She scrambled to her feet, hastily attempting to smooth out her hair as she looked everywhere except at me. Then seemed to gather herself. Shoulders back, chin up.
“No trouble here. Just got a flat.”
“I’ll fix it.”
The words were out before I could think better of them. Fuck me, I was stupid.
“You don’t have to.” Her voice came out high, a little breathless. “I can handle it. That was my friend Hannah on the phone. She’s a qualified mechanic. I’ll just call her back, and she’ll come right over. I’m sure you need to get to work.”
I should have taken the out. Should have nodded and walked away, back to my side of the property line where I belonged.
“I’ve got a few minutes.” I moved forward, so she had to step back to give me room. “How about you get out of the way so I can get it done?”
Clearly accepting that I wasn’t taking no for an answer, she stepped to the side. “Oh, alright then.”
I crouched down and grabbed the tire iron, placing it over the lug nut and really putting my back into it. It fought me for a few seconds before giving way with a sharp crack. I worked my way around the wheel, feeling the strain in my shoulders as I forced each one loose.
She didn’t say anything while I worked, but I felt her presence like a touch. I pulled the flat tire free, the nail in the sidewall thick as my thumb, and placed it against the low wall that lined her drive.
“Thank you. I can take it from here.”
Before I could object, she reached for the spare and hefted it up. Her grip slipped, and the tire wobbled, threatening to drop. She caught it with a grunt, her arms straining as she tried to maneuver it into position.
I was crouching beside her before I could think better of it. “Here. Let me. It’ll be quicker.”
“No, it’s fine, I can?—”
“Emily.”
Her name left my mouth before I could stop it, and her eyes snapped to mine. We were close now. So close that I could see the gold flecks in those brown eyes. Close enough to count the freckles scattered across her nose.
My pulse kicked up a notch. The morning air suddenly felt warmer.
“Like I said,” I managed, my voice rough. “It’ll take me two minutes.”
She stepped back, arms folded across her chest, and I forced myself to focus on the tire. On the simple mechanical task of lining up the holes and threading the lug nuts. Anything to distract me from the scent of her shampoo or perfume, or whatever it was, that wafted to me on the breeze.
Beyond irritated with myself, I tightened the last lug nut and stood, wiping my hands on my jeans. My shoulders were rigid, muscles coiled tight like I’d just finished a full day of moving furniture instead of five minutes with a tire iron.
“Thank you. Really.” She was playing with the hem of her sweater now, her fingers twisting the fabric. “I could have been out here all morning.”
I was already backing toward my driveway, putting distance between us. “Get that tire replaced soon. Spare’s not meant for long distances.”
“I know. Hannah will—” She cut herself off, that flush creeping back into her cheeks.
I turned and walked back to my house before either of us could make this worse. Made it to my porch steps before some stupid impulse made me glance back.
She was still standing there beside her car, one hand on her hip, staring at the tire like she couldn’t quite figure out what had just happened.
I went inside and found my travel mug sitting on the coffee table where Alice had probably abandoned it yesterday. Picking it up with hands that shook slightly, I glanced through the living room window, watching as Emily backed out of her driveway and disappeared down the street.
I stood there longer than necessary, tension still wound through my shoulders and the base of my spine. The house felt even quieter now than it had before. The silence had weight to it, pressing against my skin.
Finally, I shook myself, grabbed my keys, and headed back to the kitchen.
I had a life that was exactly the way I’d built it to be. Simple. Uncomplicated. Mine. I did not have time for neighbors with gold-flecked eyes and genuine laughter, who made my chest feel tight for reasons I had no intention of examining.
EMILY
