I should leave her fiery ass right here to fend for herself. But I don’t have it in me to just walk on by. Even mad, I still care too much. Plus, it might just give me an advantage, and I can use all the ammunition I can get when it comes to dealing with her.
Pocketing my beanie and earbuds, I stroll over to the car and knock on the driver’s side window. There’s a moment of hesitation as if she’s deciding whether or not to open before the glass lowers a few inches. Sunlight pours into the car, and I’m staring into the eyes of the woman I’ve missed like hell.
Her locs are piled on top of her head, several tumbling around her neck and shoulders. She blows out a breath, and the expression I know too well says she’s moments away from exploding. But too proud to ask for my help, she glares at me. “What do you want?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Car trouble, or just think you own the street?”
“It ran out of gas,” she says as if the car’s at fault.
“You do realize that gauge on the dashboard and flashing yellow light mean something, right?”
“I know that. I kept meaning to fill it up, but… well, I didn’t. So, you can run along.” She shoos me with her ringed fingers and black nails. “I can figure this out myself.”
“Meow.”
“Is that a cat?” I brace my hands on the roof of the car and lean in, catching another scent of her. Something sweeter today. The feline, perched on a pillow, stares back at me, unimpressed. “I thought you didn’t like cats.”
“I don’t,” she mutters. “Just showed up at the back door last night, but we’ve come to an understanding.”
“Which is what?”
“It’s temporary. The shelter will put up signs, and if no one claims her, they’ll find her a new home. I’m fostering in the meantime. Food and shelter, no attachment.”
“Meow.”The cat slides over and curls up on her lap.
“Someone didn’t get the memo.” I laugh. “What’s her name?”
“How would I know? She’s not mine.”
“Tell that to her.”
“Can you just—not?” she says, at the end of her rope.
“Okay.” I take pity on her plight. “Put on your hazard signal to be safe.”
“Oh. Right.” She presses the red arrow.
“Have you called anyone?”
“Phone’s dead.”
That was typical too.
“If you put the car into neutral, I can at least push you over to the curb. Then I’ll grab my wheels and fill up a container at the station.”
“Could you just call Rayne for me?”
“You want me to call Rayne at work when I’m right here?”
“Yes,” she deadpans.
“Why?”
“Rayne’s help will come with her annoyance. Yours comes with smugness. Of the two, I’d rather the first.”
“Well, Spiderweb, we don’t always get what we want.”
“Don’t call me that.”
