Beautiful Goodbye

by Heather D'Agostino

  “I was not flirting,” I shook my head at her as I lowered myself onto a chair. “He spilled his drink on me. I was mad.”

  “Uh huh,” she mumbled as she lifted her glass. “I’m guessing it was an accident?”

  “I would hope so,” I huffed.

  “Well, I must say I give him props for not staring,” she snickered. “I thought for sure he would be zeroing in on those puppies,” she lifted her hand and waved her finger up and down in front of my chest.

  It was at that moment that I really looked at the damage. It was fairly dark in the bar, and I’d been so angry and caught off guard that it hadn’t really registered that my top was white. My eyes dipped and that’s when it registered that you could see parts of my bra through my top and my nipples were standing proud behind the lace from the cold liquid. “Oh my god!” I growled as I reached over to grab my keys off the table. “I’ll be right back,” I shook my head in frustration as I stood, and stormed for the door.

  I rushed out to my truck to grab a t-shirt out of it. I always kept one in there in case I was called out to a job so I wouldn’t have to worry about grease or anything else getting on my nice things. “This’ll have to do,” I muttered as I snagged it off the seat. I stood behind the open door as I peeled my tank off and replaced it with a McKenzie’s Garage shirt. The little bit of feminine charm I had was now replaced with a baggy, grease stained top. Great.

  I laughed to myself as I strolled back into the bar. Maybe the ill-fitting tee would help keep ‘mister beer spiller’ away. I didn’t have time for him anyway. I had creditors calling daily about the mortgage on the garage; business was slower than normal, and if that wasn’t bad enough, I was going to have to let my only mechanic go at the end of the month. My father’s legacy was going down the drain faster than I could find a plug. Tonight was the first time in months that I’d stepped away, and I wasn’t going to let some incident like spilled beer stop me from enjoying myself.

  “They left,” Kasey murmured when I sat back down.

  “Who?” I knew who she was talking about but I was surprised that she thought I cared.

  “Don’t play dumb,” she snickered. “You suck at it.”

  “I suck at a lot of things,” I sighed.

  “I thought we were here to have fun for a night. Stop worrying about the garage. You can’t fix it right now anyway,” she reached across the table and squeezed my arm.

  “I know that, but I can’t help but think this is all my fault. It’s the only thing I have left of him Kase, and I’m gonna lose it. I’m gonna lose the last piece, and I don’t know how to accept that,” I gritted my teeth as I let the words die between us. The truth was I’d been trying to prevent this for the last year. Dad had savings which helped after he died, but with the hospital bills and funeral expenses, it didn’t leave much. I’d tried to keep business as usual, but Dad’s prices were less than what we needed. He hadn’t had debt to worry about, so he could charge minimal prices for labor. He also hadn’t had to hire anyone. It was the two of us for as long as I could remember. He taught me everything I know, and I’ve been working on cars since I was twelve. After he died I couldn’t keep up with demand so I had to hire a mechanic, Dan. Of course, since he wasn’t family I couldn’t pay him in favors so I had to raise prices. When the new garage a few towns over opened, they stole quite a bit of our business. They’re a larger chain, and are able to do things faster and cheaper. I’ve been working without paying myself for six months now. I gave up my apartment and moved into the small space above the garage where my parents first lived before they had me. Now, if the business goes under, I’m going to be homeless. It hasn’t really hit me until this week how bad things really are, and now I just feel like I should be doing something other than sitting here having a drink.

  “You don’t have to accept it,” Kasey shook her head. “You’ll figure something out. You always do.”

  “Unless I have a rich relative that I don’t know about, or some white knight comes crashing into my life, I’m not sure I will,” I spun the glass between my hands.

  “Well speaking of knights,” she giggled as she reached in her pocket and placed a small piece of paper in front of me. “I know he didn’t exactly crash like you’re thinking…” her voice trailed off.

  “I’m sorry about the beer. Let me make it up to you better. Ryan 852-6148,” was scribbled across the scrap. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned.

  “Hey,” she snatched it back. “If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.”

  “Go ahead,” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not interested.”

  “Uh huh,” she grinned as she nodded and stuffed the paper back in her pocket.

  “What?” I gaped.

  “Keep telling yourself that,” she tsked. “How long has it been? A year?”

  “Eight months, but who’s counting,” I groaned.

  “Obviously you,” she pointed at me before lifting her drink and finishing it off.

  “You are such as smartass,” I teased.

  “Takes one to know one,” she chided back.

  “Well, I’d like to get to know this Ryan dude,” she sighed.

  We sat there talking about nothing really for the next hour before it was obvious that I needed to get her home. Kasey and I had been friends since we were little kids, and I knew the signs. When she started talking about her high school boyfriend, Justin, I knew that the tears weren’t far away. They’d been together for years and then he broke things off when he left for college. It completely blindsided her, and she hasn’t been the same since. I, on the other hand, stayed away from dating. I’d had a few casual relationships, but nothing seemed to last. I tried, I really did, but it always came back to my father. They never understood why I refused to sell the garage, and why I worked myself to death to keep it afloat. I knew that as long as I put it first, no man would ever stick around. I had accepted it, but Kasey has been determined to prove me wrong.

  Chapter 2

  Rachel

  Why is it that I get the most calls on a nasty day? The weather has sucked today. It’s been raining pretty hard most of the afternoon, and after going out on four calls, I’m beat. Dan went out on calls for the morning, but needed to stick around the shop to work on a job that needed to be finished, so I did the afternoon runs. It always drives me crazy this time of year. When winter is melting into spring, it seems that drivers don’t understand that you still have to take it easy. Cars slide off the road in the rain just like in the snow.

  By the time I got back to the garage this afternoon all I wanted to do was take a shower, and relax. I’d towed two cars back that had had engine trouble, made one run out into the middle of nowhere to take gas to Mrs. Harrison, again. This will make six times that she’s run out. I’m still curious as to why she doesn’t believe that the E really does mean empty. The last run was a busted radiator. It was good to know that I had several jobs to work on over the next few days, lord knows I needed the work, but driving out in the pouring rain was not something that I looked forward to.

  “I’ll see ya tomorrow, boss,” Dan waved as he wiped the grease from his hands onto a shop rag.

  “Have a good night,” I called from where I was hunched over the computer in my office. I wanted to finish the last of the day’s invoices before I went upstairs for the night. It was late and I was tired. I guess I was more tired than I realized because before I knew it, I’d fallen asleep at my desk.

  The ringing phone beside me jolted me awake, causing me to almost fall out of my chair. “Shit!” I hissed as I jerked up, causing papers to fly into the air. I clutched at my chest to try and control the slamming of my heart before fumbling to pick up the phone. “Hell… hello,” I half stuttered, half gasped into the receiver.

  “Um, I’m trying to reach McKenzie’s Garage,” the voice on the other end sounded confused.

  “I’m sorry. You have, but we’re closed. We open,” I tried to sound professional as my annoyance rose. Did
no one think that I ever went home? The afterhours calls had been much more frequent lately.

  “I need a tow,” the voice cut me off. “I’m out on Route 28 and I had a tire blow. My spare is flat.” I now recognized the voice as male, and an angry one at that.

  “That’s like an hour drive for me. Isn’t their someone closer that could help you out?” I was tired, and driving that far didn’t appeal to me even though the fee would be huge.

  “If there was, do you think I’d be calling you?” his voice rose as the anger seeped through the line.

  I blew out a big breath as I rolled my eyes and flopped back in my chair, mentally calculating how much this tow was really worth. “Fine. Give me an hour, and I’ll come get you. What am I looking for? Route 28 is in the middle of nowhere. I need to know what your car looks like.”

  “It’s a Jeep Wrangler, but I’m the only one here. Won’t that kinda give me away?” his attitude was really pushing my buttons here. Who did this guy think he was? If I was the mean type, I’d tell him I was coming, and then I’d leave his ass out there all night.

  “I’m on my way. It’s cash only. You’re looking at a $250 tow,” I hung up the phone before I let my annoyance get in the way of this killer tow. I may not want to be out in the pouring rain helping some city guy who got a flat out in the country, but I would enjoy the extra cash in my pocket. I hadn’t gotten a call like this in months, but these guys always surprised me. They’d come out here on vacation, and then they’d get pissed when they couldn’t get what they needed in just a few minutes. Never mind the looks they threw my way when I was the one climbing out of the tow truck. Yes, dummy, women can do this job too.

  I quickly grabbed my raincoat, before stepping into a pair of boots, and swiping my keys off my desk. I locked up, and then climbed into the tow truck. When I cranked the engine, I sighed as the needle on the gas gauge hovered right above empty. “Can anything else go wrong tonight?” I muttered to myself as I prayed the Qwik Stop was still open. Janie worked late on some nights, but when the weather was bad she sometimes closed early.

  The universe must have felt sorry for me, because it was pure luck that I was able to get the gas I needed. After filling up, I turned out onto the highway and began heading in the direction of the stranded motorist. I spent most of the ride calming myself so I wouldn’t lose my temper with this guy. He’d made me mad with his attitude, and I had this odd feeling that when I showed up he’d be a complete ass.

  Ryan

  Could this day get any worse? It was bad enough to get called in on your day off, but the weather wasn’t helping matters. I had a new patient today from a three car pile-up, and now I was stuck. I always heard ‘when it rained it poured’ but I never took it literally. I finally found someone to come help me, but I don’t know how long I’m going to be waiting. I called three places before anyone answered, and when they did, it was a woman. She seemed pissed. I’m guessing I probably interrupted whatever was going on with her husband or boyfriend. I know if I was curled up in a warm bed with a woman, I would not want to get up and go out in the rain. I guess I should tip this guy whenever he gets here to apologize.

  What makes this so much worse is that I’m in the middle of nowhere. I was supposed to go on vacation this morning. I was meeting friends out at the coast, but then the hospital called. I thought for sure I could just drive out tonight, and get in late. That plan was working until my tire blew. I heard the pop, and almost ended up in the ditch. If I hadn’t been paying attention, that’s exactly what would have happened. After climbing out of my Jeep and into rain, no less, I discovered that my spare was too flat to use. So now I sit here soaking wet with my scrubs plastered to me as I wait for some guy who’d rather be at home in bed, to come rescue me. My friends better not find out about this, or I’ll never hear the end of it.

  I sat there dripping on my seat for a good forty-five minutes before I saw the headlights in the distance. When they landed on my Jeep, the yellow caution lights on top illuminated, and the truck pulled past me, sliding over and backing up, ready to hook me up. I climbed out to talk to the guy, and was completely taken aback by the small figure that jumped out of the cab of the truck. A dark ponytail was sticking out of the back of a worn baseball cap. A yellow raincoat that was at least three sizes too big hung on her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of tight jeans that molded to her with the exception of a giant tear that exposed her right knee. Black grease stains were randomly covering her clothes, and when she approached me, I noticed that she had a smudge under her left eye. I almost chuckled at the situation, but the scowl on her face told me to keep my mouth shut.

  “It’s you!” she gasped as she came to a stop in front of me. I wasn’t sure what she meant, but as she moved to the back of the truck and began pulling chains free I remembered. This was the girl from the bar. The girl that I slopped beer all over. The girl who I left my number for, and never called me.

  “Um,” I reached up and pushed my fingers through my hair trying to get it off my forehead. The rain was coming harder, and I felt like a fool standing there watching this woman in the rain. “Do you need any help?” I called over the noise of the truck.

  “Nope,” she shook her head as she got down on her knees and shimmied under my Jeep. She hooked the chains around the front axle and then backed her way out. Her hands were covered in mud, but she just wiped them on the front of her jeans. I stood there gawking, even though I knew I shouldn’t. Most women wouldn’t have dared to get this dirty or to act like it was no big deal. “What?” she narrowed her eyes on me as I stood there staring. The rain had completely soaked me, and every inch of me was being clung to by my hospital scrubs, every inch. I swallowed as my body reacted to this woman, but quickly shook my head to clear it.

  “Nothing,” I muttered as I pushed my dripped hair back again.

  “You can ride with me since no one’s here, but you have to sit on a towel,” she flipped her hand in the air as she began trudging back to the cab of the truck. “Come on.”

  I shook my head again before moving to the passenger side. When I climbed in, she was facing forward like a statue and refused to acknowledge me. I didn’t think it could get any more awkward, so I went for it. “You didn’t call.”

  She rolled her eyes as she put the truck in gear, “Why should I?”

  “I just wanted to make it up to you,” I shrugged as I sat back against the seat. I shivered involuntarily against my cold, wet clothes. “I was trying to be nice.” I attempted a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

  “You were trying to get into my pants. I know guys like you,” she shook her head. “I don’t need guys like you.”

  “Guys like me?” I pointed to my chest. “What kind is that?”

  She released a big sigh before shaking her head slightly. “Doctors, rich people, men, you think you’re the answer to everything. You think that woman like me need saving or something,” she continued to drive through the dark countryside without looking in my direction.

  “I’m not a doctor, and I’m not rich,” I grumbled.

  “Sure you aren’t. I’m sure you dress like that just because you like it,” she scoffed.

  “I’m not. I’m a nurse. I get by ok, but I’m not rolling in money,” I glanced over at her just in time to see the corner of her mouth tip up. “What?”

  “A nurse? Like Florence Nightingale? Like that?” she chuckled.

  “Go ahead, I’ve heard them all. Get it out of your system,” I groaned as I prepared myself yet again for someone who didn’t get the fact that a man could do my job.

  She broke into laughter for several minutes before shrugging, “So you’re a murse?”

  “Sure,” I shook my head. “You know… you really don’t have room to talk here. Women don’t usually do your job either.” She stiffened as it got quiet in the cab. “Bullseye!” I thought.

  “You don’t know anything about me,” she snapped defensively.

  “And you don’t know an
ything about me,” I pointed at my chest.

  “Whatever,” she grumbled under her breath. “You better call someone to meet you at the garage because there isn’t anywhere for you to stay tonight that’s still open,” she waved her hand at me. “You do have a phone, right?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I mumbled as I fished it out of my pocket and texted Bryce. He was probably going to kill me for bothering him this late, but I didn’t have anyone else to call. My friends were too far away, and my parents and I weren’t on speaking terms at the moment.

  Once back at the garage, she pulled up beside a bay, and cut the engine. Her body sagged back against the seat before she pinched the bridge of her nose, and mumbled, “You can wait in the office until your ride gets here if you want. It’s chilly tonight.”

  “Thanks,” I shifted to open my door the same time she did hers. I still didn’t know this chick’s name, and it was bothering me, but I wasn’t sure how to get her to talk to me and not piss her off more.

  By the time I’d rounded the tow truck, she was fiddling with her keys to open the office up. She groaned when the door squeaked before giving way, and lights fluttered on. “There are chairs over there. Help yourself,” she waved her arm out to the side without looking at me.

  I shuffled over and couldn’t help but sigh as my body half collapsed against the vinyl. “I’m Ryan by the way, but I think you already knew that,” I mumbled as I tugged at the wet fabric that was clinging to my chest.

  “Mmm hmm,” she moved over to where a desk was situated in the corner and sat down behind the computer. After a few clicks of the keyboard it hummed to life, and the questions began. “Name?” she didn’t even look up.

  “I think I just told you… Ryan,” I grumbled.

  “Yeah, Ryan what?” she rolled her eyes and pursed her lips together as she glared at me.

  “Ryan Mitchell,” I rolled mine right back at her. I could play this game too.