“Not when it’s a snake, that’s all yours, buddy!”
“Ma’am, it’s in your vehicle, though.”
“Don’t ma’am me, get that fucker!”
Smokey laughed again, opened the door, reached down, and calmly grabbed it behind the head. I was horrified at the length of the damn thing, and my eyes narrowed on the tail. Oh. If I knew anything, that snake wasn’t what his friend had claimed. I didn’t say a word as Smokey hadn’t noticed and carried the hissing serpent to the side of the road and released it. His phone pinged as he walked back. Smokey glanced at it, missed a step, and stopped.
“That fucker!” he growled out.
“That was a rattlesnake. I saw its tail!” I blurted.
“Yeah. Calamity just texted me saying his message had a typo and not to touch it. Too damn late,” Smokey grouched.
“You didn’t get bitten? Do I need to rush you to the hospital?” I demanded, slightly panicked. This man had stopped to help—okay, maybe not—but he had helped, and I was concerned he’d been poisoned. Worried, I grabbed his arms and began checking them over.
“April, hey, April, nurse lady, I’m fine. Calamity won’t be when I get my hands on him, but I’m safe. It didn’t bite me,” Smokey soothed.
“Thank God. I was scared.”
“Yeah, I could tell. Let me check the car for any other guests. Then you can be on your way,” Smokey offered.
Suddenly, I felt awkward. Clearly, Smokey had been heading to do something. I was wasting his time. “No worries, I can do that.”
“Nurse lady, you aren’t going to tackle a rattler,” he said, laughing.
True, I wasn’t. Smokey quickly checked my car over before declaring it safe. He held the driver’s door open as I climbed back in and started my engine. He shut my door but rapped on my window.
“Wanna get a drink sometime?” he asked with a confident grin.
“Smokey, I bet many don’t turn you down,” I replied, and he laughed.
The man was attractive and knew it.
“Nope, and you won’t either. I saved you from a rattlesnake, risking my life in the process. A coffee is the price,” he stated with a wink.
“I can’t really do that.” Smokey opened his mouth to argue, then I added, “But a drink in the evening would be okay. Simply a thank you. Not a date.”
“Sounds good. The club owns a bar in town, Hell’s Fury, where we can meet,” Smokey suggested.
“Sure. But just one. I can’t stay out too long,” I said.
“Husband?”
“A bit late to be asking now!” I laughed. “No, but my mom broke her hip and leg, and I won’t leave her alone.”
“Yeah, I understand. How about tonight at seven?”
“Hell’s Fury? Sure thing. But Smokey, it’s not a date, I don’t date,” I stated firmly.
Smokey’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a challenge if I ever heard one.”
“Not at all. The truth. See you later.” I waved as he stepped back and pulled out. I was on edge for the rest of the drive, waiting for another hiss.
???
“A date, darling?” Clara looked overjoyed.
“No. Just a drink to say thank you. Clara, I nearly killed the poor guy when I hit the brakes so suddenly, and then his friend did when he said the snake wasn’t poisonous.” I sighed, remembering the rattle.
