Years ago, it had been painted fuchsia pink. Evan’s wife had chosen the colour. The day she’d left town, he’d climbed his ladder and started slathering an obnoxious yellow over the top. A week later, she’d still been gone, and Discount Automotive was moonlighting as a flat banana instead of just the best place for a tune-up.
I avoided looking at the yellow bricks as I plodded from my truck, boots heavy, my hands stuffed in my pockets, and my eyes on the trouble looming above. Black clouds swelled like ink spilling across the sky, and the wind lashed like an icy whip. A storm was coming—fast.
This would be a quick visit.
Evan sat on a stack of tyres inside the workshop. The coffee mug he lifted to his lips paused midair when he saw me.
“Mornin’,” he said.
“Morning.”
“Problem with your truck?”
“The truck’s fine.” Was I going to do this? I dragged back a memory. Lola shaking, terrified out of her mind. Yeah, I was. “I thought we should talk.”
“Yeah?” His eyes squinted to nothing but a line. “About what?”
“Lola.”
Evan snorted. “The door’s that way, big fella.” His finger pointed me back to the parking lot. “I ain’t got nothin’ to say about the doctor.”
“You can listen then.”
He cocked his head. “It’s not like you to stick your nose where it don’t belong. You here playin’ town hero like Hollyoak?”
“He stopped by?”
“Nope, and he ain’t welcome here. He fired two of my mates off his farm when there ain’t much work goin’ this time of year.”
“Maybe yourmatesshould’ve thought about that before standing there watching you tear into a defenceless woman.”
Evan’s eyebrows popped up. “That’s how it is, huh?” He sipped his coffee before sliding the mug on the workbench. He pushed off the tyres and stood tall. “You’ve changed your tune since last Friday.”
“I was a gutless bastard for not stepping in. I’m making it right.”
“Makin’ it right? For what? Gettin’ in her knickers?” Evan scoffed. “She put you up to this?”
“No.” I screwed my eyes shut and waited for the anger to pass. Evan mentioning Lola’s frilly pink knickers made blood roar in my ears, but losing my shit would achieve nothing. “She didn’t ask me to stop by.”
“I’ve seen you two talkin’. Everyone has. You ain’t here out of the kindness of your heart.”
I took a slow step forward. Evan folded his arms, but his eyes weren’t sure where to look. He wasn’t half as tough as he pretended to be.
“You don’t talk to Lola again,” I said. “If I see you or any of yourmateseven looking in her direction—”
“Australia’s a free country, ain’t it? I can look wherever I damn well want.”
“Don’t test me.” I didn’t recognise my own voice. The words came out as a sinister promise, making Evan scramble another step back.
“You ain’t got no authority here.” Doubt flickered in his eyes. He wasn’t so sure. “You ain’t a cop no more.”
That got a bark of laughter out of me. His remembering a drunken confession about my past wouldn’t save him. “What’s stopping me from taking care of you then?”
He swallowed. “You’re a good man. Everyone says so.”
“Not when it comes to Lola. Don’t make me pay you a visit after hours. Understand?”
Evan answered with a sharp jerk of his chin. Good enough. Loathing crawled over my skin at the thought of throwing my weight around, but some men didn’t respond to chats and gentle reminders to act like decent human beings. I did what needed to be done to protect Lola. I’d still be able to sleep at night…if I ever slept again…
