Broken Beginnings

Chapter 7

Chloe

I was waiting outside the hotel by nine the next morning. I sat on a little wooden bench with my suitcase standing beside me. I made a point to dress up in a pair of nice jeans, and a classy over the shoulder cream shirt. I paired the outfit with a beige scarf and even took the time to apply a little makeup. I’d like to say I didn’t know why I went through the trouble, but that would have been a lie. I wanted Galen to see that I didn’t always look like a drowned rat. I could be pretty. Or, I hoped he thought I could be pretty.

I knew it shouldn’t matter to me what he thought – I was planning on running as soon as my car was working again, but none-the-less, I felt what I did. And I cared about what he thought of me. And I kind of hated that I did.

I glanced down the street and saw a black lifted Dodge driving down the road toward me. My heart lurched in my chest. I stood from the bench, dragging my suitcase over the hotels wrap around porch to the pavement of the parking lot. Galen rolled to a stop and I heard the thud of his automatic unlock button. He jumped down and jogged over to the passenger side of the big black mass of metal.

“Morning,” he eyed me with astonishment and I had to suppress the grin fighting to claim my lips. Obviously the outfit worked. “You look good.”

I laughed. “I don’t always look homeless.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could swallow them. I might not look homeless today, but that was exactly what I was. I was homeless.

Galen coughed, obviously catching the train of my thoughts. I wished I could kick him off that train. It was one of shame. “Here,” he reached for the handle on my suitcase and I watched him place it easily into the bed of the truck. I was damn certain I couldn’t have lifted the thing above my head, but he did so with ease. “Climb on up.” He opened the door for me and I climbed into the seat. This time he closed the door without waiting for a snarky remark from me.

He settled into the seat beside me and I spoke. “So, did you figure out what was wrong?”

“I did.” He nodded.

“Are you really not going to tell me?”

“Oh no, I’ll tell you.” He drove toward what I assumed was his home, but he didn’t say another word. This man took secretive mystery to a whole new level. It wasn’t enticing. It was downright frustrating. I shifted in my seat when I couldn’t take another moment of silence.

“Well?” I prompted. “Are you actually going to make me ask you what’s wrong with my car?” And then I wondered – was that me asking? Or would he make me revise my question again before answering me?  

“You’re not going to like it.” He swung his eyes to meet mine and I felt my chest deflate.

“What is it?” I sounded breathless. I was feeling breathless.

“The transmission.” He shrugged. “And even if you wanted to fix it, I wouldn’t.”

“Why not?” I fisted my hands, feeling irritated and dispirited. Could the universe make my getaway any more difficult? I felt like God – or whatever power there was out there, was purposefully making my escape difficult. And when I was trying so hard!   

“A few reasons.” Galen interrupted the start of my pity-party. “The car’s not worth it – you paid what, two hundred for it.”

“Five,” I whispered.

His eyes widened and I felt like a fool. ”You paid five hundred dollars for that car?”

I nodded. “I did.”