kindness? Been there, definitely done that. I fling some loose hair over my shoulder and offer him a beaming smile. “If I didn’t know better, I’d assume you’re putting up a front to chase me off. But,” I add with a saucy wink, “your type is more common than ketchup on the dinner table. Don’t worry about me falling for you, Ford. I’ve had enough bullshit in my life to open a buffet, but the all-you-can-eat line isn’t for me.”
His hazel eyes roll to the dusty ground. “You done yapping? I got places to be.”
If steam could physically billow out of my ears, I’d resemble a chimney. Instead, I give him the narrowest glare on this side of town. “If my daughter wasn’t with me, you’d be on the receiving end of a blue streak so wide we’d never find our way out.”
He sobers at that. “You got a kid?”
“Yep.”
Crawford scrubs the back of his neck. “Shit, I shouldn’t have been so crass.”
I slap a palm to my chest. “Because I’m a mother?”
But he’s not listening. His gaze is locked at a point over my shoulder. I follow his line of focus, finding Millie hanging out of her window. She’s staring, her green eyes blown open wide. I spin around, striding toward her.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?”
A crinkle forms between her brows. “Nothing. Who’s that man?”
I hitch a thumb at Crawford. “He’s going to fix the flat tire so we can leave.”
Millie quietly watches him for a moment. Her button nose twitches, as if smelling the overpowering stench of wasted chemistry and bubbling aggravation. “Okay, Mama.”
And with that she retreats back inside, the soft buzz of the window closing following behind. With a smile, I return to my position in front of Crawford. I find myself waiting for his reaction, once again. He doesn’t give me more than his undivided concentration.
“That’s Millie. She was just checking on our progress.” I scratch at my arm, the sweat drying into an uncomfortable layer.
He just studies me. I almost squirm under his intense scrutiny.
“Okay, then. You wouldn’t happen to have a, um…” I make a circular motion with my finger. The term I’m looking for has escaped me. Heat infuses my cheeks as I continue gesturing. “Uh, that one tool.”
A single brow quirks. “Tire iron?”
I snap my fingers. “Yes, a tire iron.”
“I don’t.”
A fresh round of choice words flood my brain. I tip my face up, glaring at the cloudless sky. So much wasted effort. Why is this happening to me?
Crawford grunts, probably enjoying my pity party for one. “A wrench will work.”
“Well, do you have one of those?”
“You bet.”
Before I can ask, he’s walking away. He grabs a few things from a set of bags hanging off his bike. I watch with a slack jaw as he gets to work without another word. A few measured cranks and precise twists are all it takes. He’s efficient, this one. It takes Crawford less than five minutes to swap the tires and get his tools packed up. My brain finally catches up, and I gape at his retreating form.
Wait, that’s it?
I continue standing in one place, tension coating my limbs. “All right, well, uh, thanks?”
“Don’t mention it.” After a sharp jerk of his chin, he slips on his helmet and straddles the bike. His motorcycle roars to life with a swift flick of his wrist. In the next moment, he speeds off and disappears from sight.
A lingering cloud of dust is all that remains. I could almost convince myself this entire ordeal was the product of my mind after suffering from heatstroke. Almost. The thrumming in my veins speaks the truth. But Crawford gave me plenty of his own.
That dark knight isn’t interested in this jaded damsel.
Healing Hug #5: For a pillar of another’s strength waging against the storm.
Once again, I’m surrounded by green. The seemingly simple shade has been chasing me for weeks. My only reprieve from fantasies of a certain emerald hue is the muted palette of Iron Throttle. But remaining trapped inside of those concrete walls nonstop is a punishment I refuse to endure. That is precisely why this dose of rustic escape is very much necessary, and on purpose.
I kick at a few stray pebbles littering the trail. Vibrant shades of glittering gold and green bathe the landscape. Sunlight filters through the trees overhead, casting a sparkling glow across the dirt floor. The woods surrounding my property are dense and lush. The natural protection is another perk I appreciate. Patch couldn’t