Chapter three
G eorgina watched stunned as the man with shoulders as wide as an American refrigerator, the dirty overalls covering them straining against their breadth, walk straight past her car and disappear around the corner. She threw her hands up in disbelief. ‘What the heck?!’ But then he reappeared moments later, minus the odd triangular shapes, and positioned himself at the tailgate, with his large hands resting upon it.
He looked over to her and his brow shot up. ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ Georgina’s finger pointed to her chest and then to her car. The dark-eyed man nodded. ‘Yes. Jump in and I’ll push you to my garage.’ Georgina’s mouth dropped open, but she quickly walked over to the car and opened the driver’s door. ‘Don’t forget to put the gear stick in neutral.’
Georgina’s brow drew sharply together, and she gave him a sweeping glance as she got into her car. Did he think she were stupid or something? She put her key in the ignition to free the steering lock and made sure the gear lever was in a neutral position. Placing her hands ready on the steering wheel she looked through her rearview mirror at the man as he began to push, but the car didn’t budge. Georgina frowned. He looked very strong. How looks could be deceiving.
His face suddenly appeared at her window and his eyes bored into hers before dropping to look at the centre console. When his long black eyelashes flicked up and his eyes once again met hers, a shiver ran the length of her spine. ‘You know, it would help if you released the handbrake.’
Her jaw dropped. Was she stupid or something? She shook her head. No, she wasn’t. It must have been the stress of the moment. That, or it was his dashing good looks that had gotten her into a tizzy.
Her car lurched forward, and Georgina steered it as the man pushed it along the road towards the garage.
‘ Now you can pull the handbrake on,’ said the man with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as they pulled up close to the garage.
Georgina pulled the handbrake on, her lips pursed. Normally she’d retaliate if someone tried to make her out to be a fool, but the man had been kind enough to help her. She bit her tongue as she got out of the car, her lips already parting ready to thank him. He held his finger up to stop her, and sprinted off in the direction from where they had just retrieved her car from. Georgina was once again left open mouthed as she watched his large back disappear.
A minute later he was already running back towards the garage, the two strange triangle shapes now in a hand each. Georgina openly admired him as he came to a halt in front of her.
‘Thank you. I really appreciate your help. Of all the places my car chose to break down, it had to choose that corner.’
The man shook his head. ‘No worries. I’m guessing you’ve already called your breakdown service.’ Georgina grimaced. The man’s brow shot up. ‘What...you don’t have breakdown cover?’
Georgina didn’t like his judgemental frown and she had to fight to keep her cheeks from burning. She liked to be in control of life, but now to this stranger, it appeared she was anything but. ‘I-I forgot to renew my policy,’ she stammered. She didn’t want a total stranger knowing her personal finance difficulties, that she couldn’t entertain such privileges at the moment.
The man nodded and crossed his arms, making the triangles bulging outwards at an awkward angle. Georgina couldn’t take her eyes off the man’s full lips as he ran his tongue over them. ‘So how are you going to transport your car to the garage that will fix it?’
Georgina rubbed the back of her neck. She felt very silly all of a sudden. A feeling that didn’t fit well with her normally confident character. ‘Erm, I-I actually don’t have a regular garage I use... Hence the reason I’ve broken down. My car is well past a service. I was kind of in between jobs until recently. But I’ve just started working part-time at the petrol station down the road, and I intended to get my car looked at with my first pay check.’
The man nodded, and then his head dipped to one side. ‘Well as you can see, I have a garage. I can do the work for you if you like. That way, you wouldn’t have to arrange for the car to be towed elsewhere.’
Georgina’s eyes widened. She had been a little rude with him when she first approached him, and now he was offering to work on her car—she felt awful. ‘That’s very kind of you, but like I said, I was intending to get my car serviced when I get my first pay check, but that won’t be for another two weeks yet... If you don’t mind me using your phone, I’ll ring my father, and he’ll come and tow it off your property.’
The handsome man ran his tongue over his full lips again. The action mesmerised Georgina. ‘Two weeks, eh? How about I offer you a proposition?’
Georgina snapped out of the trance and stepped back while looking him up and down. ‘I’m not that type of girl.’
The man’s eyes went wide, and he held his hands up, palms facing her as he shook them and his head simultaneously. The triangles fell to the ground. ‘No-no-no. What I mean is, if you are only part-time at the petrol station, you could work here answering the phone in exchange for me fixing your car.’
Georgina’s mouth went wide as comprehension sunk in. ‘Ohhhh right.’ Her hand flew to her open mouth, and she tried to hold in the laughter that rumbled up through her chest. The man joined in with her laughter, the awkward moment instantly gone. When they had finished laughing, they stared at each other smiling, their grins stretching from ear-to-ear.
‘That is very kind of you. I really appreciate the offer... Yes. It’s a deal.’ She held her hand out. I’m Georgina. Georgina Shelley.’
The man took hold of her hand, his eclipsing hers as he shook it. ‘Matt Harris. Nice to make your acquaintance Georgina Shelley.’
Georgina narrowed her eyes and then they went wide as recognition washed over her face. ‘Did you barge into the church sermon last Sunday?’
Matt threw his head back and laughed, holding his hands up in a surrender position. ‘Guilty as charged. Although I wouldn’t say I barged in. When I entered, I had no idea the church was filled to the rafters and a sermon was in full procession.’
Matt tilted his head to one side. ‘I recognise you too. Other than the vicar, you were the only person standing up, weren’t you?’
Georgina nodded with a smile and mimicked Matt’s hands and statement. ‘Guilty as charged.’
‘Why were you standing? Had you been a naughty girl and the vicar was calling you out?’
Georgina laughed. ‘Hey! What are you trying to imply? No. I was actually volunteering.’ She wondered if Matt could see into her soul through her eyes. She’d only volunteered after feeling guilty about laugh-snorting.
‘Volunteering, eh? I wouldn’t have taken you as the volunteering type.’
Georgina opened her mouth aghast. ‘I’m offended. Are you trying to imply there is a certain look for volunteers and I don’t fit it?’
Matt shook his head vehemently. ‘No, it’s not that. I just thought volunteers were mainly of a certain age, and you appear to be far too young to fall into that age category.’
‘Then you are forgiven,’ winked Georgina.
‘What were you volunteering for?’
‘To organise the annual community sunset picnic event and get as many volunteers as possible to offer their skills entertaining the residents of Seagull Bay at the event, which will be held on the beach in a couple of weeks.’
‘Wow. That sounds like fun... I mean the sunset picnic part. Not the part where you have to twist arms up backs to get residents to pledge their allegiance to the cause.’
Georgina laughed. ‘When you say it like that, it makes the already difficult task sound even more impossible.’
‘Are you already having trouble obtaining volunteers?’
Georgina nodded. ‘It’s only my first day, but I’ve already asked a dozen people who came into the petrol station, and I still haven’t been able to get one name secured on my list.’
‘Don’t get disheartened. Maybe try changing tactics. Why don’t you knock on doors armed with a clipboard and pen? Maybe asking them in their comfort zone might sway them.’
Georgina liked that Matt was on the same wavelength as her. She nodded. ‘Yes, that’s what I was planning on doing this week when I wasn’t working at the petrol station. However, now I need to know what days you need me here so I can work off my bill. I’ll now have to fit in house calls around my new whacky work schedule.’ She finished the sentence with a light-hearted laugh, although her mind really was scrambling to work out the logistics.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll not claim too much of your time, but it would help me out a ton if you could share your work schedule for the next week or two with me, so I can see if your free time corresponds with the days I need you to man my phones.’
‘Or even woman your phone,’ Georgina quipped.
‘Huh?’ The corners of Matt’s mouth quirked up. ‘Ah. I like a strong-headed woman with a sense of humour.’ He chuckled and nodded, as if appreciating the remark even more now he was thinking about it.
‘Who said I was joking?’ Georgina held a stern expression as she looked at Matt.
Matt’s smile slid from his face. ‘I-I wasn’t being sexist. I hope you are not offen—’
Georgina let the laugh that had been building up in her chest explode, which came out even harder when she saw a look of relief wash over Matt. ‘You had me...you fooled me good and proper. What a relief. I can't believe I fell for that. I can see our temporary working arrangement is going to be...erm, unconventional.’
‘Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be very professional answering your phones. I really appreciate that you have offered me this alternate opportunity to get my car fixed.’ Georgina looked past Matt towards the small office she could see through a glass wall to the right of the garage she first saw Matt working. She was eager to see where she would be working for the next week or so. ‘Shall I write down my availability?’
‘Oh. Erm, yes.’ Matt led the way towards the office. He talked as he walked, turning his head periodically to the side so Georgina could hear him over the radio, which was now blaring loudly inside the garage. ‘My father and I usually take it in turns manning the office, but he and my mum are on holiday at the moment. They spotted a last-minute deal to Lanzarote,’ Matt shrugged, offering an explanation to why he wanted help.
Matt was opening the office door and gesturing for Georgina to enter when she replied. ‘Nice. I’ve never been abroad.’
His mouth dropped open. ‘What? You’ve never been out of the UK?’
Georgina stopped in her tracks as she passed him. Until then, she hadn’t realised what a big deal it was. She was in fact the only twenty-something she knew who had never holidayed abroad. She shook her head. ‘No. I’ve never been on an aeroplane.’
‘Wow. Why’s that? Is it because you are frightened to fly?’
Georgina was squished between the doorframe and Matt’s large chest. She looked up into his big brown eyes and shook her head. ‘No.’ Her mouth opened to answer, but then she thought better of it. She barely knew Matt. She wasn’t about to spill all her intimate secrets out to him. Instead, she continued into the office.
Georgina had her back to Matt, but she sensed he’d hesitated by the door a moment longer before he closed it, still watching her. The sound of the radio instantly drowned out when the door closed. She turned to face him. His eyes looked even darker—moody even. He continued to study her. This time Georgina couldn’t hold back the blush which felt like mini volcanoes erupting under both cheeks.
She made a big deal turning her head from left to right looking for something, hoping to distract Matt from the double ruby explosion happening on her face. ‘Pen and notepad?’
Her comment seemed to pull him from his trance, and he jumped to attention, pulling open a drawer and rooting about in it until he found what he was looking for. He withdrew a pencil and a tiny post-it pad. ‘Sorry. I spilled my tea on the notepad yesterday and it was on my to-do list today to buy another. Will this do?’
Georgina laughed, thankful of the amusing moment to help cut the sizzing tension. ‘Well it’s either this or I can just text them to you.’
Matt hit the heel of his hand to his forehead. ‘Duh yes. Why didn’t I think of that? I think I’ve metamorphosised into my fifty-eight-year-old father in his absence.’
Georgina’s eyes quicky swept over all six feet two of Matt’s oily-overall covered body. ‘Jeez, I don’t think so,’ she muttered under her breath.
‘What was that?’
‘I said, I really need to go.’
‘Ah okay. Well let me give you a lift.’
‘No I don’t want to put you out. You’ve already gone out of your way to help me. I’ll call an uber.’
‘I insist. It will give me an excuse to grab something to eat. Where am I dropping you?’
‘The seafront in Seagull Bay will be fine. That way, I can also grab something to eat from Tammy’s Tearoom.’
‘Tammy’s Tearoom? Is that new? What happened to Katherine’s Cafe?’
‘It’s the same shop, only Katherine rents it out to Tammy now.’
‘Wow, it’s weird to think of anything changing in that little town. I haven’t been to the seafront in ages. I actually live on the outskirts of the bay.’
‘Ah. So that’s why I haven’t seen you around then?’
‘Yup. Always working here. The only time I get out and about is when I attend breakdowns.’ Matt reached for something on the desk and handed it to Georgina. ‘That reminds me. Here is our card. We aim to beat any quoted breakdown price by 10%. Bear us in mind when you finally get around to taking out another policy.’ Matt finished the sentence with a wink that made Georgina’s stomach somersault.
‘Come on, let’s get you back. I’ve got a lot on, but I’ll try to look at your car tonight before I finish...see if there are any parts need ordering.’
Georgina held out her hand offering her car key. ‘Thanks Matt.’
His large hand covered hers as he claimed it. Looking directly into her eyes he winked. ‘No thank you. If you hadn’t broken down outside my garage, I would have had to try and multitask for the next two weeks.’
‘So, it’s two weeks you’re holding me captive?’ Matt headed for the door as he spoke mumbling under his breath, and Georgina could have sworn he said, longer if I had my way. ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch that.’
He looked back over his shoulder with a grin. ‘I said, come. My truck is this way.’