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“Since I can’t do my crosswords, you have to keep me entertained,” he said.
“I think I’ve done enough entertaining for the day,” I told him.
“Nah, I don’t think there’s such a thing when it comes to that.”
I sat down on the couch in his office and pulled my legs under me before continuing.
“How did you start working on cars?” I asked.
“It’s something I’ve pretty much always done. My granddad was a mechanic. He worked on cars in the yard. He used to let me help him when I was a kid, but the bigger I got, I lost interest. Then when I was fifteen, he bought me a beater, and we worked on it together.”
“Oh, that’s actually sweet.”
“Yeah. I went to school to get my certifications and all that once I decided to take it seriously, but I’ve always known how to fix cars. Have you always baked?”
“No. I worked for a doctor’s office since I was fresh out of high school. I stayed there for about five years before I found a job at an insurance company. They had a job fair one weekend. My friends and I went down there. A few of us got hired on the spot. I worked there for years before I got pregnant. I had so many complications with my pregnancy that I got fired for having to miss so much work when my short-term disability ran out. I started baking to pay the bills while I was on bed rest. I didn’t want to move back in with my mom, and as you see, my kids’ fathers aren’t all that reliable. Thankfully, I had the skills to pay the bills. Once I was able to go at it full-time, things took off from there.”
“I believe everything happens for a reason. What looked like a curse turned out to be a blessing for you. Now you’re your own boss.”
“I agree. When I was going through all of that, I couldn’t see it, but looking back, I’m glad that I had to sit home for a while because the sweet tooth being pregnant gave me had me experimenting with all kinds of treats. The honey butter buns I had for breakfast every morning is still my number one hit.”
“Better than those cinnamon rolls?”
I nodded. “According to my customers.”
“Well why the hell haven’t I had one yet?” he asked.
“You fell in love with the cinnamon rolls, and that’s all you’ve wanted. I have a full menu of pastries and treats.”
“Look how you’re depriving your man. This is already starting out rocky,” Quinton said, shaking his head.
“Thank you again for fixing my baby. I’ve been so stressed out, trying to hold everything together, then the last thing I needed to happen happened.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, beautiful.”
“Yes, I do. How much did everything end up costing?”
“I’ll have to talk to the finance lady. I haven’t put in the numbers. The labor was free.”
“Quinton, I told you that’s not going to work.”
“I’m not about to let my girl pay me for fixing her truck. What kind of man do you take me for?”
I scoffed. “A stubborn one.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“I just don’t like owing people.”
“Repay me by staying here,” he suggested.
I narrowed my eyes. “You really want that big-ass truck out there every day?”
“How many times do I have to tell you I do?”
“OK, I’ll stay for a while, but I don’t think that’s adequate payment.”
“It’s more than adequate to me. I wouldn’t want my daughter dealing with a dude that would charge her for doing shit her man is supposed to do for her anyway.”
