The New Guy

Oil changes. The most boring thing in the world. Right? Flipping through three-month-old kiddie magazines isn’t exactly my idea of excitement either. Well then, you’ve never been to my mechanic.

His nametag said McLain. He’d bought the place a few months earlier. He always kept on the other side of the shop, just leaving me to stare.

I’d stop for an oil change and go sit in the waiting room, supposedly reading about the latest celebrity breakup six months after it happened, but really staring at him. Especially when he’s bending over to look at the engine compartment.

Ah, yes, the spiel to get you to spend more. As the door opened, I was face-to-face with six-foot-one of lean, muscled man with coffee colored skin, and a smile that would have melted my grandmother. Oh, and that cute little goatee. Without a word out of his mouth, I would buy anything he wanted to sell.

“Your car has over a hundred thousand miles on it. I’d really suggest spending a little extra for the formulation designed just for that.”

“Sure. Though it doesn’t get driven much, it’s probably a good idea.”

See how that cute thing works? I could never put a frown on such a perfect, de-lick-cious mouth.

“Your air filter looks great. Your husband must change it regularly, so I don’t need to worry you about that.”

“It’s my father’s car, actually. I’m not married. Not anymore at least.” I knew I was rambling, but I wanted him to stay a little while so I could drool. My car was brand new; the first one I’d ever owned.

When I came in with my car, there wasn’t anything to talk about. I’d bought it just before he came to town. We would have been old friends if I was still driving my old one. “My father hasn’t driven it much since his stroke, so I doubt it has much of a chance to get dirty.”

The car in the other bay honked and he excused himself for a moment. The huge SUV pulled out, leaving the shop empty.

“Sorry about that. Now, Miss Riley…”

“Just call me Kate.”

“Now, Kate, I’m going to suggest you go down in the pit.”

The closeness of him made a shiver of unexpected warmth run through me. My mouth opened and just hung there. “I…”

“You’re the last one of the day. Are you going to deny you’ve been staring at me every time you come in?” Then he held up… he held up the vibrator I had in the glove box. “You always keep this in your dad’s car, or just when you come to have the oil changed?”