“There’s more than you probably thought. Going to need to order a few parts, then I can get to work on it. I’ll start that today. In the meantime, you mind if I bring it into the shop?” I reply, a plan culminating in my head.
“Not at all. The keys are in the cupholder. I guess I’ll look for a hotel. I’m assuming this will take a few days.” Serenity arches her eyebrow. I’m not sure if it’s in thought or if it’s questioning me.
“I’m hoping so. We’ll know after I get off the phone. Let me get it into the shop, grab a piece of paper, unless you want to help me with that?” I offer. Maybe if I keep her busy, hopefully, she’ll tell me more about herself.
“Yeah, I mean, what else am I going to do? Stand here and twiddle my thumbs while you do all the work?” Yeah, this girl is out to give me a run for my money.
“Red, you could stand there and look pretty all damn day, and you’d still be doing something.” My voice is gruff. Not for the first time am I thankful for having a toothpick in my mouth, because right now, it’s the only thing keeping me from cupping the back of her neck and tasting how sweet she is.
“Smooth, really smooth.” She’s smiling though, so I know her mind is moving in the right direction.
“There’s more smoothness where that came from.” Leaving her with that, I head back outside. The heat from the sun is beating on my back, and not for the first time am I glad as fuck I had the forethought to install fans and air conditioning in the shop. I can feel Serenity’s eyes on me the entire time I walk to the door. It doesn’t leave until I’m out of sight, and I know what I’ll be doing next—a quick phone call, and I know where she’ll be staying the entirety of her stay. I may be a sneaky asshole, but I know what I want, and what I want is Serenity, any fucking way I can have her.
Four
Serenity
“You mean to tell me you’re completely booked? The one hotel in Spring, Florida that’s bigger than anything, and there’s no vacancy,” I state into the phone. Greyson and I worked through the parts and amount of labor that would be needed. He then went into his office while I stayed by Samantha, my Airstream that I named the minute I saw her. She was posted on the marketplace, needed a whole lot of love and a good amount of elbow grease. I got her for a song. It’s also how I started my blog. Sure, I started this business making pennies to the dollar, but I kept at it working a job as a receptionist in a doctor’s office until I got my feet off the ground, had enough money saved for a year, taxes, and any incidentals too. My following on social media platforms got bigger, so I turned my little Airstream into my home away from home, and now I travel, showing places and adventures along the way.
I listen to the concierge on the other end of the line tell me she’s sorry, but there’s some kind of convention going on. When she suggests looking online, I quickly get off the phone experiencing a moment of ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
My nose is in my phone, but I can feel Greyson. Not only that, I can smell him, the perfect spice of man, a mixture or citrus and cardamom, undertones of a hardworking blue-collar man, and that’s all him.
“Having any luck?” I look up at him, a grin on his face, and I’m quickly realizing this is who Greyson Reid is.
“Nope.” I pop the last syllable, annoyed as all get out because what I’m finding online is absolutely ridiculous. There is literally nothing available, zilch, nada, zero.
“It is spring break, Red. You’re in a beach town, babe.” Greyson says it so nonchalantly, and now I’m second-guessing stopping here.
“You’re not helping the situation.” I take a deep breath in before exhaling, trying not to let this get to me. “Oh, I have an idea. Can I just stay here in my Airsream?” I know it’s a huge no the moment the words leave my lips.
“Serenity, are you trying to get yourself killed? It’ll be up on a lift. I need to take the whole back end off, rewire the harness, and wait until the new taillight comes in. Not only that, you see a shower in this building anywhere?” All of these are valid points. I don’t even argue because he’s right, but this just sucks.
“Fine, but what do you suggest I do? Sleep out of my car, bathe with baby wipes?” I mean, they do in a pinch when you’re camping. I can just think of it as that way.