Page 58 of Needing Him Now
“I hope a call comes in,” she says then her brows furrow. “I mean shoot, I don’t wish distress on anyone, but…”
“I know what you mean,” I say, pulling open the door and motioning for her to climb up inside. I watch as she flops down in the seat and then starts looking over the space. The wrecker isn’t anything fancy, it’s spacious enough in the cab, the seat comfortable, but it’s a wrecker. Though I tried to clean it up a bit, it’s used for hauling cars, you can’t change much.
“This is cozy,” she says with a smile and I grin. She is being nice.
“It’s okay, you can say it,” I tell her. “It’s filthy.”
“No, honey my father drove a rig his entire life and the man wasn’t a tidy man. I remember my mother and I cleaning out his truck every time he came home. It was awful, this, well this is just used, but kept up.”
“My dad is a bit of a neat freak,” I explain, buckling my seat belt and she does the same. “When we have downtime he puts one of the guys on detailing it. They know to clean up after themselves or else.”
She nods like she is in complete agreement.
“You ready?” I ask her and she nods enthusiastically.
“I am ready.”
For the first ten minutes she just bounces along in the seat, scanning over the cars as we pass. She is looking down every side road as if she is looking for someone we might be able to help.
When the call comes in over the radio she smiles big and points to the dash.
“Yeah,” I say in response and like a kid on Christmas Margaret O’Shay is a whole new form of happy.
Three hours later we are pulling into the driveway to find both Aaron and his father standing there waiting. Randy grins, his hands on his hips as I slow to a stop and his wife opens the door. He steps up, reaches out, and helps her down.
Aaron stares at her with his mouth gaped open slightly like this is an entirely new side of his mother he has never before seen.
“Oh Aaron,” she hollers out to him. “Kendall is a dream. She is strong and confident, she swooped in, rescued some man stranded on the road, and didn’t even break a sweat.” She laughs. “I’m sure there is nothing more emasculating than a tiny woman showing up on the side of the road to rescue a big burning man’s man.” She laughs and so does Randy.
She practically skips off toward the house with her husband in tow, offering me a wave and a promise to do it again soon.
“I think I may have found my new copilot,” I tell him with a laugh.
“I think my mother just might be in love with you,” he states, placing his arm over my shoulders. Pulling my into his body he leans over and presses a kiss to my forehead.
“It’s the thrill of the big truck,” I tell him with a laugh and glance up to find him watching me.
“No babe, it’s you.” Kissing my lips, he rests his forehead to mine. “Believe me, it’s all you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Aaron
“I’m gonna head home.”I glance up from the television to see Kendall searching for something. Her bag is thrown up over her shoulder and she’s carrying her wallet in her hand.
"I thought you said you were staying over tonight?”
“No.” She ruffles through the basket on the counter where we always place our keys. “I told you I was going to stay home because I have the early morning shift tomorrow.”
“You had the early morning shift last Tuesday and the Tuesday before that.” Shrugging I stand and walk toward the kitchen where she continues the search for her keys. “So why is now different?” I ask, leaning over on the counter and watching her get a little frustrated being unable to locate her keys.
“Because,” she says, slapping her hands on the countertop, “I have stayed here three nights in a row and I need to go home."
“No, you don’t.” I make the mistake of responding way too fast and she shifts her attention to me, with a glare.
“Where the hell are my keys?”
“I have no idea,” I say, still smiling.
