The Mechanic

-Chapter Thirty-

Location: Central

I went home without her that evening, completely exhausted by excitement and happiness. My mouth was frozen in a smile, and my heart was beating faster than usual even when I fell asleep.

But for all of my smiling and my excited pulse, I didn't get to take Femi back to my place with me. She stayed with Matt and El in their house, not replying to my offer to let her have the place while I slept in the shop or out on the fire escape.

I just wanted her near.

My stupid heart wanted to be close to her.

It didn't happen.

Now, in the early morning light, I blink, stretching. My muscles ache. My head throbs. My eyes are swollen with sleep and the strain of being overused the day before.

A pounding starts at the front door, forceful and persistent.

I roll over without considering getting up to answer it. The morning is inevitable. Light is inevitable. Staying in bed, however, I get to decide that one.

I vote in favor of my extremities staying toasty warm.

The knocking continues, deepening with the occasional "THUMP" of a fist against the hard metal.

I sit up, scowling at the door.

More knocking. "Mechanic, open the door!"

I stand too quickly and my legs get entangled in the blanket, tripping me. I land on my side, the floor digging into my bare torso.

"Mechanic!"

I scramble out of the wad of blankets and dart to the front door, pulling it open.

Femi stands on the front step, hugging herself. Her hair is a knotted pile on top of her head, one side of her face is covered in red lines from sleeping, and she is still wearing pajamas.

Her eyes flicker over my shirtless chest before meeting mine, clouded and tired and for some reason, regretful.

I frown, rubbing the side of my neck. "Are you alright?"

"I came to answer yesterday's question," she says, ignoring my question. But that answers it for me. "And my answer is yes."

I raise my eyebrows. "You mean to the big question that I mentioned yesterday? The one that you said you'd sleep on?"

She shrugs one shoulder, laughing softly. "I didn't sleep, but yeah, that one." Her eyes land on everything but me. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea," I reply, swallowing. "If you're saying what I think you're saying, that is."

She nods and the corner of her mouth edges up into a smile. "I'm agreeing to marry you."

I break into a grin. "You're agreeing to marry me."

My mind won't process the words right away. Femi. Me. Marry.

I grin some more, shaking my head in disbelief. "You're serious?"

"No, silly, I'm Femi." She smirks, rubbing at her bare arms. She's cold.

That makes two of us.

"You can come inside." I hold the door open and step to the side.

She ducks past me and I close the door, wiping goosebumps from my forearms.

"It didn't take me long to figure out what my answer would be," she says, sitting down on my couch. "But I didn't tell you before you left. I decided on an answer before then, but I didn't say anything. Matt would have teased, and I didn't want that." She wrinkles her nose.