‘Possibly new customers, but there is a list of general prices of everything we offer in that drawer.’ Georgina followed Matt’s extended finger. ‘See the black diary on top of the desk?’ She nodded. ‘You can book work in there. We usually work in time slots. A service will take two time slots. Whereas, if you book in a repair, you will appoint a minimum of four slots.’
‘And what if you are working on a car in the garage and someone calls in because they have broken down?’
‘Normally either my father or me would continue working in the garage while the other recovered the broken-down vehicle, but while there’s only me here, I’ll have to down tools and attend to the vehicle recovery immediately.’
It was a lot to process, but Georgina was a quick learner. ‘Okay. I think I got it. Before I study the diary and the price list, is it okay if I make a drink?’
Matt laughed. ‘Of course it is. Make yourself a drink whenever you want one, and if you feel inclined to make an extra one while you’re in the kitchen, I wouldn’t say no to either tea or coffee with milk but no sugar.’
A giggle erupted from Georgina’s throat. She was very appreciative of Matt’s help fixing her car, but she still had morals and beliefs to uphold, and she was a modern woman. She believed in equal rights. ‘Same... If you happen to wander into the kitchen to make yourself a drink, I take my tea and coffee exactly the same way as you.’ She winked and had to hide the smile that was desperate to break-out onto her lips when Matt’s jaw dropped open as she walked out of the office, heading for the kitchen.
Georgina settled into the small office chair, the leather creaking beneath her as she adjusted her position. The scent of motor oil and rubber permeated the air, mingling with the faint aroma of coffee from her mug. She'd spent the last hour familiarising herself with the appointment book and price list, feeling more confident about her ability to handle incoming calls.
The sudden shrill ring of the phone made her jump, her heart leaping into her throat. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the receiver with a slightly trembling hand.
‘Good morning, Harris’s Garage. How can I help you?’ Her voice came out higher than she intended, and she silently chastised herself for sounding so nervous.
‘Yes, hello there,’ a gruff voice responded. ‘My car's making a right racket. Sounds like it's about to fall apart. Can you fit me in today?’
Georgina's eyes darted to the appointment book, her mind suddenly blank. ‘Falling apart? Um, let me just check our availability for you,’ she tried to sound professional, keeping her voice steady as she flipped through the pages, her palms growing clammy.
‘Is this for today?’
‘It's pretty urgent,’ the man on the other end pressed.
‘I-I understand, sir. I'm just...’ Georgina's voice trailed off as she struggled to make sense of the bookings. The writing seemed to blur before her eyes, and panic began to set in.
Just then, she felt a presence behind her. Matt's warm hand gently touched her shoulder, and she looked up to see him standing there, a reassuring smile on his face. She hadn’t heard him come into the office. He mouthed, ‘It's okay,’ and held out his hand for the phone.
Grateful for the rescue, Georgina handed over the receiver, her fingers brushing against Matt's as she did so. A small shiver ran through her at the contact.
‘This is Matt speaking,’ he said smoothly into the phone. ‘I understand you're having some trouble with your car. Can you describe what exactly youthinkis falling apart?’ Georgina watched his dark eyes move from side-to-side as he listened intently to the man with the gruff voice on the other end of the receiver. ‘Can you describe the noise for me?’
As Matt spoke with the customer, Georgina took a moment to collect herself. She could feel heat in her cheeks again, embarrassment washing over her. She'd wanted to impress Matt, to show him she could handle this job, and instead, she'd frozen up on her very first call.
Matt's voice brought her back to the present. ‘Alright, Mr Johnson. We can squeeze you in at 2 PM today. Does that work for you?’ There was a pause as he listened to the response. ‘Great, we'll see you then.’
He hung up the phone and turned to Georgina, his dark eyes filled with understanding rather than the disappointment she'd expected. ‘First calls are always the toughest,’ his voice was gentle, and it washed over Georgina like a healing balm.
Georgina let out a shaky breath. ‘I'm so sorry, Matt. I thought I had it all figured out, but when the phone actually rang, I just... panicked.’
Matt leaned against the desk, crossing his arms casually. He had pulled his overalls down and tied them around his waist exposing a now oily t-shirt. The movement caused his t-shirt to stretch across his wide chest, and Georgina found herself momentarily distracted before forcing her eyes back to his face.
‘Hey, don't worry about it, Matt’s tone was warm and encouraging. ‘Everyone gets flustered their first time. Youshould've seen me when I first started answering calls here. I was a total mess.’
Georgina raised an eyebrow, finding that hard to believe. ‘You? But you always seem so...confident.’
Matt chuckled, the sound sending a pleasant tingle down Georgina's spine. ‘Trust me, I was a disaster. Once, I accidentally told a customer we could repaint their entire car for the price of an oil change.’
A laugh bubbled up from Georgina's chest, the tension in her shoulders easing. ‘You didn't!’
‘Oh, I did,’ Matt grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ‘Dad wasn't too pleased about that one. But you know what? I learned from it, and so will you.’
Georgina nodded, feeling a rush of gratitude for Matt's kindness. ‘Thank you for understanding. I promise I'll do better next time.’
Matt's expression softened, and he leaned in slightly, his voice lowering. ‘I have no doubt you will. You're not only...’ he paused as if her was unsure whether to divulge what was on the tip of his tongue, ‘... beautiful, you’re also smart too, Georgina. You'll get the hang of this in no time.
Not only was she overcome by his proclamation of her beauty and intelligence, but also by the sincerity in his words. Georgina's heart fluttered. She became acutely aware of how close he was standing, the scent of his aftershave mingling with the garage smells. His presence was both comforting and exhilarating, and she found herself wishing he would stay in the office with her.
