Tangled Webs chapter 1-6

Tangled Webs

Preface
Bitter smoke floated like a heavy cloud casting darkness over the grisly accident. Shattered glass, gnarled and twisted metal, scattered pieces of metal and plastic covered the intersection of the busy highway as the sheriff deputies’ diverted traffic away from the gruesome two-vehicle fatality accident. Firefighters worked diligently hosing down the burning wreckage of the late model silver Expedition or rather what was left of the SUV. Two Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers gathered information from an eyewitness before taking a report from the driver of the semi tractor-trailer rig involved in the accident.

Jack Spinney, unharmed but shaken, waited patiently sitting inside the OHP car. He was a very conscientious and cautious driver, proud of his 15-year accident free safety record. He sat viewing the scene in disbelief. “Please let this all be just a bad dream.” He reached up with his hands covering his face. Softly rubbing his face, hoping the scene before him would be wiped away when he lowered his trembling hands.

He fidgeted, nervously waiting for the Highway Patrol Officers to take his statement. He hadn’t seen the Expedition approaching. He had no idea where it came from. He had only felt the impact as it plummeted into the side of his trailer, hearing the sound of metal splitting, tearing as it became snared underneath the trailer frame. As he slammed on his brakes, sparks from the entangled vehicle ignited gas leaking from partially filled acetylene bottles he was transporting. The explosion ripped the sides of his trailer apart and was fueled even further when the Expedition burst into flames. He removed his hands looking once again at the wreckage. He watched as everything he had worked for over the past 15 years crumbled and burned before him.

For the first time, he wondered how many people died tragically trapped inside the burning vehicle. He replayed the minutes, the seconds before the collision, looking for any subconscious memory of the vehicle approaching. His thoughts stopped and he cringed inward, as a man’s mournful and piercing cry of agony, screamed out over and above everything else.  “Kathy! Jonathon!” he screamed out, “Justin! Oh please NO! Oh god, no please, no!!” the man wailed.


One Year Later

Chapter 1
Shattered pieces of wood laid scattered across the dull hardwood floor in splinters, where he had thrashed the old wooden dining chair against the wall in a burst of outrage just moments before. Sitting at the old oak table he stared at the towering stack of overdue bills and overdraft notices from the bank. Holding his head in his large sturdy hands, his fingers raked through his uncombed, matted hair. “I just can’t take it anymore. Can’t take no more,” he mumbled to himself. He stood up, his lean muscular frame now haggard and stooped with defeat. The rumbling in his stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten in two days. He walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door, peered inside and grimaced. He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out 85 cents and some soft fuzzy lint, he let it slide back into his pocket. He walked back to the table and reached out, picking up his car keys.

Jake stormed out the front door, leaving the battered, wood screen door, with its broken latch, loose hinge and peeling white paint, to flap in the wind.
He slid into the driver’s seat of his 68-faded black Chevy Nova with its torn gray seat covers and slammed the door shut. He slid the key into the ignition and pushed himself against the seat, his head tilting back. Beating his head against the cushioned neck rest, “Where am I going to go?” he asked himself. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel then glanced down at the gas gauge, 3/4 tank registered into his mind. He wondered how far he could go. Jake looked into the rear view mirror, his distraught chestnut eyes stared back at him. He looked past his eyes as his foot pumped the gas pedal, priming the fuel pump. He turned the key in the ignition and the car rumbled to life, the dual exhaust popping and crackling. The steering wheel vibrated as he held it with his left hand as the other gripped the gear shift. He instinctively put the car into reverse. He did not turn around for one last look; he backed onto the road and quickly shifted through the gears until he was driving insouciantly down the deserted county road, bound for nowhere, somewhere, anywhere but here.

Jake drove up to the Poteau National Bank and Trust ATM and reached in his back pocket for his wallet. Opening the wallet his eyes settled on a picture of his two sons, at a much younger age, during a much happier time. He quickly diverted his eyes, pulled out his ATM card and closed his wallet and tossed it onto the passenger seat. He punched in his access code and cleared out his savings account, all $280.00 of it.  Frustrated and reminded of how little he had after 18 years of hard work, “all for what?” he asked himself. For two hundred and eighty dollars and an old beat up car he had built from spare parts working odd jobs as a teenager. He wadded up the bills and stuffed them into his pocket to keep from opening up his wallet lying in the seat next to him. He put the car in gear and drove north toward the interstate. He was grateful for the darkness and the dim moonlight. He turned westbound onto the interstate, gazing straight ahead. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette, fumbled around in the dark looking for his lighter. Inhaling deep, he watched the smoke fill up the inside of his car, billowing like a cloud as he exhaled. He reached over, turned up the volume of the radio, rolled his window down, felt the warm night air brushing against his cheek. He tried to close his mind to everything except what might lay ahead.

Jake silently cursed the wallet lying in the seat next to him. “Why did I have to open it?” he asked himself. Reflections of his wife, Kathy and their two boys, Justin and Jonathan, began flashing through his mind, the replay of the last time he saw them alive and the agonizing, wretched visions of his nightmares. Knowing they had all suffered, trapped inside the burning vehicle nearly drove Jake over the edge. He would have traded places with them in a heartbeat. This initiated mental pictures of the Expedition, mangled and burned, its metal twisted, gnarled beyond recognition. Jake pulled over to the side of the road for a few minutes, wiping his eyes dry as he calmed down, the mental flashbacks subsiding.  “How long has it been now,” he asked himself, “how long will I be haunted by this?”  Nearly a year had passed. He would never forget the day his whole world crumbled and fell apart. The hollow ache he felt inside, his constant grieving for them, the ceaseless loneliness he felt each and every day that he arrived home. Toppled with unanswered questions, the huge debts Kathy had acquired which he had known nothing about. It left him wondering if he had known his wife at all. None of it made sense.

He had tried to cope, to move on, hoping the grief and pain would ease. He began working odd jobs to make ends meet, trying to stay busy enough to forget, but the pain never faded. Everyday, past due reminders or disconnect notices greeted him at the mailbox. Everything seemed to erupt in one moment. He had reached his boiling point. He refused to call it his breaking point. The voice inside which urged him to walk out of the door and find a place he could find peace. Jake checked his mirrors for traffic, switched on the blinker and pulled back onto the highway.

Chapter 2
Several miles past the Checotah exit, he passed a stranded station wagon with its amber emergency lights flashing.  Jake slowed, looking through his rear view mirror trying to see if anyone were sitting in the vehicle.  He saw a flicker of movement and pulled over to the shoulder, backing up towards the disabled car. Jake didn’t give any thought to danger, just wanted to offer some help if he possibly could. He stepped out of his car and noticed it felt good to get out and stretch his legs.  He walked through the darkness, tugging his shirtsleeves down and brushing off his jeans, the blinking flashers lighting the path, he tapped lightly on the driver side window.

Natalie watched as the stranger approached the car, not sure what to do, she had heard all too many horror stories about roadside assistance gone wrong. She turned on the utility light then cracked the window an inch and leaned towards the glass. Jake called out over the wind and passing traffic, “Ma’am, are you alright, do you need help?” She bit her lip, as she frequently did when she was nervous or thinking. “Do you have a cell phone?” she asked. Jake shook his head no; he had never needed one, thought they were just hype for city people. Most definitely a luxury he could never afford.

“What seems to be the problem?” he asked again, getting chilled standing in the night air without his jacket. “It sputtered and died, won’t start” she explained. Jake motioned with a thumbs-up signal for her to pop the hood. He walked back to his car and opened the trunk, scavenged around for his flashlight and a screwdriver. He unscrewed the wing nut on the air filter cover and lifted it off and to the side. “Turn the key” he called out. The motor spun but to no avail. He pulled a gas line off the carburetor and waited for fuel to spew from it. Nothing, dry as the last well he drilled, he thought to himself. Jake walked back to the window and explained to Natalie her fuel pump was shot or she was out of gas. She pointed to the gas gauge as if he could see it from his standing position. “1/2 tank” she spoke and shrugged. She looked up at Jake and asked, “What do I do now?” it was Jake’s turn to shrug. He put his hand to his forehead, rubbing it lightly across his brow, asking himself, “How do I get myself into these situations.”

Jake slid his hands into his pockets, standing beside the car, not sure what to suggest to the stranded woman. He couldn’t leave her sitting along the highway; the next person to stop might not be as honorable. He leaned on one hand against her car and spoke through the crack in the window. “Lady you can’t stay here. There’s a truck stop about 10 or 15 miles down the road, let me give you a lift where you can call for help maybe, least get out of the cold. You need a mechanic, sitting here won’t fix it any faster.” He reasoned with her.

He waited for her to make up her mind, seeing the doubt then the reasoning in her face illuminated by the dim lighting of the dash panel. He tried not to notice how her mouth puckered a little as she sat there thinking, her hand resting against her chin. She nodded in agreement, grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and stepped outside of the car. Extending his hand he said, “By the way, I’m Jake.”  She shook his hand, “I’m Natalie, and thank you Jake, thank you so much.”  Jake walked to his car and opened the passenger door for her, “Excuse the mess ma’am.” He was suddenly aware and embarrassed at the disorderly mess inside his car. He had been meaning to clean it out forever. He threw everything he could reach into the back seat floorboard, looked back and asked, “Did you remember to lock your car Ma’am?”  She nodded yes and said, “please call me Natalie, I’m not ready to be called ma’am yet.”

Jake smiled to himself as he walked around to get into the car. He was glad he had kept the motor running; the air was nice and warm inside the car. He reached over and turned down the volume on the radio but left it playing lightly. They sat silently not wanting to be the first to talk or start asking any questions. After a few miles, when the silence was too much, he asked, “Where are you from?”

Natalie looked straight ahead, biting her bottom lip again unsure if she was ready to tell her life story or any part of it to this stranger. As she looked down, her shoulder length auburn hair hid her face from his view. She fidgeted with her hands in her laps and sighed. “I’m from the Nashville area,” she told him. Just a little white lie, she told herself. She turned to face the window, watching the reflectors quickly illuminate then disappear from view by the headlights as they passed by.
Jake noticed she seemed uncomfortable and came to the conclusion she was probably shy. “Where you headed anyway?” he asked. 
“Tulsa” she answered, not wanting to divulge more than necessary.  She was relieved to see the exit signs for the truck stop ahead.

Jake flipped the turn signal and exited from the Interstate onto the frontage road leading to Dee’s Quick Stop, which was an all night convenience store with ample parking and diesel, a neoteric truck stop of today. Jake noticed his tank was registering ¼ tank so he pulled into the fuel island. As he stepped out of the car he told her he’d ask if there were any mobile mechanics in the area for roadside repairs.

Natalie opened the passenger door, stepped out and stretched. Turning, she got her first view of Jake underneath the parking lot lighting and noticed his rugged good looks; his weathered tan skin and the square line of his jaw, his unkempt crew cut and the wrinkled appearance of his T-shirt and jeans. She felt herself staring and quickly diverted her eyes before he caught her studying him. She hadn’t been attracted to someone in a very long time. Natalie told herself it was because he was being such a Good Samaritan towards her. “I’m going in search of the Ladies room; I’ll wait inside for you.” Her throat felt suddenly dry as she spoke.  “Sure, go on ahead” he told her.  He filled up the tank in the car, and went inside to pay.

Chapter 3
A large, robust woman with oily dishwater hair, wearing bright orange colored spandex pants and an old over-sized faded blue T-shirt, sat talking on the phone behind the counter. Derelict of her duties and customers, she was intent on hearing the latest gossip from the other end of the conversation.  Jake went to the counter to pay for his gas and waited while she continued to talk as if he wasn’t standing there. He shuffled from one foot to the other, waiting somewhat patiently, looking around not wanting to stare at the woman’s bulging appearance and attire, and most of all trying not to be annoyed.

“Miss...” he spoke, trying to get her attention. “Miss…” again, this time louder, to interrupt her, to be sure she knew he was there.  The clerk looked up at Jake with a look of annoyance on her face. She spoke bitterly into the phone and placed the call on hold and approached the counter. “What can I help you with sir?” Jake paid for his gas then asked bout roadside assistance in the area. The clerk handed Jake a greasy stained business card for Bradfield’s Emergency Roadside Assistance, “He’s a might bit pricey, good luck.” She laughed mockingly then abruptly turned around and went back to her phone call.

Natalie studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror, noticing the smeared mascara and redness in her eyes, a result of crying as she had sat in her car feeling helpless, not knowing what she was going to do. She washed her face with a rough brown paper towel and pulled a comb from her purse and ran it through her hair. The florescent lights emphasized the radiant luster of her combed hair. She touched up her makeup and smoothed out her slacks. Giving herself a glance-over she decided she was presentable, and was thankful that the night darkness had hidden her disorderly appearance.

Natalie stepped out of the hallway into the storeroom and quickly spotted Jake. He noticed her as soon as she turned towards him. He motioned for her with his hand; waving the card the clerk had given him and gave the synopsis of her situation.  He gazed at her, taking in as much detail of her as he could without appearing to stare. The paleness of her skin contrasting with the deep color of her sleek, straight auburn hair the ends curling, flipping upwards, accentuating and outlining the soft curves of her oval face.  She glanced up from the business card and noticed Jake’s eyes studying her; she blushed and asked him for his advice. “Jake, I don’t know what to, would you please talk to this guy, mechanics seem to know when a woman doesn’t know what they’re talking about, and they always make me feel like they are going to take advantage of my lack of car smarts. You seem knowledgeable about cars; you said it was the fuel pump. I would really appreciate your help.” She paused for a moment and then said, “please Jake, I don’t know anybody from here.”

Jake took a quick breath, looked away for a moment, looking towards his car, parked at the fuel island, his eyes pulled like magnets toward the Interstate and the moving traffic. The highway was calling his name, he was anxious to keep moving towards his hope, his future.  He knew he couldn’t refuse her request, felt like he should do more. “Natalie, I think I have a better idea. In the morning I’ll go back and replace your fuel pump. I should have enough tools in my car to do the job.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that; I don’t want to impose on you anymore than I already have. You’ve been too kind and generous already.” She started, but Jake began waving his hands to stop her. “No trouble Nat, is it okay if I call you Nat?” She nodded her head, acknowledging it was ok and smiled at him. “It won’t take half an hour to fix; we just have to wait until morning to get the part.”  He stepped forward then back, almost rocking, thinking ahead of the task before him the next morning. He looked at his watch, it was 1:30am, “We have 8 ½ hours to burn until the part stores open. Do you have enough money to get a room?” he pointed towards the hotel adjacent to Dee’s Quick Stop. A worried look crossed her face. She seemed uneasy and began wondering if she had misjudged his kindness and sincerity; contemplating the possibility that he had other agendas on his mind. Reading the look on her face and wanting to laugh, Jake quickly added, “Don’t worry Nat, I’ll be sleeping in my car.” 

Chapter 4

Jake woke up to the chill of the morning air. Not wanting to waste gas for heat, he threw his jacket over his legs and leaned back against the door, wishing he’d had the forethought to bring along his pillow in his haste to leave yesterday. His thoughts still groggy from sleep were suddenly waking and coming at him from all directions. He looked out across the parking lot, the sun beginning to peak over the eastern horizon, the early morning traffic was light. His stomach growled and he knew that getting more sleep was out of the question. He walked back into Dee’s Quick Stop. The smell of fresh brewed coffee lingered in the air, he walked to the deli section and poured himself a large coffee and studied the items in the hot bar. He was hungry, but not that hungry, he thought to himself as he looked down at the prepackaged food items under the heat lamp. He ordered a biscuit with sausage and cheese from the ala Carte menu, picked up the morning paper someone had left behind on the table and began to browse through the headlines. “Bin Laden Capture a Rumor”, he shook his head as he read the article. Then flipped to the comics section, he much preferred to start his morning with a laugh or something uplifting, than with the depressing state of the economy or impending war.

He walked back to the counter and refilled his cup with coffee. As he turned to go back to his seat, he noticed Nat outside the window, arguing with a large burly brusque looking man. His instinct told him to go to her rescue, but he wasn’t sure if he should interfere or not. He decided to sit and watch a moment and then if she looked like she was in any danger he would act. He couldn’t see the man’s face only Nat’s and his eyes were glued on her, watching her every reaction to their conversation.  If Jake had thought she was beautiful the night before, this morning confirmed it. He could see the determination in her face, could see the fiery looks from her eyes. His eyes traveled down the length of her, admiring approvingly. Jake told himself to stop fantasizing; that she was out of his league anyway, but his eyes never left her. His thoughts were beginning to wander, and he felt a need to wrap his arms around her small waist and protect her from the outside world, to be her safe harbor. He wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss those pouting lips, to taste… Jake shook his head to clear his thoughts, I am getting in over my head here; he told himself. He watched the man lean in towards Nat, and Nat’s eyes grew big, he could see undeniable anger darting from her eyes mixed with a hint of fear, and he decided at that moment it was time he step in and come to her rescue.

He quietly approached the couple, making eye contact with Nat as he approached the big guy from behind, “What seems to be the problem here?” Jake asked in a demanding voice, more of a statement than a question. The man turned to face Jake, his pocked unshaven face only a mother could love; “Mind your own business punk!” the man growled at Jake trying to intimidate him with his large stature and gruff voice. Jake’s eyes narrowed, growing darker with an anger of his own building up.  “Nat, are you ok?” he asked. Nat answered by nodding her head yes as Jake walked over to her, sliding an arm around her waist possessively and guiding her away from the man. As they walked away the man placed his hand on Jake’s shoulder gripping his fingers with intention, Jake felt his anger reach the snapping point, he quickly told Nat to go inside, his voice steady and authoritative. He guided her gently towards the door and away from the man, with a light push from his hand against her lower back. He looked at her as she turned around as if to protest, reading the emotions through her eyes, full of doubt and fear, “Please Nat, go inside where it’s safe.” He persuaded her.

Jake turned, his hands clenched in fists, he stared into the brute’s face. “What do you think you’re doing?” Jake asked him. “I was just going to say sorry,” said the man, “I didn’t know she was with someone.” Jake narrowed his eyes more, “You should show a little more respect, whether she was with someone or not it should have been obvious the lady wasn’t interested.” Jake retorted. The big man laughed as if humored by the idea of showing respect to anyone, raised his hands and shrugged. “I was just having a bit of fun, no harm done.” Jake was furious; he had seen plenty of men like this. As the man turned to walk away, Jake felt the confrontation had no affect on the man. “Hey, what if it had been your mother, sister or daughter; would you want someone to treat them like that? Think about it before you try to push yourself onto someone the next time.” Jake saw the man wince as the words might have hit home. He turned away, feeling good at having made a point, without any violence. He looked at his watch then looked into the store window to find Nat, if they hurried they could arrive at the parts store as the doors opened.

As he approached her he wasn’t sure how to read her face. She stood there with a defiant look; hand on her hip, like she was ready to lash out at anyone. She seemed a little peeved, and he wasn’t sure if it was at him or the other guy.  He didn’t have to wait long to find out which. “I was handling the situation very well on my own, thank you very much!” she blasted at him. Jake leaned over, placing his hands on the back of the chair in front of him and chuckled. “Yes, little lady, you were doing just fine.”  Something about the way he laughed, and the genuine flash of his smile, relaxed Nat, she laughed with him and then they both sat down. “What are you? My guardian angel, out to rescue me in my times of need?” she teased lightly. Jake felt himself blush and tried to change the subject quickly. He couldn’t allow himself to become involved or interested in this woman. He knew that it was too late, he was already feeling something for her and he didn’t want to go there. She deserves better, he told himself. “Not sure I’m qualified to be an angel Nat, right now let’s concentrate on getting that car of yours fixed.”

She reached out and placed her small, delicate hand over his larger, rough, callused hand, which was lying across the tabletop. She patted his hand a few times and then left it resting on top of his. The touch of her hand stirred him. He was fighting back emotions and she wasn’t making it any easier. He wished he could read her thoughts. Was it just a friendly gesture, or was it a more personal touch? Regardless of which, he was not anxious for her to remove her hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” he asked, looking up, trying to read her face.

“For coming to my rescue out there a minute ago. Took a lot of guts to face that brute.” She explained.

Jake laughed softly, “I could say the same to you, young lady, you held up pretty good on your own with him. I just didn’t see any need for it to continue, the guy didn’t seem content to take No for an answer. I wasn’t sure if I should interfere or not.”

“I’m glad you did Jake.” She patted his hand again, soft and light; but the powerful weight of that touch sent Jake’s mind soaring in all different directions.

“This coffee is terrible.” Jake said, trying to divert his thoughts.

“The company more than makes up for it.” She replied, smiling across the table at him.

Jake blushed again, and shuffled his feet underneath his chair.


Chapter 5

“Come on, I’m going to need your help here.” Jake said to Natalie as they arrived at the Auto Source Parts store. They both got out of the car and Jake held the door open at the entrance to the store. “Don’t be looking at my butt” she told him as she walked ahead of him. Jake glanced down, not able to stop himself. She put a little extra wiggle into her step for theatrical purposes, until she had to stop, afraid she would burst into a fit of laughter and embarrass them both. Her mind was light and happy, regardless of her current situation, being in the middle of nowhere, car broke down and in the company of a stranger, whose kindness and strength made her feel safe and secure. She felt totally at ease with Jake, she had spent hours awake the night before thinking about him, wondering why he had this affect on her. She didn’t know anything about him; her intuition told her he was just as lonely as she was and that he felt something too. Her gut instinct told her he was a good man and an honest man at that, with some old-fashioned values, which was a good thing in her book. She told herself that he was only being a Good Samaritan, offering to help her out, and that he’d soon be driving off in his own direction. The thought of them going separate ways made her feel sad, she had a feeling that fate had thrown them together.

“Hey Nat, what kind of car is that you drive?” Jake asked, hoping she knew the answers the counter guy was going to ask.  “Umm... it’s an Escort. I think it’s an 84” she answered as she was pretending to be looking at car accessories. She picked up a set of fuzzy-dice and waved them about, thinking how silly it would be to buy them.

“Would you know what size motor you have?” Jake asked, knowing this could be critical in getting the right part. “It’s a four cylinder, point 6 or something.” Jake smiled; he was impressed, she knew more than he had anticipated. Maybe not exact and specific details, but more than he imagined most women knew about their cars. This reminded him what Nat had said the night before, about how mechanics jump to the conclusion that women don’t know anything, he felt a quick pang of guilt for having had the same thought.

“Not exactly a hot-rod woman are you.” He bantered back at her. She felt playful, yet resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that Jake, I can get to 50 in about 45 seconds, how bout you?”

“I’m not accustomed to being in the presence of such fast women; I’ll try to keep up.” He answered, smiling he grabbed the fuel pump and walked towards the register to pay for the item.

“Wait a minute” she reached out to stop him as he was reaching for his wallet. “I can’t allow you to pay for this, so you just step back. Is there anything else we need?” she moved her hands in a sweeping motion for him to back away from the register and then began opening her purse for her own wallet. He liked how she phrased her question, anything “we” need. He felt like a teenager again, full of energy and testosterone, in the presence of this woman.

Chapter 6
Jake threw down an old, battered blanket he kept in his trunk just for this purpose, spreading it down onto the pavement underneath the front of the Escort. He went back to his car and came back with a small 4-ton hydraulic jack and jacked up the front of her car so he’d have room to move around and room enough to work the tools.

She leaned back against the back bumper of his car and watched. She had decided not to talk, or interrupt his concentration. Her dad had been a mechanic by trade and she remembered how volatile he could become if you broke his thought process while he was working. She recalled how he would throw wrenches around, screaming and muttering, how evil and mean his eyes would become as he ranted and raved. How he would lash out if you were close enough. She wondered why she thought of her dad all of a sudden, nothing about Jake even remotely reminded her of him. Her thoughts lingered more over her dad, about how opinionated and stubborn he had been, how all she could think of as a teenager, was getting as far away as possible from overbearing parents. Now, as she thought of him, her eyes watered, she felt sentimental and homesick for a fleeting moment, watching Jake work on her car.

“What are you thinking bout girlie?”  Jake asked, as he was walking towards her in search of his socket set in the trunk of his car. “Why such a long face?”
She tried to clear her mind of nostalgic thoughts and come back to the present. “Nothing.” She replied, after a short sigh.

Jake stepped in front of her, looking down into her face, “I’ll not pressure you to talk about anything that you don’t want to talk about. I’m a good listener, besides… it’s getting a little lonesome down there, working away.” He pointed down to his work area. If his hands had not been greasy, he would have grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her, right then at that moment. He didn’t know why he kept getting these urges to hold her, to kiss her, but at that moment, he couldn’t think of anything else.

He was nearly done installing the new fuel pump, he felt his stomach knot and he felt tense. He was stalling for time, he admitted that to himself. He just didn’t know what to do next. He searched her face for a clue, wondering if she felt the same tension mounting, wondering if she felt anything at all towards him. He reached down around her and grabbed the case of sockets and began to turn to walk away to work on the fuel pump, when she reached out, gently pulled at his sleeve. He turned back to face her; she placed her other hand to his right arm and looked up. Rising on the tips of her toes, she brushed her lips against his, kissing him softly, lingering as she breathed in the scent of him, the closeness of him. Jake wanted to envelop her into his arms and hold her close to him, but the grease on his hands stopped him. Her perfume had the scent of gardenia’s and vanilla. He breathed in heavily, and when he felt her about to pull away, he kissed her back, pressing her lightly against the car, his mouth hungry for the feel of her lips, her kiss. He pulled back, sighed, held up his greasy hands in front of him, “Give a guy a fighting chance, what’s a guy like me to do with a fast woman like you?”

She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow, questioning him, “I’m not sure, but do you think maybe we should find out?” Natalie couldn’t stop smiling.  Jake nodded, laughing, “Yes, but let me get this car running first. Okay girlie?”

Natalie nodded in agreement, then began wondering what he had in mind, what she had in mind, what they were thinking. She knew she felt lighthearted and happy, something she had not felt in a very long time.

Jake cleaned his hands with some GoJo waterless hand cleaner which he kept on hand in the trunk. He wiped them off with a somewhat clean rag and closed the trunk lid.

“Nat, you’re going to become attached to my car if you don’t quit leaning on it like that.” He teased.  He held out his hand to her, and as she placed her hand inside his, he pulled her to him. He liked the way she fit against him, the top of her head meeting his chin, the smell of her hair, his hands reaching easily down to her waist. With a swift motion, he placed his hands to her waist and lifted her, setting her onto the trunk of his car. He wedged between her legs, slid a hand to the back of her head, and kissed her. Liking the way she instinctively tilted her head to meet his kiss. The kiss was just as he had pictured it in his head, perfect.

“I feel like a school kid again” he laughed. “So do I, Jake, so do I. But…” Jake hushed her with another kiss, this time soft, exploring, passionate. He gently pulled her bottom lip between his. He broke the kiss, looked down into her face, the short afternoon sun descending, glowing in shades of amber and orange cascaded around her, framing her in vibrant hues of color. “But what?” he asked.

Jake put a finger to her lips, not wanting to hear the question. “Don’t worry, I’m going to send you a bill for the repair service.” He said jokingly. He pulled her down from the car and nodded towards her car. He winked as he said, “It might be a good time to test out my mechanical abilities. For all you know I might be a shade-tree mechanic intent to fix one thing in order to find something else wrong. Keep you around a few days longer.”

She got into the car, turned the key in the ignition and the car churned to life. She revved up the motor a few times, leaned her head from the window and said, “I’ll race you!” Jake laughed and shook his head, “How much head start do you think you’ll need?”