Page 30 of Hometown Hottie

15

NOVA

Afew days after my celebration with Carson, I climbed into my truck feeling good about the week ahead. The last market had been such a hit that I was receiving even more inquiries than ever before about space for new sellers. At this rate, I was going to have to convince Dad to let me use more than just the very edge of the property.

I didn’t want to get too excited because it still wouldn’t solve our problems, but it felt good to know that I was helping others while also helping myself. Smiling, I turned over my engine and set off to pick up a few crates of strawberries at a farm about an hour outside of town.

I’d found this place a couple years ago and they had the best quality produce in the whole county. I always waited on pins and needles for the call because everything I baked during this season sold out in an hour—tops.

Since I wasn’t the only one who loved their stuff, it was important to get there as fast as possible after receiving the call. It had come in about an hour ago, and even though it was late afternoon, I couldn’t wait for the morning.

Naturally, since I was in a hurry and on the clock, I’d barely cleared the city limits before my car started shaking in a very particular way. I have a flat. Fucking Mondays.

Pulling over onto the shoulder, I hit my hazard lights and hopped out. My rear tire had a hole in it the size of Montana. I groaned, wondering what on earth had happened to it. My trip to the strawberry farm would have to wait.

I kicked the tire for good measure, but when that didn’t magically fix the problem, I got back in behind the steering wheel and slowly cruised back into town. Thankfully, the auto shop was on the main street and I made it there without running off the road. To my surprise, though, Carson freaking Drake was talking to one of the mechanics outside.

Okay, this town is small, but it’s not that damn small.I glanced up at the sky. A particularly puffy cloud floated overhead and I wondered if someone up there was trying to send me a sign. Out with it, universe. Why are you doing this to me?

Carson turned at the same time as the mechanic, a wide grin breaking out across his face. He put his hand up in a friendly wave. I waved back as I climbed out, hoping he wouldn’t come over, but of course he did, following the mechanic when he approached me.

“What seems to be the problem, Ms. Murphy?” Dave, the mechanic, asked before he spotted the flat tire and winced. “Oh. There’s your problem. You’ve got a giant hole in your tire.”

I nodded. “Thank you, Dave. I figured that much out. But I don’t have a spare, and I need to be somewhere this morning.”

“I can probably patch that up for you. Let me give it a gander.” He dropped to his haunches at the back of the truck and started doing his thing.

Impatience bubbled in my stomach to be back out on the road, but I managed to flash Carson a tight smile anyway. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “You really are following me, aren’t you?”

He chuckled. “Last I checked, I got here first, which means that this time, it seems you were following me. Stalker.”

“Ha, you wish.” I ran my hands through my hair as I glanced at Dave. He was still busy, though.

Carson inclined his head toward a sedan currently lifted on a stand in the shop. “My mom’s car is getting some work done. I was just checking in. Not having her car is driving her crazy.”

“I know the feeling,” I mused.

Dave pushed up from his haunches and gave me a look that said a thousand words. “I’m afraid you need a new rim, Ms. Murphy. The bad news is that we don’t have any in stock. I’m going to have to order it, but the good news is that it shouldn’t take more than a couple of days to get here. You’ll have your truck back before the end of the week.”

I gaped like a fish out of water. His words sank in and so did the devastation. It would seem silly to anyone else, but I had to get those strawberries before they sold out for the season. The couple who owned the farm would only hold my order for so long.

They would never hold it until the end of the week. They had far too many people breaking down their doors this time of year.

“What’s wrong?” Carson asked. “It’s just a couple days. It should be fine.”

“It would’ve been, but I have a really important order to pick up right now. I was heading out there when my tire blew up.”

“Let me drive you,” he said easily. “I was done here anyway and it’ll be faster than going back to the ranch and borrowing your parents’ or your brother’s car.”

“Yes, absolutely. Thank you.” I didn’t even give it a second thought. For once in my life, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. “It’s about an hour away, though. Is that okay?”

“Just point me in the right direction,” he said cheerfully, sweeping an arm out toward his truck and nodding at Dave. “Thanks for the update, man. Do whatever needs to be done and send me your invoice, okay? It’s been years since that thing has had proper maintenance done.”

“Will do, Carson. See you around.”

“See you,” he replied before bringing his hand to the small of my back and letting it rest there.

A spark of electricity zapped through me even though his skin wasn’t touching mine. Goosebumps broke out across my flesh and left me feeling a little breathless.