So this guy shows up, big dude too. His truck's overheating, blowing clouds everywhere. He walked through the door, looking fiercely pissed. He glanced at me and looked glaringly around our shop.
"Can I help you?"
"Gotta mechanic round?" he growled.
"Sure, that your truck?"
"Yeah."
"Think it blew up?"
"Maybe."
"Doubt it but let me go take a look. Key in it?" I asked, grabbing the key from him, my notebook and fresh gloves before I walked past him, out the door. I took down all the info I needed before popping the hood. A thin cloud of white smoke swirled out from underneath as I raised it.
"You have any idea what you're looking at?" he asked from behind me. I climbed up onto the front bumper, to get a closer look through the clouds. What was that clicking noise? I wondered as I leaned over, waving away the lingering wisps, noticing a few areas where antifreeze still dribbled.
"Nope, not a clue but it looks like you not only sprang leak from your water pump but also the lower radiator hose and quite possibly the radiator. Did you run anything over recently? Nail gun? Porcupine? Was it running hot?"
"Not to my knowledge. It's a loaner, one of my coworkers let me borrow it and I did beat on it on the way here."
"Well, let me get it inside and see if I can get the parts. Do you want to drive it in or would you like me to?"
"Go ahead. I'll make a call and be in, in a few minutes." I shut the hood, climbed up into the driver's seat, shifted the seat forward about five inches, started the engine, listening carefully as I shifted to reverse. In a minute, I had it pulled into the a/c and shut it back off, listening to the many substantial leaks drip onto the floor.
I clicked on my headset hearing my parts company number blipping through. I rattled off the truck info and went through the list of parts I'd need for certain and their availability. My parts guy had everything but the radiator and couldn't until the day after tomorrow.
While going over the list with one, I was checking online for everybody else. Unless I wanted to drive sixteen and a half hours, it'd be the day after tomorrow. I glanced up when the door opened again, expecting the truck dude, and watched as my partner in life and business came in.
"That's him outside?" he asked, behaving jittery.
"Yep."
"Big job?" His hands won't stop moving.
"Radiator, water pump, and the lower hose. Problem is, can't get the radiator until the day after tomorrow. Nobody's got it."
"Have you told him yet?" He's not meeting my eyes. He's done something stupid.
"He's been outside since I brought it in. I've still gotta work up the estimate for him."
"I'm gonna work on that rebuild." He mumbled, acting strangely. Sweat beading on his forehead, his jaw clenching and chewing at nothing before he jittered across the shop. My customer came in the door behind him and watched him cross the shop.
"What's the damage?"
"Well, I'm still working that out. I have a problem though. I can't get the radiator until the day after tomorrow."
"Seriously?"
"Unfortunately, yes." I looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time. 'What's that pain in my chest? That thudding feeling?' I thought in that brief second after being caught by his warm whiskey eyes.
"Shit."
"Sorry." The phone rang. It was my parts guy calling back to tell me that if I wanted to take a four and a half hour ride, I could pick up the radiator in Memphis tomorrow after two-thirty. "I'll let you know in a few, okay? Yeah. Bye."
"What's up?" my customer asks.
"I'll let you know in a minute." I said with a hopeful smile as I crossed the shop to confer with Mike. "Hey, um, I can pick the radiator up tomorrow after two-thirty if I want to drive to Memphis and back."
"That's... that's a...a whole d-d-day lost."
"We'd only have the walk-ins. You can handle that no problem. Is everything alright?"
"Y-y-yes. I-I'm fine." Mike snapped, his body shaking madly. "Ask the...the c-c-customer wh-what he'd li-like y-y-you to d-d-do."
"Fine." Absolutely certain that the last hour he'd been gone, he'd visited his new squeeze/meth whore and now he's tweaking. Wonderful. "I'll give you the news first, then finish up the estimate if that's okay."
"Sure. What's the news?"
"Well, I can get the radiator tomorrow afternoon, after two-thirty if I want to drive to Memphis and back."
"How far away is that?"
"About four and a half hours, one way."
"Would you be willing to drive nine hours to get it?"
"Would you want me to? Are you in a big hurry to get somewhere or are you just passing through at a leisurely pace?"
"Actually, I was just driving off my anger." He shrugged, a sheepish grin hinting at dimples. "I don't actually have anything I need to rush for. Is there anywhere nearby where I can spend a couple of nights?"
"There are a couple places but the one I recommend is the B&B. Every time. Kinda on the pricey side but so very worth it. Would you like me to call and find out if they have anything available?"
"Thanks. Yeah, please." I watched him turn and sit beside my dog, rubbing his short fur absently, as I dialed he B&B.
"Hey Katie! It's Jem. Would you check and see if you've got anything for tonight and the next day and some, maybe? One. Nope. No, I didn't but I guessed. She's already talking? Yep, plan number fifteen is now initiated. Really? That's a really nice room with a pretty nice view. Definitely tonight and tomorrow night. No, I can't get the part til the day after tomorrow. Yeah, it does. Okay, I'll give him the phone. Katie's ready to check you in but she needs some info first."
"Sure, thanks." I went back to his estimate, trying to be fair and reasonable and still make a fair profit on the parts, figuring the labor, wave the magic wand and come up with a grand total.
I glanced up at him, when I heard him laugh. 'Thank you Katie-girl! He needs a laugh right now more than anything! He's got a great smile.' I thought letting my gaze travel over him in closer detail.
Wide shoulders topped a broad, muscled chest, over a thick, toned stomach. Long, strong thighs filled his jeans over black, dusty cowboy boots. His smile, catching me checking him out was friendly with a hint of flirtation sparkling in those whiskey pools.
"I'm checked in and Charles is serving dinner at six. Would you mind giving me a ride there?"
"Not at all. I'd be glad to."
"Anywhere nearby where I can get some clothes and other things?"
"Nearby? Not unless you count the dollar store. Wallyworld is about a half hour away. I could take you over there after Charles's dinner, if you'd like."
"I'd appreciate that Jem."
"I've got your estimate ready."
"Hit me with it."
"Nine hundred fifteen dollars and forty-seven cents."
"Sold."
"Whew, thanks. I'll take you up in just a minute. It's the pink Ford out there." I waited until he'd gone outside before I went back over to Mike. "I'm taking him up to the B&B, and later, I'm taking him to get some stuff at Wallyworld. Don't come home. Go to Kimber's. Your clothes and shit will be delivered there as soon as possible. When I'm done with his truck, I'm outta here. Done. You understand me?"
"Y-y-yeah. W-w-what-ev-ever. S-s-she's bet-bet-better than y-y-you, an-any-anyway."
"I'm outta here. Bye." I strode across the shop, collected my ugly bag and my dog and out the door we went. I got Pudge settled in the bed and climbed into my driver's seat.
"Nice truck."
"Thanks." I replied shortly.
"I have to ask though, why this shade of pink?"
"So Mike wouldn't drive it. What man in his right mind drives a pink truck?" I said, twisting the key in the dash, bringing my sweet girl to life with a purring rumble. I grinned at his raised eyebrows. "What'd you expect? A knocking drippy piece of shit?"
"I didn't expect that either. Something somewhere in between." I glanced over at him to see his smile blooming. "You did that?"
"Yeah. With some help from Mike here and there." I answered, shifting into drive and turning toward the driveway.
"Nice job."
"Thanks. Hang on." I grinned as I stomped on the gas and lit up the tires. My rear end swinging back and forth across the road before she caught pavement and shot down the road.
"Whooohooo! Go! Go! Yeah!" he howled laughing.
That instant burned into my soul. His smile, surprised, full and relaxed. The sun highlighting the light blond tips peeking out from under his gimme cap. The way it felt so right having him in my truck, beside me.
I let her idle around the curve, goosing her lightly up the hill before turning onto the left that led me back behind the neighborhood to where the B&B hid, snuggled into a paradise of landscaping and water features, sitting on four acres above the lake.
"Wow." He breathed when I slowed passing the fountain falls. Around another gentle curve and I puttered into their crushed shell drive. I grinned at him, shaking my head. 'He ain't seen nothin' yet.' I thought shifting into park.
I led him into the reception desk where Charles actually sat, listening intently to a screeching harpy blasting away viciously at full volume, his thumb and forefinger massaging his forehead, pinching the bridge of his nose. He waved us wearily into the kitchen behind him.
His partner, Zachary, was just finishing pouring coffee into a carafe.
"Well, hello there! You must be Drake Franklin. Has Jemmie here taken good care of you so far?"
"She has." Drake answered, his smile relaxed.
"Young man, you were in the right spot at the right time. Jemmie'll take the best care of you. By the look of those dark circles under your eyes, you need one of my special cucumber treatments." Zack said, taking Drake's chin gently, in his hand and inspecting him closely.
"I'd like to start with a straight eight hours of sleep but maybe tomorrow." Drake said, lifting his chin from Zack's fingertips slowly.
"Well, of course! I'll be here in the morning helping Charles with breakfast and the morning chores. Y'all want some coffee?"
