Chapter 7 #2
I stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
Sweet, sweet relief. The worst part of road trips was always the bathroom situation, or lack thereof.
I had to admit, though, whatever I expected of a tow company’s bathroom, this wasn’t it.
For one thing, it was clean. The floor was neatly laid laminate tiles, not a chip or scratch to be found.
There was a subtle lavender smell in the air, not the bleach and fake lemon smell of a gas station bathroom I had expected.
A simple shower stall stood in the corner with not just soap, but shampoo and conditioner lined up against the wall.
The toilet paper even had more than one ply.
I stepped to the sink to wash my hands, appreciating the option of either heavy duty degreaser or a moisturizing pomegranate-scented soap.
I chose the latter, scrubbing the day from my hands as I examined the items on the shelf above the toilet.
Spare toilet paper, pads, tampons, a hairbrush, pain reliever, toothpaste, and hand cream.
A plastic tote sat on the floor that was stacked with clean towels. What had I wandered into?
I came out of the bathroom a moment later and glanced around.
To call it a garage would be selling it short.
Tool benches, lifts, and air hoses could be seen down the far end, where there were two tall industrial doors.
A smaller tow truck was pulled into one of the bays.
The end where I stood had lockers, chairs, a coffee machine, a fridge, and a microwave, and there was a hallway heading off to the right.
A wood stove crackled happily in the corner.
No electric furnace could compare to the heat of real wood, and I pulled off my borrowed jacket.
A young woman was sitting on a bench by the lockers lacing up a pair of boots. The source of the fully stocked bathroom, I assumed. Before I could introduce myself, Sam came through the door with my suitcase in his hand.
“Hey, kid, staying safe out there?” There was a note of affection in his voice to which the young woman rolled her eyes.
“I’m being careful, I promise. On another note, are we offering bellboy services now?” She nodded toward the suitcase. “Oh, we should get you a little uniform!”
“Smartass,” Sam mumbled. “AJ, this is my ace driver, Katie. Katie, this is AJ. She is catching a ride with me to Vancouver.”
Katie glanced between the two of us, eyebrow raised before bounding over to shake my hand. “Great to meet you, AJ. You must have been really desperate to catch a ride with Safety Sam over here.”
“I am,” I said honestly. “But I’ve enjoyed the company.” I caught Sam’s eye, and he fought back a smile.
Katie eyed her boss before turning back to me. “Okay, just blink twice if you’re in distress.”
Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “I sign your paychecks, you know.”
Katie patted him on the back. “Just teasing, boss.” She offered him a beaming and contagious smile. Her blue eyes tracked to me and gave me a once over. She cocked her hip to the side. “No offense, AJ, but you are a little over dressed for the location, and way underdressed for the weather.”
I glanced down at what had been an impeccable outfit that morning, but was now splashed with dirty melted snow. “Yeah, I was expecting California weather.”
“Can you find AJ some spare gear, Katie? I need to check on a few things.”
She gave him a small salute and grabbed my hand, dragging me over to the lockers.
She was even taller than me, with long, expertly highlighted blonde hair swept back in a tight braid.
She wore navy coveralls with neon yellow stripes that somehow looked chic on her curvy frame.
She gave off feminine and badass vibes at the same time, and I was more than a little jealous of how effortless she made it look.
“Do I have you to thank for the well-stocked bathroom?” I asked pointing in that direction with my chin.
She shook her head. “That’s all Sam. I helped him pick the products, but it was his idea. He wants customers to be as comfortable as possible if they end up here after a wreck. Same for the staff after a long shift.”
I processed this. Just how much carnage had this man seen and still held on to his compassion?
I dropped down onto the bench next to her, feeling immediately comfortable in her presence.
“How did you get into tow truck driving? You kind of fit in around here and stand out at the same time.”
She put a hand over her heart. “That is weirdly sweet. Thank you.” She shrugged.
“Classroom settings never really worked for me. I tried to get into mechanics, but after a few classes I lost interest. I saw the job ad for this place online and figured I’d give it a try.
I expected to be laughed out of the office, to be honest.”
“Let me guess: Sam was amazing and gave you a chance?”
Her ear-to-ear grin reappeared, and she nodded. “He trained me himself. I wouldn’t exactly call him patient, and if you did something unsafe, God help you. But it has all worked out. Certainly never a dull moment in this job, but I go bananas sitting still.”
I nodded. “Sounds like you found the right place for you then.”
She glanced around the shop. “I guess I did. The work can be stressful, but Sam always has my back. We all look out for each other around here.”
A small pang hit me in the stomach, and I turned my gaze to my suitcase.
“That sounds really nice.” It sounded more than nice.
I couldn’t even remember what it felt like to look forward to going to work for any reason other than drama or revenge.
I certainly didn’t see my coworkers as people I could rely on, joke around with, or confide in.
Every boss wanted to believe that their workforce was a family, but this actually felt like one.
I’d been with the same employer for years, but no one ever had my back.
Sam had Katie’s, and he’d had mine today.
“It’s the best!” Katie glanced around the garage before grabbing my hand and leaning in. “Well, now that we know each other, spill the tea. What’s the deal with you and Sam?”
I bit my lip and turned to pull dry clothes from my suitcase. I could feel the blush creeping up my neck and into my cheeks. “He’s just giving me a ride.”
Katie smirked. “As in ride ‘em, cowgirl?” She mimed throwing a lasso and sang a few lines of a country song I recognized from the radio.
I let out a giggly sound I probably hadn’t made since I was sixteen. “A ride to the airport in Vancouver, Katie.”
“Sure, sure.” She clicked her tongue between her teeth. “Did you just flag him down on the side of the highway or what?”
Clearly, she was going to get this story out of me one way or another. “I dialed his number by mistake.” I started to carefully fold my suit, then gave up and stuffed it into my suitcase while I tugged on my dry, warm sweats.
Katie gave a heavy sigh. “A meet-cute, oh my god. Totally meant to be.” She plunked a pair of heavy boots on the bench next to me while loudly humming the wedding march.
I shook my head. “You’re living in a fantasy land, Katie.”
“Well, if you already think so, then let me do one more thing.” Katie grabbed for the tight bun on the back of my head, and I yelped as she freed my long dark hair from its prison. She produced a comb like some sort of ninja and handed it to me. “The bun is giving uptight ballerina vibes.”
I snatched the comb from her hand and ran it through my hair before pulling it into a loose braid. I hadn’t realized how long it had gotten because I always wore it pulled back. “How’s that?”
“Much better.” She gave a nod.
“Thanks, but what does this have to do with keeping warm in a storm?”
Katie threw the comb in her locker. “It has to do with getting my boss to keep you warm, silly.” She gave a playful shoulder shimmy, and my cheeks glowed crimson.
I had to laugh, and honestly it felt good. When was the last time I had joked around with a friend? Besides, I liked talking about Sam. I liked the idea that a world existed where the two of us made sense.