Hoo Me up - Ladies in Love

Hook Me Up

A Ladies In Love Romance

By Magda McKune

Part Two

Chapter 5

The next morning, Lucy was running a few minutes later than usual. She stopped at a coffee shop to pick up a double mocha espresso for Sparky. Lucy knew it was her friend's favorite, and she wanted to do something extra special to show her appreciation for last night.

Lucy found Sparks in the service bay, dressed in her usual green overalls leaning over something she was working on at the workbench. "Hey, sweetie!" Lucy lilted happily. "I brought you coffee!"

Sparky glanced over her shoulder at her boss and smiled. "You are such a doll." She picked up a small assembly and turned to show it to her friend. "I soaked the carburetor from that Ford Mustang in degreaser overnight and it seems to have loosened up. Hopefully I can get it tuned up and out the door by the end of the week."

"That's great." Lucy set the coffee on the bench and draped her arm across Sparky's shoulders. She leaned in and gave the girl a smooch on the cheek.

Sparks gave her friend a puzzled look. "What was that for?"

"For last night," Lucy beamed brightly. "And for being an all-around wonderful great gal pal."

The girl frowned and shook her head as she turned back to the bench. "We should probably keep our public displays of affection to a minimum when we're at the shop."

"Why?"

"Two reasons; hugging and kissing employees may accidentally be observed by others and misconstrued as sexual harassment. Secondly, you're bound to get me aroused and I wouldn't want to get my greasy fingers all over that sexy body of yours."

Lucy laughed and stepped back. "You're right on both counts." She smiled and rested her hands on her hips. "So what am I to do with myself, now that you've made me a shameless, wanton woman?"

Sparky spoke to the bench as she cleaned the gizmo with a rag. "Curb your enthusiasm until after working hours."

"And then what?"

"Come to my place and we can let our inhibitions run amok."

Lucy grinned. "Are you inviting me to dinner again?"

"Perhaps not right away. We can order a pizza and then we can ravish each other in the bedroom while we're waiting for delivery."

"Oh my!" Lucy giggled gleefully. "Sounds deliciously naughty!"

"I particularly like the ravishing part, myself."

Lucy rested her hand on Sparky's shoulder. "You don't think we're moving the physical aspect of our relationship ahead too fast?"

"Nah. However, if I was a man, a gal not having sex with her partner on a regular basis might earn her the reputation of being a tease."

Lucy leaned closer and lightly brushed her lips against Sparky's ear. "You think I'm a tease?"

"Most definitely." Sparky turned her head and grinned at her friend. "A very sexy, desirable tease."

Lucy chuckled and gave the girl a quick peck on the lips. "Then it's a date." Lucy turned and headed to the front office. "Oh, I just remembered," Lucy added, stopping and turning to her friend. "I have an appointment with our accountant Wendy McBride at eleven. I'll grab something for myself afterward, but you're going to have to fend for yourself for lunch today."

"That's all right. I'll call a sandwich shop that delivers so I don't have to stop what I'm doing and get cleaned up."

"You're so practical." Lucy continued to her office and stopped again. "By the way," she mused, "I was wondering... how did you get the name Sparky anyway?"

Sparky looked up from her work and grinned. "You don't remember?"

"Not really. I think my dad named you that, but I forgot why."

"He once told me I was 'skinny as a spark plug and just as wired'. I think he meant it as a compliment. Anyway, ever since then, he called me 'Suzie Spark Plug' or 'Sparky' for short, and the name stuck. Personally, I kind of like it. Makes me feel like one of those Air Force mechanics back in World War II who could fix anything with a pair of pliers and a roll of duct tape."

Lucy paused with a hand on her hip and smiled at her friend. "Well, I don't know about fixing airplanes, but you are the best auto mechanic I've ever encountered."

"You're sweet." She blew her friend a kiss with her lips. "Mwah! Love you babe!"

Lucy turned for the office and called without looking back, "Love you more!"

Wendy McBride had a small office at the end of a strip mall. She was a heavyset woman in her early forties with a plump round face and short light brown hair with streaks of highlights. "So how are things going at Fast Lanes?" Wendy asked pleasantly.

Lucy casually shrugged a shoulder. "All right, I guess. We're managing to survive. It's been pretty rough this last year."

Wendy nodded with understanding. "Ever since your father passed away and left you the business. I'm sure it hasn't been easy with you and that mechanic girl."

"Sparks."

"Is that her name?"

"No," Lucy chuckled. "Her real name is Suzie Commons. She and I practically grew up in my dad's garage. The girl has a real knack for fixing automobiles. She can gap spark plugs perfectly for any vehicle simply by intuition, or eyesight, ESP, or whatever it is she uses. She told me my dad called her 'Suzie Spark Plug' and the name stuck. Sparky and I have been best friends forever."

"I'm glad." Wendy's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Are you happy, Lucy?"

Lucy furrowed her brow with a puzzled expression wondering about the strange inquiry. "I guess so. Why?"

"No particular reason. It's just that you are in your mid-twenties and not seeing anyone. Now you also have a business to run. I can imagine such a commitment can severely cut into your social life. I've seen how people can immerse themselves in their jobs to the exclusion of all else. All work and no play, as the saying goes. I don't want your entire world to revolve around that garage of yours."

Lucy allowed a wry smile. "Playing matchmaker for me now, are we?"

"Perhaps. I've known you and your father ever since I started my accounting firm 11 years ago. I've seen you grow up to be a beautiful young woman. I care about you, Lucy. You're like a daughter to me. I worry you may be spending too much time under greasy cars and running that business all by yourself. It can take a toll on you, believe me. You need to get out and have a social life. Meet some people and have some fun while you're still young." Wendy paused and looked pensive. "I don't mean to sound like a Yenta, but I don't want you to spend the best years of your life fighting to keep the family business afloat. I want to see you happy."

Lucy nodded her head in understanding. "It isn't easy running your own business single-handedly. I'm only 26 years old and I'm the boss of my own company. That's a lot for one woman to handle. Plus, I'll be 27 soon. More than a quarter of a century old and I never made the time to have a real relationship with anybody. To be honest, I never even considered getting into any kind of serious relationship until recently. I guess it's the realization that I'm not getting any younger, you know? Maybe it's time I thought about having something else in my life besides work."

"Have you thought about an online dating service?"

Lucy laughed. "I've tried every option I could think of, from online dating to speed dating, to going out on a few blind dates that friends hooked me up with."

Wendy smiled knowingly. "Well, if you're not too averse to the blind date option, I might know a man who might be just right for you."

Lucy allowed an amused grin. "I had a sneaking suspicion that you might."

"He's a friend of mine named Dan Pruitt. He's 29 and never been married. Tall, good looking, dark hair, great body. Very intelligent with a pleasant personality and good sense of humor. I think you will like him."

Lucy's eyebrows went up. "So what does Mister Wonderful do for a living?"

"He's an attorney."

"A lawyer!" Lucy guffawed.

"He specializes in corporate law. You know -- contracts, mergers, settlements -- that sort of thing. Very respectable clientele."

"At least he's not an ambulance chaser." Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and regarded her friend skeptically. "If he's such a great catch, why does he have to have women fix him up with blind dates?"

Wendy leaned back in her chair, knowing she had piqued her client's interest. "Dan had been going with the same girl all through college. He studied law and she went into medicine. After they graduated, the girl landed a job in Africa helping villages with the AIDS problem. Dan didn't see having much opportunity practicing corporate law in Zimbabwe or Rwanda, so they broke it off. Dan drifted around for a while, checking out the bar scene and singles clubs but without much success. He was about to try the online dating scenario when I mentioned you might be available."

"Gee, thanks." Lucy narrowed her eyes at the woman. "How is it you come to know so much about this guy?"

"We bumped into each other at a Chamber of Commerce after-hours mixer. Those things are mostly just an excuse for business networking anyway. Pick up a few clients here and there. Dan and I went out for a drink afterward and he ended up telling me his whole life story."

"Hmmm," Lucy pondered. There probably wouldn't be any harm in going out with the man. It wasn't like she had never been on a blind date before. Lucy suddenly remembered her evening with Sparky and what a terrific time they had. It was great kissing and groping with her friend, but Lucy didn't want to entirely shut the door on men just yet. Then again, she didn't want to hurt Sparky's feelings either. "I don't know," she hedged reservedly. "I haven't had much luck going out with strange men lately."

Wendy eyed Lucy with a thoughtful gaze. "Go out with the guy, Lucy. Hell, it's only a date. You'll have some dinner, a couple drinks, a few laughs. Maybe you'll hit it off. The worse that'll happen is you'll have a nice pleasant dinner with a nice pleasant man. What's the big deal?"

Lucy pondered the notion for a few moments. At last, she nodded her head in acceptance. "All right. I'll give it a try."

"Good girl." Wendy picked up a business card from her desk and handed it to Lucy. "Here is Dan's number. Give him a call. It may not lead anywhere, but at least it will be a nice break from your usual work routine."

Lucy studied the card and thought about it a moment. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go out with the man." She smiled at Wendy and asked, "So, beside my social life, is there anything else weighing heavily on your mind?"

A serious expression passed over Wendy's face. "Actually, the main reason I wanted to meet with you this morning, Lucy, was to discuss a particularly unpleasant subject with you."

Lucy furrowed brow with concern. "What is it?"

"It's a matter concerning the real estate taxes of the shop. As you know, when you father was taken ill, he transferred all financial responsibilities of the business to me. He put me in charge of paying taxes and filing the necessary fiscal reports with the IRS. I've done the best I could with the resources available to me. But some things I had to put off paying as long as I possibly could." She leaned forward and clasped her hands together on her desk blotter. "We both know that revenue from the shop has been going down for a long time, even before your father passed away. Frankly, it doesn't look like things will pick up anytime soon either."

"I know," Lucy sighed woefully. "I'm trying to keep us afloat, and even with only one employee and myself, we barely manage to keep our heads above water."

Wendy nodded soberly. "You may not be aware that your father mortgaged the shop to the hilt. All the assets are owned by the bank. Next month the bank note is due, and at the same time we have to come up with the tax payment. Unfortunately, we can't afford both."

Lucy stared evenly at her friend. "What does that mean?"

"It means we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. If we don't pay the taxes, the government can close your doors until the debt is paid. If we default on the bank, they can seize all your assets. We have to pay at least a partial amount to both entities to keep the wolves at bay."

"How much are we talking about?"

Wendy picked up and studied a piece of paper from her desk. "About five thousand dollars should cover it."

"Five thousand!"

"More or less."

"I don't have that kind of money."

"I know. I've finagled every account I can find and that's the very best I can do. Either we come up with the cash in the next 30 days, or you're out of business."

The news came as a sledgehammer blow to Lucy's chest. She knew the business had been suffering, but until now she simply thought it was a temporary slump. She had no idea the severity of the situation. "What can we do? I don't think I can raise that amount of cash in a month."

"I hate to admit it, but there are only a few options left available to us."

Lucy grasped at the thin thread that Wendy dangled in front of her. "A few options?" she asked eagerly. "Such as?"

Wendy winced slightly. "You're not going to like it."

"Tell me."

"It was because I mentioned Dan Pruitt's name earlier... not only as a possible date for you, but also as a potential resource as well."

Lucy returned a questioning glance. "What do you mean?"

"Word around town is that Dan Pruitt is very wealthy. It might come in handy to have someone with liquid assets on your side should the time come when you need a favor."

An expression of understanding gradually spread across Lucy's face. "Wait a minute! This date with Dan Pruitt was a setup from the very beginning! You want me to go out with a complete stranger and beg him for money?"

Wendy gave an apologetic shrug. "Beg is such a strong word."

Lucy scowled angrily. "I can think of a few other strong words of my own at this moment!"

Wendy sternly eyed her friend. "Look, I didn't say you had to have sex with the man, unless of course you want to. Go out on a date with him. Get to know him a little. Then turn on the charm and ask for the money. How can a man resist a fair damsel in distress?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes in a scowl. "A damsel in financial distress, you mean."

Wendy leaned back in her chair and spread her hands. "All I'm saying is; don't discount the possibility of asking a man for help when you need it."

"In return for what?" Lucy huffed. "Sex? You want me to prostitute myself in order to save the family business?"

"You told me yourself your personal life was in a slump. Go out on a date with the man. You two may hit it off. If you do, it could be the answer to all of your problems; financial and personal."

Lucy frowned at the proposal. "The man is a lawyer. He'll see through this sham in an New York minute. If he likes me, the guy will be insulted if I ask him for a cash advance. He'll think I was only interested in him for his money, which wouldn't be too far from the truth. And what if he does lend me the money? With him being an attorney, he'll undoubtedly want something in return. I may have a nice face and body, but I seriously doubt having sex with me would be worth five grand to any man. He'd no doubt want something concrete as collateral. I'd like to explore every option available to me before I sign over part of my business to a complete stranger."

Wendy casually shrugged a shoulder. "At least meet with the man. Dan is a decent guy and you two might hit it off. Call him up and set up a date with him. Even if you are intent on not asking him for the cash, the worst-case scenario is you'll have a nice dinner with a handsome and charming fellow."

Lucy stared at the card in her palm. Much as she hated to admit it, Wendy was right. None of the dates Lucy had been on panned out to anything. This guy deserved as much of a chance as those other men she went out with. It just riled her that she might also need to find someone with an ample supply of cash on hand to bail her out of a tight jam.

"I suppose you're right," Lucy reluctantly agreed. "I mean, what's the harm in going out with him? It isn't like I haven't been on a blind date before."

Wendy smiled warmly. "That's my girl!"

Lucy stepped out of the building into the bright sunshine. She stood on the sidewalk, dazed by the harsh reality of her circumstances that had slapped her in the face. Lucy had to date a strange man, to prostitute herself to save the shop. What made matters worse is that she and Sparky had recently, though unofficially, become an item. Lucy suspected Sparks would take her stepping back into the dating arena as a personal insult to her womanhood and their friendship.

Lucy groaned and leaned her back against the hard concrete façade of the building. Begging a strange man for money with the fate of the garage hanging in the balance. Plus the very real possibility of hurting her dear friend's feelings. Lucy saw no upside to this whole terrible scenario.

Lucy returned to the shop. Her mind was elsewhere as she walked into the service area.

Sparky was seated at the workbench cleaning a greasy manifold cover. She glanced up at her friend and smiled. "Hi, sweetie!" she chirped brightly. "How did it go?"

Lucy snapped her mind out her reverie and turned to the girl. "Hmm?"

"How did it go with the accountant?"

"Not good." Lucy sat on a stool by the work bench. "Wendy gave me some bad news."

Sparky put down the rag and stared at her. "How bad?"

"Really bad. Armageddon bad."

"What is it?"

Lucy drew in and slowly released her breath. "It seems we have less than a month to come up with five thousand dollars or we might lose the business."

Sparky gasped in shock. "What!"

"Apparently my father hocked everything he could to keep the shop going, but it wasn't enough. We have to come up with some big bucks pronto, or Fast Lanes Auto Service is history."

"Holy crap!"

"Yep," Lucy sighed dejectedly.

"What about applying for a loan from the bank?"

"Wendy already tried that. She contacted every financial institution in town but came up empty."

"I would help you out if I could," Sparks offered. "But I don't have that kind of money. All I have is ninety dollars in a checking account and about eight hundred squirreled away in savings. You're welcome to it if you think it'll help."

Lucy rested her hand on Sparky's arm and smiled. "That's very sweet of you to offer, but you better hold onto it. You may need it to tide you over if you have to go looking for another job."

Sparky slumped her body in misery. "There has to be some way we could raise the money."

"Well, there may be one way," Lucy hedged reservedly. She rose to her feet and began to pace the floor. "But I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it."

Sparky furrowed her brow with a puzzled expression. "Why am I not going to like it?"

Lucy winced and nervously rubbed her hands. "Well... you see... Wendy suggested I meet with a friend of hers and ask him for the money."

"Him? Who is him?"

"A friend of hers. More like an acquaintance, really. Wendy said he's single and good looking. And he wants to go out with me... on a date."

Sparky's face contorted in anger and she sprang to her feet. "You're going to fuck a guy for money!"

Lucy recoiled from the unexpected hostility from her friend. "That's an awful thing to say!"

Sparky crossed her arms over her chest and stared hotly at her boss. "Tell me it isn't true."

Lucy hedged. "Well... we don't exactly have to have sex."

"Oh, and you think that if you smile and bat your long pretty eyelashes at the man, he's going to roll over and hand you five grand, just like that."

"He might."

"In a pig's eye!" Sparks spat. "The very least he'll want is sex, to seal the deal, so to speak. That is, if he only settles for that. My guess is he will want something solid in return, like a chunk of the business."