“Say, haven't I seen you somewhere before?” the man asked. “You got a real familiar face.” I felt my heart sink a little; I really, really hoped this guy hadn't recognized me from some celebrity gossip mag or something.
“Nah, I'm nobody,” I mumbled. “Just a sports coach at Florida State.”
“No, no… I've seen you somewhere. I know I have.”
Here we go…
“Ah!” his eyes lit up. “You go to that bar, Coconut Grove, don't you?”
A wave of relief washed over me, and I smiled as I answered. “Yes! My buddy John and I are often there for beers.”
The mechanic grinned. “Me, too, pal, me, too. Good joint! Great music.”
“It is, it is.”
“And, they got some hot, young waitresses,” he added with a lascivious grin.
I chuckl
ed. “There are some pretty girls there, yes.” I didn't want to get drawn into a conversation with this guy who seemed to have the ability to talk for hours on end.
“All right, man, I'm in a rush, so can I just pay for this filter and then maybe I'll catch you at Coconut Grove sometime?”
“Sure thing, pal. That'll be $28.99.”
I left in a hurry, eager to get over to Eryn's place. She'd been on my mind the whole morning, even though I'd been doing my best to keep my thoughts about her strictly volleyball related. If I were to be perfectly honest, I was not sure that I'd succeeded with that.
I pulled up outside her apartment building just as she came out the front. She smiled and waved when she saw me, but there was definitely something in the way she looked – a bit of unease or worry that she was trying to hide. I wondered if I should ask about it, but decided against it. Not at this time, anyway.
“Hi, Coach Vinson,” she said as I stepped out of the BMW.
“It's Wade, remember?” I replied with a grin.
She laughed. “Right…Wade.”
There was a smile on her face, but she was definitely holding back, keeping a distance from me. She seemed on edge, almost wary of me, but she was hiding it with a thin veil of cheerfulness that didn't appear to be entirely genuine.
“How are you feeling this morning?” I asked.
“I'm all right. You?”
“Yeah, all good. Here's the filter,” I said, holding it up. “Now, let's get this into your motor, and that old Ford will be running like new again in no time. Well, perhaps not totally like new, but close enough, huh?”
“Thank you so much,” she said. “Really, I appreciate this.”
I got my tools, went around to the front of her car, and she popped the hood for me. Eryn came over to watch me as I worked. Above the gasoline and oil smell of the engine, I could smell the scent of her perfume, and it was immensely arousing. I found it hard to concentrate on the task with her so close to me, looking over my shoulder, her long, chestnut hair unbound and brushing against my arm.
Still, it was an easy enough job, and I was done pretty quickly.
“All right, it's in. Let's crank that motor and see how she runs. Also, do you mind if I take it around the block a few times? That way I can check if there's anything else here that needs fixing.”
“You'd do that?”
“Sure.”
“All right, let's go,” she said, climbing into the passenger seat as she handed me the keys.
I started the car, and the motor fired right up. That was a good sign.