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Brooke laughed.“All right, girl.And don’t forget to visit Max and I.I’m cooking my famous meatloaf tonight if you want to come over for dinner.”
“That sounds great.I still have to go shopping for groceries and unpack.I was just going to order pizza.”I might have come to Miami for my brother’s memorial service, but with everything going on with Nick, I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.So, groceries would be a necessity.
“Forget that.Home-cooked meatloaf is so much better, especially mine.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.I wasn’t much of a cook, anything I made ended up burnt or undercooked, and Nick spent so much time at the office that by the time he got home, more often than not I had already ordered takeout for the both of us.He never complained, though.We didn’t start dating for my cooking, that’s for sure.Right off the bat, he knew I wasn’t a cook.My parents died when I was young and my brother tried his best, but it was a lot of pizza and noodles for us when I was growing up.
* * *
A gentle tap on my window startled me.Was it just me, or did the sun seem to shine brighter after you closed your eyes?It was a man, the man I could only assume was the mechanic Brooke sent.The sun was shining so bright, I held up a finger, grabbed my purse and opened the door.There we go, I thought, as I looked at the handsome man.He was roughly six foot, chestnut brown hair, brown eyes, and exceptionally fit.My guess, he went to the gym religiously every morning, had a smoothie for breakfast, and never ate carbs.The gentleman was wearing a leather jacket and white shirt with jeans and a pair of sneakers.He was also wearing an Army dog tag around his neck.Figures he’d be from the Army.Because why not give me another reminder of the Army that took my brother away from me?
All that aside, he was there to help me, and I was appreciative.“You’re the mechanic, Max’s friend, right?”
He shook his head and I got nervous, until he followed it up by saying, “That’s Damon.I’m his brother, Colt.He was busy so he sent me.”
I let out a sigh of relief and put a hand to my chest.“Thank God.You can’t do that to a woman on the side of the road, you know?When you shook your head, I nearly died.I thought you were some ax murderer or something.”
Colt raised a brow.“An axe murderer who tapped on your window?”
I rolled my eyes.“Okay, maybe it’s not sensible, but you never know.”I may have sounded illogical, but I was sticking with it.You just never knew.
“So you can help me, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.I just have to fill up your tank.I’ve got everything I need in the back of my truck.”
Looking beyond Colt at the truck parked behind my car, I nodded.I got out and stood by my car.“Great, thanks.AAA still hasn’t come, and I really don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road all afternoon.”
Once he returned and began filling up my tank, he started making small talk.“So, where are you coming from?”
“New York, but I’m no stranger to Miami.I grew up here.”
“I didn’t catch your name,” he said.
I replied, “Scarlet, but everyone calls me Scar.”
“Scarlet.You wouldn’t happen to have a brother named Brandon, would you?”
“Yes,” I responded, “how did you know that?”Then it clicked.The Army tags.“Did you serve with him?”
“How did you know—” he looked confused.
“The dog tags.You served with him, didn’t you?”I swallowed hard, unsure if he knew Brandon’s fate.
“I did.He was a good friend of mine.A good guy, too.I’m sorry for your loss.”He closed the tank and just leaned against the car now.“I assume you’re here for the service?”
I nodded, grateful I didn’t have to say the words—he died.“Yes and no.Of course, I’m attending the memorial service.But I’m also moving back.I’ve missed Miami and I guess a part of me feels like I’ll feel closer to him if I move back into our old apartment.”
“Right, he told me he raised you.”He cringed.“I didn’t mean it like that.I just meant, he’s told me a lot about you.”
I put my hand on my hip.“Let me guess, Brandon told you to watch out for me, didn’t he?”
Colt smiled.“He was just trying to make sure you were taken care of.He always worried about you.”
“Well, I’m all grown up now and I’ve been without him for a while now, you know, so I don’t need his friend to look out for me.I’m a big girl.”
He shrugged.“I’m not here to take care of you.I’m just here because Max called in a favor with Damon and Damon asked me to assist.I had no idea I’d know you.Us bumping into each other was purely coincidental.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.”I didn’t mean to say that aloud.
