“I’m Cord, by the way.” He smiled, seeming much more relaxed. “I didn’t get your name.”
You didn’t get my name because this isn’t a blind date, Cord. You crashed into my fucking car.
Roxanne clamped her lips, squeezed her fists and gave herself yet another pep talk. Anger wouldn’t solve anything.
“Roxanne.” She passed him, headed toward her driver’s side door. “Let’s exchange information.”
There was a long stretch of silence, and when she glanced over her shoulder, he had his hands tucked in his pockets, nervously looking around the lot. He cleared his throat, offering a shaky smile.
“Uh, so listen …”
No, no, no!Again, as if things couldn’t get any worse, they just did.
“Oh my God, you’re not insured, are you?” That would’ve been the motherfucking cherry on this disastrous day.
He shook his head and held up his hands. “No, I am, I swear. It’s just …” He paused, licking his lips. “So, this isn’t my first accident.”
She folded her arms and arched her brow, allowing her sarcasm to take the reins. “Shocker.”
He laughed nervously. “Yeah, so if we report it, my insurance company is gonna drop me, no doubt.” His jaw tightened, and he subtly shook his head. It was barely audible, but she heard him murmur, “He’s gonna be so pissed.”
She waited a second. She wasn’t sure if the last part was meant for her ears. He had to be about twenty-one and, from what she gathered, he answered to someone. It wasn’t so longago that Roxanne was his age. She could remember doing stupid shit and having to answer to her dad. Or worse, her brothers. His nervousness and concern were relatable.
“Your dad?”
Cord jerked his gaze and flinched. It was an odd response.
“Uh …” he cleared his throat. “No, my dad …” His voice trailed off, and he turned his head toward the road. “He died.”
Now who’s the asshole?
Obviously, she had no way of knowing, but it didn’t resolve her guilt. Again, relatable. Her heart sank to her stomach watching Cord shift on his feet and refuse to make eye contact. She knew all too well his feelings and emotions. They were now on common ground. By the time she was his age; she’d lost her mom. It still hurt in ways that seemed abnormal. She should be past it, but she wasn’t. Eight years later, the grief should’ve eased, but it was still there. Haunting and painful.
“I’m sorry.”
He acknowledged her with a small chin nod but remained silent. He circled her, stopping at the trunk of her car, observing the damage.
“So, what do you say about the insurance?”
Roxanne blew out a heavy breath. Everything in her mind was screaming, “not my problem”. But there was a gnawing ache in her chest. A sense of commonality. A shared life experience, and not the good kind but the type to bond people together.
Roxanne was still on the fence, combatting her own emotions and thoughts, when he stepped toward her.
“I’ll pay for all the damages, I promise. You get a quote and I’ll pay whatever it is. I just can’t go through insurance. My brother will kill me.” He pinned her with his stare, without a trace of humor. “Seriously.”
Roxanne read between the lines. It was a dramatic overexaggeration. Another similarity. Roxanne could recount atleast a dozen times when she’d thought the same about her own brothers.
Don’t do it!
“Okay, fine. Give me your number, and I’ll text you so you have mine. I can probably get it looked at by tomorrow.”
His whole demeanor changed, and his chest rose. “Thank you so much, Roxanne. You have no idea, but you just saved my ass.”
For the first time today, the corner of her mouth curled.Oh, I know, Cord.
They exchanged numbers. Before parting ways, she snapped a few photos of the damage and the general area. It was important to have everything documented so there’d be no disputes in the future. She was trusting Cord to do the right thing. But that wasn’t to say, she trusted Cord. This was her safety insurance if he decided not to hold up his end of the bargain.
Roxanne slipped into her seat, glancing up at Cord, who stood a few feet away. “You’ll hear from me tomorrow.”
