Chapter 3
Locke
“Yeah,” I answer the phone once I’m back in my wrecker.
The pile-up ended up being a six-car collision involving a semi and five cars, ranging from a utility truck, an SUV, and a few cars, one of them being a two-door convertible.
Luckily, there weren’t any fatalities on scene.
That doesn’t mean life-flight wasn’t involved, because it absolutely was.
It made my gut sink, and I was pleased as fuck that Jade took me up on driving around my truck instead of one of the cars from the yard.
“Hey, man, figure Jade will tell you, but if not, her car is toast. Would take more money than it’s worth. She has the keys, but if you could pull it outta here in the next few days, I’d appreciate it,” Colt says on the other end of the line.
I hadn’t heard from her, then again, she doesn’t usually call when I’m out working, too worried it’ll interfere with what I’m doing.
Plus, she’s worried about my safety, full fucking stop.
Every time I get called out, her last words are be safe.
If I tell her I’m heading out via text or a phone call, it’s the same.
The least I can do is keep my wits about me and my head on a fucking swivel.
“Thanks. Haven’t talked to her yet. Probably will here shortly. Jace get the lowdown?” I ask, talking about my best friend, the man who I love like a brother but is a pain in my dick and will no doubt give me exactly what I deserve when the time comes and he finds out I’ve been with his sister.
I get it. It’s not like I was a fucking saint when I was younger or even in my twenties. I was wild and free. Settling down wasn’t anything I wanted or needed. By the time I hit my thirties, I’d dated a few times here and there, nothing serious and nothing long lasting.
Jace has been the same way right along with me.
Hell, he hasn’t slowed down at all. Every other weekend, he’s out doing something or other, bringing someone home.
And while I’ve been able to beg off for the most part, there are times when I join him, sit on a barstool, nurse a beer, and let him do his thing.
He will try and get me to talk to some woman or other who’s with whomever he’s talking to.
I usually head in another direction, and while Jade knows her brother, she also knows I’m not straying and am coming home to her.
“I didn’t tell him. Figure it’s your rig that will tow it out. The rest is up to you and her. Though, I’m assumin’ his ass tracked her here.”
“Be kind of hard since she left the family tracker after the last incident.” Jade gave him an earful, pulled her mom into it, and left whatever app they have that tracks the family.
Their mom gave Jace hell right along with Jade.
I was in the room when they had the three-way call.
Both women hung up on him. I almost felt bad for him, but he brought it on himself.
While there’s being protective, there’s also being overprotective without leaving an inch of breathing room.
He’s been teetering on that edge for a long time and tipped the scale when he met us at Barlow’s.
“Shit, I know that had to burn. Kara’s put me in my place a time or two, but not that bad.
Then again, she lived at home for a long time.
” Kara underwent a hell of a lot of surgeries, finally concluded the last one a while ago, which meant she was done living at home.
Her new next-door neighbor happens to now be her man, Dean.
He comes with a rowdy hound dog who adores Kara and Colt’s daughter, spends time in the shop, and wins over customers when they get hit with a bill nobody wants to pay.
“Yeah, Jade’s been icing him out.” She has for the most part; won’t answer his calls but will instead text him, keeping it short and sweet. I’ve been tempted to wade in, and depending on how Jade handles this next task, I either will or won’t.
“From what Kara says, it’s ice cold, too.”
“You have no idea. I thought you didn’t want any part of what’s been going on between Jade and me?” Colt has said multiple times in the past couple of weeks that he doesn’t want to know dick.
“Still don’t. Let me know when you’re picking up her wheels.” Glad for this conversation to be shelved myself.
“Will do. Thanks again, man.” I’m on the road, having already dropped off the last vehicle to where it needed to go, which means I’m on my way back home.
“No problem.” I toss the phone into the cupholder, and it immediately starts going off again.
I glance at the display on the screen. The downside of owning the only tow truck company in Whispering Oaks is that you’re always busy.
The plus side of being the only tow truck company in Whispering Oaks is that you’re always busy.
I love money as much as the next person. Damn, a weekend off wouldn’t kill me about this time. Especially when my woman is at my home, hopefully back in nothing but the shirt I left her in.
“Locke and Key Towing, this is Locke, how can I help you?” The number isn’t saved in my phone. I’d rather be done for the day yet as I answer the call that thought goes up in smoke.
“Hi, this is Valerie from Platinum Auto Insurance. Do you happen to offer roadside assistance for changing tires, running out of gas, or locksmith services?” I breathe a sigh of relief; I’d much rather get a call like this than one for another hookup.
“Unfortunately, I do not.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you. Have a great day.” I’ve received a few calls like this before, most of the time not on the weekends. They must be hurting for contractors something fierce. And since Mom usually handles these calls, she must be out and about, forwarding the calls to me.
“You too.” I hit the end button, turn up the radio, roll down the window, and press down on the gas pedal. I’ve got a woman to get home to, one I can’t get to fast enough.