Page 118 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Now what do we do?”

“Halfway across Oklahoma and our engine overheats.” Jared ruffled Lucy’s ears. “Doesn’t that just figure?”

Cat glanced at the sparse scenery out the window. Oklahoma in August was as dry as dust and bone-wiltingly hot. The grass was bleached almost white and the few trees that broke up the arid landscape didn’t look strong enough to support the leaves on their limbs.

“What are we going to do?” Cat asked.

“I’ll take a look at it,” Jared said and climbed out of the car.

Cat watched as he used the hem of his shirt to pop open the hood. A cloud of steam bellowed out. Cat gasped but Jared rolled out of the way and waved to her from the side of the van.

She rolled down the window and asked, “Well?”

“We have a broken hose,” he shouted over the roar of the traffic. “I’m going to try to flag down some help. Sit tight.”

It was a scorcher out there and Cat could see the sweat beginning to pour off of his brow. Did no one care that they were broken-down? Jared stood on the side of the road and waved but no one stopped. Cars and trucks streamed past him in an unending line. He looked chagrined and shrugged at Cat. She shrugged back. What could they do?

The van was beginning to heat up and Lucy licked Cat’s hand and whined.

“I know, baby,” she said and filled the puppy’s water dish with some cold water. Lucy lapped at the water, spilling more than she drank.

Cat rolled down her window to offer some water to Jared. She froze with her hand on the window crank. Jared was standing on the side of the road doing what looked like dance moves!

Cat took a swig of the water and watched in rapt fascination at the sight before her. Jared had his hands in his back pockets as he executed what appeared to be a line dance. He stepped forward and back, then did a turn, a grapevine sort of side step with a clap.

The cars that had been slowing down to observe their breakdown were now speeding up to get past the weirdo on the side of the road. Jared did a series of spins and Cat burst out laughing while Lucy watched him with her head cocked to the side as if uncertain of his sanity. When he attempted a high kick, Cat cringed, fearing a nasty groin pull. Some wise guy honked but didn’t stop.

When Jared climbed back into the van, Cat was laughing so hard her belly hurt.

“What was that?” she asked.

“My attempt to get someone to stop,” he said. “I was hoping someone would think I’d gone crazy from the heat and pull over to help.”

“I think you scared away any Good Samaritans.”

“Scared them?” he asked. “Does no one have a sense of humor?”

“Just me,” Cat said. “Maybe if you showed a little leg someone would stop.”

“You want me to show them the goods?” he asked, looking offended.

“Not all of the goods.” She laughed. “That would land you in jail.”

“You don’t think I can do it, do you?” he asked.

“Uh...no,” she said.

“Don’t move,” he said and hopped out of the van, slamming the door behind him.

He strode to the side of the road and pulled off his shirt. Cat felt her pulse thud in her ears. He was perfect. Muscle-hard and deeply tanned, his chest looked like she could bounce a quarter off it.

Jared struck a parody of a bodybuilder’s stance. A lady honked and hollered her phone number as she drove past. He raised his arms and flexed. Another lady honked and threw a five-dollar bill out the window at him, but she didn’t stop. Jared looked miffed.

He came back to the van and Cat handed him a cold bottle of water from the cooler. She tried not to stare at his chest.

“Nice try,” she said. “But you should leave this to the professionals.”

“Oh, is that so?” he asked. “You think you can do better? Be my guest.”

---