Damn. What did that mean?
Ryker checked for traffic and then ran back across the road. He threw his bag of tools in the back of the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat.
He twisted to face her. “So, do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“Err, bad news first?”
“The bad news is that most of the exhaust has rusted away. I’m going to need to order in some parts and they’re probably going to cost you about six hundred dollars.”
“Shit.” The car probably wasn’t even worth that much. “What’s the good news?”
“The good news is that I can tow you to my garage and you get to spend a couple of days in Arlington while your car gets fixed.”
“Awesome,” she said, her tone flat. Inside, her stomach churned with mixed emotions. She didn’t want to have to stay in one spot, especially not now, but the idea of getting to see Ryker again made something inside her flutter.
Besides, she didn’t have much choice.
She gave Ryker a smile. “Looks like you’re towing me then.”
He grinned back. “And I’ll have to show you all Arlington’s main sights.”
“It has sights?” she said, doubtful.
His tone lowered. “Perhaps not, but I’m sure I can show you something.”
A thrill coursed through her veins. Was he just offering to show her around town, or did his words hold the promise of something more?
Chapter Two
The garage where Ryker worked was situated on the outskirts of town.
He maneuvered the truck and backed her car into the work bay, and then jumped out to unhook the tow bar. Jenna climbed out too, clutching her bags tightly and glancing around the garage. The acrid tang of oil hit her nostrils, fumes stinging her eyes.
A guy in his thirties with a six-pack-of-beer-a-day gut appeared from out back.
He must be Ryker’s boss, Jenna assumed.
“Hey, I wondered where you’d gotten to.” The man waved a cell phone at Ryker. “You forgot to take this with you again.”
Ryker patted down his jeans pockets, as if expecting an identical phone to suddenly appear, and shook his head at himself. “Damn it. I think I have an aversion to those things.”
“Yeah, well, you need to remember them. I’ve had the school trying to get hold of you. They need you to go down there.”
“What’s Mikey been up to now?”
The big guy shrugged. “They didn’t say, but my guess would be fighting again.”
“Damn it.”
Mikey? School? Did Ryker have a son? Her heart dipped in disappointment. She guessed he was old enough. She assumed that meant he also had a girlfriend or wife at home, too. She hadn’t thought to check for a ring, but he appeared to be the modern type who wouldn’t necessarily be wearing one. Plus, she thought he’d been flirting with her. While she was under no illusions that he might actually have thought she was attractive—he’d probably just pitied her—that still made him a bit of an asshole. Shame. She desperately hadn’t wanted to think he was an asshole.
Ryker seemed to remember Jenna standing there. “Oh, this is Jenna …?”
“Armstrong,” she filled in.
“Jenna Armstrong,” he said the words slowly, as if testing the way her name felt in his mouth. He turned his attention back to the other guy. “Jenna’s car broke down, but it’s going to need some parts. I noted them down. Can you order them in for me while I go check out what sort of shit Mikey has pulled this time?”
“Sure, Ryker,” the other guy said, taking the slip of paper from him and handing Ryker the cell. “No problem.”
“Thanks, Sam.” He turned back to Jenna. “I just need some details from you, and then I’ll drop you in town. Okay?”
She nodded her agreement and followed him to a small counter at the back of the garage. A till sat on the surface, together with a small bell for customers to hit when they needed service. Her eyes flicked to the tasteful classic cars calendar hanging on the wall behind the counter, her gaze zooming in on one little square box. Her heart picked up pace, her stomach lurching in a flip-flop. The sight of that particular date made her sick with dread. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Only three days now. She needed to be on the move before that date. It was too dangerous to stay in one place for too long, especially then.
Ryker moved around to the other side and pulled a short form out from beneath the counter. He handed it to her, together with a pen, and she set about filling in some details. She paused at where it asked her to put her address.
“Umm, what if I don’t have a current address?”