CHAPTER 4: What Boss?
1856 Words
I chewed on the legs of my sunglasses as I stared at them.
The words of Tessy were still ringing in my ears.
Since the holidays, huh?
I stopped chewing my sunglasses as I bit my lips, trying to make sense of everything.
My aunties had hounded me for not bringing a husband, or at least my long-term boyfriend, home for the holidays.
It was because his boss did this, his boss did that, according to him.
‘Oh, he was going to pay,’ I thought.
Fuck black valentine! This was going to be a bloody valentine!
“See ya later, Tess.” I said as I packed up my things.
“Bye!” She called after I had stepped out of the store..
As I made my way towards the parking lot, it was as though the sea of people parted to allow me to walk past.
Maybe it was my hair that was flying about, looking scattered.
Maybe it was my haggard outfit.
Hell!
Maybe it was the fact that I was giving off a killer's vibe.
Yeah, someone needed to be murdered, and I knew the perfect person.
I banged my car door closed as I quickly put the car in reverse.
Another ping on my phone.
“Ugh! Aunt Mabel please!” I let out as I glanced at my phone, my voice filled with frustration.
She had been trying to call me for the past two days.
God knows I wasn't ready to hear her yapping.
Not only had Derek broken up with me on January fourteen–a month to Valentine's Day, that scum hadn't told his family about the breakup.
It was like he was hiding it or something. That was why, for a moment, I had thought that maybe— maybe.
I slammed my steering wheel with my fists, my temper rising at the thought.
But why hadn't he told them? Did he think he could play around, and come beg for forgiveness again?
My gaze moved to the glove compartment that housed the beautiful proposal ring I purchased with the other part of my savings.
Crkkkkkk!
I pushed on the brakes as my car made a loud noise.
“What the—?”
I moved my feet to the accelerator pads, but the car released another loud creak.
“Oh, for goodness f***s sake! What now?!” I screamed out.
“Could this day get any worse?!”
Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, but I wiped them off in fury.
‘I would not cry, I would not cry.’ I chanted to myself.
Glancing around, I sighted the name of the street I was stuck at.
“Thank God, I was close to the only auto shop I knew.”
Cringing, I made my way slowly towards it.
Luckily, the garage door was open, so I parked inside and made my way to the front desk.
‘The place seemed empty,’ I noticed as I glanced around.
Were they still on their holiday break?
I grabbed my phone from my back pocket and looked at it after it vibrated.
Five missed calls from Aunt Mabel.
Ignoring it, I called out, “Hello!” as I walked past the front desk, into the shop.
No answer.
“Hello?!” I called out again, “is anyone here?”
The garage was left open, there were some cars parked inside the building.
Surely, someone had to be inside.
At the thought, a door on the first floor creaked up, and a man stepped out.
A hot-sexy man.
My brows went up as I stared at him.
He had on a black shirt which wasn't fully buttoned up, the sleeves were folded half way up his muscular arms and a pair of black slacks.
Hm. Black was definitely his color.
His hair was tousled, and his hands were stained with some kind of black paint.
Probably grease.
‘Was this the new dress code for
mechanics?’
Well, damn!
“Can I help you?” he asked as he headed for the stairs, coming down.
His voice was deep and velvety,
As he got closer, my brows furrowed as he seemed somewhat familiar.
“Uhhh…” I blinked, shaking off the thought.
“My car. It keeps making a sound when I drive. I need it to be checked.”
My mouth dropped slightly as he got closer, his masculine smell hitting me.
*I could hear it,”
What?” The question slipped free from my lips.
“The sound. It was kinda loud,”
“Oh, oh yeah,” I nodded as I tried to gather my wits, “Well, can you take a look at it?”
“What happened?” he asked as he grabbed a random tool and walked through an inner door that was connected to the garage.
“Nothing happened to it,”
He paused in his steps, as he looked at me with his brow slightly raised, like he didn't believe me.
“It's true!” I exclaimed in defense, “I was simply driving it, and then it started creaking,”
“You didn't hit anything?” he asked as he opened the car’s hood.
“Of course not!” I exclaimed as I crossed my hands against my chest.
If I was going to damage a car, it would be that of a specific cheating bastard.
Glancing around, I found a small stool and sat down as I watched him.
My eyes glazed over his huge hands as he pulled some parts out.
Damn! Why didn't I see a man like this to date?
“Throw me the keys,” he commanded.
Immediately I did, and he caught it, his brow arching in surprise at my throw.
Raising my shoulders, I shrugged at him like it was nothing new.
He smirked in response.
Vroom. Vroommm
“Hey, it's back!” I exclaimed as I stood up from my stool.
Crkk, crkk!
“Oh not,” I added as the sound came back while he turned off the engine.
“Will the repairs be costly?” I asked.
After spending so much cash on a trip that wasn't happening, I literally had no savings.
“Let's get it fixed first, okay?” he said as he walked towards me, handing the keys over.
“Sorry, have we met before?” I blurted out.
There was something about him that I couldn't place.
The mechanic looked at me, a smirk playing on his lips as he shrugged.
“Never mind," I muttered as I moved past him to my car.
“So, what's going to happen? Am I going to leave the car here?”
“Yup. At least overnight.”
“Great!” I muttered as I rolled my eyes and opened the passenger door, picking up the most important documents and, of course, my ring box.
“This is going to be so inconvenient,” I started as I followed him into the shop.
“What about—” I paused in my question as I glanced outside.
The reception area had an open window which provided a full view of the road. My gaze remained trained on the car which had just parked on the other side of the road.
‘That was Derek,’ I thought as I watched him.
With a smile on his lips, he jumped out of the car as he went to the passenger door and opened it.
Funny, when I asked for princess treatment. He complained about it, saying I was too old for that.
He pointed towards the auto shop as he took his new bimbo’s hand and attempted to cross the road.
“Ah!” I gasped out.
‘They were coming here!’ I realized.
And he would see me in my old sweats while showing off his new slut.
No way!
My heart thundered as I glanced around frantically.
‘I had to do something! Hide maybe?’
My gaze landed on the mechanic, who was now leaning against a random car, watching me with his head slightly bent to the side.
He was far more handsome than that scumbag.
Handsome and sexy.
Those were two traits Derek found annoying.
An idea popped up in my mind.
Rushing to his side, I murmured, “Don't ask any questions, but I need your help,”
“What?” He asked as I grabbed his left muscular arm, and placed it around my waist.
I leaned on the car with my side, taking a relaxed stance.
The phone in my side pocket pierced against my skin, reminding me of its presence.
I wrapped my hand around his arm as I kept him in place and whispered, “If I asked you to kiss me, would you?”
I heard the front door open as his gaze landed to my lips and back to my eyes.
“Don't worry,” I started, “I was just—”
“What the hell?!” A voice screeched out.
Derek.
“Are you stalking me?” He boomed as he stormed inside, his little play toy forgotten.
With a smile, I looked towards him as I arched my brow, “Excuse me? You met me here. Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?”
Derek glanced between the mechanic and I, his brows furrowing together.
He let out a chuckle, “Are you forcing yourself on anyone you meet now?” he asked, his tone filled with shock.
“I know you might be going through a midlife crisis, but this isn't the solution. You're just going to make everyone uncomfortable.”
Oh! The gall!
I bit my lips as my grip tightened on the mechanic’s arm.
Keep calm. Keep calm.
“Babe, what's going on?” His she-w***e asked from beside him.
With a smile, I answered him with a sickly sweet voice, “I don't know what you're talking about, Derek.”
Turning to look at the mechanic, my smile grew wider as I said, “I'm just here to see my fiancé,”
“What do you mean?” Derek asked, his brows going up to his hair.
“You're getting married?” He asked as he glanced between us, "and, to my boss?”
My heart stopped at his words.
It took everything in me not to drop my jaw and stare blankly at my fake fiancé.
His what now?
I looked at the mechanic who wore a loose smirk, clearly amused by what was happening.
Wasn't he just a handsome mechanic?
“Married? Fiancé?” A tiny voice shot out from beside me.
“What's happening over there, Hazelene?!”
My heart skipped a beat as I heard the name.
There was only one person that called me that.
Glancing down, I traced the sound to my pocket.
“Talk to me girl! What's this about a fiancé? To whose boss?”
My heart thundered as I took out my phone from my pocket, my brows rising by the second.
I had accidentally pocket dialed Aunt Mabel's line.
Shit!
- Writer
