Page 36 of Missing Pieces (Men of Manhattan 3)

I looked down at Hailey sleeping. I truly was pathetic. Because I didn't want to wake her up. For just a few more minutes, I wanted to pretend that she needed me. I wanted to pretend that this was more than what I knew she thought it was.

Someone stepped out of the truck and slammed the door.

My time was up. "Hails," I whispered and lightly kissed her temple.

"Mmm."

I swallowed hard. That tiny little sound. I fucking wanted to hear that over and over again. I wanted her to wake up in my arms and moan into my chest. But I knew she'd never feel the same way.

I removed my arm from around her shoulders. "Hails, the tow truck is here."

She slowly opened up her eyes. Her hand clutched to my shirt as she looked out the window. "It stopped raining. How long have I been asleep?"

I waited for her to pull away, but she stayed pressed against me. "About an hour."

She nodded. "Tyler, I don't want..."

She was interrupted by the tow truck guy knocking on the window.

"Let me go see what the damage is," I said. I instantly felt cold when her hands fell from me. Maybe I was wrong about what she wanted. Maybe we both needed something to hold on to. I stepped out of the car.

"Looks like your axle is bent," the guy said when I joined him at the front of the car. "It's good you called. If you had driven on it, it would have done damage to your CV joints."

I nodded like I actually knew what that meant. I knew how to replace a tire and jumpstart a car, but that was about the extent of my mechanical prowess. "Is it easily fixable?"

"We'll need to take it into the shop. But I should have it fixed up by morning."

"What's the damage going to be?"

"If you want to replace the front bumper too, then..."

"No, just the axle and tire."

He nodded and glanced down at his clipboard. "Probably about $500 depending on how long labor takes. Do you two need a lift somewhere?"

"Yeah, wherever the nearest hotel is."

The guy laughed.

"What?"

"You're joking right? All the local hotels have been booked for months in advance."

"Seriously? Why?"

"That big music festivals that all the kids are going to. Figured you two were on your way there. Have anywhere else to crash?"

Shit. I knew someone who lived nearby, but there was no way we were going there. I opened up the back door of the car and leaned down. "Know anyone who lives around her

e?"

She bit her lip. "Where are we exactly?"

The tow truck guy laughed. "About 10 miles out from Amarillo."

Hailey shrugged her shoulders.

"If you'd like to go farther, I can call you folks a taxi. But I'm telling you, the hotels are booked for miles. There are some camping sites set up for the festival though if you'd like to try one of them."

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