Page 4 of Crash
He’d been patient with her, hoping she’d get the clue he would never sleep with her.
“Delilah, this has gone too far. You’re fired.” The harsh words left his mouth and hung in the air between them.
Griffin had watched, unmoved, as tears filled her blue eyes.
“You-you’re f-firing me?” Her tears spilled over as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You can’t do that!”
Griffin tried not to flinch at her shrill voice. Hands braced on his hips, he stepped away from her. He knew exactly where the security cameras were in the garage. In the event things went south, he needed irrefutable proof that he was not the aggressor.
“I’ll leave so you can pack up your things in peace.” Giving her a curt nod, he’d turned and exited through the open garage bay doors.
That was the last time he’d seen Delilah.
The paperwork could wait until tomorrow. Decision made, he turned off the computer and hoisted himself out of the chair with a groan.
Griffin made his way to the back lot. He pursed his lips, let out a sharp whistle, and waited impatiently forthe sound of Rover’s giant paws on the packed dirt as he bounded from the woods. When Rover was not by his side in the shop, he liked to go into the woods to hunt for bunnies and squirrels. Hunting was probably a strong word for what he really did with the forest animals. More like rolling in the grass and frolicking like the big buffoon he was.
“Come on, buddy, let’s go home.”
They walked side-by-side across the street to the two-story house he’d built across from the auto body shop about five years ago. His property bordered Crystal Hollow Lake, a large lake that offered him stunning sunrises and sunsets daily. He’d loved watching the boats coming back to the dock in the evenings as Rover ran around the backyard.
For years, he lived in the apartment above the shop, and when the opportunity came for him to buy the lakefront property across the street, he’d pounced on it. It had taken over a year before he could move into his home, but it was well worth the wait to have his own sanctuary.
Opening the front door, he stripped out of his coveralls in the hallway. He normally kept it at the shop, but he did not want to stick around for another minute with Delilah there. The last thing he needed was to be caught in a precarious situation with him being partially undressed.
Griffin dragged his feet into the shower afterhanging up his coveralls in the hallway closet. His home was small, but it had everything he needed. Normally, he’d cook dinner for himself and Rover, but tonight, he just wanted to relax. Hair damp from the shower, Griffin trekked to the kitchen to heat up some leftovers in the microwave. While he waited for his food to get nuked, he grabbed an IPA out of the fridge. The beer made a satisfying fizz when he cracked it open with the bottle opener attached to his fridge. The bitter taste exploded across his taste buds. He let out a sigh as his tensed muscles loosened. Rover was already waiting for him in the living room for their evening routine, which consisted of watching the news before bedtime.
The microwave chimed. He carried his dinner and beer to the living room. He’d just turned on the TV and put his feet up before he heard the unmistakable sound of his phone ringing.
“Fucking Christ, can’t a guy catch a damn break?” A rhetorical question as Rover glanced up from his spot with furrowed brows.
He didn’t look at who was calling him before barking into the offending object in his hand.
“Hello?” The sound of static filled his ears as he waited for whoever dared to interrupt his evening to answer. After a moment of silence, the static cleared as a woman’s soft voice came on the line.
“Oh. Hi! I didn’t expect anyone to answer so quickly. The service out here is terrible.”
“What do you want?” Griffin winced at his harsh words.
“Oh, um, I need help.” Her voice seemed to crack on the last word. “My car broke down, and I’m about ten miles from town.”
Griffin bit back a curse. He dragged in a deep, calming breath before he said anything else he’d regret later. He couldn’t let her be stranded on the side of the road. Besides, he knew Ricky was out of town for the weekend and wouldn’t be back for a few more days.
“Yeah, alright. Give me a few minutes.” His heavy sigh hung between them.
“Oh, thank—” Her phone cut off before she could finish her statement.
Groaning, Griffin took his beer back to the kitchen and watched as it went down the drain. It was his favorite IPA, but there were plenty in the fridge.
Maybe tomorrow he’d have better luck on a relaxing evening, but now, he needed to rescue a damsel in distress.
Griffin scoffed at the idea of being someone's knight in shining armor.
three
QUYNH
“No, no, no, Shelly, don’t do this to me. Please,” Quynh cried as she tried to convince her car, named after its eggshell color, to give her at least a few more miles. Her destination was only ten miles away based on the navigation of her dying phone. But, as she pulled a sputtering and jerking Shelly to the side of the road, she knew she was out of luck.
