Once Sabre dropped me off, I was at loose ends. I endured an hour long conversation with my mother, hearing again the one hundred reasons I should be living back home. After that, I was so stressed that I decided to do what I always do, get lost in the kitchen. I go into the bedroom and grab my favorite gray yoga pants, put on my sports bra and a pink, (almost faded white) t-shirt over top of that. Feeling much more relaxed and at ease, I undo the chignon I had my hair in and just gather it into a ponytail on the top of my head. My hair is long, so even pulled up like that, the bottom of the ponytail still comes to the middle of my back.
Once all that is done, I go into the kitchen, grab all the fixings for my meatloaf and begin making dinner. I love to cook. It is part of the reason my ass refuses to fit in anything but a size fourteen these days. I don’t mind; I actually like the size I am. I’m comfortable with my body and my life. There’s not much I would change, except maybe my parents and the scars from my childhood. Those would be nice to live without.
The timer for the meatloaf is just going off when the doorbell rings. I pull it out of the oven, leaving it on the stove top and hurry to the door. Looking through the peephole I see two men. The one in front is tall and muscular. He’s got on a black t-shirt, but his arms and hands are covered in ink, he has on sunglasses, and his dark hair reminds me of a warm cup of coffee. Behind him stands another man, less tattoos, and with blond, sandy hair. He doesn’t have as much ink and he’s definitely skinnier, but you can tell he’s in good shape. He’s got friendly green eyes, and he’s wearing this smile that for some reason makes me want to smile, too. I get a little nervous wondering why they are at my door and shake it off a moment later. My parents have managed to make me afraid of my shadow. These guys are probably just from Sabre’s garage. I open the door, leaving the chain latched and look at the two men.
“Can I help you?”
“Sabre asked us to fix your car and drop it off,” the guy in the front says.
I smile and relax a little more. “Just a second,” I tell him, closing the door. I undo the latch on the chain and open it all the way. The man hands me the keys to my Blazer. “How much do I owe you?” The guy looks startled when I ask. The other man that was behind him comes around to stand beside him now. They both look at me grinning like they know a secret I don’t. It’s very unnerving.
“I’m sure Sabre will give you a bill,” the smaller of the two says with an easy laugh.
I frown because I specifically told him to have his mechanics bring me the bill. Still, it’s not their fault, and I feel bad that they’ve had to work so hard in this heat.
“Thank you so much for getting it done so quickly. Would you like something to drink? I mean it’s so hot outside, and I feel terrible that you’ve been out in it for me.”
“I don’t think that’d be a…”
“Sure would, Ma’am. Thanks!” The agreement is from the skinnier of the two, with a sly grin on his lips. He reminds me of a big prankster. I instantly warm to him.
“Please call me Annabelle,” I answer, standing back to let them in. There’s a moment of fear as I hear my father’s voice in my ear about trusting the wrong men and bringing disgrace on the family. I shake off those memories. I’m a grown woman now. It’s time I start living my life and leaving the past behind me.
“Holy shit, it smells good in here!” The blond one says; and I was right, I really like him. The darker one cuffs him over the head.
“Show some respect to Sabre’s woman!”
I stop, and despite the tingle of excitement the man’s words bring, I need to set them straight.
“I’m not Sabre’s girlfriend, we just met today. I was stranded. He was just being nice. I’m lucky he runs a garage.”
“Sabre doesn’t run a garage.” I hear from behind as I go to the fridge to get them some drinks.
“I’m afraid all I have is water or soda? Well, I did make some peach tea this morning?”
“You make your own tea?” This time from the darker one.
“Well, yeah.”
“Tea is good!” They both say it in unison.
I’m not sure what to make of the looks on their faces. I go ahead and fill two glasses with my tea and some ice from the dispenser. By the time I get it done they’re sitting at the bar, so I slide the drinks over to them.
“Okay, I’ve got to know names here, I feel silly calling you the blond and dark one,” I tell them to break the ice because the silence makes me feel a little awkward. To busy myself, I go back to putting dessert together. I’m making a chocolate lasagna and it has to freeze for an hour, so I might as well do that while the guys are cooling down.
“We’ve been called worse, but I’m Keys and this ugly fuc…guy is Shaft,” he says already finishing his tea. He looks so forlorn at his empty glass that I get the pitcher from the fridge and bring it over to fill both of their glasses back up.
“Would you guys like to stay for supper?” I ask before I can second guess myself. I’m alone so often, and though I probably should be wary of having strangers in my house, something about these guys make me feel safe. It was the same feeling I got around Sabre, only with Sabre, it was more intense.
“Sure, let me just shoot a text to our road boss, we were supposed…speak of the devil,” he adds as his phone starts ringing.