Page 11 of 2204 Hunter Lane
I shut off my phone and turned to face the wall, shaking relentlessly. There were so many things I wanted to say, numerous apologies I needed to make and yet, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t even send a text to my own freaking brother.
Tiredness forced my eyelids shut as my mind wandered to the only place that felt permanent comfort.
My loneliness.
???
The morning sunrays cascaded like lasers through the small basement window as I stretched out my arms in disbelief.
My phone read: 10:55am.
Shit, shit, shit.What am I still doing here?
I leapt out of bed, brushed my teeth and threw on a knit sweater and jean combo. The clothes in my suitcase were pretty much packed and ready to go so all I needed to do was thank Payton and head out to see if Dex actually fixed my car.
After a few moments of hesitation, I found the courage to climb the basement stairs and rounded the walkway to the kitchen.
Quiet voices sounded on the other side of the wall, halting my steps before entering. I could make out Payton’s tone in deep conversation with a man.Dex, I think?
“I told you, baby, you can work with us on the farm.” Dex said.
He spoke so softly and sweet with her, almost as if his voice didn’t belong to a scary, gigantic lumberjack.
“Dex, I said it once and I’ll say it again. I ain’t shovelling cow shit for a living.”
“You won’t be –”
“Our business can still survive. I know it can. We just need to find ourselves a hire that can bring the life back into it.”
Payton sounded defeated yet determined. I wished more than anything that whatever she was struggling with I could help. She had done so much for me already, it pained me to see her go through, well, whatever it was she was going through.
“Cramer can’t work on the ads?” Dex asked.
“Don’t be dumb, Dex. Cramer’s a hands on kid. Got no creative eye to him, not a bit.”
The familiar roar of my Malibu engine sounded from outside the side door at the back of the house. It was probably best that I left them to their conversation in the meantime while I checked on my car. After all, that was my only ticket out of here.
The side exit led me to a dirt pathway next to a massive open garage and a table of tools. As I approached, the scent of gasoline flooded my nostrils, causing me to wince. Smack dab in the center of it all was my beautiful Malibu alive and well.At least one of us was thriving.
I jumped at the sound of clamoring tools as Hunter emerged from the back of my car. His blonde hair was wet and pushed back from his face, curling over his ears. He wore a grey long sleeve that clung to his frame like second skin, highlighting tight, broad muscles that could be in a copy of Men’s Health magazine.Don’t stare. Don’t stare.
Those crystal blue eyes finally found mine and I realized a second too late.Shit.
“Mornin’.” He sniffed, rubbing an oil-stained hand over his nose. “Tire’s changed and gas is at full tank.”
Well, at least he didn’t seem like he wanted to bite my head off anymore. That’s a good sign. Maybe he cooled off on his drunken night adventure.Don’t jinx it, Mar.
I walked towards the Malibu and pet its front. “It looks great, thank you.”
He turned his back to me and said nothing, placing all the tools he used back onto the table.
Oookay.
“How’d you get it off the road?”
A few seconds passed before he decided to respond. “We pushed it.”
We. So Dex did help.
