Drawn Deep (Afternoon Delight 2)

She could always walk back to Michael’s. She couldn’t have gone all that far.

“Dammit.” She hit the speed dial for Brad’s phone. He always kept it on in case of emergencies at the shop, particularly in the winter when they could get shorthanded if several trucks were called upon to help stranded motorists.

When the call went straight to voicemail, she swore a blue streak. Again. What was up with her luck lately?

Next she called Brad’s shop, hoping like hell that someone was manning the phones. It was early yet but Brad prided himself on being Fairdale’s even-better answer to the national roadside-assistance club. Usually Bob was working the phones—

“O’Halloran’s,” came the gruff reply.

“Bob, thank God. My car’s dead. I need one of you guys out here ASAP. I’m going to freeze. I don’t have a coat or gloves—”

“Kim? That you?”

“It’s me,” she said through chattering teeth.

“You know better than to motor in the winter without proper emergency supplies. You should have a fully stocked kit.”

That was her, the wild and dangerous motorist. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I have granola bars and a blanket but right now I’m more worried about getting away from where I am.” Quickly, before Michael wandered by.

“Are you in an unsafe location? Give me your address. I’ll dispatch the new guy right away.”

Another new guy. Great. Lately Brad had been dealing with a revolving turnstile of employees. One had left the area, another had retired. The last time she’d had to call she’d gotten some young guy who’d spent more time looking at his clipboard than at her face. Since she’d been occupied with the rude texts her ex had insisted on sending rapid-fire, she’d barely looked at him herself while he changed her tire. She’d felt bad afterward, since she prided herself on knowing all of Brad’s employees. O’Halloran’s was kind of their family business, though technically she had no stake in it.

“Kim?”

“Yeah.” She climbed out of the vehicle to look around, instantly regretting it when a gust of wind almost blew her backward. Clutching the door, she tried to make out something other than trees and snow but it was pretty much a lost cause. Then her gaze landed on a weathered street sign. “Old Hollow Way,” she said, relieved. “I’m in a section that only has a couple of houses, really spaced out. I’m on the side of the road.” She frowned as she judged the distance to the nearest lawn. Okay, so not exactly. “Close enough.”

“What the heck are you doing way out there? That’s on the outskirts of town.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. So do you think you can find me?”

“We’ll find you,” Bob said, his confidence reassuring. “Now turn on your hazards, get out that blanket and those granola bars and wait in your vehicle. Lock all the doors. We’ll be there in a jiff.”

“Thank you.”

“No sweat. But make sure you put gloves and a spare coat in your trunk. For me, Kim.”

She had to smile, thinking of the snowy-haired elderly gentleman Brad had employed for years. “I will. Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.”

She hung up, collected the things Bob had insisted she needed and locked herself in. Maybe the tow-truck driver would find her without too much difficulty. Surely she was due a little luck.

“Got a call out on Old Hollow Way.”

Michael frowned. Old Hollow Way was in his neck

of the woods. Literally. He picked up the clipboard hanging on the wall and shrugged into his jacket. “What number?”

“No number. She was a little turned around. Look, it’s a special situation. She’s the boss man’s older sister. So get there as fast as you can without getting pulled over. Though you didn’t hear that from me.” Bob winked.

The back of Michael’s neck chilled even as he wound his scarf around his neck. Kim wouldn’t have raced out into the night in this weather after the night she’d had, would she? She wasn’t some waif and she’d had time to sleep off the half bottle of champagne she’d knocked back, but still. She didn’t even know where she was going.

All of which fit the driver Bob had described. The boss man’s older sister. Oh shit.

“Got it. I’ll be in touch.” Michael pushed open the door, thought twice about it at the blast of cold air and reached back to take the travel mug of piping-hot coffee Bob was already holding out. “Thanks, pal.”

“No problem. If I’m sending you into the belly of the beast, you should at least get something to cut the chill for your trouble.”

Michael smiled and headed out to the truck, climbing up and setting the mug in the holder before getting down to clean off the windows. He’d already been out once in the hour since he’d been there, for an off-the-road vehicle near the center of town. Heading back home would take longer.