Chapter 45: This is Going to Be a Problem

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: This is Going to Be a Problem

I woke up the next morning with work and breakfast on my mind.

Getting ready for my shift at Tanaka Auto was straightforward enough. Figuring out what to make Nicole for breakfast was proving more difficult. I still didn’t know what her favourite food was, which seemed like a fairly important detail to be missing when I was planning to cook for her.

I got out of bed, took a shower, and went through my usual morning routine, though I kept considering different breakfast options as I dressed. By the time I was ready, I still hadn’t settled on anything.

I picked up my things, left my room, walked into the hallway.

Nicole was already in the kitchen.

She was already dressed for the day, wearing a sky-blue blouse tucked into a black skirt that reached her knees, with black heels completing the outfit. She looked like she was ready to walk straight into a lecture hall, which was probably because she was.

I glanced at the time on my phone. 7:15 a.m. I looked back at her, frowning.

"Do you even sleep?"

Nicole glanced over her shoulder, and her expression softened into a smile. "Good morning." She turned back to what she was doing before adding, "You’re up early."

I took a seat at the kitchen table. "What time did you sleep last night?"

"Somewhere around three," she replied, continuing with her cooking as though that were a perfectly reasonable answer.

She put something on the stove, then came over and sat facing me, the smile still on her face.

I hadn’t realized I was still frowning until she tilted her head, studying my face.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I just wanted to make you breakfast, but you beat me to it."

Her smile widened. "I already told you I would last night."

I paused, remembering that she actually had. She’d said that was why she wanted to spend the night, but I’d taken it as another one of her spend-more-time-with-Nathan excuses. Apparently, she’d been serious about the breakfast part, too.

"Next time, you can make me breakfast," she added cheerfully.

I ignored whatever ’next time’ meant.

"You sleep late most nights," I said, looking at her.

She stared at me for a moment before her smile turned brighter. "Is this the part where you scold me?"

"I’m serious. It’s not exactly good for your health."

She nodded, still looking far too pleased with herself. "I’ve always been a night owl. But I’ll try to go to bed earlier from now on."

I wasn’t entirely convinced she’d stick to that, but at least she was willing to try.

"Okay," I said, relaxing a little.

Her smile stayed in place, which made me wonder if she’d heard anything beyond the fact that I was worried about her.

"Are you going to keep looking at me like that?" I asked.

"Like what?"

"Like you’re enjoying this."

"I am enjoying this," she replied, without a hint of shame.

I stared at her for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at the stove. Something in the pan was starting to smoke.

"Stove."

"Oh." She stood up and hurried back to resume her cooking.

I watched her resume cooking, still a little amazed by how easily we’d ended up here. Whatever this thing between us was, I hadn’t expected us to get to the point where spending time at each other’s places felt this natural.

I smiled, pulled out my phone, and scrolled through my department group chat.

—

The drive to Tanaka Auto was the usual mix of traffic lights, other drivers doing things I couldn’t explain, and my own music playing in the background. Nicole had offered to drop me off before we left, but I reminded her that I’d be back at school before one and she’d probably be too busy by then to come pick me up.

She’d finally agreed to let me drive myself, though not without a slight pout.

"Text me when you get there," she’d said.

I pulled into the parking lot at Tanaka Auto a little later, parked my car, and sent her a quick message: "I’m here."

Her reply came before I’d even locked my car.

Nicole: Good. Try not to miss me too much ❤️

I stared at the screen a little longer than necessary. Then I smiled, shook my head, and typed back ’Yes ma’am’ before putting my phone away and heading inside.

The shop was already busy. I spotted a car on the lift and two of the guys arguing over something near the workbench as I headed for the lockers.

I was halfway through pulling my coveralls on when Marcus appeared beside me.

"Yo, Nathan."

I glanced at him. "What’s up?"

He gave me a look that suggested he knew something I didn’t. "Someone’s been waiting for you."

I gave him a nod, finished changing, and headed out to see who was waiting for me.

The woman from a few days ago was standing near the entrance, leaning against the wall. The one with the BMW X5 whose name my brain had apparently decided wasn’t worth keeping in my head.

When she noticed me approaching, she pushed off the wall and smiled.

I stopped in front of her. "Good morning."

"Morning, Nathan."

I tried not to read anything into the smile or the fact that she remembered my name. Maybe she just had a better memory than I did.

"Is something wrong with your car?"

She shook her head. "No, my car is fine."

"O...kay?"

She tilted her head slightly. "You’ve forgotten me, haven’t you."

"I remember your face."

She smiled. "Normally, I’d be offended, but I’ll take it as a sign that I didn’t make much of an impression the first time around." She held out her hand. "So, let me reintroduce myself. I’m Devon Wilson."

I looked at her hand, then back at her face.

"I remember telling you I have a girlfriend and that we’d be getting married soon."

She lowered her hand, still smiling. "I asked your boss, and he said you don’t have a fiancée."

I paused.

"But," she added, tilting her head slightly, "he did say you have a girlfriend."

I blinked because, what the hell?

"You know how that sounds, right?" I finally said.

"Like I’m a bitch?" She nodded. "Yeah, I know." There was a pause before she continued. "I actually considered forgetting about the hot guy who rejected me because he had a fiancée. But then I found out you only said that to get rid of me, and it sparked something in me. I have no idea what it is yet, but I’m going to find out."

I made a face.

"Okay, I have no idea what’s going through your head, but whatever you think is going to happen here, it’s not going to happen. Okay?"

Devon smiled. "We’ll see."

Before I could respond, she glanced toward the workshop. "Anyway, I don’t want to keep you from work. I’ll let you get back to it."

She turned and walked toward her X5. I watched her reach the driver’s door, but instead of getting in immediately, she looked back at me for a moment, still wearing that smile. Then she opened the door, got inside, and drove off.

I stood there for another second before heading back to where Marcus was waiting.

"What’d she say was wrong with her car?" he asked.

"She didn’t say."

Marcus looked at me. "She didn’t?"

"Yep."

He stared at me for a moment. "Then what were you guys—"

"Let’s get to work," I interrupted, heading toward the car on the lift. "I gotta be out of here by twelve-thirty at the latest."

Marcus nodded and reached for the toolbox while I pulled on my gloves.

As I got ready to work, I found myself wondering what kind of woman I’d just met, and more importantly, what kind of trouble she was going to bring with her.