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Most of BC is pretty temperate, with rainy winters and warm summers. But being this high up in a mountain valley, Raston has cold, snowy winters and roasting hot summers. We’re on the steady slide into cold, which means a hoodie no longer cuts it.
“What’s got your panties in a knot?” Jet claps my shoulder, and I duck out from under him—but not before he spins me around.
Unlike Xan, who will yak at me until I want to punch him, Jet doesn’t say much, so we square off in a staring match. He searches me until I sigh. “I’m stressed out. Having a baby isn’t exactly on my five-year plan.”
Jet laughs and tosses his things in the truck. “I wasn’t aware you had a five-minute plan.”
“You know what I mean,” I say, clutching my keys tighter in my palm, the metal cutting into my skin.
“Yeah. It’s a lot. But here you are, man. So just…” He pauses and lowers his brows as if choosing what to say next.
“Don’t fuck it up?” I ask, because that’s what he’ll land on.
“I was going to say don’t be so hard on yourself. But sure, that works too.”
Jet jumps in his truck, and I’m left dumbfounded on the lawn, with the icy wind slicing my cheeks.
I’ve barely made it through the morning. I’ve been so distracted that I almost crushed my hand, and I forgot a bolt on an engine job and had to redo it, setting me back an entire day. My limbs are jittery from how much coffee I’ve drunk, and I had to call Gord to come in and help out.
“You fallin’ apart there, kid?” he asks with a chuckle as he comes in through the bay door. My situation is amusing to him now, but I’m struggling to find the humour in anything today.
“Falling?” I answer. “Like I haven’t already?”
Gord whacks me on the back, and I stumble forward slightly. He has been like a dad to me, better than Jason. Gord encouraged me and believed in me when everyone else assumed I was a lost cause. But that doesn’t mean he’s some soft-hearted, hugging kind of guy.
“You’ll figure it out,” he says. “I’m going home, okay? Can you handle the rest of the day?”
I nod and hang a set of keys on the board to keep the cars I’m working on organized.
When I’m alone, I grab my wallet to head down to Patty’s for lunch, but I see the car roll up outside. Tabby hops out with a bag in her hand. The jingle of the door irritates me, and I decide I’m going to change the fucking thing.
“Why do you look so grumpy?” Tabby asks, and I mumble under my breath.
I hate that they can all read me like this. “I’m not grumpy.”
“Yeah, okay.” Tabby laughs and sets the bag on the counter. “I made you lunch.”
“I can feed myself, Tabitha.” I bite my lip immediately, and her shock makes her eyebrows rise. “I’m sorry. I’m having a bad day.”
“Can I help?”
Not unless you can convince Nova to talk to me, I think.
“Can you swing by the apartment at some point and…” I pause and stare at my feet.
“Check on Nova?” Tab finishes my sentence.
“Yeah, she’s been sorta… she needs someone who isn’t me to talk to.”
“Of course. I’ll stop in when I get home.” Tab taps the desk with her fingers and springs back. “And Mom was asking about her again. Just rip the Band-Aid off, buddy.”
“Did you hear that Jess is taking Mom to church now?”
Tabby grabs at the sleeves of her sweater, tucking her thumbs through the holes. “I did. I told Mom it was weird, that she shouldn’t go to church with your ex. You know Mom, though.”
“The Lord’s will?”
Tabby shrugs and spins around to leave. She gives a short wave above her head as the jingling door closes.
