Chapter 8 #2
In the middle of Saturday, in the middle of the parking lot, and everything that I had just bought was now piled on top of my spare.
I snarled, cursed, threatened to kick the tire, then composed myself. Then I opened the back door again. “Okay, let’s get you some fish crackers because we will be a minute. Mommy has a flat tire.”
Luke’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know you had tires.”
I laughed then, mostly out of desperation. “Mommy’s car has a flat tire. And hopefully, I’m going to be able to jack up this car in the parking lot.”
I quickly got Luke some crackers and juice and looked at the tire again, trying to remember the last time I’d actually changed a flat. High school? Maybe.
I opened the trunk, waving off people who wanted my spot, as I pointed to the flat tire. Nobody offered to help, which was fine because I could do this on my own, but it was quite odd that not a single person even offered.
I moved everything from the back to the seat next to Luke, and then went to get out my spare, and narrowed my eyes at it.
“Okay, you and me. We can do this. It’s been years since I did this, but I can.”
Or I could call AAA. Though I didn’t remember if I’d changed from the California AAA to the Colorado one, and now that seemed like an oversight on my part.
I shook my head, knowing I was a strong, independent woman.
I can make this happen.
I bent over the tire in the back as a familiar voice hit my ears.
“Brooke? I thought that was you. Hell, let me help.”
I nearly slammed my head on the inside of the trunk as I turned to see Leif strolling towards me, jogging slightly as he sped up.
I narrowed my eyes at him and then saw where he was coming from. Behind him, on one side of the strip, was a huge sign that spelled out Montgomery Ink Legacy.
Well. I always wanted to know where he worked, and now I did.
Because fate hated me.
“Oh. That’s a coincidence,” I mumbled as I tried to pull out the tire.
It fought me, and I wanted to hex it. “Seriously?”
“Here, let me help. My mom has this car, and the tires are a bitch to get out.” He winced. “Sorry, Luke,” he called over the back seat.
Luke crawled around and waved at him. “Hi, Leif. And it’s okay. Mom already cursed.”
“Tattletale,” I teased, even though I was sweaty, annoyed, and felt out of sorts.
I was already trying not to think about him.
About the fact that he hadn’t texted, we hadn’t talked at all since our date.
I was a sweaty mess, stressed out, and didn’t need anybody coming in and telling me how to live my life and help me when I didn’t need it.
I had done this all on my own for long enough that I didn’t need him to step in.
I didn’t need anybody to step in.
“Here, let me help. Seriously.” Leif didn’t shove me out of the way, but he did bump his hip against mine, grinning.
I glowered up at him. “I’ve got it.”
“Okay,” he said, studying my face.
I realized I had snapped the words, and I hated myself for it. I didn’t know what to think, and it was all too much.
“I see you guys are out running errands. Getting a flat tire with all of that has got to be annoying.” I knew he was speaking softly for Luke’s benefit, trying to cut the tension, but I was so tired. Just annoyed.
“Thank you for your help, but I can handle it on my own.” I sounded like a queen bitch, yet I didn’t care. I just needed to get out of his parking lot and Leif didn’t owe me anything.
“If you’re sure.”
“Now you’re telling me I don’t know my own mind?” I asked
His eyes widened.
“Okay. I was just trying to help out a friend.” He let out a breath.
“By the way, I’m sorry I haven’t contacted you all week.
I was out of town with my family, and like an idiot, I dropped my phone in the river.
” He smiled over at Luke. “Did you know that if you drop a phone in a river and it is underwater and hits a bunch of rocks, it won’t work anymore? ” he asked my son.
Luke’s eyes widened. “One time, I dropped Mom’s phone in the bathtub, and she was so mad. But then we put it in a rice bath thing, and it was fine. I think. Right, Mom?”
I grimaced, remembering the panic over him pulling my phone out of my shirt and into the tub. It was my fault for having it so close to him when he was so curious with his little grabby toddler hands.
“It all worked out. Don’t worry.”
“I have done that before, too, and I think I broke the phone, but I still used it for a few more months. I’m not great with phones.
Oh, and Lake would’ve gone over the fence to say hi and tell you what was going on, but she was out of town for a presentation in New York.
And I didn’t want to send over anyone else to your house and be weird.
I didn’t borrow someone else’s phone because I honestly didn’t remember your number off hand because I don’t even remember my own number most days. I’m sorry.”
Well, that made sense, but I still just wanted to get home, feed my kid, and then go back out and run the four hundred other errands I had to do.
I barely had any time off these days as it was, and I knew this was my own doing, that this job, no matter the commitments that came with it, was my choice, but right now I felt like I kept making the wrong ones.
Was I losing too much time with my son because I wanted to further my career? Was I fighting with someone at work just to prove that I had bigger balls than he did?
I needed to stop making rash choices, but I also needed to just do things on my own. I was better when I was on my own.
“Do you want Luke to come into the shop and get some water while you’re dealing with the tire? Let me know how to help, Brooke. I want to.” He stuck his hands in his pockets, and he looked so contrite, like he was trying not to scare me or anger me.
And I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I just couldn’t handle it. But I needed to.
Luke needed me to handle it.
Because nobody else would.
“I got it. I had it in Paris, and I have it here.”
I hadn’t meant to blurt that, and when his eyes widened, I muttered under my breath.
“What?” he asked as he leaned forward.
“I’m sorry. I’m just tired.” And I knew the fastest way to get home was to let him help. Because despite the strength I had in my veins, he had more muscles than I did. So I should just let him help.
It wasn’t a failure, even though I felt like it was.
“I would appreciate your help with the tire. Mostly because I can’t get it out of the trunk. And it’s annoying me.”
“Yeah, that would be annoying.” He kept studying my face as if he wanted to ask more but knew he couldn’t. Not in public like this, not with Luke right there, and clearly not when I acted like the bitchiest of all bitches.
“Thank you in advance,” I mumbled.
He met my gaze, nodded tightly, and helped me with the tire.
In the ways of fate and men, he had the spare on in no time, while it probably would’ve taken me over an hour because I was out of practice and weaker than he was.
That didn’t make me feel like I was helpless or anything.
“You’re all good to go.”
He high-fived Luke, who had stayed in the car but had stuck his head out of the window to watch.
“Be good, buddy.”
“Thank you, Leif. I’ll see you soon!” Luke got back in his seat, and I quickly buckled him back in, making sure he was secure, before turning to Leif.
“Thank you. I have to head home. Things are going to start melting.”
Not that I had ice cream or anything in my car, but it seemed like a good excuse. I was melting as it was.
He studied my face as if he wanted to say something, but there was nothing to say.
I had to make the right choices for my son in my own life.
And I wasn’t sure the man that continually went haywire on my emotions was the right choice.
“Get home safe, Brooke,” Leif said, without any hint to his emotions.
Something broke inside me, but I didn’t know what it was or what it meant. So I nodded my head in thanks once again, and got into my car. When I pulled out and headed home, I refused to look in the rearview mirror at him.
Because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to see.
That he was still there, waiting.
Or that he was doing what he had done before and should do now: leave.