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1
THOMAS
“You have to be fucking kidding me.” There is steam billowing from the hood of my car, and lights are blinking at me from the dash as I fly down the freeway at eighty miles an hour.
Quickly, I pull my car off the road, stopping on the shoulder and jumping out before the damn thing explodes. This is what I get for being a stubborn asshole who refuses to buy a new car, even though this seventeen-year-old BMW has seen better days—much, much better days. If I call my best friend, Everly, right now and ask for help, she’s definitely going to rub it in my face. She’s been on me to replace this thing for years, but I’m being stubborn about it.
Fuck.
At least it’s September, which means the temps have dropped and I don’t risk dying of heat stroke out here. Standing a safe distance away, I pull out my phone and find the roadside assistance number. Fifteen minutes later, the lovely girl on the line informs me that a mechanic in town will be here in less than an hour to tow me to their shop.
Halle-fucking-lujah.
This has really been the year from hell. Whoever said your thirties were supposed to be your best years was either delirious or high off their ass, because it would seem turning thirty-four last November set off a domino effect of bad luck.
In June, we lost our beloved editor-in-chief at theFlorence Journalafter he retired and moved to Florida, and instead of handing the job over to me—as it should have been, considering my twelve years of experience as a lead journalist, they gave it to that toolbag, Patrick fromTheHerald. Theyoutsourcedour new EIC when I am more than capable of taking on the position myself, and what’s worse is that I’m about ninety percent sure, Patrick is a homophobe. More than once, he’s denied my story requests because the articles would be better suited for—quote-unquote, someone with more guts.
So, I quit.
Excited for your first day tomorrow?
Everly texts me while I wait.
I want to vomit every time I think about it.
That’s normal, she replies with a laughing face emoji.Couldn’t be any worse than my first semester.
God, I hope not. When Everly started her teaching job at Florence University, she had one of her biggest enemies as a student, who turned into her biggest tormenter, who then turned into the‘love of her life.’Now they live together in some twisted domestic bliss, and I’m fairly certain they have some pretty kinky shit going on in the bedroom, so I’d say it turned out all right.
For her, at least. Settling down, with a college student no less, sounds more like a nightmare than all the bullying he did to her in those first few months, but that’s just me.
I don’t have any mortal enemies from my past, so I think I’m golden.
Just be your charming, brilliant, funny self, and they will love you.
Why the fuck is my best friend so amazing to me? Where did I go right twelve years ago when we met, because I could use a little good luck like that in my life right now.
Thanks, babe. That helps. Love you.
Love you too. Seriously, Thomas. Don’t be nervous. You will be great.
Just don’t fuck your students. I know how young you like them.
Bitch. You have absolutely no room to talk.
While I’m smiling down at my phone, I hear the rumble of a truck approach. Damn, that was fast. I’m leaning against the car, pretty convinced it’s not going to blow up since the smoking has stopped, when the driver of the tow truck jumps out, and I’m struck speechless.
I was expecting a typical mechanic—middle-aged and greasy. Not a Greek God in blue coveralls.
He’s damn near the tallest man I’ve ever seen in my life. With broad shoulders and thick biceps, I can’t seem to tear my eyes away as he stalks closer. When I do force my gaze to his face, the first thing I notice are the scars etched into his features. It looks like someone took a box-cutter to what must have been a flawless facade with those high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, a chiseled nose...
“Mr. Litchfield?” he says in a rich, deep voice. Jumping up from my position against the car, I take a couple steps toward him.
“That’s me.”
“I got a call that you need a tow to the shop. What seems to be the problem?”
“Well, a lot of smoke came out of the hood, which I’m assuming is bad, so I pulled over right away.”
