scratched and then this man walks into my garage when I need something the most. It just aggravated me more because it would never be enough.
“No,” I replied softly and walked over to the red Mustang and wiped her hood down with a chemise.
“Are you always this angry or do you just hate me?”
I looked back at him as he loosened his tie and waited for an answer. I stopped touching the car that drove me to fantasies that I should not be envisioning and walked over and took his invoice.
“I don’t hate anyone,” I replied with a sigh. “I apologize if I came off angry. I have a lot on my plate and have no time for handsome assholes who don’t respect cars.”
“You apologized and then insulted me. I think you should say you’re sorry one more time,” Eddie replied and I walked up on him and wrapped his tie lightly in one hand then I pulled the red tie till he bent down and my lips were near his ear. I let a soft breeze of warm breath leave my lips to his ear and then said the magic words.
“You are sorry.”
Eddie pulled back and glared at me. I was almost having fun. I looked around Eddie to the Henley and saw that the buttons for the top looked almost new. They were glistening under the lights.
“You obviously need a spanking, but that would be crossing all those invisible lines we can’t cross,” Eddie spoke up with a growl and I stepped away from him.
“You’d have to catch me first, but any time you think you are man enough I invite you to chase me,” I flirted as I walked over and opened the tiny hatch between the seats and pulled out a leather top that had never been used. I waived it in the air at Eddie.
“Found her top,” I gloated as Eddie twisted his lips trying not to say anything. He was gorgeous. Stern, uptight, and ornery, but handsome and splendiferous. I looked up to see he had been with me almost an hour. Holy hell time flew around him.
“You should go. I need to lock up and I don’t trust ass-hats to be locked inside with me. You can call Mike in a few days and see where we are, but you are not a priority for me to fix it so it could take months,” I spoke up and he nodded as he called someone.
“Hey Mike, I am leaving my car with your angry and obstinate daughter,” I heard him say and internally winced. I should have known if he was delivering late then he would have Mike’s cell. “No, delivering the car was easy, but being called an ass-hat was a little out of the ordinary,” he continued and soon he held the phone out to me.
“Tattle tale,” I mouthed as I took the phone. “Hey Mike,” I spoke into the receiver.
“Kate, do you want to tell me why you are cussing at my most important client?” Mike asked and I knew he was going to be angry so I told him the truth.
“He was going to leave the 100/6 out in the snow with no top, and then -,” I was cut off and walked over to the office door so Eddie wouldn’t hear.
“Kate, I love you, but you can’t be yourself around him. You have to bite your tongue. That 66 Fastback you love so much. The beautiful 55 Bel Air, those belong to him. Now be nice, make him happy, and get out of the garage. You should have gone home an hour ago.”
“How is my mom?” I asked changing the subject as I fiend for an update.
“She is trying to sleep, but the nurses are coming in and taking her vitals every hour. They had to come in and do her labs again. The doctor said at this time her labs are borderline with surgery being an option. If they decrease over the next couple of hours she won’t be allowed to have surgery.”
“What does that mean?” I asked as tears filled my eyes. “What can they do if they don’t do surgery?”
I started to tremble as I tried to hold back the sobs that were begging to be released. I didn’t even remember Eddie was in the garage until I felt his hands on my shoulders. I turned to face him as a tear
Learning to Kill: Stories