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“Of course, I am.” The need to chastise her on the tip of my tongue, but I closed my eyes instead. “I’m nearly there.However, the tire blew, and I need someone to come and help me change it. Can you recommend someone? I’m not sure BCMA comes out this far.”
“Isn’t that their job?”
I turned my face away from the oncoming lights. “Good point. And once I hang up, I’d give them a call. I just wanted to let you know I’ll be late.”
A semi hauling logs drove past me in the opposite direction.
“Just a sec.” She covered the phone and her voice muffled, but not enough as her words were easy to understand. “Eric, do you know someone who can change a tire? Oh, of course, why didn’t I think of that?” She cleared her throat. “If you drop me a pin, Eric and Mitch can come and change it for you.”
“Oh, gosh, that’s not necessary.”
“You’d rather pay?”
“That’s not it.” Money wasn’t the object; I just didn’t want to tear her fiancé and his friend away from their festivities.
“Drop me the pin.”
A blinding set of headlights slowed on approach and pulled over to the shoulder, tucking behind my car.
“Just a sec, Lil.” I locked my doors for good measure, having read too many horror stories on the internet. “Someone’s here.”
A heartbeat later, after a door slam, and a silhouette cut through the lights as the figure moved around the back end. It disappeared and a hand tapped on my driver window.
I lowered it just enough and held my phone in front of me. “Lily, hang on. There’s a guy here.” I stretched out my neck to speak through the three inches of space between the frame and window. “Can I help you?”
He laughed, a deep baritone sound. “Think I should bethe one asking you that. Looks like you got a flat.”
“I do.”
“Want some assistance in changing it?”
“Thanks, my sister’s on the phone. I’m just working that out right now.”
“Who is it?” Lily asked.
“No idea,” I whispered back.
As if I knew. It had been too many years since I’d been out this way, and those I knew had likely left and moved into the big city.
He tugged on his red ball cap and glanced down the road. “Well, I’m here, and I have all the tools needed. Can have you back on the road in five minutes.”
Five minutes? That sounded too good to be true. How did I say no to that?
“Okay, thank you. Just a second.”
His silhouette reflected once again in the rear view mirror as he walked back to his truck.
“Lil, some guy is going to change my tire. I’ll send you my location. If you haven’t heard back from me in ten minutes, then we’ll talk. If this guy’s on the up and up, it’ll save Eric drive time.” Sort of. For now, I was putting the guy into a holding pattern.
“Are you sure?” Her voice had all the hesitation I wanted to unload. No way was I making myself an easy target though.
“I’m sure.” I fiddled on my phone and dropped the pin. “Give me ten minutes.”
“Fine. I’ll be waiting. Stay safe.” She clicked off.
I put the phone in an inside pocket to keep it warm and to stop the battery from dying. Inhaling the last of the not yet frozen air, I exited the safety of my car and went to the trunk.
Keeping a safe distance from the interior, lest he toss me in my own trunk, I popped it open and stepped aside.
