Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
So I do.
“Yeah, Brooks and I dated. We got together when we were sixteen and broke up when I was almost done with college.”
“Did he go to college, too?”
“No, he stayed here. He attended auto mechanic school and eventually bought the shop. We did the long-distance thing for all four years.”
“And then you broke up right before you were finished?” Her eyebrows climb. “That sucks.”
“Big time.” I nod, thinking back to everything that went down, and feel my heart ache. “There was a guy, Justin, who was just my friend. But he was needy, and now I know he was manipulative, and he succeeded in breaking us up. I didn’t know that was his goal. I was just trying to be a good friend, but Brooks saw it as me choosing Justin over him.”
Ava’s face falls. “Well, shit.”
“Yeah. It really hurt Brooks. I mean, it hurt both of us. I don’t think I’ve recovered from it even still. But I broke Brooks’s heart, and I know he’ll never forgive me. He’s angry. He made it clear that he doesn’t want me around, and I honestly can’t blame him. But it makes it hard because this is a small town. I want to go to things like the book club and not worry about what will happen if I run into him.”
“And you should be able to,” she insists. “I get wanting to avoid an ex. We’ve all been there, but you have to be able to live your life, Jules. You can’t hide away.”
“I’ve spent the past fifteen years hiding away,” I admit for the first time. “And it felt like prison.”
“Then stop it. Live your life, and if Brooks doesn’t like it, he can look the other way. What ever happened to Justin?”
“He died.”
He did so much more than die.
“Wow.”
“Yeah.”
“You know what we need?”
I grin at her. “What?”
“One of those brownies you have over there.”
“Let’s do it.”
I haven’t had my car for five whole days, and although it doesn’t normally bother me, I really need to go run errands.
“You okay, Jules?” Christy asks when I check my phone yet again to see if I missed a call from Barry.
Nope. Of course not. The man’s going to keep my hanging forever and charge me another fortune.
“Yeah, just waiting to hear from the garage about when I can get my car.”
“Again?” she asks, and all I can do is laugh.
Because yes. Again.
Harper and Ava are here, which is typical for them on a Tuesday. When their orders are ready, I load up their plates and deliver them to the table.
“So hungry,” Harper says, wiggling in her seat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I let the tray fall to my side as the girls dig into their food. “I hope you like it.”
Just then, my phone rings. I yank it out of my jeans and answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Juliet, this is Barry. Your car’s finished and ready to go.”
“Oh, great. What time do you close?”
“Five.”
My heart sinks. It’s already one, and I don’t know if one of the girls can give me a ride.
“Okay, I’ll figure it out. Thanks.”
I hang up and scrunch up my nose.
“What’s wrong?” Harper asks.
“My car is ready, but I don’t know if I can grab it today.”
“I’ll take you,” Ava offers. “I’m headed home that way anyway.”
“Really?” I grin at her. “It’s not too far out of the way?”
“It’s literally on the way,” she replies. “No worries. Can you go when I’m finished with lunch?”
“Yep, let me just let my girls know.”
Thank God for Ava.
“Just call me if you need anything,” Ava says as I climb out of her car.
“Thanks, and thanks for the ride.” I grin at her and then wave before I walk into the garage.
Barry glances up and sees me, wipes his hands on a towel, and gives me that greasy smile that makes me extra uncomfortable as he approaches the counter.
“Hey, Barry,” I say without much enthusiasm.
“Hey. Okay, she’s all ready for you. Turned out to be a faulty oil filter.”
“It took you five days to figure that out?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “We’re busy around here, and you didn’t have an appointment.”
“It wasn’t planned,” I remind him. “What’s the damage?”
“Four hundred and seventy-five dollars.”
I feel the blood drain from my face.
“For an oil filter?”
“There were a few hours of labor while we figured out what the issue was.”
Jesus Christ. I need a new car.
After paying, and without another word to Barry, who looks as happy as a clam, I get into my car and fight tears as I start it and leave the parking lot, on the highway headed back to Bitterroot Valley.
I no longer have any desire to run errands. I can’t really afford the few things I wanted to pick up anyway, and I can live without them.
This is so fucked up.
I really have to find another mechanic. I can’t keep going to that creep. I’m pretty sure he’s raping me with the prices, and I can’t afford him.