Wicked in Love

Chapter 5 - and yours

"Come on. What are friends for?" He brandished his keys, wiggled them.

I sighed and grabbed them from him. "Shop's full. We won't be able to look at it till day after tomorrow. Are you okay with that?"

"Sure. I'll be out of town for a few days anyway."

"What are you bringing it in for?"

"Need a safety. Selling it and buying a new car."

"Super. What kind of car you buying?" I hung his keys on the board, went back to my desk, turned on the computer and opened a work order for him.

"That sporty ride outside yours? Dylan mentioned it."

I looked up. "Is Dylan trying to sell you one of his classic trucks?"

Dylan had finally fixed Bertha, the old and rotting GMC truck in our lot and had sold it to one of his friends. Now he was on a mission to fix another and was already looking for a buyer. He'd been... unavailable lately.

"Nope. I want a car. Thinking of buying the same one as yours. You gonna let me test drive it?"

"With the payments I'm making on it, I wouldn't even let the Pope drive it."

"What if I become a priest?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you think it's too late for that? There's not enough holy water in Esther Falls to purify you, Trip."

"Aw. Come on, Kara. I bought you your first beer. Remember?"

I gave him a look of regret. "I'm going to Adam's Bridge after this."

"Really? Well, aren't you the lucky one? I'm heading there to see Damon and the guys."

I shot him a dry look. "How were you planning to get there? Magic carpet?"

"I can definitely show you the world," he said, smiling. "And I'll give you a ride."

I raised my brows at him, confused. "In your car?"

"I can give you a ride," he repeated, smile turning into a grin, "in your car. Keys?"

***

The scent of smoke and grilled burgers filled my nose as Trip parked my car on a lot beside the old railroad bridge. Even with Drake's song blasting from speakers somewhere, I heard the faint sound of Taylor Swift singing about a boy who broke her heart as a red car zipped by.

The place was packed. People scantily dressed surrounded a bonfire as big as a dragon, rubbing their hands together, warming themselves. I watched a group of guys playfully push each other, laughing maniacally as they jumped off the bridge and landed with a loud splash on the lake below. They howled and cheered and yelled.

Who in their right mind would jump in the water in this weather?

It didn't get freeze-your-balls cold at night anymore, but it wasn't exactly bikini season. Even if someone paid me a million bucks to swim in that lake, I would never... On second thought, for a million bucks, I would. I definitely would.

"So?" I turned to Trip. "How was the magic carpet ride?"

He grinned in reply.

I reached for the paper bag where I stashed Damon's things, handed them over to him.

"Hey, Trip. Can you give this to Damon? Maybe I'll find you guys later."

"Going to see your secret lover first?"

"No," I said. "My priest."

He guffawed, tucked the paper bag in his arm like a football, then slid out of my car and ran around it, stopping in front of my open window. He crouched so his face was level with mine.