by T. L. Haddix
Eli frowned as he contemplated his steps and the question. “Why do you want to know? Are you interested in Noah?”
Haley’s cheeks flushed and she shook her head. “Lord, no. Not that he’s not nice and isn’t handsome, but no. I’m just… really, like I said, it’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“I don’t mind the question,” he assured her as they reached the end of the bars and turned. “I was just wondering. No, he and Sophie… I told you about how Erica and I had gone to high school together, right?”
She nodded. “Pay attention to your placement, please.”
He adjusted his stance. “Better?” When she nodded again, he continued the story. “Erica and Sophie were the same age, my age. Twenty-eight. Well, I’m twenty-nine as of yesterday. Noah’s a little over two years older than me. He was a senior, the rest of us were sophomores. And… Noah’s quiet. Reserved. He doesn’t make friends easily, and he never really fit in with the rest of the kids. To be honest, I’m not sure he tried or even knew how to in retrospect. But he took one look at Sophie and he fell head over heels for her. And she fell for him the same.”
As he thought about how smitten Noah had been, his mouth tightened. “I said and did some pretty stupid things right before prom, and we ended up getting into a fight at school,” he confessed, his voice low. “It wasn’t a small fight, either. We tried to beat the shit out of each other, pardon my language, and we both got suspended for three days. I basically betrayed him. I won’t go into how. Erica was part of it, set the whole thing up, played all of us. And the destruction of his relationship with Sophie was part of the fallout. Part of Erica’s endgame. I told you she wasn’t a nice person,” he said when she lifted her head to stare at him with surprise. “And I wasn’t, either.”
Haley’s brow furrowed as she guided him into another turn. “That couldn’t have been easy to deal with at home.”
Eli stopped, staring down at his shoes for a minute. “He left. He packed up his things that day and moved in with our grandparents until graduation. Even changed schools. And as soon as he graduated, he was gone. Spent the next three years in Italy learning woodworking. He only came back when Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and he only stayed because I was leaving.”
He knew the truth didn’t reflect well on him, and he lifted his gaze to hers, prepared for any judgment she felt he deserved. Instead, he saw sympathy and a sad sort of understanding.
“When did things change between you? You can go ahead and go back to the walker, and I’ll have you start on the bike if you’re up to it.”
Eli nodded. “Okay. And I’d like to say I’d come to my senses by the time I graduated, but I was still stupid and full of myself. I wasn’t interested in mending fences that I thought he’d torn down. It wasn’t until four years ago, after Erica was dead, that the truth came out about certain things.”
She handed him a towel to use to wipe away his sweat. “He and Sophie never were able to patch things up?”
“No. Though I’m hoping now that we’ve started fixing us, they won’t be so closed to the idea.”
Haley shook her head as she smiled softly. “Your grandparents aren’t the only matchmakers in the family, I see.”
Eli’s shrug was sheepish. “They both deserve to be happy. And they deserve a second chance, I think. I feel like I owe them that much for the role I played in the whole mess.”
“They might not want the second chance,” she cautioned him.
“Oh, I know they don’t think they do. But I have to try. Same routine as before?” he asked, gesturing at the bike.
She shook her head. “I want you to work your upper body and lower, and not overdo it here. This will be a gentler session given how much you’ve done today. Otherwise, your muscles will turn to noodles on me, and that won’t accomplish anything. So don’t push too hard.”
He knew her words weren’t just a caution about the exercises. “Yes, ma’am.”
As he finished up, he let himself zone out. He didn’t try to think about anything other than completing the exercise. Between getting Fido, Molly being gone from the house, and the discussion he’d had with Haley, he was feeling pretty raw. For right now, not thinking about anything sounded like a damned good plan.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Hulk was dead. No amount of cajoling, begging, or cursing was going to revive it. Haley’d tried all three over the last fifteen minutes. Now, as she stood in front of the stupid vehicle late Friday evening, the hood raised, and stared into the engine compartment, she very much was afraid she was going to cry.
“You have to start,” she whispered. “I’m not ready to buy another car. Come on, you piece of crap.” She fiddled with one of the cables that came off the battery, but she knew no amount of her staring at the problem was going to fix it. No, this was going to mean a trip to the real mechanic in town for the Hulk, and a tow on top of that evaluation.
“I can practically see dollars flying out the window. Damn it.”
As she raised up on her tiptoes to grasp the hood to close it, a black truck eased to a stop in the empty space beside her. Noah and Eli. She didn’t know whether to curse or fall to her knees and give thanks.
“Will it turn over at all?” Eli asked as he got out.
“No. It just clicks.”
“Well, let’s hope we don’t have to shoot it to put it out of its misery. Keys inside?”
“Of course.” She sighed and walked to stand beside the door, joining Noah to watch. “Don’t you dare say ‘I told you so.’”
Eli sent her a chiding look. “I’d never do that. How was it driving this morning?” he asked as he tried to start the vehicle. He got the same results she had, and if the wince on his face was any indication, whatever he was thinking wasn’t good.
“The same as always. It did make a sound right before I turned it off when I got here. I didn’t really think anything of it, though.” She leaned back against Noah’s truck, arms crossed over her middle. “I guess I’ll have it towed tomorrow.”
But tomorrow was Saturday. The place she usually used wouldn’t be open. When she realized that, she felt like crying even more. Of all the people she didn’t want to break down in front of, Eli was it. Telling herself to suck it up, she drew in a breath and did just that.
“Haley… I don’t know if towing it is going to do any good,” Eli said. He got out and went to the front, moving almost naturally. He’d had the prosthesis nearly two full weeks now, and he’d made excellent, surprisingly good progress. “Can you get me that big flashlight?” he asked Noah. “And the socket set?”
“Sure thing. Do you have a ride home?” Noah asked her as he reached inside his truck.
Haley grimaced. “I’ll have to call one of my uncles.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We can give you a ride,” Noah said as he handed Eli the requested items.
“Hold this light for me. And yeah, we’ll be glad to take you home.” Eli’s brow furrowed in concentration as he selected and fit a socket wrench to something deep inside the engine compartment. He got a smudge of grease on his arm in the process, but he didn’t seem bothered by it. “This isn’t turning at all. It should. That probably means the engine’s seized. When was your last oil change?”
“A few weeks ago. My uncle did it.”
“Hmmm. Okay.” He put the wrench back in the case, then moved to the dipstick for the oil. “Hold the light here, please.”
Noah did as he’d asked. “What are you looking for?” He glanced at Haley. “I’m not a mechanic. I know enough to change my oil, that sort of thing. But I figure I should ask questions so I look like I know what I’m doing, right?”
She laughed. “Right.” But Eli was a mechanic, she knew. And his frown had intensified.
“There are metal shavings in
here, plain as day. See?” he said, holding his hand out so that droplets of oil fell into his palm from the dipstick. Out from under the hood in the bright, late afternoon light, the shavings were obvious. “Your engine’s shot. I’d put good money on it. I’m sorry, Haley.”
Swallowing down her rising panic, she went to get some paper towels from the back so he could wipe his hands. “What does that mean, exactly?” she asked when she came back.
Eli looked at the vehicle as he cleaned up. “Honestly? How long have you had it?”
“Since I left for college. Seven years or thereabouts. And it’s an eighty-nine model, so it’s as old as I am.”
“Have you ever had the engine rebuilt? How’s the transmission?”
She looked down at the towels in her hands. “No to the engine, and the transmission’s been slipping. At least that’s what my Uncle Dudley said when I told him what was going on a couple of months ago. It’s been hard to get out of park sometimes.”
Noah whistled. “Even I know that’s not good.”
Eli shook his head. “No, it’s not. I joked about shooting it earlier, but I think that might be your best bet. You’re looking at probably five hundred to rebuild the engine, so that isn’t horrible. But the transmission? Especially on one this old that will be hard to find parts for… I’d say conservatively, we’re talking a couple thousand.”
Haley thought she was going to be sick. She pressed her hands into the roll of paper towels, crushing them. “How sure are you that’s what’s going on?”
She could see it in his face before he answered.
“I’d bet Noah’s next paycheck. I’m sorry.”
“Bet your own money,” Noah teased gently. “It sounds like a call to Archer might be in order. He’s our uncle, married to our Aunt Emma. He’s the service department manager at a local dealership.” He named the place.
“Guys, I appreciate that, but God… I don’t know if I can manage a car payment.” She brushed her hair back, then took it down from the clip she’d had it in all day in the hopes that she could alleviate the headache that was building. “I guess I’m not going to have a choice. I can’t see pouring that kind of money into this thing, not with it so old.”
Eli shut the hood. “You probably get what, fifteen miles per gallon in this on a good day? And you have how far of a drive?”
“Twenty minutes one way,” she answered, knowing where he was going. “I’d save on gas, yes. But there’s insurance to consider, tagging it… I hate being an adult sometimes.”
Noah smiled down at her. “It has its moments. This? Not one of them. Come on. We’ll get you home, and maybe Eli can call Archer while we’re driving. See if they have anything that might suit you. He can get you the family price.”
Eli was nodding his agreement, and their calm certainty nearly undid her. She had to press her lips together tightly to keep from bawling.
“Let me get my things. I should probably call Gramps and let him know I’ll be late.” She reached inside for her purse and lunchbox. “I hate to ask you two to drive me. I’ll buy your dinner or something to pay you back or give you gas money.”
“You will not give me gas money,” Noah told her firmly, scowling. “We might take some food, though. Sometime when you’re not stressed. Can you cook?”
She laughed, genuinely amused. “I can throw food together in a palatable manner, yes.”
“You’ll have to sit up here with us. The backseat is full of samples.” Eli winked at her and held the door while she climbed inside and slid to the center seat. “Do you need to stop for anything?”
“No, but thank you for asking. What were you two doing out here? Your appointment was hours ago.”
“Library visit,” he responded as he took the seat beside her. “As you can guess from that, we both have this hideously busy social life. We’re much in demand with the ladies. Hence the visit to the library on a Friday evening.”
Something about that statement had Noah snickering, but she was too exhausted to ask what exactly. Instead, she shook her head and laughed.
As roomy as the truck was, it wasn’t designed to seat three comfortably in the front. Because of that, her entire right side was pressed up against Eli in fairly close proximity. She wasn’t about to complain.
The more she saw of him, the more she liked him. She knew that was a problem she was going to have to do something about, but she kept putting it off. At least now she’d have the dilemma of what to do about transportation to distract her.
Pulling out her phone, she called her grandfather. “It’s me. I’m going to be a little late. I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Are you stopping for something?” he asked.
“No. The Hulk died.” When Eli and Noah both chuckled, she frowned. “That’s its name. Anyhow, Gramps, I’ll be home soon.”
“Do I need to send Dudley?”
“No. I have a generous patient who’s providing me a lift. We’re leaving now.” When she hung up, she turned to Eli, who was smiling. “What?”
“The Hulk? Fitting, I guess. Want me to call Archer?”
She bit her lip as she considered her options. The dealership was reputable, and if she’d had her druthers as to when to purchase a vehicle, it was the first place she’d have started to look anyhow. Left with no choice, she sighed and nodded. “Please?”
“Consider it done.” He leaned into her as he took his phone off his belt. “He’ll be happy to help.”
“He’s a good guy. Has Eli told you about Sydney?” Noah asked.
“She’s the one you two took the raft to see, right? The one who sprung the wedding on everyone this past weekend?”
Eli’d come in Monday morning laughing about the crazy weekend, and he’d told Haley about the wedding as they worked.
Noah grinned. “That’s her. She’s Archer and Emma’s daughter.”
“She sounds like a character.”
“Oh, she’s something else. Our ‘first’ baby sister,” Eli said. “Hey, Archer. You busy? I need a favor.” Haley listened as he explained the situation in matter-of-fact terms. “She needs something reliable, something economical to drive from start to finish. Any other needs?” he asked her.
“Safe on winter roads, able to easily accommodate a wheelchair.”
Eli relayed the information. “Think you can help us out?” He nodded. “Okay. And I guess she’ll have a trade, if it comes to that. It’ll need a tow, though. No, it’s dead. Engine and transmission, if I had to guess.” He glanced at Haley. “Okay. I’ll let her know. Thanks. I’ll owe you one.”
Whatever his uncle said then made him grin with a wickedness that Haley had to force herself to look away from, it was so appealing.
“You, too. Thanks again. I’ll let you know. Bye.”
“Well?” Noah asked as Eli traced the edges of the phone with his thumb.
“He has a couple of vehicles in mind. Can you go down tomorrow and take a look at them?”
“I’ll have to check with Dudley or Mo,” she said, hating that she’d have to rely on them for help.
“I can pick you up and take you. Don’t reject me out of hand,” Eli said as she opened her mouth to protest. “I don’t have anything planned other than reading and laundry. And it’ll help me repay some transportation karma.”
She crossed her arms as Noah disguised a chuckle. “The two of you are something else, you know that?” she asked softly. “Don’t you live fifteen or twenty minutes the opposite direction of where I do?”
Eli shrugged, and she felt the movement all along her side.
“That’s irrelevant. If you need me to be there, I’ll be there. The SUV is big enough for your grandfather, too, if he wants to go. I know you’re my therapist, blah, blah, blah. I don’t want to get you in trouble, so sa
y no if that’s a possibility. But I’m available to help if you want me to. No strings. I wouldn’t make the offer if I didn’t sincerely want to help.”
Deciding she’d rather give in gracefully now and not have to worry about how in the world she was going to manage everything tomorrow, she nodded. “Then I’d appreciate the assistance. I will buy your gas money, though.”
Eli studied her for a minute. “Okay.”
Now all she had to do was go home and figure out where in the world she was going to fit a car payment into a too-tight budget. She could probably manage to do it, but it would put her perilously close to having a zero gain every month, a situation she wasn’t comfortable being in. But there was no help for it. She couldn’t make it without transportation.
It dawned on her as she gave Noah directions that while she would be shouldering most of the burden of this calamity alone, she wasn’t entirely on her own. As much as she hated leaning on other people, she had to admit that having the brothers there to offer her assistance was taking a lot of the load off her mind.
She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be able to lean on Eli in a more personal way. In a more loving way. And that was a road she couldn’t dare let herself travel down. Not unless she wanted to come away with more heartache than she already had.
When they approached the turnoff to the road where she lived, she had Noah slow down. “Turn here, and then take the first road on your right, Snapdragon Way. Then we live nearly to the head of the holler.”
