I grabbed my purse and climbed out, shutting the door behind me.
“Sit in any of the chairs,” he said, already moving toward the controls for the lift.
I glanced around the shop and it was exactly what you’d expect.
Concrete floors marked with old oil stains.A workbench lined with tools that looked like they actually got used.Shelves with parts, fluids, random things I couldn’t name.The faint smell of grease and metal hung in the air.
“Uh, are you sure?”I asked.“I can—” Stand awkwardly closer?Make things worse?
“Yeah, baby,” he said without looking at me.“Just relax.I’ll have your tire done in no time.”
Baby.
I swallowed and nodded, moving to one of the folding chairs near the workbench and sat down.
I just watched him because apparently, that was my role here.
“Ever.”
I blinked and straightened.“Uh, yeah?”I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, heat creeping into my cheeks.
“Your boyfriend gonna be mad I’m fixing your car?”he asked, glancing over at me.
My brain scrambled.“My…what?No.I mean, he’s not my boyfriend.”
Jude paused slightly.
I kept talking, because of course I did.“Jesse.He’s not… he hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend.So he’s not my boyfriend.We’re just… going on dates.I guess.Kind of.Not… officially.”I stopped and realized I had just rambled like an idiot.Fantastic.
Jude looked at me for a second, then nodded slowly, a hint of amusement tugging at his mouth.“Got it, babe.”
I pressed my lips together and then tried to pull myself together.“How did you know about Jesse?”I asked.
He shrugged, turning back to the tire.“The girls mentioned him.”
Right.
Of course they had.
And he had seen Jesse kiss me outside of the Dairy Bar.
I shifted slightly in my chair, watching him get back to work.
He moved with the same ease he had yesterday, jacking the car up, loosening bolts, swapping out the tire like it was second nature.
I shouldn’t have been as aware of him as I was, but I was.
He finished quicker than I expected, lowering the car back down and tightening everything into place.
“All set,” he said.
I stood up and walked over, digging into my purse.“How much?”
He shook his head, grabbing a rag and wiping his hands.“Nothing.”
I scoffed, pulling out my wallet.“I know nothing about cars, Jude, but I know for a fact that it’s worth more than nothing.”I held out a hundred-dollar bill.“Take that at least.”
He stepped back, shaking his head again.“Nope.”
