Page 70 of Suits and Spark Plugs

“It was a car part. He sold me a bad part,” Levi retaliated. “He’s a bum mechanic and a dirty cheat.”

“I didn’t sell you that part. I recommended a part and then you went home and ordered the wrong one online,” Connor replied firmly.

“How is that Connor’s fault?” I said.

Connor’s amber eyes were as hard as flint when he glared at me. “You’ve done enough, Liv. Stay out of it.”

“You’re angry with me?” I lashed out, hurt and embarrassed. “For caring enough to try to save your life?”

“For the last time, his life wasn’t in danger. Mine was, from this crazy...” Levi took a step back toward me and the police officers immediately got in his way.

“I’m not crazy. You’re the one who came by late at night banging on the door and scaring me,” I said. “You planted the idea in my head that you were going to do some harm to someone.”

“You attacked me, and I’m pressing charges,” Levi said.

“Go ahead, then. Press charges. They’ll never hold up considering I never laid a finger on you.” I stood firm, doing my best to ignore the flash of distress I felt over the situation.

“Liv, you have got to stop talking,” Connor said in exasperation.

“This is the thanks I get...”

“Enough.” His voice cracked like a whip through the confusion and we all froze. “Go home. I don’t need you here,” he said to me.

“She has to be here if I’m pressing charges. They’ll take her down to the station,” Levi argued.

“Miss Phelps, let’s take you outside,” McGowan said. “We’ll get this sorted out in no time.”

I started to shake my head, but Connor caught my eye. “Go.”

I swallowed hard on the painful lump that rose in my throat. I’d royally screwed up, and rather than laughing about it with me, Connor wanted me out of his sight. I nodded and turned to the officer.

“I believe I dropped my purse in the shop somewhere. Can we go out that way?” I asked in a small, uncertain voice that I barely recognized as my own.

“You head on out, ma’am. I’ll grab it and meet you by the cruiser.”

I nodded and took a few stiff steps before my legs remembered how to walk. I didn’t look back even once as I let myself outside. To think, just a few months ago I’d still thought the worst of Connor Hunt, and now I couldn’t bear to have him thinking badly of me.

Officer McGowan and I stood next to his cruiser while he took his official statement from me. I again told him everything that had happened, starting from Levi and Connor talking outside the post office, to showing up late the other night, and the altercation just a few moments before. It was an exercise in extreme humiliation. My mind had created a scenario that never existed.

“Don’t worry too much about it for now, Miss Phelps,” he said when we were done.

“Easy for you to say. I just ticked off Connor, insulted Levi, embarrassed myself in front of law enforcement, and became town gossip in the process.”

He smiled. “I’m sure Officer Campbell is doing his best to calm down the situation inside. For now, you’re free to go home. If Mr. Madsen decides to press charges, we’ll come get you there.”

“I’d rather just be arrested here. My mom and sister don’t need to see me taken away in handcuffs.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. Wait here and I’ll confer with the others.”

I stood in the spring air that was still a little too chilly to be hanging out in and turned to face away from the shop to hide tears that finally escaped. How many times had I told myself to stay away, to not get involved, to keep my head down and focus on my own crazy life? This was the thanks I got for allowing myself to care.

It took another half hour and some smooth talking from Connor and the police officers, but Levi agreed not to press charges with the stipulation that I was to remain as far away from him as possible at all times from here on out. I wanted to tell the officers that the only person who’d actually been hurt was me, but I knew it was pointless.

I caught Connor’s eye as he watched Officer McGowan deliver the verdict to me outside. He made no move to come out, and his stance told me he wouldn’t appreciate me coming in. I drove home feeling beyond dejected.

* * * * *

Within a short twenty-four hours the whole town had heard about the mix-up at Mainstreet Mechanic, and everyone had an opinion. Some thought I was a hero for jumping right in, some thought I was an idiot for not assessing the situation better, and a couple thought I should be locked away. The worst were the handful of women I overheard saying I was just another one of Connor’s crazy girls. I’d almost forgotten about his reputation at that point, but their gossip brought it all back. I’d been a fool ten times over. It had all started with accepting his offer to clean the shop, which had led to letting my guard down and starting to think of him as a friend. Then I’d hugged him and...sigh. That had been a fatal error.

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