Page 83 of Broken Trails
And now?
Now I’m standing in the doorway of her too-cramped rental, boots planted on the mat, air thick with tension. Three pairs of eyes watch me—two amused, one unreadable.
Hers. The only ones that matter.
“Come on in,” the woman, Dani, says. She gestures past Zoe before she can even blink. “Let’s not be rude to the man.”
I catch Zoe’s glance as I do. Her mouth opens, then closes. Her eyes flicker, something quick and unsure flashing behind them. I lift a palm, directing my attention to Zoe. “Are you sure? I can go. I didn’t plan on interrupting anything.”
“Don’t be silly, you’re not. We only just got here,” the guy, Jeff, says before flicking Zoe a look.
She exhales sharply. “It’s fine. Come in.”
That shocks me more than it should. She’s on edge, I can see it. But still, she doesn’t push me away.
“Wait, he mentioned a car before,” Jeff announces. “Don’t tell me that thing outside is yours. Where’s the Merc?”
Zoe snorts. “Unfortunately, yes.”
I lean back against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Sorry for the delay, but your parts are set to arrive mid-next week.”
She nods apprehensively. “Thanks.”
“And how do you two know each other?” Jeff presses, sipping from his glass again.
I glance at Zoe, half-expecting her to cut in, but she doesn’t. I clear my throat. “She came into the shop the day she rolled into town. Her car was practically begging for a funeral. Smoke pouring out from under the bonnet.”
Jeff raises a brow. “So you weren’t lying when you said everything had gone up in smoke, huh?”
Zoe levels him with a glare. Dani tips her chin toward the corner where Sprinkles is dramatically grooming herself on a pile of cushions. “And now you two are what, sharing custody over that thing?”
“She’s technically mine,” I reply, slipping my hands into my back pockets. “I adopted her.”
Jeff chokes on his drink, and I see his eyes flick from me to Zoe, like he’s collecting evidence for a case I haven’t realised I’m on trial for.
“I only brought her here because I figured Zoe might like the company,” I say easily, but my gaze cuts to Zoe just as her mouth tightens. She doesn’t deny it.
Jeff leans back and mutters, “What is it with small towns and their people? Everyone’s so friendly.”
“More like intrusive,” Zoe quips, side-eyeing me with a smirk that’s all warning.
I flick her wrist and wink. “Don’t get your hopes up. Not everyone in town’s this friendly.”
Jeff watches me again, more thoughtful this time. His gaze drifts between me and Zoe, subtle but sharp. He’s clocking something. I can feel it.
“You’re a mechanic, right?” Dani asks.
“Yeah. My brother and I run the shop.”
She raises both hands, eyes wide. “Oh, wow, you look so young to be managing a whole business. No offence.”
“None taken.” I smile easily. “Been working there since I was seventeen. Ten years under my belt now.”
Jeff whistles low. “Ten years? So you’re what, twenty-seven?”
“Yep.” I roll my neck. “It’s all I know. Fixing things is what I do.”
“Is that where the muscles come from?” Jeff blurts out
