by Moxie North
Will braced himself for the body odor smell he assumed that would be rolling off the man. As he got closer, all his cat picked up was peppermint and pipe tobacco.
“Ray Owens,” the man stated holding out his hand. The man gave him a hard look while shaking his hand. His eyes ran up and down Will a few times like he was confused about something.
“Wish I didn’t have to meet you this way, Ray,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder.
“Well, looks like I get another model car to add to my collection,” Ray chortled.
Will was used to people making fun of his Mini. Especially when his tall, six-foot-three body unfolded out of it.
“Been busy?” Will asked, ignoring the other comment.
“Three skid-offs, one pretty nasty, and a blown tire. Dummy was driving on his spare going about eighty. He’s lucky he didn’t flip his car. You don’t seem to be from around these parts. You have kin in the area?”
“Not that I know of. I’m from Nevada born and raised.”
“Hmm, I get the feeling that I’ve met you before. Well, what seems to be the trouble with this one?” he asked gesturing towards the car. “Mind if I take a look under the hood?”
Will couldn’t stop himself from correcting the man. “Sure, it’s a bonnet, though.”
With a chuckle, Ray said, “I know, I like to pull the chains of you fancy British car owners. I even know you like to call that tiny little trunk a boot.”
Ray walked around to the front of the car. He peered under the bonnet and made some grunting noises. Will noticed his eyes were going between the engine and himself like Ray was studying him too.
“Honestly, I had my mechanic prep her for the trip. I normally do the work myself, but I’ve been busy. I don’t want to spend the rest of the day on the side of the road trying to figure it out. I’d rather get it to a shop and have a professional work on it. I’ve got five days of driving to get back to.”
“Sure ‘nuff. I just happen to have not only the best mechanic in the state but also the only repair shop in the area,” Ray said with a laugh.
Will wasn’t surprised by this news. Of course, there wasn’t anyone else to work on his car. He really didn’t have any choice.
“Well, I’d appreciate your help in getting me back up and running.”
“Can do. Let’s get her hooked up and back to town,” Ray said.
Will paused to give his beloved car a side glance. He almost didn’t want to watch Ray hook his car up, but he also didn’t want the trim package ripped off of his bumper either.
Luckily, it didn’t take any time at all for Ray to gently hitch his car up and make the offer for Will to take a seat in his truck.
The inside of the old tow truck smelled just like Ray. While they drove, Will shot off a message to his club asking for someone to pick him up. He’d left his walkie on the charger that morning, just his luck.
Artie was the only response saying he could pick him up at the garage. Actually, Sybil responded first, and Will ignored that one.
“So how long do you think it will take to look it over?” Will asked.
“D.J. is working on a truck with a busted alternator right now. Should probably at least be able to give your car a once over tonight. Just leave your number with me, and we’ll give you a call in the morning.”
It was only one in the afternoon. That meant Will was going to be hanging out at the cabin trying to avoid Sybil. Or he could find some way to go for a run.
The drive back had plenty of other drivers honking at him and giving him a thumbs up. It was friendly taunting. Anytime a Mini got towed back to town, it usually meant someone had been having a lot of fun driving.
A few years ago, during another run, Will and some friends were coming back from a brewery tour in a nearby town. They might have been slightly exceeding the speed limit when they passed a state patrol. A voice over the walkie said the fatal words, “They can’t pull us all over, can they?”
Turned out that, yes they could. A state patrol vehicle parked sideways over a two lane highway meant that all four cars, including Will’s, got a ticket. It was the talk of the rally. By the end of the week, the story had morphed into they were going over a hundred miles an hour, had plutonium bombs in their boots, and were transporting illegal livestock. None of it was true, of course, but Will didn’t correct anyone either. Better to live in infamy.
The drive back took the same forty-five minutes that Will had waited. They pulled into a parking lot that was part garage, part gas station. Above the double bay garage was a neon sign that was flickering Ray’s in busted neon.
One of the bay doors was closed, the other open with the tail end of a truck sticking out of it. Ray stopped the truck in front of the open door and got out. Will followed him and came around to meet him.
“So do you want us to just fix what needs fixing or call you before we do anything?”
Will glanced back at his car. “Call me when you have a diagnosis. I want to know what your mechanic comes up with before we decide to move forward. If it’s a large repair, I’ll just have the car shipped home and cut my vacation short.”
“Well, true we might not have the parts we need for your fancy little British car. But I’ll give you a call when we know something.”
“Appreciate it,” Will said, offering his hand. He shook hands with Ray and started to walk to the corner. His phone vibrated meaning Artie was close. Just as he made the corner of the parking lot, he saw a line of Mini’s turning the corner with one pulling off at the gas station. Artie’s chili-red Mini was tricked out with a Borla exhaust that made it purr.
The tinted window rolled down, and Artie stuck his head out the window. “Hey baby, need a lift?”
“Very funny, smart-ass,” Will said, getting into the car.
“Did Willy break his baby?”
“I don’t know what the fuck is wrong. Lost power, lost steering. It went tits up in a flash.”
“Hmm, don’t know could be a number of things. Could be you just drove her too hard. Cars need to be finessed like a woman. Take your time. Treat them nice.”
Will laughed. “Dude, you’re a virgin. What do you know about girls? You still live with your mom.”
“Hey, my momma takes care of me. Someday, I’ll find the right girl. She’ll think I’m awesome and handsome, and that my car is kickin’”
Will didn’t want to burst his bubble. “I’m sure you will. Hey, mind swinging me back to the cabin? I want to grab my hiking gear. I might as well get some hiking in tonight. I’ll just camp out and if you don’t mind, could you pick me up in the morning?”
“Sure, dude. You know I’m happy to do it.”
Will’s cat was annoyed with the car and the delay of their vacation, and he was letting Will know that he needed a break. A good run in the forest would settle them both.
Chapter Four
The big cougar stretched out in front of the fire; his belly towards the heat radiating from the flames. Will had encouraged him to trade off with him after a long run so he could set up camp. His cat was practical and was happy to let Will roam around setting up the tent and starting a fire. His animal had tracked down a deer, so his belly was already full.
Once Will had hiked far enough off the main hiking trail, he let his cat out to roam. He loved the feeling of raw power as his cat took over, and his body shifted and shimmered into its new shape. His cat was a tawny golden color; he was long, lean, and strong. He was a proud animal, and Will relished the moments the other half of his soul could take over. It was better than a vacation to hand over the responsibility.
The trees had whipped past quickly during their run; there was fresh air and prey to track. He couldn’t help but think about sharing this moment with a mate. If she was a cougar too, they could run together. Hike the mountains, run all day and night and sleep under the stars at night. Shift back to human and make love until the sun came up.
Instead, he was alone. They both were. His cat
was purring contentedly, but he’d rather be purring with someone.
Letting his eyes drift close, he let his cat think about chasing rabbits while he thought about chasing his mate.
The chirping of the birds woke him. At some point, his cat was annoyed with the rough ground and woke him up to shift. Will stoked the fire before dressing and crawling into his tent to catch a little more sleep. Now the damn tweeting of some tiny bird above his tent was annoying the shit out of him. He waited and then the cawing of a crow started in just to add to the chorus.
Knowing there was no more sleep for him, he checked his phone and saw it was still early. He needed to break camp and head back down the trail to meet up with Artie. Then he needed to see if his car was fixable or if he was heading home.
He was still full from his cat’s hunting the previous night, but he could use a strong cup of coffee. He made quick work of breaking camp. The morning was crisp, so he took the opportunity to burn off a little more energy and jogged back to the trailhead. He got there early enough that he sat and checked his email against his better judgment. He didn’t respond to anything as his assistant and the rest of his staff always managed things while he was gone. He made notes on what he needed to follow up on when he got back.
His brother-in-law, Everett, who was married to his sister Layla, wanted to follow up with him about some improvements to the security at the casino. That was code for Will’s well-meaning parents were getting on him and Layla about having kids again. His sister and her mate had plans for children. They just weren’t in a hurry. They both loved their jobs and wanted to be at a point where they both felt they could step away and focus on family. Now wasn’t that time. Will didn’t blame them; children were a huge commitment.
He had thought about having children, though he felt the same as his sister. He wanted his sole attention to be on them and his mate. Not being pulled away for work and possibly missing milestones. No, his children and his family would be the center of his world when he had them. No longer would it be the hotel or the casino taking his focus. It would be far removed from his thoughts if he had a family to focus on.
With his mind far away, he failed to catch the rumble of Artie’s car coming to a stop in the parking area by the trailhead.
“You survived!”
Will gave him a smile. “Yeah, no big baddies in the woods out to get me.”
“So, any news on your car?”
“Nothing yet. I’m getting impatient. Mind dropping me by the garage? They have to know something by now.”
“I’m gonna start charging you a pick-up and drop-off fee. Or maybe I should start wearing one of those chauffeur hats? Hey I know, I could become an Uber driver and make a killing out here in the woods.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary. If they don’t have the parts to fix her, I’m heading home. No reason to wait around having it fixed when I can do that at home.”
“Shit, man. That would suck. Who’s going to cook?”
“That’s your worry? I’m sure there is plenty up at the hotel you can eat. Besides, don’t you usually survive on junk food and caffeine?”
“You’re talking about survival. You cook real food. All that fancy shit. It will be wieners and beans for the rest of the week.”
Will gave a short laugh. Just like a young man to think only about food. He saw the chip and candy bar wrappers strewn throughout the back seat. He doubted the kid ate anything green or nutrient rich on his own.
“Well then, cross your fingers that my car is fixed. Then you won’t have to starve.”
Will was crossing his fingers too. He really didn’t want to go home yet.
They drove into Deals Gap and stopped in front of the gas station. The bay door was open again; this time, his white car was inside. The bonnet was up, and he could see a body wearing baggy coveralls leaning over the fender.
It was a surprisingly small frame. Looked like a smaller man, though the rear end curved so sweetly under the coveralls was in no way male shaped. No, that was a woman leaning over his engine.
As he drew closer, he cleared his throat, but the body didn’t move. He walked a little closer and tried again. Still no response, so he knocked on the passenger window he was standing by.
The body under the bonnet flew up, and a wrench clattered to the floor. Will took in the small woman that looked more girlish than full grown adult. The girl had grease smeared across her cheek right under a pair of dark tinted Dewalt safety glasses. He’d seen those before in Vegas; they kept the dust out of your eyes while you were working. The woman was also wearing a pair of white headphones that rested on top of a backward baseball cap that looked like it had seen better days.
Will could see a thick black braid of hair trailing down her back. As his eyes scanned down, he saw one hand was clutching at her chest, the other on her hip as she took deep breaths. He’d clearly startled her, and she was in recovery mode. He couldn’t help but notice that hand resting on her chest was covering a well-rounded shape under the unflattering coveralls.
His eyes flicked back up as she pulled her headphones off and dropped them around her neck, but she kept her glasses on.
“Son of a bitch! You scared the crap out of me!” the small woman accused.
“I apologize. I tried the standard clearing of the throat, but you couldn’t hear me,” he said, gesturing towards her headphones.
“Oh, yeah. I don’t like the constant car noise outside while I’m working. Can I help you with something?”
“Uh, sure. I’m looking for D.J.? He’s supposed to be working on my car here. Imagine my surprise when I see you under the hood.”
“It’s a bonnet, but that’s cool. Surprise or confusion seeing me working on it?”
“Again, Ray just said D.J. would be working on it. He said he had a mechanic, not multiple,” Will explained.
The woman gave him a once over, looking him up and down. Then he watched her face slowly break into a brilliant smile. Straight white teeth contrasted with the dark smudges on her face. She offered her hand to him, and he immediately grabbed it in his.
His breath caught as he felt a shock go through his palm as her small hand slid into his. He looked down at their hands, then up to the woman. She was still grinning when she said, “Nice to meet you, I’m D.J.”
Chapter Five
Delaney Jane Owens thoroughly enjoyed staring up at the tall drink of water that was in front of her. He was gorgeous, not just good-looking, but like ridiculously handsome gorgeous. He was tall, of course, everyone was tall to her. She was just a smidge over five-foot-four, and her head had to tilt back to look at the man. She was wearing her safety goggles, and no way was she taking them off and showing the horrible imprinted ring on her face that was a byproduct of hours of wear.
She could only guess that his eyes were beautiful, maybe brown or hazel. She could tell his hair was light and a little on the long side. He was wearing a nice t-shirt that was not the type you bought in a three-pack at the store. No, this was the kind of t-shirt you bought in a department store where they actually hung each individual shirt up. It clung to a broad chest with his toned biceps stretching the edges of the sleeves. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans that probably came from the same kind of store. His feet sported a pair of Piloti racing shoes. She’d have to give him respect on that. They were small narrow shoes that were good for shifting and meant he liked to drive and took it seriously.
D.J. also liked how big his hand was wrapped around hers. She hesitated for a minute when she realized that the fancy man in front of her had soft hands. Hers were dirty and calloused from too many years under the hood of cars.
She’d built up a pretty thick skin over the years and pushed aside the worry about what this man would think about her. D.J. had fought too hard to get the men in her small community to trust her skills with cars. At first, no one wanted her near their precious vehicles. Then when push came to shove, and she could often fix things faster and better than
her dad, they reluctantly started asking for her.
Her pride in her work was what kept her from letting her chin drop to Mr. Gucci in front of her. He’d find out fast enough that there was no better pair of hands to touch his car in all of Tennessee or North Carolina.
D.J. was staring; she knew it and couldn’t make herself stop. Managing to let go of his hand was a big accomplishment. She couldn’t help but notice he resisted slightly when she started to pull away. His brow was also furrowed like he was still struggling with the fact she was a woman.
Finally, the man seemed to gather himself. “You’re D.J.?”
“Around here I am. Dad got in the habit of doing that years ago when the men in town, and especially the tourists, didn’t want me touching their cars. He used D.J., and they assumed I was a man. Much like I’m assuming you did.”
Will couldn’t deny that. “Sorry, but yeah. It was a wrong assumption, I apologize. What does D.J. stand for?”
“Oh, well that’s not important. D.J. works just fine for me. I’m used to it.”
“I didn’t mean any offense. Was just curious,” he assured her.
“No skin off my nose. So you came to check on your girl?”
“Excuse me?” Will had no idea why he was having such a hard time focusing on the petite woman in front of him. There was a scent that was masked by the smells of the garage, and his cat was distracted trying to sniff it out. It was soft, like vanilla, or cookies. Maybe it was her perfume. Not that he could imagine a mechanic spritzing on her favorite perfume before she spent the day getting covered in oil and gasoline.
“Your girl? Your car? You seem like the kind of guy that would name his car. So what’s hers?” she asked, gesturing to the car.
Clearing his throat, Will answered her, “Cordelia, Cordy.” He never told anyone that he named his car. They would think, well, he wasn’t sure what they would think. Lots of people in the club named their cars, but it was more along the lines of Flash or Bumblebee, and those were usually from the under thirty crowd.