Page 12 of The Mistletoe Bluff
His brows lowered. “I thought you wanted me to. Isn’t that why you texted me?”
I shook my head so hard it gave me a headache. “I don’t want anything fromyou, least of all your money.”
I didn’t want to feel indebted to him, and I didn’t want to be at his mercy or feel like I owed him something. Which I understood was ridiculous since the damage was his fault anyway. But still.
His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “Maya…” He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair.“Just let me pay for the repairs and we can both get on with our lives.”
I hesitated for a split second. I couldn’t afford to fix the scratch myself. Would it be so bad to let him pay for it?
After another moment, I sighed. “Fine. But I don’t like you,” I bit out between clenched teeth, making sure he understood that accepting his money didn’t mean I wanted to be friends. Of course, I didn’t know if he’d even think that in the first place, but my brain was in overdrive, overthinking every part of this.
Oliver stared at me for a long moment, his blue eyes flickering with some emotion I couldn’t quite place. “Good. The feeling is mutual.” Then he marched back to the counter, leaving me gaping after him.
The mouse of Paul’s computer clacked obnoxiously. “All right. For the scratch on the Honda Accord, it’ll be two thousand dollars and seventy-three cents.”
I cringed at the total, expecting Oliver to be shocked as well, maybe even argue about it, but he handed over his credit card without a word. I squeezed next to him.
“Wait a sec, you’re not even going to fight him on the cost?”
Oliver glanced at me before looking back at Paul. “I assumed you already did, which is why you contacted me in the first place.” He gave me a slow once-over. “There’s no point in arguing. Paul doesn’t seem the type to bend to begging either.”
Paul continued fiddling with the card reader, ignoring us.
“Two thousand is a lot of money,” I retorted.Thank you, Captain Obvious.
The corners of Oliver’s mouth twitched. “It is.”
“And you’re just going to pay it?”
This time he turned to face me. “Yes, Maya. I didn’t scratch your car on purpose but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be a gentleman and pay for the damage I caused. I don’t expect you to pay for something that wasn’t your fault.”
Paul handed Oliver his card back and then slid a receipt across the counter.
I wanted to ask Oliver why he was being so nice when all he’d ever done was tease me, but I didn’t get the chance.
“I can start your car today, but it won’t be ready until after Christmas,” Paul said, pulling the metaphorical rug from under my feet.
After Christmas?I tried to stay calm, pushing down the panic that was rising to the surface. “T-that’s okay. I’m sure you have a rental car for me to use.” When he said nothing, I added, “Right?”
Paul blinked at me, the movement of his eyelids slow and exaggerated. “We’re out of rentals.”
“What?”
“It’s Christmas time. Everyone needs rentals while their cars are in the shop.”
“And so do I! How am I supposed to get to work without a car?”
Paul shrugged. “Not my problem.”
I let out an angry huff, my hands flexing into fists, about to lunge over the counter and punch Paul in the face when familiar hands—that really shouldn’t have been familiar at all—settled on my shoulders and pulled me backward toward the door.
Oliver took the keys from my hand and tossed them at Paul.
“Thank you for your time, Paul. Please let Maya know the moment her car is ready.”
The shop owner just waved a hand in dismissal, not bothering to say another word as Oliver dragged me out of the building. I wriggled out of his grasp as we stopped next to a silver Jeep.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” I demanded. “I need a car, Oliver. I need to be able to get to work and it’s too gosh dang cold to walk from my apartment to Dina’s.” I didn’t miss his smirk at my avoidance of using real swear words.
