Page 7 of Sicilian Savior

“Ethel?” I asked.

“Yeah. I always name my cars. This one is an old lady, so I thought Ethel fit her well.”

She came down the steps but kept her distance from me as we walked toward the car.

“Funny,” I said with a smile, then pointed to my Harley. “That’s Axel.”

“You name your cars too?”

“Well, that one’s a bike, but yeah. I do.”

“I’m glad I’m not the only crazy person who names her inanimate object.”

Her soft smile lit up my world, but I kept my cool and kept walking.

“Keys in it?” I asked, and she nodded.

I hopped inside and turned the key.

Click, click, click.

I got out. “I’m gonna check your battery terminals for corrosion, but my money is on a starter.”

“Is that expensive to fix?” She bit her lip.

“Around five hundred to a grand in a shop.”

Her face dropped. “Oh.”

“But I can do it for you for free.”

“Seriously?”

The way her eyes lit up over my response put that daydream on repeat in my head again.

“Yeah. Seriously.”

She pulled her lip between her teeth and scrunched her face. “But don’t the parts cost money?”

“Maybe a hundred tops.”

“I at least have to pay you for parts.”

Shrugging, I walked over and popped open the hood. “Nah. I can probably find one from a junkyard for next to nothing,” I lied. I’d just buy her a new one to make sure this car was as safe as possible, but she didn’t need to know that. I looked over the engine, checking all the connections and parts before slamming the hood shut. “Definitely the starter.”

“Oh my god, I feel so much better. I don’t have a penny to spare right now trying to open my store. I was in a panic all morning trying to figure out what to do to pay for repairs because I have to have a car to get to town.”

“It could take a few days to find the part.” I looked down at my greasy hands, then glanced around for a place to wipe them besides my favorite worn jeans.

“Oh.” She twisted her lips. “That sucks. I’m gonna be stranded out here for a few days, I guess.”

“I’ve got a truck you can borrow.”

Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“It was my uncle’s. I only use it when I need to pick up lumber and stuff that doesn’t fit on Axel. I won’t need it all week, so you can have it until I get the parts for your car.”

“Wow,” she breathed. “I feel really bad now that I thought you were a killer. You’re probably the nicest human I’ve ever met.”