“He's at the Carlton Motel.” Her breath catches. “Savage is sitting on him right now. By lunch a friend of the club will have his full name, his parole officer, and every address he's ever slept at. You want to hear what happens next?”
“There is no next. Rosie and I will be two states over by…”
“Your starter's dead.”
“Then I'll take the bus.”
“Lila.” I put my hand on her shoulder and the connection flashes in her eyes. “You want to run, I'll drive you myself. Both of you, far as you point, no questions.” I step in closer, slowly, giving her all the time in the world to back off, and she doesn't. “But you don't have to anymore. You've been the only protection your little girl has for her whole life. I'm asking you to let me help. And not just me. The Outlaws will protect you both.”
She looks up at me. Tears glisten in her eyes.
Her voice is shaky. “Why would you do all that for someone you barely even know? Your waitress at the diner?”
“You know why.”
“Say it anyway.”
“Ever since I first saw you, I knew. Because you're mine. It’s a fact. Been decided a long while. I was waiting on you to catch up.”
Her breath goes out of her, shaky, and she looks at my mouth. I don't move. She closes the last inch herself.
Her mouth is soft. She comes up on her toes to reach me and grabs a fistful of my cut to stay there, and I wrap her up carefully, one hand spread on her back, feeling her heart go like a hummingbird against my ribs. She's been thinking about this too. Nobody kisses like that on a first try. All those months of two-word conversations go up in smoke, and I finally get why my mamá cried at every wedding she ever attended.
A door hinge squeals and we break apart.
“MAMA. Is Waffles here?!” Rosie’s voice is delighted.
Lila steps back with her hand pressed to her mouth, and her daughter is on the porch in dog-paw printed pajamas. Waffles has already abandoned his post to present himself for tribute, tail going, soldier discipline in ruins. Lila looks at the dog, and the kid, then down at the duffel in the trunk, and then back to me.
“Inside and get dressed for school, Rosie-roo. Maybe Waffles will walk you there.”
Rosie cheers and vanishes with the dog. Lila stands in her driveway and then she reaches into the car, pulls the keys, and puts them in my palm, folding my fingers over them with both her small hands.
“If you can fix it,” she says. “We'll stay until then. Thank you.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“And Wrench? That thing you said. About being yours.” Her chin's up again, but her eyes are shining. “I’m going to need a little time to process that.”
“S'alright, beautiful.” I pocket her keys next to mine. “I'm a very patient man.”
Chapter Five
LILA
By lunchtime the next day, the whole town knows Wrench is fixing up my car, because he towed it through Main Street behind the shop flatbed in broad daylight. They also know he’s been accompanying Rosie and I on the walk to school, Waffles trotting along beside us like a personal bodyguard. The knitting circle discussed it with great excitement over a round of iced tea.
“Unusual for Wrench…” is all Marvin says, waggling his bushy gray eyebrows, and goes back to his griddle.
My shift drags. Every time the bell chimes, my head turns. He doesn't walk in.
So when my shift ends, I walk to the shop, because a woman has a right to check on her own car. That's my story. I also have a speech prepared to justify why I’m there.
The shop sits two streets off Main, all cinder block and roll-up doors, HIGH VALE AUTO AND CYCLE painted over the biggest one. My poor old car is already up on the lift with its underside showing. Waffles comes trotting out to meet me with his whole back half wagging.
Wrench rolls out from under a truck, big grease-marked forearms and black beard, and stands up, and I instantly forget my pre-prepared speech.
“About yesterday…” I start.
