She led us over to a Volkswagen Beetle. “This is your car that’s always breaking down?” I asked smiling.

She nodded and laughed, “Yeah, I love my car but it’s not too good when it refuses to start about twice a month.” She patted the roof of it lightly, smiling.

“Well, it just so happens I’m pretty good with all things mechanical, so I’m only a call away, and I take payment in kind,” I said suggestively. I pressed her lightly against the car, leaning in, loving the feel of her body against mine. She put her hands on my ass, pulling me closer as I kissed her deeply, setting my whole world on fire. I pulled out of the kiss and pressed my forehead to hers,

“Thank you for the photo.”

“No problem,” she smiled, tilting her head up to kiss me again, I pressed my lips to hers softly.

Reluctantly, I pulled away and moved back, knowing I needed to let her go home before her parents started to worry. All I wanted to do was carry her up to my room, lock the door and never leave. I opened her car door, not really wanting to have her here longer than necessary.

“Ellie, promise me you won’t ever come here again,” I instructed, looking at her intently. She rolled her eyes. “I’m serious. This is important, you don’t come here again, I mean it!” I looked her right in the eyes, wanting to make sure she understood.

“Ok stud, whatever you want,” she said, kissing me again lightly, before climbing in her car.

I shut her door and stepped back, watching her start her car, the engine was a little whiny, sounded like it needed a service and an oil change to me, maybe I’d do it for her next week. I watched her drive up the road and disappear from sight before I headed back inside, I couldn’t stop the smile I had stretched across my face. I had never been this happy in my life, and it was all down to this girl.

Chapter 9

Wednesday passed the same as Tuesday, I didn’t really do much. I rested as much as possible so that if I was working on Thursday, I wouldn’t be suffering too much. I strapped my two broken fingers together, which seemed to stop them from throbbing as much, which I was grateful for.

On Thursday morning I made my way to the scrap yard, praying that this would work out, otherwise I’d have to go and work in Brett’s club, but that would be weekends and I didn’t really want to do that if I could help it.

As I walked in the office, Connor, looked at me shocked. “$hit, Jamie! What the hell happened?” he asked, concerned.

I’d already decided to lie and try and play up that this wasn’t my fault in a bid to keep this agreement open. “I got mugged, I’m ok,” I lied, shrugging.

“Damn, did they catch the ass**le?” he asked, pulling a chair over for me to sit in.

I waved it off, “I’m fine honestly. No they didn’t catch him. Is your Dad here?” I asked, hoping he would say no, I didn’t really wanting to meet him for the first time looking like crap.

“Yeah, he’s in the back office.” He nodded to the door behind him.

“Yeah? Did he say anything about the auction?”

He nodded, “Go speak to him,” he said smiling. Ok, was he smiling because it went well and that’s a good smile, or is that a I don’t want to give you the bad news, kind of smile?

I headed over to the door and knocked, “Come in,” he called. I headed in and he looked up at me shocked. “Wow, what happened to you?”

“He got mugged,” Connor called from behind me.

“Shit, that’s bad luck. They get anything?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“Yeah my wallet, that’s it though,” I lied.

“There are some real ass**les around here now, this used to be a nice area. That‘s why I don’t come down here very often,” he said, turning his nose up and looking out of the window, distastefully.

The guy seemed nice, he looked like an older version of Connor, he was probably in his early fifties but was going grey already. “Right then, I expect you want to know how the car got on last night,” he said looking back to me. I nodded and he smiled pulling out a wad of cash. “Car sold for almost $800, we only bought it for fifty so…..” He smiled, counting out the bills, “There’s $350 for you,” he said, sliding it across the table to me, grinning happily. Damn, that is awesome! “When can you have another one done by?”

I resisted the urge to jump up and whoop with excitement. “I could have one done by next Wednesday, definitely,” I told him, smiling happily. Damn everything seemed to be working out perfectly.

“That’s great. We’ll see how it goes though, ok? Like a trial for a month, then if all goes well after that I’ll put you on the books. How about that?” he offered.

That sounded awesome to me, apart from the going on the books thing. It wasn’t that I minded paying taxes or anything, but would he need social security and police checks and stuff? At the moment he hadn’t asked about my past, so I hadn’t actually lied and told him I was clean.

“Yeah, whatever you want,” I said grinning happily. I should be able to get about two cars done a week, if I could get them to sell for the same price I would be earning good money too.

“Great. This was a really good idea, thanks for bringing this to us, and I hope everything works out, you seem like a nice kid,” he said, holding his hand out to me. I tried not to flinch at the word kid, I still hated it.

“Thanks, well I’d better get to work then, huh?” I nodding gratefully and headed out of his office.