Blade’s stare turns to the ground, and I breathe out in relief.
Until he mumbles, “If you’re such a big deal, what are you doing here in crappy Lucky Falls?”
The poisoned-tipped arrow of his words slices through the air and into the target right inside my heart.
Bulls-eye.
I stiffen, all my confidence seeping out like the old brake fluid Jimmy and I found oozing from the bottom of the barrels yesterday.
“If anyone would like to leave, please tender your resignation now. But if you intend to work here,” I gesture to Jimmy who hands over a mop and a broom to the men, “we’re on cleaning duty until this place is sparkling again.”
It’s quiet.Tooquiet.
Are they going to storm out and leave me down to one mechanic?
To my surprise, both men accept the cleaning products. Although, I do hear one of them cursing under his breath as he does so.
“What are we cleaning?” Carlos asks.
“The customer waiting area. Blade, you fix the shelves.”
The young man sighs heavily as if I’ve asked him to move heaven and earth, but he obediently walks to the power drills.
Are they actually listening? I thought it would be harder than this.
Jimmy sees my expression and explains, “They ain’t got a choice.” He lowers his voice. “If they could get a job anywhere else, they would have been long gone just like the others.”
“The others?”
“All the mechanics worth their salt took off ages ago.” Jimmy snorts. “But those two? Where else would they get a job?”
The information plays in a loop in my brain. I don’t mind rooting for the underdog, but it’s not a good sign if the only people working here are the ones who couldn’t hack it anywhere else.
Talk about playing the game on hard mode.
I put those troubling thoughts aside and focus on cleaning. Around three p.m., I look up and notice that Jimmy is out for a smoke again.
Carlos has joined him.
At four on the dot, Blade leaves for a ‘break’ and doesn’t return. At all.
At five p.m., both Jimmy and Carlos clear out of the mechanic bay so fast all I hear is a faint ‘bye, boss’ and the slam of the door.
I stop scrubbing the floor and arch my back, feeling an ache in the very depth of my bones.
Day one is done. Sort of.
As far as first days go, it could have been worse.
You’ve been at ground zero before, Riley. You can do this.
Three months ago, I never thought I’d walk into a shop again. I thought it was over. But thanks to Rebel, I have a shot at turning my life around.
Just then, my phone rings.
It’s Rebel.
I answer immediately. “Hey, Boss.”
