The Trouble With Falling

“I’m testing out some stuff for the bakery. I made a bunch of cupcakes and cookies this morning, but I need some more ingredients to finish them. I’m thinking that I’ll make some donuts too, but I haven’t started playing with flavors and all that for them yet.”

“I thought you were some fancy chef. What are you doing in the frozen food aisle?” Elijah asks, his eyes scanning the shelves of pizza that we’re standing in front of.

“I was just debating between a cheese or pepperoni pizza to make for dinner and then I’m heading back to my apartment.”

“I’m going to let you in on a secret,” he says, and my eyebrows shoot up so high that I’m sure they’re lost in my hairline.

“You are?” I ask skeptically.

“Yeah, call it a welcome to town present,” he says as he reaches past me and pulls out a pepperoni and three cheese pizza. “This one is the best,” Elijah says.

He passes it to me and I toss it into the cart. We both turn and start to head down the aisle and to the front to the checkout. It’s silent and a bit awkward, but it’s also kind of nice to not be alone. If only for a few moments.

We each join a different line and I forget about him as I load my groceries up onto the conveyor belt.

I check out before Elijah and decide to be nice, so I give him a wave before I head out into the cold and over to my car. I load the groceries in the back seat quickly and hurry to push my cart back up to the front of the store. I’m just slipping behind the wheel when Elijah exits the store.

I shove my key into the ignition, turning, only to be met with a pitiful clicking sound.

“Shit,” I groan as I try once more with equal success.

“Dammit.”

I really don’t have the money in my budget to get a new car right now. I’m debating my options when there’s a knock on my window. I jump in my seat, letting out a gasp as I turn to see Elijah crouched down next to the driver’s side window.

“Pop the hood,” he shouts and I fumble around under the dashboard until I find the lever.

I tuck my parka tighter around me as I join him under the hood.

“Are you also a mechanic?” I ask him as I flip the hood of my parka up.

“Nope, but I can fix a few basic things.”

“Can you fix this?” I ask hopefully.

“Nope,” he says plainly and I sigh.

I step back as Elijah closes the hood and turns to me.

“I can give you a ride home and call the mechanic for you. It’s probably an alternator or something, but you need snow tires, or even better, a car with four-wheel drive.”

“You’re the worst. Has anyone ever told you that?” I snap.

Elijah just grins. “Nope, this is a first.”

I trail after Elijah to the trunk and grab a bag of groceries as he grabs the other three. He leads me over to his big black truck and opens the passenger door for me. I climb up, dumping my bags on the floorboard between my feet.

He climbs in next to me and pulls his cell phone out, shooting off a quick text message before he starts the truck and pulls out onto Main Street. We’re silent as we drive past Wayside Diner and around the corner to where my bakery will be.

I don’t bother asking him how he knew where I lived. I have a feeling that everyone in town knows who I am, why I’m here, and where I am staying.

He parks out front and I rush to grab my bags and my purse.

“Thanks for the ride,” I say as I stumble my way out of the passenger side.

“Yeah, sure. I texted Brian. He’s the mechanic and he’ll take care of your car. You can go see him tomorrow. The place isn’t far from here.”

I nod, giving him a small smile before I slam the door shut and head up the stairs to my apartment. I put the groceries away, slipping the pizza into the oven and promising myself to forget all about Elijah and his weird mood swings.

I do my best to stop thinking about how he can be charming one second and then a bossy jerk the next as I make more notes on the bakery and finish frosting everything that has cooled on the counter.

As I take a bite of the pizza and moan as the three cheeses, tomatoes, and garlic, hit my tongue, I decide to forgive Elijah for the mood swings.