He snorted. “Now I definitely want a recreation.”
I levelled a flat stare at the back of his head. Not only was he sexist, but he was apparently a perv.
Or attracted to me.
I preferred the former option.
A perv, I could deal with. A guy as hot as him? Not so much.
Although, his mouth shut that shit down pretty quick… Probably just like mine did.
Thank God.
I’d have to go to pray for small mercies, aka sarcasm, this weekend.
Ugh… My mom was going to love dragging me to church.
Chapter Five – Jamie
“Could you get that?” Dex asked from beneath the Dodge Ram.
He was lucky I’d just finished putting the new front tire on Mrs. Hawkins’ Ford, or I’d have told him the answer was no.
Instead, I sighed and headed for the ringing phone.
I picked it up and put it to my ear with a glance through the closing door. “Good morning. Ryne Garages.”
“Good morning,” a familiar, raspy voice came through the phoneline. “My car won’t start. I think the battery is dead. I need it towed.”
A smile crossed my face. Yep. I knew exactly who that was.
“Are you sure it’s the battery, sir?” I asked.
There was a pause. “I know this voice.”
I fought a grin.
“Is this Jamie Bell?”
“Sure is, Mr. Daniels.”
“Then you know damn well it’s my battery, child.”
“Did you leave your lights on last night again?”
“It’s not me,” he replied. “The damn car has a mind of its own. Turns ‘em on like magic!”
I’d heard that story before.
I laughed. “I’ll see what I can do, Mr. Daniels. I might need a couple of hours.”
“I don’t have a few hours. I have to see my doctor at two.”
“You’ll have to ask Steph to pick you up,” I said, referring to his six-month pregnant daughter. “I might not be able to get it back to you until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow!” He was aghast. “The service there ain’t like it was when your daddy owned it.”
“Dad never got your car back to you the same day. He either jump started it or made you wait overnight because he didn’t have a chance to get it done.”
“Then jump start it.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Mr. Daniels, I’ll head over to your place with the tow truck and take a look for you, all right?”
He sniffed. “All right. But you get here real soon.”
“I’ll do my best. See you soon, Mr. Daniels.”
“You do that, Jamie.” He hung up, and the line buzzed dead.
I put the phone down and slumped against the counter. Mr. Daniels and his forgetfulness where his lights were concerned had long been the bane of my family’s existence.
I was an idiot if I thought that wouldn’t happen.
“Are you all right?”
“Do you have a tow truck?” I asked Dex.
Well, the question was for him, but I actually asked the diary, where my face was currently planted.
“Of course I have a tow truck,” he replied, almost sounding offended that I’d asked such a stupid question. “Why? Did someone crash or something?”
“No.” I forced myself to stand up, turn, and look at him. “Mr. Daniels’ battery has died, and if I can’t jump start it in his drive, I’m gonna need to bring it here.”
He blinked at me for a second.
Honestly, his eyelashes were so long it was unfair.
What had I done to not be born with those? Was I a murderer in a previous life?
“I don’t know what to deal with first. You thinking you’re going to drive my tow truck, or the fact his battery is fucking dead already,” Dex said slowly.
“Why the hell shouldn’t I drive it?” I said. “And what do you mean already?”
“I sorted that for him about two weeks ago. And you’re not driving my truck.”
“Two weeks? That’s pretty good for him. You know he never turns his lights off, right?” I paused. “And why can’t I drive the truck?”
He rubbed his hand over his forehead. “Can we pick one thread of conversation and go with that?”
“Sure.” I leaned against the counter and folded my arms. “Why can’t I drive your truck?”
“It’s new. I don’t want anyone to drive it.”
“Is it silage season for the farmers, or is that your bullshit I smell?”
He shot me a withering look, even as his lips twitched. “Believe what you want, darlin’, but you ain’t driving my truck.”
I held up my hands. “By all means, you go deal with Mr. Daniels. I’ve done it for years. I’m happy to pass that task on.” I pushed off the counter and headed for the door.
“I didn’t say—”
I stood in the doorway and cocked my hip to keep the door open. Raising an eyebrow, I said, “I can’t drive the tow truck, and it’s a waste of time for me to go if it needs towing. No, you go deal with Mr. Daniels, and I’ll sit here and look pretty when you inevitably bring the car in.”