Page 19 of The Tomorrows After You
“Oh. My. God. Itisyou!”Her eyes went wide, and I cursed myself again when I realized I had confirmed her suspicions.“Why are you doing oil changes and jumping washed-up soccer moms’ overly jacked-up SUVs?”I suppressed a chortle.“Your work ishugein the northeast. Why aren’t you selling it here?”
I gave her a flat look.“Godot isn’t exactly the mecca for modern art appreciation.”
“So, what? You just sneak around, sticking them in random places like some dirty, artistic Santa Claus?”
The chuckle caught in my throat. When I worked for the landscaping company, we integrated them into our quotes. The library was a leftover wind spinner that had been shaped like an owl and I found it fitting.
“Seriously, why aren’t you selling this stuff?”
Heat crept up my neck. There were lots of reasons I wasn’t using it as active income, although the demand was there. After the art exhibit on Hanniqua Island, my email inbox was flooded with custom requests. I entertained the big ones but didn’t have the means and time to get back to them all.
Then there were my parole restrictions. I couldn’t leave the goddamn county without a request and signedpermissionslipfrom Jeremy Blackwell,and I didn’t very well fancy writing down“arts and crafts”as my reason for wanting to leave.
“Not really any ofyourbusiness, is it?”I bit off with a knowing glare. She narrowed her eyes at me before sitting back with aharumph.
We pulled into the parking lot of the auto shop. When I killed the engine, I heard her mutter,“I saw the eagle in Jacob’s yard. It looked nice.”
Was that her attempt at complimenting me? She unbuckled her seat belt and hopped down.
“Not an eagle,”I muttered before she slammed the door.
“What?”Our eyes tangled. This time, like two tigers working together to take down prey.
“It wasn’t an eagle,” I said.She looked at me curiously. “It was a vulture.”
Inside the shop, Rodger wrote up Nicolette’s ticket as I gathered my stuff to head home.
“Do you have a card you want to put on file when we get the diagnosis?”he asked, not looking up.
I looked at her in the reflection of the window when she hesitated.
“My cards are frozen at the moment,”she said, pushing her chin in the air.
Rodger lifted his head, giving her a flat look before letting his eyes roam over her chest and hips, which turned a sour taste in my mouth.
She threw her hands up and her voice rose.“I’m sorry, but apparently not even anationalbank thinks Godot, West Virginia is a real place!”she said.
Rodger leaned back, putting his palms up.“It’s alright, just asking…”Another slow gaze landed on her rib cage.“You’re staying with that uncle of yours, right, sweetheart?”
She narrowed her eyes.“How did you know that?”
“Aw, come on, you’re all Jake’s been talking about since he knew you were coming back.”
Nicolette shuddered.
What wasthatabout?
“Alright...”Rodger stood up.“Well, sweetheart, it looks like you’re going to need a ride home then.”
“I’ll take her,”I said, immediate regret slapping me in the face.
Fuck, why had I offered that?I needed to limit my time with her. Rodger looked at me like I had taken the last slice of cake.
That’s why I offered that. Sit down, old man,something carnal in me growled.
“Jake’s place is on my way,”I shrugged, trying to make it seem like that’s all it was. She did me a favor by distracting Cherry Mitchell. Offering her a ride home was simply returning the favor. That was all.
“It’s fine,”Nicolette cut the tension that thickened between me and Rodger.“I have a few places to stop. I can walk. Thank you, gentlemen. Call me when the car is ready!”She flew out the door before either of us could protest, which I found bizarre.
