her mind. “What is it?”
She sighed. “You do realize that this,” she waved back and forth in the air between them, “whatever it is between us, is going to take me a while to wrap my head around.”
“I’ll be here, whatever it takes.”
“Thank you, I appreciate your friendship.”
William went completely still. “Friendship? I was hoping for a bit more than that.”
“We just met yesterday.”
“A lot has happened since then.”
Still sitting in the truck, she looked down at her fingernails and considered. “What do you say we take it slow?”
He took a breath, wanted to protest, and then exhaled. “All right. To be perfectly honest, I’ll take whatever I can get.”
She blushed. “I’m out of danger now, right?”
“I suppose ye are. Though I must say, I’d feel better if ye were close at hand.”
“Well, I have to work tomorrow, and then lunch with the witches, but what do you say I come see you after? What would you want to do?”
He grinned. “I promised to show ye The Hemlock, and reveal its secrets.” His eyes gleamed in challenge.
She slowly reached out and took his hand. “Why not? It seems I have a lot to learn.”
Earlier yesterday morning:
William pulled the Maserati up to Mike’s Auto Shop, turned off the ignition, and jumped out of the car.
He walked into the shop to find three men, two younger, and one older, looking at him, his car, and then back to him again.
Wiping his hands on a rag, the older man strode forward, though he didn’t hold out his hand, as he must have been used to people not wanting to touch his black and greasy digits.
“Are ye Mike?”
“I am. You need some work on a Maserati? I’m your guy.”
“I’m Lena DeVille’s mate. I understand she needs her truck fixed. Overheating, transmission, towing charges, lot charges. That’s a lot of charges.”
Mike was startled by the announcement, but quickly regained his composure. “Sure. And see, here’s the thing, if that girl doesn’t get me half the money up front, I’m not gonna do anything about any of it.”
William’s large hand landed on Mike’s shoulder, his thumb digging into Mike’s collarbone. “See, here’s the thing. I deal with a lot of cars, and I’ve never heard anybody quote the prices that ye quoted her. I think ye made a mistake.”
Mike was wincing, and trying not to show it. “Parts cost more for a truck.”
“Mayhap, but yer gouging her.” He leaned in close. “And ye gouge her, and I gouge ye. Got it?”
Mike tried to shake loose, but couldn’t. “You can’t treat me this way!”
William growled right in Mike’s ear, and the man froze up and whimpered. Wide-eyed he looked up at William.
William shoved him away, and Mike stumbled for a moment, barely catching himself.
“Also, I didnae like the way that ye spoke to her on the phone. Ye’re to be more respectful when ye talk to my lady, do ye understand?”
“Your lady? You mean Lena?”
William stared him down, and it didn’t take long for the man to drop his gaze and nod. “Of course, I had a bad week is all, and I’ll do better the next time I talk to her.”
“See that ye do.” William extracted cash and a business card from his wallet and handed it over. “I want ye to drop everything yer doing, fix her truck, anything at all that needs fixing, and if it costs more than this, send the bill to me.”
He eyed the smaller man. “I dinnae want Lena knowing anything about this, and if she finds out, tis yer head.”
“I can’t just drop —”
“There will be an extra $1000 in it if ye do. Also, I want it dropped off in front of her shop.”
Mike looked at him dumbfounded. “If it’s not about the money, then why are we having this conversation?”
“Because, I didnae care for the way ye spoke to Lena.”
The three men walked outside to watch him go, and William rolled down his window. “Get to work.”
Apparently, they did.
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