Sitting at the desk her father had used for the last twenty years when he was working at the station Toni finished up the order form for the week. Turning to send the fax off for the parts she just hoped it would get them the parts needed in 2 weeks. Mumbling to herself, 'Knowing the way the freight services worked though it would be a month before the parts arrived.' Hearing the bell in the shop sound letting her know there was a customer outside. Toni looks from the fax machine to the window with a slight annoyance. As she finally realized who was outside with a swift movement, she was jumping up with excitement slamming her seat into the wall. Her excitement was only barely slowed as she realized her cousin had brought a stranger with him. As she rushed out of the office Toni shouted towards the stock room, "DAD IT'S JEREMY! HE'S HOME! WITH A WOMAN TO!!" Running to her cousin just as he was getting out of the truck, Toni jumps into his arms hugging him. "Where in the world have you been I haven't seen you in almost five years!"
Laughing Jeremiaha hugged his cousin tight enjoying the sound of a name reserved for only family, 'Jeremy'. "I just talked to you two days ago kid." Sitting Toni down to see how much she had changed since he left five years ago he remembered how much she had supported his choice to go see the world after he graduated before he settled down to the family town.
Toni took her hat off smacking his arm with a mock reprimand, "Who are you calling kid? I am the same age as you kid!" Glancing to the young exotic woman in the truck Toni could not stop herself from staring at the woman. It was like she was seeing a ghost or a twin of her Aunt Alisha. Turning to look at her cousin with a raised brow, "Your folks know you are home? With a friend?"
Shaking his head Jeremy glanced to Diana and back to his cousin knowing that Toni saw it to, the resemblance of Aunt Alisha. How could anyone not see it? "No I just got to town and Diana is just that a 'friend' Toni. She and I met in Florida when I was down there. She helped me when I was in need and I thought I would return the favor. So I invited her to take a couple of weeks off and help us get ready for the Family Celebration." Pausing to give his cousin a meaningful look before he continued, "I wanted to let her get settled in before introducing her to the rest of the family. Especially Aunt Alisha and Uncle Craven."
Whistling Toni returns her cap to her head before starting to pump the gas. Knowing it will be an interesting event. As Jeremy returns to the driver's seat Toni glanced to the woman with a smile as Jeremy introduced them. Reaching her hand into the cab Toni nod, "Nice to meet you Diana and welcome to Chance, I hope you enjoy your visit."
Diana smiles a bit slow and cautious before taking the petite woman's hand noticing the touch of native american features in the petite woman's face. "Nice to meet you Toni. I pray I will enjoy it to."
With total understanding of what Diana meant by her words Toni offered a friendly smile. Just as a small sports car was pulling in. The painful sounding motor had Toni cringing as the dust started to settle down around the car. After years of working on cars she found that out of habit her mind was naming off the things she could hear wrong with the car. Just as she was replacing the nozzle to the pump, a man with a scowl on his face lean out yelling, "Hey kid when you get a chance how about getting the owner of this place?" With a silent growl Toni took the money from Jeremy. Not even pretending to hear the man. If he wanted help let him get out and hunt for it.
Coming out of the shop looking to the woman with his nephew Micheal hid a smile as he heard the man in the sports car yell at Toni making the same mistake as most of out of townees. Winking at his nephew who was hiding his own smile Micheal turn and walks over to the man in the sports car. Shaking his head before he offered the man a sympathetic smile, knowing this was going to get interesting. Taking off his cap while wiping the sweat from his brow he looked over the car before answering. "I would be the owner of the shop. What can I do for you?"
Sighing with a touch of relief that the man looked as though he knew something about cars. When he pulled in seeing that kid pumping the fuel he had began to worry. Jerad look to the man before he said, "Yes I was hoping you could fix my piece of junk here. It seems to not want to go any further could you maybe fix it so I can get going." Grimacing he remembered the Porsche that his dad had gave him last Christmas still sitting at his dad's garage. He liked the new car, he just could not bring himself to get rid of his camero.
Rubbing his face to hide the smile forming, Micheal shakes his graying head. As he notice the hopeful expression began to fall he figured this was the best time to just give the boy the news, "Well, I will have to get my mechanic to talk to you. This is not my line of know how." At his words Jerad started looking about the shop and office space from his car not seeing a mechanic. Micheal turns with a look of humor as he walks to his nephew reaching up to shake the boy's hand before speaking to Toni. Knowing better than to look at her if he wanted to be able to hide the smile on his face for the whole encounter, because his daughter was going to be mad as a firecracker, "Toni, that man wants to see the mechanic. How about going to help him?"
Jerad groaned as he scrubbed his face with his hand hearing the old man tell the boy named Toni to come see him. Here he had thought they would have a mechanic not some kid playing mechanic.
Toni looked to her dad with a sputter of anger, but years of raising had taught her not to argue with him as it was just a waste of her energy as he always won. Turning a disdainful look towards Mr. Money Bags in a car made for sin. Toni begins to chew her gum blowing bubbles with loud annoying popping sounds, she knew her father hated the noise. Walking off to Mr. Sunshine just as her father and cousin laughed at her situation, she looked at the man inside with a slight frown.
"I am the mechanic. What can I do for you?" Unable to stop herself hearing her father and cousin laughing Toni laughed softly knowing she would be laughing at them if the tables were turned.
"Nothing, I thought you had a real mechanic maybe I can call a wrecker or something." Jerad said, picking up his cell phone.
Pausing in her laughter Toni shook her head giving the man a sarcastic look before asking in a taunting tone , "You mean you got service?"
Jerad looked to the woman that was chewing bubble gum like there was a reward for whoever could chew gum the loudest and hardest. Hearing the sound of mockery in a husky female laugh coming from a small boy he felt his stomach begin to drop just as a shiver run up his spine at the sound. Frustrated with his reaction Jerad picks up his cell phone trying to dial his brother's phone to come and tow him and his car home. After he dialed the number he look at his cell phone shaking it as he realizes he still has no signal. Irritation had him smacking it in the palm of his hand cursing, "Damn it you piece of shit!" As if he forgot there was a female less than an arms length away, he turn back with a look void of any real sympathy. Giving a hardhearted apology as he was not planning to be in this hayseed town long, "Sorry about that. It is just that I need a real mechanic."
Eyes going wide first at the man cursing his cell phone as if that would make it work. Then as a small fury starts to burn at his words. 'a real mechanic'. Toni clamped her lips closed as she takes off her hat counting to ten. Trying to keep from knocking his head to the dirt she began to wipe her hands on the coveralls. Breathing deep before she replied, "I am Toni. I am the only mechanic in town. It sounds like your motor just threw a rod. If that happened well you may get to enjoy our small town and no cell phone service just a bit longer. Good luck with trying to find a real mechanic." With that Toni turned and went back into the shop as she saw Jeremy pulling off with his friend.
Looking to her retreating back with horror on his face at having to stay in this town one second longer much less long enough to enjoy anything. Jerad set his brakes before pulling the hood release. "Shows what you know you have not even looked at my car." With that he got out of the car going around to the front looking at the motor then to the towns only so called mechanic.
Getting rather annoyed at Mr. Money Bags, Toni turns walking back to where he stood looking at the motor then to him before she reached out to take the dipstick accidentally on purpose rubbing against his expensive trousers getting a glob of grease on them. With a half smile at the 'accident' she pulls out the dipstick to check the oil. With a tone laced with the coldest ice Toni informed Mr. Money Bags "Well, your oil looks like it could be changed to." Returning the dipstick after wiping the blackest oil she had seen on a dipstick in a very long time. Moving around the car looking down at the motor checking the visible pieces as she still listens to the motor almost hurting for the poor car. Shaking her head she turns to look at him. "You know you are going to have to rebuild her right?"
"Well then fix it." Jerad demanded while he gave a wide berth of the grease monkey woman before him. His cheeks began to sting as she had called his bluff on his knowledge of cars. "How long will it take to fix it and let me be on my way."
With a look of taunting enjoyment Toni replied, "Well, if I tear it apart and then make a list of the parts needed. Then fax the list in and once the parts come I fix the motor. It should be at least 4 weeks, but it could be 2 months. You never know in these parts."
"What the hell?!? Are you kidding me? What kind of place is this?"
Straightening to stand her full 5 foot 2 inches Toni put her cap back on, "Well if you don't like it take your car elsewhere." With that she spins on her work worn boots to go into the shop office slamming the door.
Looking to the woman that pretty much told him what he could do with his car, Jerad couldn't prevent his eyes from following her as she stormed to the office. Jumping at the slam of the office door Jerad tried his cell phone once more. Shaking his head he tosses it into the car before going into the office to pull his foot out of his mouth.
Fuming Toni picks up a fax telling her that the shop she gets her parts from would be closed for the next week due to a family death. With a heavy heart knowing Phil would be heart broken over Henry's death, she makes a phone call down to the lower part of the state. "Hey Phil, I just wanted to call and offer my condolences." Tapping her finger on the desk making a note to send flowers to Phil and his family as she listens to her friend. "Yes Phil, he was a great man and taught me a great deal." Nodding, "Give your family my sympathy and let me know when you reopen." Pausing to listen before speaking once more. "No no don't worry about that Raven will understand about this. You just take care of the family. We all can wait."
Hanging up the phone before crossing her hands on the desk Toni looks up to the man blocking her doorway. "What can I do for you? I thought you were going to the next town."
Realizing that he may have just offended the only person that may be able to get him out of this one horse town Jerad takes a deep breath before beginning again. "I know I can be an ass and I am sorry. I am just annoyed and lost right now how about we start over?" Holding out his hand in a show of being cordial he introduces himself, "I am Jerad Garrett from New York."
Without taking her eyes from his ,Toni ignored his offered hand not daring to touch him after the way her pulse began to race when she had accidentally rubbing against him outside with her arm. As he entered the office his sheer size had hit her like a forest fire considering how tall men had always sent her hormones into high gear. "I know where you are from I can read. I am not dummy." Returning to the paperwork in front of her Toni picked up the phone ignoring the man before her. Using the quick dial to call her cousin, "yeah Raven, I just wanted to let you know your car was going to have to wait a week or so for the parts. Phil's dad just passed away." Nodding at the phone as if her cousin could see her, "Yes that was what I told him, not to worry until they were up to reopening for business. I just wanted to let you know. I will talk to you later Raven." Hanging up, annoyed that Mr. Garrett was still standing in her office. "What do you want now?"
"I changed my mind. I would like for you to fix my car." Jerad stated looking to the woman as she began to get up from the desk.
"Sure thing I will pull it in here next weekend and tear it apart. Order the parts the following Monday and then put it back together when I get the parts in. It should be ready for you in four weeks." Walking in the back Toni closed the door to the backroom.
Shocked that she would just walk off in such a manner Jerad looked around trying to figure what he was to do when he heard the door opening once more. Watching as the coveralls were no longer what the woman wore but blue jeans that looked made for the woman and a long sleeve button up shirt only buttoned up with the bottom five buttons. Toni walked to the desk and closed the book on her desk before saying, "I can tear it apart Monday, but it will be a week before I can order the parts and then there is no telling how long after that. My supplier just had a family death so he will be closed for the week. Just leave your keys in the box if you want me to start work on it Monday." With that Toni stood and started turning the lights off hearing her dad's truck start up. Waiting at the door on Mr. Garrett to leave Toni taps her foot impatiently.
Stunned and rather peeved that this so called business woman would be so rude as to out right ignore him when he tried to apologize Jerad growled barely restrained. "It seems I have no choice." Acceptance crossed Jerad's face at the woman's obvious dismissal along with his only hope to getting his car fixed. Turning to leave he opens the box to drop the keys into it. Just as he drops the keys he turns to see her climb into the older man's truck. Just as they would have left Jerad remembered he had no place to stay and knew nothing of the town. Raising his hand shouting "wait!"
Growling hearing the man shouting yet again Toni mumbled, "Just floor it dad leave him here."
A look of reprimand from her dad was enough to make her feel like a child again. "Antonette, your mother and I raised you better than that now mind your manners." With his words Toni decided to keep the rest of her thoughts about helping the man to herself.
Looking to the man standing before his shop Micheal pulls up to him, "yes what can I do for you son?"
A frown crossing his face Jerad ask, "I do not know nothing of your town, but where exactly is the closest hotel or a place to stay?"
Shaking his head at the question Micheal looked at the man before him. "Well we have no hotel or nothing like that here. However, I am certain if you are up to some working for your stay we can find you a place to stay. For now boy get in and let's go get some dinner as Alana will be right upset if we are late." With those words Micheal pointed his thumb at the bed of the truck. With a sound of disgust Jerad run to his car opening the trunk with a spare set of keys and pulling out his over night bag. Moving quick before the woman could talk her father into leaving him, he throws the bag in the back of the truck. Just as he stepped over the tailgate into the bed. The truck lurched forward causing him to have to sit rather abruptly or fall out. Holding on to the side Jared watched as the country side passed him by.
Watching as the country side was passing by Jerad noticed the cattle and horses decorating the pastures along the way to where ever this "Alana" was waiting on her family.
Jerad remembered when he was in college. He had talked over plans with his roommate to start breeding mustangs. They had been precise even spoke of his roommate's cousin being a partner in the business. Had laid out what they wanted. Solid white mustangs and solid black mustangs. Daren had said the three of them would be rich. Then talked about his grandfather having left the family a town. What had his name been? Chance??"