Downshift (Skid Row Kings #1)

by Winter Travers

  I had only known him for two days, and he was taking up way too much of my thoughts. So what if he was hot and was nice to me for a little bit. For a majority of the time he had been king Douche to me, and he wasn’t worth my thoughts. Tomorrow when he dropped my car off, I would pay him, tell him thank you and never see the man again.

  Luke Jensen was not someone I was going to worry about from here on out.

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  Chapter 6

  Luke

  I waited till she had made it to the door before I took off. I knew I should have helped her with the damn coffee maker, but I needed to get away from her.

  When she had asked me about my brothers and sounded taken back by the fact that they both still lived with me, she pissed me off. So she didn’t think that family should be there for each other, well then she didn’t need to be around either. She hadn’t been around when Mitch had gone to jail and just when he had gotten out Mom and Dad had died. She wasn’t there to watch my sister break down every day for months missing Mom and Dad. She had no clue about my family, and I wasn’t about to spend time with her when all she was going to do was judge me.

  I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “Son of a bitch.” I shifted the truck into drive and squealed out of the parking lot, pissed at myself for thinking that for even one second she was different than what I had pegged her for before.

  I headed back to the library parking lot. If I could get her car back to her before she woke up, I wouldn’t need to see her again. I wasn’t going to charge her for it. Her being out of my life was going to be payment enough.

  Her car was still sitting in the deserted parking lot, and I pulled up to it¸ bumper to bumper. I grabbed the screwdriver from the back seat and hopped out of the truck.

  Her hood popped open, no problem. I really should have grabbed her keys from her, but I was so pissed I hadn’t even thought about it. I walked over to the driver's door, tried the handle and was surprised as fuck when the damn thing opened. I looked around, making sure no one saw me because the next thing I was about to do could get me arrested.

  I sat in the driver's seat, took off the cover that went over the shaft of the steering wheel and exposed all the wires underneath. I quickly hotwired the car and turned it over to the same result as earlier. Definitely the alternator.

  All I had to do was grab the car hauler, take it back to the shop, hope we had the alternator in stock, and it should only take a half an hour to fix. The hard part was going to be convincing Kurt or Mitch to follow me when I brought the car back to her.

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket, dialing Kurt. “Yo.”

  “How long until you are home?”

  “We’re at the shop right now. We were wondering where the hell you were.”

  “Ugh, long fucking story, but right now I’m at the damn library. That librarian who brought Frankie home yesterday had her car break down when I picked Frankie up tonight. I told her I would get it fixed and bring it back to her. I need to you grab the car hauler and help me out.”

  “Wait, hold on,” Kurt said. “You pick Frankie up at seven, it is now almost fucking midnight. What the hell have you been doing? Ohhhh, I know. The librarian.” Kurt busted out laughing thinking he was hilarious, and I could hear Mitch laughing in the background. It was hard to believe that these two were almost thirty.

  “Grab the car hauler and get your ass here.” I hung the phone up not wanting to deal with their fucking jokes.

  I looked around her car, noticing it was clean and neat, unlike so many cars I had repaired before. I flipped through the stash of CDs on the side of the seat and wondered who the hell listened to CDs anymore. Didn’t everyone listen to iTunes or Spotify?

  They were all whino chick music from the nineties and shook my head. All shit.

  I leaned back in the seat and rested my head against the headrest.

  I could admit that Violet was definitely not hard on the eyes, but she just rubbed me the wrong way. I could tell how terrified she was of Ginny, and that was why I decided that we would get the food to go. I had spent time around Ginny, and I had seen how she treated people. If you couldn’t do something for her, you weren’t worth her time. She always showed up at all the races and tried to hang all over me, but I never fell for her line of shit.

  I hadn’t hooked up with anyone for months, partly because I just didn’t want the Goddamn drama anymore. If you showed these girls interest even one time, they thought they were going to get a ring out of you and wouldn’t leave me alone. I was too damn old to be dealing with that shit anymore. I thought maybe Violet would be different, but we were too much of opposites.

  Headlights flashed across the parking lot, and I knew Kurt was here. I hopped out of the car and backed my truck up so Kurt could back up to the front of the car. After I had moved my truck, I slammed the hood of the car down and helped Kurt hook up the winch to pull the car onto the bed.

  “You want to tell me why the hell this car looks like you hotwired it?” Kurt asked, leaning into the car.

  I walked over to the controls of the winch and tightened the slack. “That would be because I hotwired the fucking thing. I forgot to get the keys from her, and I didn’t feel like going back to get them.”

  Kurt shifted the car into neutral, and I pulled the car up the bed. “You seem to be in a shitty mood. What the hell happened? Did the sexy librarian turn you down?” Kurt laughed.

  “Hardly. I’m just ready to get this fucking thing fixed and get to bed.”

  “Hold on, you’re fixing this piece of shit tonight?”

  It really was a piece of shit. It was a four-door, ‘95 Corolla that was dark blue and had rust over the wheel wells. She needed a new car, but from the fact she couldn’t afford that Keurig and the shitty apartment she lived in, I assumed a new car was out of the question. “It’s only going to take an hour, tops.”

  Kurt shook his head and helped strap the car down. He climbed back up into the car hauler, and I followed him back to the shop.

  I parked in front of the shop while Kurt unloaded the car. “I’m going to check to see if we have the alternator in stock,” I hollered to Kurt. He waved me off, and I headed into the office.

  “Who the hell’s piece of shit is that?” Mitch was sitting behind the service counter eating a sandwich.

  “Violet’s.” I walked over to the computer, switching it on.

  “And Violet would be?”

  “The librarian.”

  “Ah, the sexy librarian. You dating her now?”

  The screen blinked on, and I entered my password. “No. She needed help, that’s it.” I searched on the computer, going through the stock while Mitch scarfed down his sandwich.

  “So what the hell possessed you to help this chick out?” He crumpled up his napkin and tossed it in the garbage can.

  “Frankie seems to like her. I didn’t want to look like an ass, so I offered to fix her car. I do own a body shop.” I clicked through the inventory and found the alternator. “Go find this part and while you’re at it, find new wipers for her car, too. They look like shit.”

  “Aye, aye, boss.”

  We both headed into the shop, Mitch headed to the racking in the back, and I walked over to the overhead door, opening it. “You know you could fucking help roll this bitch in,” Kurt cursed, pushing the car in.

  “That’s why I pay you the big bucks, brother,” I laughed, closing the door behind him.

  “I need a fucking raise,” he grumped, “pop the fucking hood.”

  I opened the door, pulled the hood release and closed the door.

  “Why the hell are we changing her wiper blades if her fucking alternator is the problem?” Mitch asked, walking over with the parts.

  “Because, I said so.” Did she ask for me to put new blades on? No. Would it hurt anything if I did? No. “Check her oil and filter, too. She takes the fucking car to damn Wal-Mart to get the oil changed.” Kurt and Mitch both curled their lips in d
isgust at the mere mention of having anything done at Wal-Mart.

  “Jesus. We should probably check the whole car over. No wonder the fucking thing broke down.” Kurt rolled his cart of tools over and started working on the alternator.

  “Probably a good idea.”

  The half an hour I had first thought it would take just tripled. Get her car fixed and then I’d never have to see her again.

  I hoped.

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  Luke

  It was two o’clock when I rolled up to her apartment with her car. Mitch, Kurt, and I had done a major tune up on it and replaced and repaired any problems we noticed. We had probably done more work on the car than it was worth.

  I unloaded the car, rolling it into a parking spot. I grabbed the bill that I had drawn up and placed it on the front seat. I would have slid it under her door, but I had no idea what apartment was hers.

  I shut the door and hopped back into the car hauler.

  After I had shifted the truck into drive, I glanced in my rearview mirror at her car.

  Her car was fixed. Nothing should break on her car until the damn body falls apart in five years.

  My job was done.

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  Chapter 7

  Violet

  I plopped down in my car, thankful the long work day was over. I stuck the key in the ignition and the car purred to life. Even when I had gotten the car six years ago, it never ran this good.

  It had been three weeks since I had woken up and discovered my car, that I thought was broken down, was in the parking lot of my apartment complex. Better than it had ever been.

  Luke had left a bill on the seat, and I still couldn’t believe it. He had listed everything he had done, and let me tell you, it was a long list. He fixed things I didn’t even know needed fixing. At the bottom of the bill was a big fat zero in the amount due column. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it.

  I had called the number on the bottom of the bill and talked to Luke for a total of five seconds. All I said was “It’s Violet.” and all he said was “The bills been paid.” and he hung the phone up. He obviously didn’t want to talk to me.

  That led me to now. Every time I started the car, I thought of the jerk but really couldn’t call him a jerk anymore. Now not only had he bought me dinner and a coffee maker, but he had also fixed my car to where all I would need to be done to it for the next year is get the oil changed every three thousand miles.

  I still saw Frankie every day, but she never talked about Luke, and I didn’t want to look crazy asking about him. He came to pick her up like clockwork every day at seven. Sometimes he was even waiting for her in the parking lot. He never came in to get her, just sat in his truck, idling, waiting for her.

  Except for today. We had walked out of the library at the same time, and I was surprised that Luke wasn’t waiting for her. She had waved me off, saying he would be there and sat down on the steps. It was a warm spring night and not raining, so I was torn about what I should do.

  “Shit,” I whispered, knowing what I should do. “Frankie, get in the car. I can give you a ride home.” She looked up and down the street and shook her head. She grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder and walked over to my car.

  “Well, it was good while it lasted. I should have known, though. Street wars are in four days. It was only a matter of time before he forgot about me.” She closed the door shut behind her and dropped her book bag on the floor.

  “Well, I was going to go grab something to eat. You want to come with, and then I can drop you off at home?”

  “I don’t have any money on me.”

  “You don’t need money,” I said, shifting into reverse out of my parking spot. “It’s on me,” I smiled.

  “Thanks. Do you think we could hit up Taco Shack? I’ve been craving their tacos lately.” Taco Shack was some of the best fast food around, although if you wanted really good Mexican food, Miguel’s was the way to go. Although ever since I had Miguel’s with Luke, I didn’t think I would ever eat there again.

  “Sounds good.” We headed over to the restaurant, Frankie chattering nonstop about the book she was reading. I had come to find out over the past three weeks that Frankie was a huge Abbi Glines lover.

  After we had grabbed our food, we found a booth in the back and dug into our bounty of food. “I seriously don’t know how they make these taste so good,” Frankie groaned, taking a bite.

  I think it had to do with the grease that was dripping down Frankie’s chin. “Why do you think I ordered each of us six,” I laughed, opening my taco. I had to groan too when I took a bite because Frankie was so right.

  “Mitch is going to be so jealous when he finds out we had Taco Shack. He’s going to be pissed that I’m not bringing him any leftovers.”

  We sat in silence, both of us enjoying the goodness that was Taco Shack.

  I sat back, hand on my stomach and moaned, “Ugh, I don’t think I can eat the last two.” Four tacos and I was ready to tap out. There was only so much grease a girl could handle. “I can’t believe you ate five,” I laughed, looking at the empty wrappers strewn all over the table.

  “I might be regretting eating that last one,” she giggled, gathering all the wrappers, balling them up.

  “Well, it looks like your brother is in luck. You can take these three home to him.”

  “Are you sure? He really doesn’t need them. He can drive himself here if he wants some.”

  I waved my hand, knowing if I took them home I would just gorge myself on them, giving myself an even worse stomach ache. “I’m sure. Go ahead.”

  She wrapped up the extra tacos in the bag, and we headed back to the car. It was going on eight o’clock, and I was ready to head home. It was nearing the end of school and things at the library seemed to pick up. Between term papers and studying for year-end exams, there was always, at least, ten to twenty kids in the library after school. I was exhausted.

  “Thanks for taking me out to dinner.”

  “It’s no problem, Frankie. Maybe we can do this once a week. It was fun. I really don’t get out that much.” That was the understatement of the year. The last time I had been out, other than grocery shopping, was with Luke.

  “Heck yeah. That would be awesome. I’ll talk to Luke and let him know. How does every Wednesday sound?”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Frankie had become close these past weeks, and she felt like my own little sister that I had always wanted.

  We pulled up to the front office of the shop, and we both jumped when Luke threw the front door open, a glare on his face. He really didn’t look happy. “What the hell do you think you are doing?” he yelled.

  Uh oh, it looked like Frankie and I had both forgotten to let Luke know we were going out to eat. “Crap. He looks pissed,” Frankie whispered, peering out the windshield at Luke, who was standing in front of my car, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “I’d say double crap.” Luke looked like he was ready to rip my head off. This was not how I pictured the next time I saw him.

  Frankie hit the door lock button, locking us in. “He may know how to pick a lock, but it’ll take him a little bit.”

  Frankie and I busted out laughing at the outraged look on his face when he heard the doors lock. “I don’t think he expected that,” I laughed.

  “OK. I’m going to get out. As soon as my door shuts, throw the car in reverse and get the hell out of here.”

  “I’m not letting you do this on your own. I was the idiot that didn’t even think of telling Luke what we were doing.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s what he gets for forgetting to pick me up.”

  I unlocked the door and shut off the car. Better to get this over with quick and then I could go home. We both slowly opened our doors, neither one of us wanting to get out.

  “What the hell were you thinking? I got to the library, and nobody was there. I drove up and down the street looking for you. I
even went to Violet’s apartment looking for you.”

  We both walked around to the front of the car and stood in front of Luke. I really did feel bad for making him worry about Frankie. I just figured that he had forgotten, and it wasn’t a big deal that I had taken her out to dinner. I guess I was wrong. Whoops.

  “You weren’t there when the library closed, so Violet took me out to dinner.”

  “Don’t you think that should have been something you told me instead of just disappearing?”

  “Look, this is my fault, Luke. I should have had Frankie call you. Don’t be mad at her for this. I was the one who suggested we grab something to eat.” I didn’t want him to be mad at Frankie. I was the adult in this situation, and all the blame should be put squarely on me.

  Luke looked me up and down and scowled. “I really wouldn’t expect you to care about family and letting me know where Frankie was. I’m not surprised at all that you were part of this.”

  I gasped, shocked at his words. I took a step back as though he had punched me. What the hell did he mean I didn’t care about family? He didn’t even know me. “I… I’m sorry…” I stuttered.

  “How the hell can you say that to her?” Frankie cried, outraged.

  “Because I know what kind of person she is, Frankie. I don’t want you hanging out with her anymore. On top of the fact she thinks she’s better than everyone, she needs to find friends her own age, not a fourteen-year-old looking for attention.”

  Another punch to the gut. Where the hell was he getting this? I have never in my whole life thought that I was better than anyone. I felt the tears begin to swell, and I knew I needed to get out of there. I fumbled with my keys and backed up to get in my car.

  “See, I told you she would be home soon. I don’t know why you were freaking out so much?” My eyes snapped to the door of the office, and I felt another punch to the gut when Ginny walked out. “All that driving around we did was worthless.”