Danielle
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I laid the last piece of paper in the last tack of grading I’d been putting off for a week and sat back in my chair. Checking my watch, I groaned I was probably the last person left in the school and with another early morning, I was exhausted. But at least now I was caught up and could enjoy my weekend.
Opening my desk drawer, I grabbed my purse just as my new phone jingled. I found it buried in the bottom of my bag and answered it without checking the ID. “Hello?”
“Hey, babe
1 frowned “Austine”
He chuckled. “Your car’s fixed”
worries
“But I haven’t had a chance to talk to my dad yet I rubbed my forehead, my sleepless nights and money nuanifesting themselves into a wicked beadache. “I have to see if br’s okay with the amount. Don’t most places have to get authorization to do repairs beforehand? What if I can’t pay for them? Crap. Austin, I don’t know if I can pay you. I thought you were going to call me yesterday. I need more time to figure this out.”
“Babe, take a breath,” he said.
I did, but found I needed to take a few more.
The car’s fixed be continued. “No charge.”
What? What do you mean, no charge?
“Generally, it means that currency in the form of money won’t be exchanging hands!”
“You’re funny” 1 couldn’t stop a smile. “But the sad fact is that I don’t have five–thousand dollars and I don’t really feel comfortable asking my dad for it. He’s bailed me out too often over the past few years.”
Austin sighed. “Babe. It’s covered”
“Explain to me exactly how it’s covered. What do you want in return”
We can talk about it when 1 drop your car off
I knew it, I snapped. “Forget it. You can keep it,”
I hung up and threw my phone in my purse, my sleepiness leaving my body faster than it had arrived. Seething. I grabbed my purse and jacket, and headed out of my classroom through the outside door. I locked up, passed by the office, and waved to the janitor who was grabbing the trash from the front of the school.
1 needed to walk. My apartment was about three miles from the school and not having a car was a good excuse to walk off my anger and maybe a few calories as well. I’d been lazy of late and had gained close to thirty pounds after Steven’s betrayal. I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about my weight. I texted my brother and told him I didn’t need a ride again and then headed toward home.
The temperature had dropped since lunchtime, so I zipped up my cost, shoved my hands in my pockets and put my head down against the wind. I had gone about a block when I regretted my decision to walk home in the cokl
I no longer wanted to lose weight. I wanted to soak in a hot tub with a glass of wine. This thought brought to light the fact that I didn’t have a tub worthy of soaking anymore, which then reminded me I also didn’t own a car anymore, which led me down the rabbit hole of anger and irritation at the drop–dead gorgeous man who’d interrupted my plan. I was getting niy life back at least I was trying to, but now Austin wanted to me with that plan. I had to figure out a way to come up with the
1/5
12:12 Thu, Jan 15 G D D
Chapter 7
money without asking my dad.
The large fir trees that lined the private drive leading to my apartment came into view and I sighed with relied. I was home 1 would call my brother and work out a game plan. He’d know what toda
I turned down the mad and quickened my steje. I was now they freezing and wanted to get inrude and wrap myself in a blanket. The parking lot came into view and so did my car. I stopped walking confused Movement out of the corner of шу гуг had me turning to see Austin clumbing from
He frowned. “Did you walk home.
“Huh
“Did you walk home? Alone?
I looked up at him. “Um, yeah, I don’t have a car”
“Fuck.” He shook his head. “Did you walk yesterday as well?”
“No, my brother has been driving me, but-
urk.
“Here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out my car kry.
I shook my head. “I can’t pay for it. Austin”
“Take the key, Dani” I did and he swore again “Babe, your hands like je
“Generally happens when it’s cold”
“You don’t own gloves?”
“I didn’t bring them, on account of the fact I didn’t expect to be walking home” I admitted.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“Why would I call you
He took both of my hands in his and rubbed them together. “I would have picked you up”
“Why would you have picked me up?”
Austin frowned again. “Let’s get you inside.”
“Wait.” I said, trying to pull my hands from his. He just held them tighter. “What are you doing here”
“Habe.” He looked at me like I was touched in the head. “Tm bringing you your car”
“I feel like you and I are having a huge failure to communicate, I grumbled.
He waved his hand toward my apartment. “Let’s talk inside.”
“You’re coming inside?”
“Not talkin” to you out here in the cold.” He gave me his sexy smile. “Course, we don’t have to talk at all. Up to you”
1 let out a quiet huff. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“Come on. Let’s get you warm.” he said.
2/5
111
O
12:13 Thu, Jan 15 G D D
Chapter 7
I had a feeling he wasn’t going to leave, so I nodded and led hun upstairs Unlocking the door, I stepped inside.
on the light. Austin closest and locked the door behind us and I shrugged out of my coat. He threw his jacket on the r hair by the television, but kept his vest oil.
“Why don’t you talk like a thing?” 1 blurted out
He chuckled. “I’m sorry?”
“Nothing, Just ignore me.” I dropped my purse on the chair by the door. “Do you want sorne wine?”
“Got beer?”
“Um, maybe, I’ll look.” I stepped into the kitchen to see if Elliot bad left anything the last time he’d come for dinner. I pushed the milk to the side and found three bottles of my brother’s favorite Portland brew, hoping Austin would like it. I grabbed one, opened it and then poured the last of the red lil been drinking over the past few days into a glu.
1 walked back into the living room to find Austin lounging on my sola, hus booted feet up on my coffee table, television remote in his hand, flipping through stations and looking like he owned the place. He smiled at me and reached out his hand to take the beer. “Thanks, babe.”
I handed him the bottle and shook my head as I sat in the chair next to the sof
“What are you doing!” he asked.
“What do you mean:”
He patted the cushion next to him. “Come here.
“Um. no, I’m good right here. Thanks,” I said, and sipped my wire
“Babe, come here.
He dropped his feet to the floor and he twisted to face me. “No.”
I nodded and then shook my head.
Austin grinned, setting his beer on the coffee table and rising to his feet. He took my wine and set
“What are you doing?” I asked, leaning back as though I could achieve some space, Silly me
He reached down, sliding one arm under my knees and one behind my back, Hiting me like I weighed no more than a small child, and sitting back on the sofa, me in his lap
“Austin” I squeaked
“Yeah, babe,”
“What are you doing”
“Well, I was drinkin‘ a leer.” He stroked my hair, grinning like a lon.
I tried to scoot off his lap, but be held me tighter. “You are really confusing me
“I get that,”
“Then why are you doing at?”
B/5
12:13 Thu, Jan 15 G
Chapter 7
He chuckled. Because it’s fun!
1 sighed. “Will you take payments on my
“I can’t pay you without making payments, Austin.”
He ran a thunals over my lower lip. “I know.”
I pushed his hand away. “Are you expecting me to sleep with you
Not because I fixed your cur, n10.
“What
“Babe,” he said with a sigh. “We’re working shit out here. I want to get to know you, so we’re gonna get to know each other.”
“Because you want to get to know me, we’re going to get to know each other?”
“Yeah
“What if I don’t want to get to know you?”
He sat up a little and kissed me. Captivated me with his mouth. was awesome, and terrifying, and yet, I couldn’t do anything but feel, so I did. And it was overwhelining and beautiful and all–encompassing. He kissed me like he was drowning and I was his breath
I came to my senses and broke the kiss, dropping my forehead to his. “What are you doing to me?”
He smiled, kissing me quickly again. “What do you want me to do to you?”
“I think it would be best if I didn’t answer that.”
Austin ran his thumb over my lower lip again. “Damn, you’re cute”
“Are you really not going to let me pay for the car?”
“I’m really not going to let you pay for your car. He gave me a gentle squeeze. “Mack thought looked it over and said it would take less than three hours.
“Five grand’s pretty bad, Austin”
at was. Hatch
He grinned. “If you were someone off the street, it’s what we’d charge you. The parts were less than three hundred. The rest was labor.”
“I should at least talk to the person who fixed it about payments Hatch, was it?”
“I fixed it, Dani.”
“You did?” I glanced at his hands. They were still void of oil.
He smiled. “I wore gloves, babe.”
“I thought you were using “Tin the general sense of you organized it,” I said.
“Pickin‘ up on that”
I took his face in my hands. “You fixed my car”
4/5
O
12:13 Thu, Jan 15 G D
Chapter 7
I fixed your car
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome
“Can I get off your lap now?” Lasked,
“In a minite.”
I didn’t say anything, but I liked that answer, I liked where I was le made me feel protected.
“You asked me a question before,” he said
“Which one?” My face heated
“My use of language
“The thing comment?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, that one.
“I’m sorry. That was rude”
Would you like me to answer it?” he asked.
I shrugged. “If you want to.”
“We’re gettin‘ to know each other, right?”
I nodded. “Can I get off your lap now!”
He shook his head and my heart raced. He was delicious.
5/5
