“Hey, I was just about to text Flynn and let him know that your luggage was here,” Gavin says as I climb out of the car.
“Yeah, Madelyn showed me my room and I figured it out then.”
He just nods and turns to head back inside, and I smile slightly as I follow after him.
He’s wearing a stained pair of overalls now, Gavin’s Mechanic Shop and the logo plastered on his back and his name stitched over the left pocket. Most people look terrible in them, but Gavin wears them well.
I need to stop. I can’t stay here. It’s not nearly enough distance between my family. Plus, there’s the curse to think about. I can’t get close to him or anyone. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if he got hurt because of me.
Besides, it’s not like the stoic, grumpy guy in front of me is showing any interest in me anyway.
I push some of my blue hair out of my face as I follow him into the open bay area. A fan by the door immediately blows all of my hair right back into my face and I sigh.
I step out of the way of the fan and try to right my hair as Gavin watches me.
“Did you have any luck finding the part?” I ask him as I fidget with the hem of my shirt.
There’s just something about having his blue eyes on me that makes me squirm. It feels like I’m burning up and I don’t know why.
“Not yet. I looked around town and the next few towns over but they didn’t have it. I have a few more feelers out and I’ve started looking online. I think I found a place that has it but it will be more expensive from there, so I was trying to find a cheaper option.”
“Thanks,” I say.
I definitely don’t have the money to spend on fixing my car if it’s going to cost thousands. I’m almost afraid to ask how much he thinks it will be, so instead, I look around the shop for my luggage.
“I put your things in my office,” he tells me and then he’s walking by me and inside the small waiting area of the shop.
“Okay,” I say, dragging out the word as I turn to follow him.
We head down a short hallway and pass by a bathroom on one side. His office is at the end of the hallway and I follow him inside.
That was a mistake because the space is tiny. Gavin turns around with my suitcase and duffel bag and we collide. I try to sidestep him but there’s nowhere to go, so I end up backing up out into the hallway.
I look like an idiot and my face flames as I look away from him and down to my luggage.
“Thanks,” I mumble and he just grunts.
“I’ll see you later,” I say as I spin on my heel and practically sprint out the front door.
My suitcase bangs on the door behind me, and I don’t dare look back. I unlock Madelyn’s car and toss my things into the back seat before I hurry to climb behind the wheel.
It isn’t until I’ve started the car that I get the strength to look back to the shop. Gavin is back in the open bay area, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares at me.
He’s looking at me like I’m some sort of puzzle that he can’t figure out. I stare back at him.
I want him to figure me out. No one has ever taken much of an interest in me. No one has really cared what I was thinking, but I get the feeling that he does.
Maybe I should tell him. I could warn him to not get too close to me, that all I ever do is ruin people’s lives, but when I open my mouth, my throat feels dry and I know that I would never be able to get the words out.
So instead, I push the car into reverse and take one last look at Gavin before I turn and head back down Main Street.