“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I angrily kick the stainless steel rolling cart holding my tools.
“What’s up, Spice?” Garrett’s head peeks out from under the hood of the Corolla he’s working on.
I turn around, facing Garrett, and see the irritating, sly smile on his face. “What do you think?” I say, motioning to the front of my faded, red overalls, covered in oil.
“Ah fuck.” Garrett winces like he’s in pain and throws the rag he was holding on the top of the yellow Corolla.
“Don’t move; I’ve got you.” Garrett thinks fast, running over to the corner to fetch a bucket full of scalding water and a mop. He grabs the bottle of industrial-strength degreaser and puts more than the recommended amount in the water.
“Hands,” Garrett barks, nodding his head to the bucket as he wipes the floor underneath my feet. He finishes by wiping my work boots.
The water is scorching hot, but I know if I don’t rinse and scrub immediately, my hands will be stained black for the next two weeks.
“Are you okay? It’s like your head’s not attached to your body today,” Garrett remarks, a concerned frown on his face.
I unzip my overalls, rolling them down carefully so I don’t mess up my clothes underneath.
“I’m fine,” I snap, instantly regretting my tone. After all, Garrett only wants to help. He’s the greatest boss I’ve ever had, and he has been nothing but kind to me.
Garrett holds up his hands as if to surrender and looks at the big digital clock on the wall.
“You can just go home if you’d like. It’s almost five, anyway, and you’ve been doing too much overtime lately.” He smiles.
“Oh, seriously?” My eyebrows arch in surprise. It was a busy month at the shop, and we’re severely understaffed since Riley quit a few months back.
“The new guy is coming in on Monday, so you should take the half hour of free pay I’m giving you and relax. I’m sure your girl won’t mind having you home sooner than expected.” Garrett winks.
I roll my eyes but smile. I know Garrett’s right, and Irina will be over the moon if I get home early tonight, especially since we haven’t spent a lot of time together lately. Between me working so much overtime and Irina running for promotion at her law firm, we can use some TLC.
“Thanks, boss.”
“Welcome, Spice. Give her a kiss from me.” Garrett grins.
“You’re such a creeper, Gar.” I shake my head.
I make my way out of the shop, strutting off to the locker room in the back, twisting the combination on the lock.
I carefully peel the soiled overalls from my body and reach for a bin liner on top of the lockers. Stuffing the messy fabric inside, I briefly contemplate just throwing it in the trash. Then again, if I did, I’d have to walk around in size XL men’s overalls until Garrett orders me a fresh pair. “Fuck this,” I curse. There’s no way I can save them without ruining my washer.
Garrett comes into the locker room, toeing off his heavy work boots before he sits down on the stool next to the sink.
“Gar, will you order me new ones, or do I have to get them myself?” I ask, looking over my shoulder to face him. I peel off my stained work T-shirt, swapping it for a long-sleeved, black turtleneck.
“I can’t get it by Monday, so maybe just stop by the Outfit Factory yourself. Put it on my tab.”
“Sure, I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
“Say hi to Kate for me,” Garrett says, rubbing his neck nervously.
“Dude!” I exclaim. “You still haven’t put a move on her?”
Garrett’s face turns all sorts of shades of pink as he tries to figure out what to say.
“She totally digs you, Garrett. I can see it in her eyes every time we’re over there together.” I pull the hair tie that secures my ponytail out of my hair and put it around my wrist.
“What do you see, then?” Garrett wonders, biting the inside of his cheek.
“Oh, please. Can’t you tell by the way she looks at me? The woman hates me. It’s like she might actually start shooting laser beams out of her eyes and go all Superman on my ass.” I cross my arms in front of my chest, glaring at my boss until he gets my point. Kate always seems to think Garrett and I are more than friends, but we’re coworkers and it’s just ridiculous for her to see anything else between us.
“Oh.”
“Does she think we...but you’re...and I don’t…” he mumbled.
“Exactly, genius. Use the brain.” I laugh.
“I might friend her on Facebook tonight and start some kind of conversation.”
It’s adorable that Garrett seems so timid about the whole Kate subject. Garrett is very good-looking. He’s got dark brown hair hitting his stubbled jawline. At work, he always pushes it back with some product or covers his locks with a cap or beanie. He has soft, toffee-brown eyes that always seem to give away what he’s thinking. Garrett’s looks, combined with owning a successful business and being the hard worker he is, essentially make him a freaking catch.
“What’s wrong?” He reaches out, his hand touching my bare forearm. I pull back with a scowl, pulling down the sleeves of my shirt furiously. My cheeks glow bright red as I avoid his eyes. I know he means well, but I can’t help it.
I wasn’t prepared.
“I’m sorry, Rose.” Garrett sighs, knowing the gesture throws me off, even when it’s this innocent.
“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” I let my head fall forward, loose tresses of gold covering my face like a safety guard for my expression.
“I have to go; Kate’s is closing soon.” In a hurry, I stuff my belongings into my oversized leather tote before throwing on my denim jacket. The denim feels rough against my neck.
“I thought you were going tomorrow?” Garrett’s brow lifts, questioning my sudden change of plans.
“Yeah, well. I might as well just do it now. It’s only a ten-minute drive from here, anyway. Irina isn’t expecting me until six, so she’s probably still at work,” I mutter, knowing Irina takes every chance she can to get more done.
“Have a great weekend, Spice. And I’m sorry.” Garrett stays behind in the locker room. I can tell he feels guilty for overstepping the boundaries I set when I started working for him. He knew my story, and he vowed to protect and care for me in this douchebag-littered garage.
Now I feel like a bitch.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it, boss. See you on Monday.” I manage to crack a smile and put a hand on Garrett’s shoulder because I feel brave and want to put him at ease. It’s never about me touching them; that’s just fine. It’s about them touching me, but I know Garrett isn’t like that. Not one bit.
I walk over to my cherry-red Dodge Challenger, the air crisp, the sun already setting. Winter was one of my favorites, but the early nightfall has a way of triggering me, often flooding me with thoughts about that one night.
I walk to my car, leaving work, the high-end car dealership owned by the Kings. We sell and import expensive brands only the one percent can afford. The pearly-white, sleek Porsche Cayenne is my pride and joy, and I feel blessed. I’m dating the eldest son: Royce King, which is the main reason for me owning this beauty. Royce kept me out of the greasy shop and in the state-of-the-art showroom instead. My life was all pantsuits and tailored skirts now, designer, along with champagne and exotic coffee beans. I’m always smiling, carrying myself with skillful poise while possessing the knowledge of a seasoned mechanic. I benefit from my family’s genes and physique quite often, but I felt like I hit the fucking jackpot with Royce King.
It’s just after six pm when I leave, making sure the showroom is closed and secured for the night. The red light of the alarm system blinked soothingly as I left.
Night has already fallen since it’s well into December. My heels click loudly on the cement of the parking lot behind the building. The big, motion-activated spotlight isn’t working, and I fumble in my purse, looking for my phone, using its flashlight to guide my way to my car.
“Hey Rosie,” A deep voice calls out. I smile, recognizing my fiancé’s voice.
“Royce,” I sigh, slightly startled, and walk up to him. My brow furrows, eyes darting towards the crumbled paper bag that hug the obvious shape of a liquor bottle.
“Have you been drinking?”
~~000~~
Don’t miss this one! Bookmark PearlyFox now! Metamorphic starts posting on March 29.
Sounds intriguing! Thanks for the tip! 😁
ReplyDelete