by Mary Abshire
Emily caught up to him. They reached Andrew waiting on the sidewalk. Together, they headed back the way they’d come. Although she doubted all the money was in her bag, she was glad to have the majority of it. Moreover, she was overjoyed Troy and Andrew hadn’t been injured in the process of helping her get her stuff. Now, she could focus on getting another car and helping Andrew.
Chapter Sixteen
Andrew stretched the second he stepped out of Troy’s vehicle. He’d been sitting in the cramped back seat since they’d stopped at the convenience store in Cambridge. Troy had insisted he get a change of clothes since he stunk of chemicals. So they’d stopped and Emily bought Andrew a new pair of jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt to hide the writing on his arm. He was more than grateful for the clean clothes since the odor was souring his stomach. He’d changed in the bathroom and had splashed water on his face to freshen up. Given they’d been in a hurry to leave, it was the best he could do.
Troy left his car and walked around the back. The large building for the auto dealership had full glass windows in the front with large writing and posters. “In sixty seconds, someone will be coming out here. I hope you have a plan,” he said to Emily.
She lifted the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “I know what I want and the person I spoke to on the phone said it was still here. This shouldn’t take long.”
The drive to Columbus had been long. Emily had spent most of the time researching on Troy’s laptop for a vehicle to purchase. Every time she’d found something of interest, Andrew offered his two cents. She’d narrowed her choices to three and had called the dealerships to see if the cars were available. Only two were. Troy had decided to drive her to the second option first.
“I’ll stay here and let you two do the work on this one.” Troy leaned his back against the side of his car and crossed his arms.
A scraping sound from the entrance of the dealership captured Andrew’s attention. A man dressed in black pants and a blue sweater had pushed open one of the glass doors. He was strolling toward them.
“Right as always,” Troy snickered.
Emily moved closer to Andrew. “What do you think? Is he an honest salesman or greedy one?”
“I doubt he’s honest,” Andrew said. The man’s aura had a colored tint. “He also has a large ring on one of his fingers.”
“Great,” she said softly.
“Folks, can I help you with any cars today?” the man asked as he came to a stop a few feet from them.
Emily twisted to face him. “Yes.”
Andrew stepped forward. “My wife and I are interested in a 2009 Jeep Liberty you have for sale.”
The man shifted his gaze to the vehicles parked on the lot. “2009 Liberty. I’ll have to check on that one.”
“We’ll wait here for you,” Emily said.
He withdrew a card from his pocket. “My name is Mike Baker.” He offered the card and a handshake at the same time to Andrew.
“I’m Spencer Reynolds and this is my wife Carrie,” Andrew said as he accepted his greeting.
“I’ll go check on that vehicle for you,” Mike said.
Andrew slid the small business card into his pocket without looking at it. “Please do. My wife called earlier and was told you still had it on the lot. We’d like to take a look at it.”
“Oh. Okay,” Mike said, surprised. His gaze bounced from Emily, then back to Andrew. “Let me go check and I’ll be right back.”
Emily turned to Andrew after Mike walked away. “Spencer?” She looked cute with one of her brows raised.
“How did I miss the wedding?” Troy said, stepping closer to them. “I’ll have to get a gift.”
Emily glared at him.
“I thought it might help if it appeared we were married,” Andrew said.
“That’s fine,” Emily said. “Good idea, but where did you come up with Spencer?”
“It used to be a popular store in the eighties,” Andrew said. “I always liked it.”
“The store or the name?” Emily asked.
“Both, actually.”
“While you two work out the details for your honeymoon gift, I’ll be waiting in the car. I need to make a few calls,” Troy said before he backed away from them. He returned to his driver’s seat.
“Honeymoon gift.” Andrew chuckled.
“I don’t like Mike,” Emily said. “I think he’s a chauvinist pig and greedy. When we start negotiating, I want at least a thousand off the purchase price.”
Andrew nodded in agreement. He noticed Mike had more eye contact with him and offered his hand to Andrew first. The few times Andrew’s parents had shopped for a car, the same thing had happened to his mom. Some things hadn’t changed in twenty-seven years.
“I can handle him,” Andrew said.
The glass door from the entrance squeaked. Mike strode from the dealership with keys in hand.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Emily said.
“Will I get a kiss as a reward later?” Andrew asked, grinning. “It is our honeymoon gift.”
“You wish,” she snickered.
He did wish for a kiss and had thought it was worth asking for one.
“We do have that Jeep Liberty available. I have the keys if you’d like to look at it,” Mike said as he came to a halt in front of them.
“That’s why we’re here,” Andrew said.
“Great. Follow me,” Mike said.
Staying a few feet behind him, Andrew walked next to Emily. Since they’d left Carl and Nancy’s, she seemed more trusting of him. While she was looking for vehicles online, she’d asked for his input repeatedly. She also didn’t seem upset when he’d introduced her as his wife. Maybe she had a change of heart toward him after he’d broken into the home to help her. He ran his hand through his hair as he recalled seeing her for the first time in the house. He’d been worried about her up to that point. Seeing her safe had brought a tsunami wave of relief to him.
They walked between two rows of cars before they reached a line of used vehicles. Each one had the year in big numbers on the front windshield. The silver SUV Emily had her eye on had been parked at the far end.
Mike spun and walked backward the last few steps to the Jeep. “From what I saw in the computer, we just got this one a few days ago.”
The lights on the front flashed. Mike opened the driver’s side. He stayed behind the door while Emily looked inside. Andrew stayed close by her.
“It’s all leather. Everything works. The original owner traded it in for a newer model,” Mike said while they perused the interior.
Emily sat in the seat and continued to study the inside. “Is this all-wheel-drive?”
“Yes,” Mike answered.
“V6?” Andrew asked. He’d viewed the specs of the car on Emily’s laptop, but wanted to see if Mike knew much about the car he was about to sell.
“Yes. It has close to a hundred thousand miles on it, but we offer a one-year extended warranty,” Mike said.
Emily tilted sideways, half outside the car. “Can I drive it?”
“Sure. Can I see your license?”
While Emily dug inside her purse, Andrew walked around the vehicle. The bumper had a small dent, but the lights were fine. The back window was tinted like the others. He peered closer to view inside. The back had plenty of space for storage or for sleeping if the seats went down. He continued to the passenger side. He opened the door and checked out the backseats. They were clean and the amount of legroom surpassed what Troy had in his car. Spotting a latch at the top of one of the seats, he gave it a tug and pulled on the headrest. The back of the seat came forward. Although he couldn’t flatten it since he hadn’t moved the bottom part, he got a good view of the entire interior and it had more than enough room. He returned the seat and it snapped into place.
“He has to make a copy of my license and get a plate,” Emily said, sitting in the front seat as the salesman walked away.
“Pop the hood,” Andrew said.
>
He backed out of the car. The Liberty was going on seven years old, so the high mileage didn’t surprise him. Jeeps were often made of good quality and could last. For those reasons, he’d suggested Emily look at the vehicle. The extras such as leather and all-wheel-drive didn’t mean a lot to him. He was more interested in Emily having a car that she could rely on.
He stopped in front of the vehicle. The hood stuck up a few inches. He lifted it as Emily came to meet him.
“Looking for anything in particular?” she asked.
He surveyed the engine. “It looks clean and I don’t see any corrosion around the battery or the plugs.” He withdrew the oil stick and checked the level. “It’s clean and has the right amount.”
“The car is more than I want to pay, but it is nice. We need to get him to lower the price,” she said as he returned the dipstick.
“The back has enough room for sleeping if you didn’t want to stay at a hotel,” he said as he scanned over the engine fluids.
“If it drives well, I want it,” she said.
“Don’t let him think you’re interested,” he said. “He’ll be less willing to negotiate.”
“Got any ideas how to get him to lower the price? He doesn’t seem like the type that will.”
He lowered the hood and it shut with a thud. “Let me do the talking.”
“I’m glad you’re willing to do this. I hate it.”
“Anything to help you. I’m in your debt for helping me.”
She gazed past him. “Here he comes.”
Andrew stood beside her as Mike strode toward them. He was half tempted to put his arm around her or give her a quick kiss on the cheek. If he knew for certain she wouldn’t push him away on instinct, he would’ve given into his desire.
“Sorry for the delay,” Mike said. “It’s a requirement to make a copy of your license.” He handed it back to her.
“I understand. It’s a safety precaution. You wouldn’t want some criminal stealing your car,” she said as she returned to the front seat.
Andrew walked around to the passenger side. He sat next to her while Mike settled into the back. She fastened the seatbelt across her before she started the engine. It had a soft throttle. Unlike the Toyota, the Jeep didn’t have a screen on the dashboard. It had a compact disc player, radio, and settings to adjust the temperature in the front and back. After adjusting the mirrors and the seat, Emily shifted the gear. The car rolled forward slowly.
She drove from the lot to the main road. Restaurants and fast food chains were in between stores on both sides of the street. Traffic seemed steady for late afternoon.
“What do you think?” Andrew asked. “Compared to the Trail Blazer we looked at.”
She shrugged. “It’s okay.”
Mike filled the gap between the seats. “Were you looking at another vehicle?”
Andrew twisted to face him and the leather made a soft creaking sound. “We were considering a 2010 Trail Blazer. It has a little less miles and was three thousand less than what the sticker price is for this one.”
“This has heated seats and divided temperature settings,” Mike said.
“So did the Blazer,” Andrew said.
“Was it an all-wheel-drive?” Mike asked.
Andrew nodded. “It was nice.”
“How soon were you looking to buy a vehicle?” Mike asked.
“Today,” Andrew said. “Our last car broke down, so we need one today.”
“Were you going to finance?”
“No. We’re paying cash,” Andrew said.
Mike leaned back while Emily turned into a shopping mall. A car from her right came charging across the road. She braked hard and Andrew braced his hand on the dash.
“Asshole,” she said. “Well, the brakes work.”
“I can talk to my manager and see what kind of deal we can make,” Mike said. “If you’re really interested, I’m sure he might be willing to lower the price some.”
“What do you think, honey?” Andrew asked his fictional wife whom he non-fictionally wanted to kiss.
“I like it, but the price has to come down to make it worth it,” she said as she steered toward a stoplight.
Andrew tilted to look at him. “The price has to drop. We can pay for the car today, but lower the amount, and I’m not talking five hundred dollars.”
“Would you be interested in the warranty package?” Mike asked.
“Honey?” Andrew asked softly.
“Nah,” she said.
“I didn’t think so either.” Andrew returned his gaze to Mike. “We’ll pass on it.”
Emily drove back to the dealership. Troy’s car remained idle in front of the building. He had his phone to his ear when Emily parked a few spots down from him.
“Come inside and let me have a chat with my manager,” Mike said.
They left the Jeep and headed toward entrance. Mike reached the door first and held it. Andrew seized his chance to make their fake marriage appear more believable and slid his arm around Emily’s waist. She pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead. Pausing at her side, he let her enter the building first.
“Can I get either of you something to drink?” Mike asked as he strode in behind Andrew.
“I’m fine,” Emily said, clutching the strap of her purse.
“No thank you,” Andrew said.
“Follow me.”
Mike led the way down the center of shiny new cars. He turned before the last one. The aroma of coffee lingered in the air. Emily followed him into an office and took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of a desk. Andrew sat in the one next to her.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like any water, coffee—”
“I’ll have some coffee,” Andrew said.
“Cream and sugar?” Mike asked.
“Two creams, one sugar if it’s a small cup.”
“I’ll be back,” Mike said before he left.
Emily set her bag near her feet. She gave him a not-so-pleased glare.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
A smile slowly spread across his face. “Oh, honey.”
A chuckle escaped her. It was cute, just as much as she was. So were her lips. He imagined what it would be like to have her mouth pressed to his.
“Did someone want coffee?” a young lady asked as she walked into the room, jarring Andrew from his thoughts.
“I did,” he said.
“I added two creams and one sugar,” she said as she set the small cup on the desk.
“Thank you.”
“Mike will be back soon,” she said, then walked out of the office.
Andrew took a sip of his drink. The coffee tasted sweeter than the one he’d had earlier. He drank more before he set it down.
“The food and drinks are so different here,” he said.
“Maybe it’s because they’re real. Caffeine perks people up.”
“Hi folks,” an older man said as he walked in with Mike. “My name is Allen Ramsey. I’m the manager here.” He offered his hand in greeting and Andrew shook it. “Mike tells me you’re interested in a Jeep Liberty we have for sale.”
Andrew placed his arm around Emily’s back and his hand on her shoulder. “My wife and I are interested in it, but we also looked at a 2010 Trail Blazer that was three thousand less. Now, we need the car today because our other one is dead. We can pay cash, but the price of the Jeep needs to come down if you want our business.”
“And where was this Trail Blazer?” Allen asked.
“Bob Hinkey Ford,” Emily said.
Allen tilted his head in understanding. “Ah, I see.” He crossed his arms. “I can come down a thousand on the Jeep.”
Emily looked to Andrew. She didn’t have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking. She had what she wanted, but why not shoot for more.
He raised his gaze to Allen. “I love my wife and I want to please her. I’m sure you can understa
nd that.”
Mike and Allen grinned. “Of course,” Allen said.
“Can you make it two thousand?” Andrew asked.
Allen turned to Mike. The salesman gave a small nod that was almost unnoticeable.
“We can lower it by two grand if you’ll buy it today,” Allen said.
Andrew rubbed his hand over Emily’s shoulder. “Consider it done.”
“Great, I’ll leave Mike to handle the paperwork,” Allen said. “It was nice to have met both of you.” He shook their hands before he left them with Mike.
Emily smiled at Andrew. She appeared to be overjoyed with her new purchase. She’d asked for a thousand less than the asking price, and he’d managed to lower the price more for her. He’d played his role well and helped her. Better yet, he’d been able to touch her without her brushing him off. So far, the day had been a great success and it wasn’t even over yet. He couldn’t wait to get back on the road with her.
Chapter Seventeen
Emily relaxed behind the steering wheel of the Jeep. For the first time since she’d left Chicago, she felt a sense of peace. She had most of her money back, her new ID, and the rest of her belongings. She couldn’t complain too much, especially after Troy had contacted Raymond and worked out a deal. The Toyota would get towed back to him and he’d return half of her money. It was better than nothing. She’d given Troy a big hug before he headed back to Chicago.
The first hour of the drive to Pittsburgh had started out lively and full of chatter. She’d laughed and applauded Andrew for his roleplaying to help her get the car. She’d sensed he had enjoyed his role as her husband, especially when he’d touched her. He’d been gentle, hesitant in fact. When he’d placed his hand on her waist, she’d felt a stirring inside her, the kind that only led to trouble. She’d been in enough lately and couldn’t afford more. Besides, how could she even consider a relationship with a man she still knew so little about? How could she think of getting close to him when he continued to tell her he was an angel? She needed a reliable friend more than ever in her fucked-up life, not a stranger trying to be a lover. She’d have to be more careful around him and not give in to her wanton thoughts.