turned on her indicator. Swinging into the station, she parked next to the old pump, put the car in park and checked the station. Lights were on, but she couldn’t see anyone through the downpour. Next to her, Luc continued to sleep. After checking his pulse again, more to reassure herself he was actually alive, she twisted to check for her hoodie in the backseat but didn’t see it anywhere.
Oh, fuck it. If I get wet, I get wet. Grabbing her wallet, she slid out of the car and raced for the door. Despite the little lip keeping the rain off the pumps, she still managed to get drenched on her way to the front door of the station. The cold air inside instantly sent goosebumps racing over her skin—of all the days to wear a white t-shirt with a black sports bra.
Embarrassment settling like a rock in the pit of her stomach, she glanced around the empty half-shop. It really was an old fashioned gas station. They had a soda machine and an old, peeling linoleum counter and it smelled like old car exhaust and oil. God, she hoped they had a bathroom and it didn’t come with another walk through the rain to some dirty pit only accessible with a key that had a forty-pound board attached to it.
A man sat in a chair behind the counter, his feet propped up and a baseball cap tugged over his eyes. Clearing her throat, she hopped from foot to foot. The man behind the counter didn’t move. Not even a twitch.
Oh come on. I already have one unconscious man in the car.
“Excuse me?”
Nothing.
Frustration growing, she raised her voice. “Excuse me? Hello?”
“Bell on the counter,” came the rough response.
Bell on the…? Oh for the love of God. She slammed her palm down on the unvarnished silver dome and it released a dissonant ding. The man in the chair nudged his hat higher as he stood.
“Afternoon, ma’am. What can I do for you?”
“I need twenty dollars in gas,” she said, sliding the bill across the counter. “And some directions to 115 Old River Road in…” Pulling the hastily written directions out from under her wallet, she frowned. “Somewhere around here I think, but I’m not sure the name of the town.”
The man didn’t take her money, but stared at her with a kind of assessment that left her uneasy. “Old River Road?”
“Yeah, 115…I have a delivery to make.” Maybe mentioning the unconscious man with the broken bones in her car wasn’t advisable.
A slow nod was his only response. With idle slowness, he slid the bill to himself, then lifted it. He squinted at the bill, then at her and finally past her toward the car outside. “I can come pump the gas for you.”
“I can do it.” She didn’t want him anywhere near her car. “Do you have a map?” Never mind the directions, she’d figure it out.
The man paused with his fingers on the keys of the register. “You’re safe, ma’am. No one’s going to hurt you here. It’s raining hard—and you look cold. Go get in the car, and I’ll pump your gas for you, then I’ll get you those directions.”
What was it with the men she kept running into? “Unless it’s against the law to pump my own gas, I’ll do it.” She locked gazes with baseball cap. “You can give me the directions now or leave me alone, but if you follow me out there, I’ll assume you mean me harm and I’ll defend myself. I promise you, you won’t enjoy the experience.”
Surprise flickered across his face and he raised his hands, palms forward. “Take it easy. No need to sharpen your claws on me. I was just trying to be courteous.”
Maybe she was overreacting. Folding her arms, she settled for a nod. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I prefer to take care of myself.”
“Understood.” After returning her nod, he struck a couple of keys on the old style register. It even made a ding when the cash drawer opened. “Go ahead and run your fuel. I’ll set the pump to stop at twenty.”
Since she’d bitten his head off, asking about the directions
Oh, fuck it. If I get wet, I get wet. Grabbing her wallet, she slid out of the car and raced for the door. Despite the little lip keeping the rain off the pumps, she still managed to get drenched on her way to the front door of the station. The cold air inside instantly sent goosebumps racing over her skin—of all the days to wear a white t-shirt with a black sports bra.
Embarrassment settling like a rock in the pit of her stomach, she glanced around the empty half-shop. It really was an old fashioned gas station. They had a soda machine and an old, peeling linoleum counter and it smelled like old car exhaust and oil. God, she hoped they had a bathroom and it didn’t come with another walk through the rain to some dirty pit only accessible with a key that had a forty-pound board attached to it.
A man sat in a chair behind the counter, his feet propped up and a baseball cap tugged over his eyes. Clearing her throat, she hopped from foot to foot. The man behind the counter didn’t move. Not even a twitch.
Oh come on. I already have one unconscious man in the car.
“Excuse me?”
Nothing.
Frustration growing, she raised her voice. “Excuse me? Hello?”
“Bell on the counter,” came the rough response.
Bell on the…? Oh for the love of God. She slammed her palm down on the unvarnished silver dome and it released a dissonant ding. The man in the chair nudged his hat higher as he stood.
“Afternoon, ma’am. What can I do for you?”
“I need twenty dollars in gas,” she said, sliding the bill across the counter. “And some directions to 115 Old River Road in…” Pulling the hastily written directions out from under her wallet, she frowned. “Somewhere around here I think, but I’m not sure the name of the town.”
The man didn’t take her money, but stared at her with a kind of assessment that left her uneasy. “Old River Road?”
“Yeah, 115…I have a delivery to make.” Maybe mentioning the unconscious man with the broken bones in her car wasn’t advisable.
A slow nod was his only response. With idle slowness, he slid the bill to himself, then lifted it. He squinted at the bill, then at her and finally past her toward the car outside. “I can come pump the gas for you.”
“I can do it.” She didn’t want him anywhere near her car. “Do you have a map?” Never mind the directions, she’d figure it out.
The man paused with his fingers on the keys of the register. “You’re safe, ma’am. No one’s going to hurt you here. It’s raining hard—and you look cold. Go get in the car, and I’ll pump your gas for you, then I’ll get you those directions.”
What was it with the men she kept running into? “Unless it’s against the law to pump my own gas, I’ll do it.” She locked gazes with baseball cap. “You can give me the directions now or leave me alone, but if you follow me out there, I’ll assume you mean me harm and I’ll defend myself. I promise you, you won’t enjoy the experience.”
Surprise flickered across his face and he raised his hands, palms forward. “Take it easy. No need to sharpen your claws on me. I was just trying to be courteous.”
Maybe she was overreacting. Folding her arms, she settled for a nod. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I prefer to take care of myself.”
“Understood.” After returning her nod, he struck a couple of keys on the old style register. It even made a ding when the cash drawer opened. “Go ahead and run your fuel. I’ll set the pump to stop at twenty.”
Since she’d bitten his head off, asking about the directions
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