Page 11
“It starts at eight so I’ve gotta wake up at seven.” At the reminder, I peek at my phone to see the time.
Three fifteen.
Ugh, I need some sleep.
“I don’t know how you do it, girl. I would be running on fumes.”
“Eh…coffee helps.”
She snorts out a laugh. “I would be drinking it by the gallon.”
“All right, ladies,” Moe calls, standing up from his barstool and pushing it back in. “Let’s get out of here so Miss Emma can get a little bit of sleep tonight.”
He follows us out and turns to lock up as Bree and I step into the lot. I stop short at the sight of my car sitting in front of me, arching a confused brow. I could have sworn I left the damn thing on the side of the road.
What the hell?
Moe bumps into me from behind and I almost fall flat on my face before he catches me. “Sorry, darlin’, I didn’t see — hey, what is your car doing here?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea.”
Making my way over to the car, I gasp at the single rose tucked under the windshield wiper along with a piece of notebook paper before grabbing both of them. I hold the rose up to my nose, breathing in its scent with a smile on my face before unfolding the paper in my hand.
Emma,
I couldn’t stand the thought of you
being stranded again so I replaced the tires for
you. I know you’re probably freaking out about it
but please, humor me. I’ll talk to you soon.
Ryan
Holy shit.
Who is this guy?
Circling the car, I spot four shiny new tires where the old ones used to be and I shake my head. He replaced them all. I just met the man and he spent hundreds of dollars on me… who does that? When I reach the front door again, Moe snatches the note out of my hand, scanning it quickly before letting out a low whistle.
“This the cop?” he asks and I nod, drawing a chuckle out of him. “Boy’s got it bad.”
“How am I going to pay him back?” Not that I expect an answer because the answer is obvious but it’s the gesture of it. It’s so over the top that I don’t know how I could ever make it up to him.
“Pretty sure he’s not wantin’ cash, Darlin’,” Moe retorts and my mouth drops open as I slap him in the stomach with the back of my hand.
“Moe!”
I glance over at Bree, whose jaw is sitting in the dirt, before we both laugh. Moe has the decency to look embarrassed as his cheeks heat and he drops his gaze to the ground.
“Aw, hell, I didn’t mean it like that.”
Yeah, right.
That’s exactly how he meant it.
“Sure you didn’t,” I tease, nudging him with my shoulder and he glances up at me, grinning. Yeah, he totally meant it.
“Think he’s going to ask you out?” Bree asks and I look away. I told them about Ryan finding me on the side of the road but I didn’t tell them I was going to go out with him. Mostly because if Moe knew, then it wouldn’t be long before he told my brothers and I just don’t need that drama in my life at the moment.
“Maybe, and as much as I would love to sit around all night and talk about what the officer wants from me, I’ve got to get home and try to get some sleep,” I say, yawning loudly and Moe nods, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into a hug.
“Want me to follow you home?” he asks, glancing over at my car. “Make sure you get there all right?”
I shake my head as he releases me. “Naw. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“See you guys later,” Bree calls as she unlocks her car and I wave to her as I walk over to my car, exhaustion weighing me down. God, my car looks ridiculous right now. The maroon paint is faded by the sun and peeling in places. There is a huge crack running down my windshield, and four brand spankin’ new tires. They look so out of place. Shaking my head, I climb in and roll down the window before peeling out of the parking lot, letting the wind whip through my hair as I dream about collapsing into my bed the second I get home.
