Perfect Bastard (Mason Creek)

“Crap,” I said without thinking. I focused on Zoe. “You can’t say that. Okay?”

“Crap?”

“No, the other one. Never say that!” I pleaded, not wanting to get in trouble with my bestie.

“Is it a bad word?” she parroted.

“Yes, sweetie, it is.”

“You said it.”

Kids. They spoke the unvarnished truth. “I did and I shouldn’t have.”

She nodded just as a deep voice hit me like a caress from behind. “Looks like karma got you.”

I spun around and had to reach out as I’d momentarily let the cart go. I caught it, and the questioning look on Zoe’s face that made me modulate my tone through gritted teeth.

“Have you ever met kindness?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. “That’s unlikely, considering the first thing you should have said to me is thank you.”

“How about I give you five hundred dollars to drive this sander to my place and consider it payment for the Uber drive I never ordered?” So he’d figured that out.

Softer, hoping Zoe wouldn’t hear, I said, “I’m not for sale.”

“I’m offering to rent your Jeep. I’ll double my offer, half what your Jeep is worth.”

I grimaced and had no comeback, considering he was right, until… “It’s worth a heck of a lot more than your sports car considering you need me, not the other way around.”

Proudly, I strode away.

After a few seconds, footsteps pounded in my direction. “Look, you’re right. Thank you for the other night. I’d really appreciate if you could help me out here.”

Damn him for sounding reasonable. “Why should I?”

“Because I’ll beg if I have to.” When I folded my arms, he said, “Pretty please with a cherry on top.”

And damn him for seeming almost human. “Fine. Bring it here and quickly,” I said, hoping he’d change his mind.

When I finished getting Zoe situated in the car, Nathaniel had the sander already in the back. “I’ll meet you there. You know the way.”

He zipped away as I swallowed a groan. He’d put it together that I’d driven him home without him giving me his address. I looked to the sky and muttered, “Why am I doing this? It’s such a bad idea.”

“Aunt Avery, I’m hungry.”

“Okay. Let’s get you something.”

Our town and even nearby Mason Creek didn’t have fast-food restaurants. I turned, not toward Nathaniel’s, but the opposite to grab a fast meal for both Zoe and me, as my side trip would likely make me late for work.

When I arrived at Nathaniel’s ranch, he stepped out onto the porch looking like a breath of fresh air with a brow raised. Why did he have to be so good-looking?

“Thought I’d have to buy another sander,” he said when he reached my open window.

I’d opted not to get out of the Jeep. I just wanted this to be over with. Before I could come up with a snarky reply, he added, “And don’t expect a tip.”

“I didn’t expect anything. Maybe living in New York or Chicago or wherever you live now has made you forget people in these parts do things for others without expectation of anything in return.”

“Yeah, but you aren’t from around here, are you?”

Had he been asking around about me?

“What you got, mister?” Zoe asked.

He’d folded his arms and leaned his forehead on the top of the window as he looked down on me before shifting his attention to the back where Zoe sat. He opened his hand to reveal a tiny blue car that fit in the palm of his big hand. “It’s a Matchbox car. My brother used to collect them. I found this one under the sofa all these years later. Do you want it?”

From the rearview mirror, I could see Haley’s daughter bob her head. He moved from my window and opened the back door to hand it to her. Her grin was precious, but Haley was going to kill me. I closed my eyes for a second before he was back.

“Are you tired?” he asked, as if he cared.

“Can you get your sander? I’m late.”

Though he nodded, he didn’t move. “I can Zelle, Venmo or Paypal you for your time.”

I glared at him but remembered the tiny ears that listened to our every word. “As I said before, you don’t owe me anything. I didn’t go out of my way to do this for you. Just get your sander and go, please.”

He stood there for a second, eyes narrowed as I narrowed mine back in challenge. Then, a second later, after giving me a salute, he went to the back and removed the sander. I didn’t wait for him to cross to the porch before I turned around and spun off.

There was no way I would acknowledge the pitter-patter my heart did with him so close. He was the enemy, and I had to remember that.

Falling for a Bowmen was not a part of the plan. I just had to figure out how I would explain being late to my father and who’d given Zoe the car without mentioning Nathaniel Bowmen’s name.