Page 22 of Cruz

Cruz had overheard the threats made about Kate’s shop. He’d been in the shop when she took that call a few years ago, and she had it on speakerphone as the doorbell wasn’t working, and he saw the fear in her eyes. She never saw him, but he had seen her and knew he had to do something. It was at that moment he snuck out, called his accountant and his lawyer, and got them to pay the debt off. Of course, they didn’t want to, but they did, and then his accountant acted like the new owner of the debt. He’d put aside the money Kate had paid in a bank account, with the intention of giving it back to her. He knew she invested so much more of her income back into the shop and refused to take any more loans. She was very stubborn.

He never told anyone what he’d done. There was no reason to. He wasn’t looking for glory. He was just hoping to help Kate, and seeing her happy meant the world to him.

Pulling out his cell phone, Cruz was about to make a call he didn’t want to make but he needed to. Jaxson’s number glowed, and he hit “dial.” He hated this asshole, but he was the only person he could trust to get him to Kate’s shop. After that, he would figure out the rest. Perhaps he’d put a call through for a new vehicle, which he was going to need, as this piece of junk was not going to last.

“What?” Jaxson asked, as way of answering.

“Is that any way to speak to a customer?”

“If you’re calling, that means you’ve fucked with my work again, and you don’t think I’m busy enough.”

“I need a ride,” Cruz said.

“What?”

“My car has stalled, and I can’t get it to start.”

“Get the bus or call a cab.”

He knew Jaxson was going to hang up. “I’ll call Tillie,” he said.

“You fucking won’t.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Why the fuck do you need a lift?” Jaxson asked. “Don’t you, like, live on that ranch, and you can’t leave it in case the world ends or some shit?”

“I want to go and see Kate,” Cruz said, gritting his teeth, because he was not used to asking for help. “Look, if I don’t see her soon, then I worry she is going to think the worst.”

“It’s you, of course she is going to think the worst. Goodbye.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Cruz said. “I love her, okay? I love her and I want to make this work with her, but I haven’t seen her in a week, and I’ve not been able to make it to the shop, or call her.” He took a deep breath. “I’m asking as a friend.”

“We’re not friends.”

“Oh, please, you and I are friends, and you know it, so stop being an asshole. We both know I’m the only friend you’ve got.” Cruz knew this was not going to help his cause. It could just make Jaxson hang up, only the line was not dead, and they were still talking, so that had to mean something.

“Fine, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Jaxson said, then hung up.

Cruz stared down at his cell phone, and he didn’t know if Jaxson had told him that just to get him off the phone. Climbing out of his car, he wrapped his jacket around himself and waited.

And continued to wait.

The ten minutes ticked on by, and when it got to twenty minutes, he was about to call him, but Jaxson suddenly appeared in his large driveway, and he turned the car around.

Cruz made his way toward the car, and then gritted his teeth, because Jaxson chose to move forward just an inch. He reached for the door handle, and once again, Jaxson moved forward. This kept happening, and finally, Jaxson stopped, but he was laughing as Cruz climbed into the car.

“Dude, you should see your face. You’re not happy, are you?”

“Fuck off, Jaxson.”

Jaxson was still laughing, but as soon as the door was closed, he pulled out of the driveway and headed in the direction of town.

“You know, I was totally going to leave you, but it was talking to Tillie who convinced me to come and pick you up.”

“You were going to leave me?”

“Hell, yeah, I am not a taxi service, but Tillie told me I should be a nice friend and help you out. You need to get that in the shop as well?” Jaxson asked, nodding back toward the house.