Page 47 of Crazy In Love
“I’m aware, I just thought it might still be fine to drive, and I’d have it fixed at a later date,” she said, clearing her throat. “Should we call our insurance companies?”
“No. Not unless you want your rates to go up. It won’t take much to fix it,” I said, and she nodded, but I saw the panic there.
What was I missing?
“I know you’re still saving up for those snow tires, but I don’t think it’s safe to drive that car without them, Em.” Beatrice paused from what she was doing and gave her this motherly look that I was familiar with.
Emilia pinched the bridge of her nose and then winced, and I assumed it was from the pain from the bump on her forehead.
“Did you get that thing looked at yet?” I asked, motioning to her face.
She pursed her lips. “Well, let’s see, I got a ride home from you after the incident last night, and I woke up and came straight here—so that’s a hard no. It’s fine. It’s a bump. It’ll heal.”
“I said the same thing,” Beatrice chimed in once again, and Emilia shot her a look, and she turned her attention back to her client.
“All right, thank you for taking care of that. Obviously, I will cover the bill for both my car and your car.” She fiddled with her hands, which was normally a tell that someone was nervous.
“Don’t worry about the cars. Bert owed me a favor, so there’s no charge.” The lie rolled off my lips so easily it even caught me by surprise.
“What? There’s no charge?”
“Nope. I helped him with a few things for his business, and he owed me a favor,” I said. “He’ll call you before he drops it off.”
Her mouth opened, as if she was about to say something, and then she stopped herself and shrugged. The door chimed behind me as someone else entered the flower shop.
“Oh, for goodness’ sakes, Emilia. You crashed your car? And I had to hear about it from Tawny when I stopped in for coffee this morning?” Margaret Taylor, Emilia’s mother, said. Tawny Johnson was Bert’s wife. News traveled fast in Rosewood River,and the Taylors were always in the know, as they owned theRosewood River Review.
“Mom, it’s fine. It wasn’t a big deal.”
I waited for her mother to freak out when she noticed the lump on her forehead. But her reaction was not what I expected. “Look at your face,” she gasped. “Well, you won’t be getting any dates looking like that, will you?”
What the actual fuck.
Emilia’s gaze moved to mine, and her cheeks pinked.
My hands fisted at my side for the way her mother was speaking to her.
“Hey, I really think you should get that looked at, all right?” I said, knocking my knuckles against the counter.
“It’ll be fine,” Emilia said, her smile forced.
I walked to the door and pushed it open, just as I heard her mother’s voice.
“That’s the last thing you need is doctor bills. You need tires on that car, and this is why you are in no position to be starting up this silly new company. You’ve got your hands full. No more daydreaming, Emilia.”
What the fuck was wrong with this woman.
Trust me, I was no walk in the park. I wasn’t the most thoughtful guy on the planet, and I knew that.
But mothers were supposed to be loving and encouraging.
I knew this because I had the best one around.
I realized in this moment that I’d misjudged Emilia Taylor more times than I could count.
I picked up my phone and dialed Bert’s auto shop.
“Rosewood Auto Body,” he said. “This is Bert.”
