Promises Promises

Chapter 12

Alex stared down at the flat repair kit, turning it over in his hands and looking about as irritated as I probably did when I discovered the useless thing in the trunk.

"This came with your car?"

"Yep." I nodded. "Well, at least I think it did. I don't know else it got there."

"A repair kit instead of a spare tire," he muttered under his breath. "What has the auto industry come to?"

"I'd like to know that as well," I answered with a smile, pleased with the fact that my rescuer was showing all the signs of being a normal, everyday good guy with only the best of intentions.

In just the few minutes and minimal conversation we'd shared since he strolled up to me with that tire iron in hand, my stomach had settled significantly, and I was ready to move onto the next part of the day. The one where I somehow made it back home in one piece and the matter of my car was handled.

With a weighted sigh, Alex tossed the repair kit back in the trunk and shut it. Then he looked up, his eyes meeting mine. Still mostly bright but holding a touch of concern now.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

"Not far." I shrugged, keeping my voice casual as I chose my words carefully. Even nice people don't need to know your location. "A short drive but too long to walk."

He nodded and took a few steps around the car, closing some of the distance between us with a confident stride, his face looking busy in that manly trying to find the next solution way. "Do you have someone that can come pick you up?"

"Uhm, yes," I offered slowly, my head running through the small list of people to call. If it only involved a ride, Leann was probably my best bet, so that was taken care of. But then I looked down at the busted tire. "I'm just not sure what to do about–"

"The car, right," he finished for me. "Well, this isn't exactly my expertise..." He looked down at the tire and rubbed a calloused hand over his smooth jaw. I couldn't help studying the clothes he was wearing, wondering what his expertise was. He was giving off a slightly rugged feel with his dirty, dark wash jeans and a casual black t-shirt, muscular arms that had seen some sunshine. "But I can tell you that you're gonna need a tow."

Those last words had me blinking out of my reverie. "A tow?" My stomach sank. Even if I knew it was the next logical move here, it was coming up as more phone calls and more stress. "Great..."

"Hey, don't worry." Alex laughed, showing off that smile again. As the sun peeked out from a cloud overhead, his blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the light. "Most auto shops will have a tow company on call and they'll take care of it for you."

"Oh, okay." I blew out a relieved breath of air. That was one less phone call to make, at the very least. "You wouldn't happen to know of an auto shop nearby would you?"

Disappointment furrowed his brow. "I can't say I do. I'm pretty new to the area."

Well, crap.

Wait.

New to the area?

I went immediately on alert, forgetting where I was and how nice Alex had been to that point. All I heard in my head, over and over again, was that he was new to the area.

New to the area. Like the Amato guys that had just come into town from Chicago? Against my good sense, my mind started reeling.

My instincts were so well intact that it didn't matter to me how Dante said they would only be wandering between Fairhaven or Brighton as they prepared for the job in Philly. Or that they'd be keeping a low profile. It didn't matter that people moved to new towns all the time and it was never associated with criminal activity.