Steal Me, Cowboy by Kim Boykin Read Free Book Online

knew the minute I walked out the door, she’d fix it the way she wanted. “Thanks Rainey. It feels good. Looks good too.”
    “Well it’s not as good as you fix it—I mean do it.”
    “You know what? You’re right, honey, we do fix hair, and I’m going to start saying that from now on.” She hauled herself out of the chair, gave me a hug, and then held me at arm’s length. “So how long are you in town for, hot stuff?”
    “Just till my car gets fixed. Then I’m headed to Missoula to see my boyfriend.”
    “If he’s a cutie like you, I bet the both of you turn some heads. So what’s he doing letting you out of his sight?”
    I’d been wondering the same thing for four years. “Adam played baseball. Got drafted pretty high, but hadn’t done as well as he hoped. He just got his first coaching job with the Missoula Osprey. You have to love a man who’s that committed to something he loves.” She raised her bushy gray eyebrows. What about me? “I’ll be honest with you, Nell, it’s hard loving Adam. I don’t get to see him much, but I do love him, and I didn’t want him sitting behind a desk when he’s forty, miserable because he didn’t chase his dream.”
    “So he’s your dreamboat? Makes your day, every day?”
    Except when he doesn’t call or I get WTF texts from someone who could possibly be another woman. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Well, Rainey Brown, you’ve sure made my day, coming in here and fixing my hair. If I can ever do anything for you, just holler, and if you’re still wanting a proper pedicure, there’s one of those places a little further west on Main Street.”
    I hugged her again, too embarrassed to tell her that down south, we give right or left directions because who in the hell knows which way west is unless the sun is setting? I finally found the nail place. The pedicure cost fifteen dollars more than back home, but it was worth it. I looked at my phone and saw it was almost three o’clock, time to hear the bad news from Dillon.
    “Hey, Rainey.” More blushing, eyes downcast. This was bad, really bad. “How was your lunch?”
    “I had a pedicure instead.” I didn’t have time for this. “Just tell me, Dillon. Please.”
    “Sit down,” he motioned to the ratty couch I’d napped on yesterday. I felt like I was going to throw up. “You blew a head gasket.”
    He sounded like he was telling me I had a few days to live. “How much?”
    “When that happens, Rainey, antifreeze gets all up in the engine. It’s a big mess. Lots of major damage to the—.”
    “How. Much.”
    “I didn’t charge you for the tow.”
    “Dillon. Just tell me.”
    “Twenty-two hundred. And change. It’s way more than the car is worth.”
    “Oh my God, I don’t have that kind of money.” I would not cry. I would not cry. “I can pay you fifteen hundred dollars—how fixed would that get the car?”
    “Not good enough to drive. Please don’t cry, Rainey,” he started to swipe at my tears with his greasy hand but thought the better of it. “Just pay me what you can, Beck said he would take care of the rest.”
    “No. I pay my own way, I always have, and I’m not taking a handout now.” But where in the hell was I going to come up with seven hundred dollars? “How long will it take to fix the car?”
    “I don’t know, it’s pretty bad, and I have some big jobs ahead of you. I’m guessing four days, maybe five.”
    “Just do it, I’ll get the money.”
    “Rainey, it would make more sense just to take whatever money you do have and buy a new car.”
    “I can’t, Dillon, I won’t be able to get a loan. I’m two thousand miles from home and between jobs. You just fix the car and I’ll worry about the rest. Thanks for the tow, for everything.”
    “Rainey, I really want to help you out, but I’ve looked at the numbers over and over again and that’s the least I can do it for. Beck is loaded and he wants to help you, why don’t you let him?”
    “Thanks, Dillon. I’ll