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Ugh! Stupid grin!
“Yes,” Andy finally said, grabbing Reg’s arm and practically yanking him through the exit. “We’re leaving. Bye, Teach. Hadsomuch fun today. Let’s do it again sometime.”
Not.
The chuckles that trailed her from the shop told Andy the man had picked up on at least an ounce of her sarcasm.
Outside, Reg settled into his truck. “Sure you don’t want a lift?” he asked her as usual.
“Nope,” she replied, unlocking her bike and waving him off. “I’m good. Drive safe, Reg.”
“Yup. You too!” Seconds later, he pulled out of the lot, and Andy — eager to follow — was quick to don her helmet and straddle her bike.
It only took a few pedals to determine that she would not be driving anywhere soon. As the bike moved forward sluggishly, she glanced towards the back tire and realized it was almost completely flat. “Damn it!” she cried, gaze flying skyward. “Really?”
Climbing back off, she pushed her bike to the street light in the parking lot, then bent to inspect the damage. A half turn of the wheel revealed a small puncture in the rubber.
“Well, shit! I guess this nightcanget worse—”
“Andy?” She glanced up to see Luke striding from the back exit. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” She made a swift grab for the patch kit strapped under her bike seat. “Just a flat. I must have hit some glass or something.”
Luke dropped to a crouch beside her and frowned. “More likely a nail. I noticed some construction on the way in.”
Andy shrugged and unzipped the little pouch she’d bought with her bike but had yet to make use of.
Luke stood back up. “Don’t bother. I’ll take you home.”
“No thank you,” she said, proud of herself for how polite she sounded given the circumstances. “I’ll just patch this up and be on my way—”
“Andy—”
“I’m sure I can find an instructional video online.” Pulling her phone from her pocket, she studiously ignored the thick rasp of her name spilling from Luke’s lips. And the way it made her eyes pool again.
Don’t look at him, don’t look at him, don’t look at him—
“Little Bird?”
Shit!
Glancing up, she met his concerned gaze with a watery one. “What?” she cried angrily.
“I’m sorry. You didn’t know about Colette. That wasn’t on you. I shouldn’t have barked at you earlier.”
“Yeah. You shouldn’t have.” Glancing away, she sighed. “And I’m sorry too for… well, you know.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Actually, I’m not sure I do. Maybe you should remind me.”
She let out a longer more frustrated sigh. “You know,after Mary left, when I suggested you were all promiscuous and stuff.”
He snorted. “Iampromiscuous and stuff.”
The little smirk that accompanied this coaxed a small grin from her.
“Oh my god,” Luke groaned as she went right back to her repairs. “Can you stop being such a pain in my ass? It’s 9:30 at night. Do you really think I’m just gonna pack up and leave you here to fumble your way through this?”
“Dude,” Andy said, back to frowning. “Ever hear that expression you should quit while you’re ahead? I won’t befumblingthrough anything.” She waved her phone at him. “That’s what YouTube is for.”
