An Optimist's Guide to Heartbreak (Heartsong #1)(19)

Eyes dipping to the floor, he looks like he’s about to say something, possibly counter my sentiment, but then the jingle bells chime, and Ike stalks through the door with Dante trailing him.

Cal uses the distraction to make a break for it. He takes the t-shirt from my hands, mutters a gruff “good morning” to the guys, then storms away toward his office.

“Banana bread is on your—”

The door slams shut.

“—desk,” I finish with a sigh. Preserving my dwindling smile, I turn to the two mechanics who appear unaffected by Cal’s sour mood. “Hey,” I wave, swiping my hands along my jeans as I watch them exchange a look.

“Smells good in here,” Ike notes, eyeing the room. “Did you infect the place with your essential oils, doll?”

“No,” I laugh lightly, popping a thumb over my shoulder. “Just a wax melt. I thought it would heighten the morale around here a bit, but alas…”

Off my implication, they both glance at Cal’s closed door.

“Told you not to take it personally,” Dante says. “Though, he does seem extra pissy lately. You’re probably a physical reminder of the fact that he hasn’t gotten laid in a thousand years.”

Ike adds through his lollipop, “Not to mention, it smells like a sex parlor in here, now. Probably ain’t helping.”

I spontaneously break out into hives. Heat dapples my chest and collarbone as I lift a hand to hide the pink splotches that I know are blooming. Then I laugh again, only this time it sounds unstable. “I’m sure he’s, uh, doing just fine. You know…in that department.”

Dante swoops past me with a wink. “Not really.”

Ike does the same, and both men simultaneously look down at my cleavage before disappearing into the service area.

I purse my lips together.

Then, when they’re out of sight, I race to the coat hanger to fetch my cardigan.





It’s a little past noon, and we don’t have any more appointments on the schedule for the day, so boredom and lack of new tasks have me wandering around the garage, trying to find a way to make myself useful. Spotting Cal with his head underneath a hood, I sprint over to him, my heels clicking across the cement floor. “Hey!”

He hasn’t turned the music on, so my voice echoes abrasively.

“What?” Cal doesn’t bother looking up, continuing to fiddle with the vehicle as he chews his gum.

“I hung the new sign, swept and mopped, and washed all the glass and windows. Oh, and I also cleaned the bathroom.”

A grunt is his only response.

“I really appreciate you giving me a key so I could come in early today. I’m a morning person, usually up by five a.m. I hate sitting around and feeling useless, you know? Plus, I wanted to make up for my absence on Saturday.”

Silence is his new response.

Am I shocked by this?

No. But it doesn’t stop my disobedient tongue from blathering away. Apparently, I’m incapable of being in a room with someone without forcing conversation, even if that someone probably hates me and is currently holding a steel ratchet.

“What are you working on?” I continue, peeking over his shoulder in an attempt to figure out what he’s doing. My knuckles tap against my thigh as I clear my throat.

More silence.

It’s fine. It’s honestly fine.

Tools clank against engine parts, the only sound penetrating the skin-crawling silence.

I keep going.

Why? Because I have a disease, that’s why.

“Maybe you can teach me how to—”

“Dammit, Lucy.” Cal straightens, letting out a sigh of exasperation.

Which is pretty much the only sigh he makes.

“Sorry, I’m not trying to bug you.”

Two toned arms fold across his chest, the ratchet dangling from one of his hands as he assesses me with a healthy mix of confusion and exhaustion. “How are you like this without coffee?”

“Like what?”

“Like a kitten that just O.D.’d on catnip.”

Scratching at my shoulder, I just shrug, unsure of how to respond. He’s staring at me like he views me as a toddler who needs to be entertained at all times.

“You can come bug me, sweetheart,” Dante’s voice sounds from behind us.

I don’t miss the way Cal’s expression darkens, his eyes slanting as he shifts his focus from me to Dante, then back to me. “You know, I actually needed to run some errands. Dante can hold down the fort while we’re gone.”

“Both of us?” I squeak out.

“Eh, fuck you, man,” Dante chuckles amicably, shaking his head as Cal sets down his tool and stomps past me.

I race after him. “Okay, sure. That sounds fun. You don’t need me manning the front desk?”

“Should be good. We’re done with appointments for the day. If anything comes up, the guys can handle it.”

His long legs carry him what feels like miles ahead of me, forcing me into a permanent state of jogging. I make a quick pitstop at the desk before rushing after Cal and into the parking lot.

Grumbling, he comes to a halt and spins around. “Forgot my coffee. Be right back.”

“This coffee?” I proudly display the thermos I retrieved, shimmying it in the air with a smile.