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My hair glues to my face, and without giving it much thought, I pull at the strands, only making more of a mess. Mud smears my face.
His cold, wet fingers brush at the goopy streaks on my cheek though his tone is warm and tender. “Come on, it is kinda funny.”
I shiver even as a surge of warmth rushes through me, and I’m pretty sure it’s Tom’s touch that’s causing this conflict of temperature within me and not the rain seeping into my bones.
“Does anywhere hurt?” He inches closer, eyes searching my form and hand gripping my elbow.
“You mean apart from my ego? No.”
“I told you to stay in the car.” With his grasp, he attempts to steer me back to the front passenger door.
“Really? You’re going to lecture me now?” I pull from his grip and lift my arms out to my sides. “In the middle of a rainstorm.”
“Really?” He mimics me and it makes my blood boil. “I didn’t notice the weather. I thought I’d hang out here all night.”
I don’t care much for his sarcasm, but it’s the bluish tinge to his lips and the way his teeth chatter even as he’s talking that cause my stomach to spasm and my mouth to stop flapping. What the hell am I doing fighting with him?
Tom isn’t Felix. He isn’t self-centered. He isn’t any other man I’ve ever been with. His sole concern is getting us out of this mess and what am I doing? Making this more difficult. God, there’s that word again.
Maybe Margot’s right. I am difficult. I don’t know how to help a situation, only how to make it worse.
My apology is on the tip of my tongue when Tom takes my arm again. “Would you please get in the car, and I’ll be there in a—”
“You need some help?” A heavyset man in a yellow rain slicker stands only a few feet from us.
Why didn’t I notice him before? A tow truck with blinding white lights is at his back.
Tom turns to face him. “Yes. Please.”
On the short drive into the town of Davenport, Iowa, Alvin, the tow-truck driver, chides us for being out in this weather. All three of us are cozy and tight, sitting along the front bench seat of the tow truck. Tom’s in the middle. He insisted.
Alvin chides us on how lucky we are given all the warnings about the storm that is now upon us. “You folks shouldn’t have been driving in this.”
He exits the highway, and I’m tempted to point out that he’s also driving in this but keep my mouth shut. Let him lecture us. He saved our soggy, muddy asses and I’m grateful for that.
“We really appreciate this.” Tom’s thigh rubs mine and he entwines his fingers with mine.
The innocent enough gesture settles the turbulence within me, and I can’t wait until we’re alone. I need to apologize.
“Don’t mention it. I’m just glad I saw you. No car lights on. Nothing.” He scratches at the back of his neck. “Seeing as you folks don’t know these parts, I’m taking you to Milford Auto and Repair. Harv’s a great guy. In no time, he’ll figure out what’s wrong and give you a decent price.”
The truck slows to turn, and I purse my lips. Out the window I see what I guess is the shop. I’m not in the least bit reassured that we’re in good hands. Tom cracks up the second his gaze lands on what has my rapt attention, and then I can’t help but snort.
Some of the letters on the sign across the top of the building—o, r, d, and all of ‘auto’—are out. The remaining letters shine a bright red against the stormy sky. MILF AND REPAIR.
Tom looks at me and waggles his eyebrows. “Do you think Harv is a woman?” He leans in closer and whispers, suggestively, “An attractive, older woman.”
I lightly jab him in his ribs. “You wish.”
“Actually, I don’t.” He slides an arm around me, and nothing in the universe can stop me from melting into him.
Alvin parks the truck and when his body is already half out of the vehicle, he pauses to peer at us over his shoulder.
“I’ll just be a minute.” He points to the single window above the garage where a light is on. “Harvey lives upstairs.”
The rain still comes down hard, and while the inside of the truck is warm, I feel like a wet noodle. Chilled to the bone. The interior of the truck is dark and the storm outside only makes things gloomier.
Tom and I sit close and wet in silence. I don’t know how much time passes. All I do know is that it’s comfortable, and for a small slice of time, I’m not anxious about how things are between us or what Tom’s thinking or about what comes next or anything else.
