AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you?” Josh had been pushing for a new car for the past couple of years. “And give up the cool convertible?”
Rolling his eyes theatrically, he nodded. “It would be cool if it wasn’t a billion years old. I think we need something like a Corvette or a Porsche or…or a Ferrari.”
“Oh, sure. Or maybe a Jaguar or—”
“A BMW.”
“In your dreams,” she said, flashing him a smile.
“Mo-om!”
“Back to the real world, bud. What can I get you for breakfast?”
“We need a new car.”
“You get no argument from me on that one. I just have to figure out how to pay for it.” She tossed her sponge into the sink. “If you want me to make you something to eat, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
He bumbled his way across the kitchen and half fell into the chair Luke had occupied the night before. “How about a double-cheese bagel?”
“You’re in luck. There’s one left.” She reached into the cupboard, and while opening the plastic bag with one hand, she pointed a knife at his bad ankle. “Keep that raised, okay?”
“Okay,” he grumbled and hoisted his foot on to the seat of a second chair. His hair was rumpled, and he was still wearing his soccer uniform from practice the day before.
“We’ll have to figure out a way for you to take a shower,” she said as she sliced the bagel and slipped both halves into the toaster.
“I’ll figure it out.”
“Okay, okay. Whatever.” She bit her tongue to keep from saying anything more and scrounged in the refrigerator until she found a tub of cream cheese.
“So why was that guy with you last night?” Josh asked, and she looked up sharply to find him staring at her with curious eyes.
“You mean Luke.”
“Yeah. Why was he here?”
“He rescued me when the car broke down.” The toaster popped. Quickly, as she slathered the bagel halves with cream cheese, she ran down the details of the night before and only left out the fact that Luke Gates had kissed her. That was one little fact that no one would ever know. It had been a mistake. A big one. She wouldn’t be surprised if Luke was as embarrassed about it as she was—if he even remembered.
She placed the bagel halves and a glass of orange juice on the table i
n front of Josh.
“So why did he hang out? Why didn’t you call Uncle Jarrod or Uncle Trevor or—”
“I offered,” she interrupted. “But I guess Luke just wanted to see it through and make sure I was okay.”
“Humph.” Josh bit into his bagel, and she let the subject drop.
The telephone rang sharply. Katie snagged the receiver before it had a chance to jangle again.
“Ms. Kinkaid?” a gravelly voice asked.
“Yes.”
“This is Len down at the service station. I took a look at your car, and I’ve got some bad news.”
“What?” she asked, feeling a headache starting to pound at the base of her skull.
“You really need a new engine, or at least to have this one rebuilt.”
