Authors note: This story is the first that I have posted on this site. Please be kind. With that being said if you found something you didn't like, let me know. How would you change it in the part you didn't like? If this was something you enjoyed, please by all means share the love and let me know.
Allison's day couldn't have gotten any worse, or so she thought. It was a Murphy's Law kind of day. After getting dagger looks from her boss for being 20 minutes late thanks to the car crash that she was almost in (God forbid her boss cared about her life), her lunch was stolen by the office sneak, and of course, the copier decided to jam the Friday before the board meeting which had to be ready on Monday morning. So that left her going to Staples for copies, as well as getting a repair person in the office as soon as possible. All of this being looked upon by her boss being Allison's fault.
Finally, it was time to go home, something she prayed would come but was thinking that it may never. Walking to her car she took a deep breath in and let it out, trying to give herself some relief, which was only short-lived. On her way to her car which she had just got washed the day before now had bird crap all over it. Could her luck be any worse? Curing at the skies wondering who she pissed off in a past life or this week to spill havoc on her. At least her car started once she was inside.
After all that had already happened today, all she wanted to do was eat something that wasn't a snack bar and pop open a bottle of wine, while snuggling in her bed until Monday morning. Those plans were put on hold as her car started to become wobbly. Pulling over to the side of the road she got out to assess the problem. The back driver-side tire was going flat. Right then and there all she could do was replay in her mind her mother nagging her to get triple A because you never know when you're going to need it.
Shaking her head of brunette hair in rage and frustration she got back into her car. Tears began to fill her eyes. '
This was not in the plans! None of today was.
' Allison thought. Her body was trying to stay as still as it could to keep everything still. She couldn't fall apart now. Not with being halfway home. She vowed she would wait until she was home and then have a nice long cry. Gathering herself so she wouldn't scream at an unexpecting employee of the random tow place she would have to call for a tire change, or even the one that showed up for her services.
Taking out her phone, which to her surprise was actually at a decent charge, one checkmark in the pro list today she supposed. Looking for towing companies with the best ratings she happened to find one that was close to her home.
This place had always been known for ripping people off. The reviews though of the recent told a much different story. They praised the towing and repair business. As she scrolled further, it showed that the business had changed hands, which lead to better reviews. Not holding her breath, she called thinking that she didn't have much more to lose at this point. Pushing the call button on her phone she heard it ring a few times before someone picked up.
"High-Performance Towing Kyle speaking," he said in a surprisingly upbeat voice.
"Hi, umm I'm having car trouble. I have a flat tire. I don't have any tools to fix it, also I don't have a tire to change it out with. I'm sorry I must sound so stupid right now." Why had she not paid more attention to automobile repairs?
"No ma'am you're fine. We actually get a lot of calls like this all the time. Not all by woman." He said in a reassuring voice.
"Well, that's a relief, I suppose." She added. "How long will it take to get someone out here?"
"We're a bit backed up, I'd say about an hour. Let me get where you're at so I can get the closest dispatched truck to your location."
She provided him with information about where she had pulled over on the road. Thanking her stars, she had gone to the bathroom before she left work. The last thing she wanted to do was get out and find a spot to squat. On top of that, it would most likely be when the tow truck would show up, or some killer on the run that had a thing for women. Yup, that would be my luck today if I had to pee on the side of the road today. Sighing, she pulled out a power bar from her glove compartment. "Hello, dinner. At least I like this flavor." As she unwrapped the mint chocolate chip bar and took a bit out of it. This would be her third power bar of the day. One for breakfast, one for lunch, and now one for dinner. When would this day end? An hour and a half later the tow truck finally showed up. About time Allison thought. Not paying much attention to the guy as he walked to the vehicle. She rolled down the window.
He moved the clipboard he was holding away from his face, and she could now see him. "Allison?" He asked as if he knew her not as if he was checking to make sure this was the right car.
She turned to really look at him, and even though it was now dark outside she recognized him immediately. "Jimmy?"
"Hey, how you've been? Well minus the last few hours." He added a smile.
"Good. Works crazy. Trying to do the responsible thing most days." She smiled back. "Nothing wild and crazy like the old days." This was a complete shock. Allison hadn't thought about Jimmy in years let alone seen him.
'Please let this be a good omen.'
She thought to herself, then she wondered why she even thought that.
Jimmy, now there was a name she hadn't uttered in five, no seven years. Well, he was just as good-looking as he was back then. Even clad in jeans from head to toe, with his jean buttoned down, to the nice fitting jeans he had on his legs over his work boots. But now he had more of a power to him. Like he had grown up. Saddened a little bit that he had cut the long strung-out mocha curls he used to sport. Now they were cut close to his roots. Probably for the best if he now was working on all sorts of vehicles full-time. The beard was also new. That she liked, honestly any man with a beard got points with her, no matter how long it grew, Luckly his was cleaned up. His body had changed as well. Before he was leaner, but now he had built muscle over that leanness, something she wouldn't mind sinking into or being pushed against a wall with. Shaking her head to bring herself back to reality.
"No nothing wrong with that. I understand. I feel like that is my life too." Pausing for a moment. "Why don't we get you out of here so you can start your weekend."
The ride was easy to the shop. They talked about when they used to hang out, what some people in the group were up to now, and who married whom. Simple chit-chat things. As they pulled into the shop Jimmy talked about her car. "I won't be able to get your tire on until tomorrow. Do you have a ride to get home?" He asked her.
"Yeah, I'm just going to order a ride. Shouldn't take that long for the car to get here." She responded not wanting to be an inconvenience to him.
"Don't be silly. I just have a few things to lock up here and then I can take you home. You don't need to spend your money on that." Shaking his head.
This surprised her a bit. The Jimmy she remembered might not have offered. His tone came out as if the offering was no big deal as if she should have just asked him in the first place. "All right, thank you. Do you mind if I get out and stretch my legs? Maybe use the restroom?"
Jimmy watched as Allison got out of the tow truck. She had always been beautiful to him, even now when you could see the tiredness in her eyes from whatever job she was at. Life didn't give her the best hand. That smile though could light up the city. Allison's body had always been curvy. Something men took notice of if she decided to show it off. Even though the brown peasant skirt didn't do her justice, the white lace top that covered the top half of her gave him a bit of imagination that things were still just as sexy.
"Sure thing. It's on the left when you go inside." Jimmy pointed to the door, then held the outside door to let her in.
As they walked in a guy was sitting behind the front desk that customers came to check in or pay for what was done to their vehicles. "Hey, Boss!" Came from the guy's mouth. The voice sounded oddly familiar being the guy she spoke to in the beginning.
"Boss you sound important here?" Allison said half joking half wondering the truth of that.
"Yeah, I own the place." He responded, mostly fact, but there was a little pride to the statement. Could you blame him?
"Wow! If someone had told me that YOU would own a functioning business, what about seven years ago, I would have never believed them. That's awesome!" Allison was truly amazed, proud of him that she had a friend that owned what looked like a well-run business. She now was thinking about what she didn't really have to show about her life at her dead-end job.
"Thanks." Now turning back to the guy behind the desk. "Kyle go home. I'll lock up. This was our last call of the night. As for you Allison the restroom is down the hall on the left, first door."
Following Jimmy's directions, she found herself in a one-stall bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. She had to hand it to him, for a bathroom at an auto repair shop it was kept nice. Clean floors, a nice cabinet for cleaning and paper supplies, and even fake flowers in a vase on top of the cabinet. But of course, the fluorescent lighting made her see how her make-up was washing away from her face. Pulling out her make-up bag she did her best not to look too overdone. I mean he was just giving her a ride home. Why was she suddenly caring so much? Wasn't she just going to wash it all off when she got home? They would be in the car for twenty minutes tops. After having a quick meeting with herself she decided there was nothing wrong with a little touch-up.
About ten minutes later they were sitting in Jimmy's huge new truck. The inside looked like it had the same amount of room as a normal car. You could almost get lost in that thought until you realize that you're above all the cars on the road.
