Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
And I wasn’t going to fail this time.
11
George
Grreaurnggggh…click. Oh, no.
Something was wrong with Willy. I swiped my clammy palms on my khakis, sent a quick prayer into the universe, and twisted the key again.
No luck. It made the same awful noise and died. I tried a third time and was about to go for a fourth when I realized the plaintive sound of this dying beast of an SUV was drawing some attention in the parking lot outside the lab.
I glanced toward the entrance, where a few fellow scientists were chatting as I dialed Aiden’s number, chanting soothing thoughts to myself.
Okay, be cool, do not panic. There’s no reason to freak out.
“Hey, there. I was just about to call you to—”
“Help! I’m stranded again. It’s broken,” I yelled.
Silence.
“What’s broken?”
“Willy. It’s a different sound this time. More of a greaurnghh, then nothing at all. Do I need another transmission?”
“Definitely not. It could be your battery. Where are you?”
“I’m in the parking lot at work. I’m attracting curious stares. This is not a good look for me,” I groaned. “Can you come save the day?”
Aiden gave a soft half laugh. “Yes, but I’m not close. I’ll call Timmy. If it’s an easy fix, like a battery, he can take care of it there and you can head home. If not, I’ll have him tow it to your place and—”
“Maybe I should wait for you.”
“Let me get in touch with him. He’s a good guy, G. You can trust him and if he can be there in fifteen minutes or less, he’s a better option now. Hang tight. I’ll call you right back.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He blew a sloppy kiss into the phone and disconnected the call.
I smiled in spite of my predicament, heaving a sigh as I hopped out of the driver’s seat, and headed for the lab. It was far too warm to wait in the Bronco. I figured I could grab a snack from the break room vending machine and pace in peace and quiet until help arrived. I just had to make my way past Newton and Susie, the Orbital Mechanics and Space Dynamics Department “it” couple.
Look, I was very happy for them, but they were a bit…much. They didn’t hold hands—they linked fingers. They barely spoke to each other at work, but they came together like magnets at lunch and at the end of the day, glued at the hip, speaking in hushed tones. You know…gross. Besides, Newton was still Newton. Except now he was uber…helpful. Overly helpful, actually. He’d decided he owed me something for being “instrumental in forging an affair of the heart” for him and Susie. His words, not mine.
I told him repeatedly that I didn’t really do anything and reminded him that he’d helped me get into the Caltech classes I needed. But apparently his newfound happiness was worth more than the recommendation. Sigh…
“George, you appear to be having vehicular difficulties again,” Newton commented as I approached the entrance.
“Oh, yes. I am, but—” My cell buzzed in my hand. “Sorry, I need to answer this. Hi, Aiden.”
“Timmy will be there in five minutes. I’ll be close behind if traffic cooperates. See ya soon.”
“Great. Thanks.” I shoved my cell into my pocket and smiled at the happy couple. “Help is on the way.”
“Aiden?”
“Uh, yes,” I replied distractedly.
“Glad to hear it,” Susie piped in, linking her pinky finger with Newton’s.
When she leaned against his side, their differences were pronounced. Susie was a twenty-nine-year-old engineering guru with light-brown hair and blue eyes behind her thick glasses. She was lean like Newton, but she had at least three inches on him. And yes, she was cute. While Newton still had that crazy-haired mad scientist look about him, at least he’d fixed the cracked lens on his glasses.
If I squinted hard, maybe they went together.
Nope. I didn’t get it.
But they were happy, and I wished them well. And yes, I admitted, I was a little jealous. I wished it could be that simple for Aiden and me.
“I’d be happy to take a look at it. I know a thing or two about engines,” Newton boasted.
“That’s okay, Newton.”
“It might be the battery and lucky for you, I have jumper cables.”
“Let him help you,” Susie intercepted. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, love. Good luck, George.”
Newton watched her retreat with an adoring gaze before refocusing on me. “Parting is such sweet sorrow. And that is Shakespeare—Romeo and Juliet, Act Two, Scene Two. I’ll grab the cables now.”
I sighed in frustration and returned to the Bronco. It wasn’t worth arguing over, and Timmy—or better yet, Aiden—would be here soon anyway to save me from Newton.
Sure enough, a tow truck pulled into the lot just then. Timmy, in all his long-haired, urchin-looking glory parked in the empty space next to my SUV and hopped out, greeting me with a curt nod and a “What have we got here?”