“I have never forgotten any of the things that you’ve told me. What makes you think I will now?”
He chuckled but kept his eyes on the road. “You’re barely awake. Just trying to save us time so you don’t have to come out into the garage to ask what it was that I said.”
Well, one thing was for sure, I was wide-awake now. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare interrupt you. I’ll be fine remembering everything.” I probably wouldn’t remember anything except to get food for the meeting. But there was no way I would admit that he was right and get my notepad out.
The drive to the garage took less than twenty minutes. Not surprising since traffic in Humputulips was light in the middle of the night.
Mason helped me out of the huge truck again, lightly holding on to my good arm. He left me standing in front of the office and disappeared inside the garage without a word.
I unlocked the office door and turned on the lights, all the while thinking about sleep.
“Are you feeling sick?” a gruff voice startled me.
I rested my head on my arm and continued typing with one hand. “Go away.”
“I’m your boss. You can’t just tell me to go away.”
“I think I just did.”
“Why are you covered in a blanket? There is a heater in the corner that works perfectly fine.”
“I like the blanket.” I pulled said blanket tighter over my shoulders.
“Get rid of the blanket, or I’ll hide every single one of the four million packets of popcorn you stashed everywhere.”
That got me up and moving. I threw the blanket to the side and jumped up, wincing at the pain shooting up my arm at the jerky movement. How did I forget about my arm? So stupid.
“You don’t mess with a woman’s food. It’s sacred. Just like I wouldn’t touch your tools,” I snapped. I emptied my purse on the wooden surface and searched for the painkillers. Damn arm.
Mason stomped back out the door. I found the pills and took two, swallowing them dry when I couldn’t find my water in the mess I had created.
I was busy placing orders when Willa messaged me.
Willa: What did you do to Mason?
Me: Me? Why?
Willa: He called Jameson.
Me: What a big baby.
Willa: Mason is usually the easy-going one of the two.
Me: Every time I breathe the same air as him, I piss him off. Not sure where everyone is getting easy-going from.
Willa: What happened?
Me: Mason happened. Your easy-going boss is driving me insane.
Willa: ….
Me: Don’t give me the dots. I don’t do dots anymore. It’s passive aggressive. Take them back.
Me: Right now!
Me: Willa!
Me: Now you’re a pain in my ass
Willa: Sorry, Jameson just got back. He asked me if I’d talked to you yet.
Me: Tell him it’s not my fault Mason is a rude jerk.
Willa: He thinks you did something to him.
Me: I didn’t. And I have to go. I have an order to misplace.
Me: But I hope you are having the best time, and I miss your judgy face.
Willa: Hey, I’m not judging. Just curious. You always get the two mixed up.
Me: Bye, Willa.
Willa: Fine. Bye, Estrella. Go easy on Mason. He’s one of the best guys I know.
I was beginning to think there was some truth to that statement. And we had called a truce after all. Not my fault he got bent out of shape when he found me covered in a blanket. I knew it wasn’t the most professional look, but I got cold easily and didn’t know there was a heater.
I stewed for the rest of the day and was rude to a customer. But when he asked to change his appointment for the fourth time in the same day, I couldn’t contain the snark from escaping. He complained to Mason.
I took another sip of my herbal tea and hoped it would calm my nerves. The package did say it was supposed to be relaxing. Because the last thing I needed was another confrontation with the man himself. I was tired and couldn’t decide whether or not it hurt less to hold my arm up or rest it on the desk.
The heavy thump of boots announced Mason’s presence right before he burst through the office door. Couldn’t he do anything like a normal human being? The sturdy door could only take so much abuse before it splintered.
“What is wrong with you?” he thundered as soon as he saw me.
I narrowed my eyes at him and took another sip of my tea. So far it hadn’t done what the package promised and calmed me down. I should have added some of the whiskey I saw in the kitchen.
“Nothing. I’m just sitting here minding my own business, while you are once again yelling at me,” I said, taking another sip. Maybe I had to finish the whole cup before I could feel any sense of calm.
“He is one of our best customers.”
I put down my cup and leaned forward in my chair. “He changed his appointment four times. In the same day.”
“And I repeat: he is one of our best customers.” He stepped behind the desk and glowered down at me. “If he wants me to wear a tutu and bunny ears while working on his cars, I’d get you to go out and buy them. He’s the difference between us barely staying in the black and actually making some decent money. We are a busy garage, but jobs like his mean we can get ahead instead of just breaking even.”
I felt slightly ill at the thought that I had put his livelihood at stake. But I was too wound up to acknowledge the feeling of guilt that threaded its way through my body.
“Maybe you should take his phone calls from now on. He was almost as rude as you. Bet you two get along just fine.”
Mason’s nostrils flared
