name of our lawn care company on it.
“You got a new job already? That’s great,” I said.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s not bad. I like this a whole lot more than the country club gig. So, this is the family you work for?”
“Well…,” I faded off realizing I’d never bothered to clear up his assumption that I was the nanny.
“My boss, Tom, said these people are totally loaded. As if I couldn’t tell by the house. But you obviously know that. I figured the guy would be a real jackass but I walked by and spotted the car.” He motioned to Dad’s 1970 Chevelle SS, my Chevelle SS. The car I had inherited when he died. The car whose keys I currently held in my hand. “I came in to take a peek. He told me I had better stand back. That he’d have my ass if I put a scratch in it. He was joking. I think. But he said the car belonged to someone special and I could take a look, just couldn’t touch it. So, yeah. Back up and don’t touch the car.”
“He said that?” I asked. “That it belonged to someone special?”
Eric grabbed my elbow and gently pulled me away. He obviously took Phillip’s threat pretty seriously.
“About that…,” I started. I should’ve cleared up the nanny misconception right from the start. I just hadn’t wanted to be lumped together with the other spoiled rich kids. That and the fact that my time with him had been so limited.
“It’s an awesome car, though, isn’t he?” he asked.
“She ought to think so,” Phillip said as he strode into the garage. “It’s hers.”
Eric’s fingers slid from my arm and he took a step away from me. He turned to face Phillip and then he looked around, as if he expected there to be another ‘her’ with him. It was only after he realized I was the only female in the garage that his gaze swung back around to me.
“This is your car?” he asked slowly, skeptically.
I forced a guilt-ridden smile as I held up the keys.
Phillip clapped Eric on the back. “He’s already been in here once checking it out,” he told me. “I had the door open to air this place out a bit. I suppose it is a bit hard to resist taking a peek. Or two.”
Eric awkwardly shuffled his feet. “Sorry, Mr. Calhoun. I was just heading out on my lunch break this time. I walked by and saw EmLynn. I had to say hi,” he explained.
Phillip grinned at him. “You know EmLynn?” His gaze swung between Eric and me.
“Not well,” Eric said as his gaze bore into me.
“We met at the country club,” I explained.
Phillip nodded as though that were all the explanation he needed.
“You said you’re on your break right now, right? Why don’t you two go for a ride? Get a burger or something?” he suggested.
Eric did not look like he wanted to get a burger, or anything else for that matter, with me. Before I could come up with an excuse to get us both out of the uncomfortable situation, Phillip had plucked a fifty out of his wallet. He tried handing it to Eric. Eric glanced at the bill and then back to Phillip.
“Take it,” Phillip insisted as he wiggled the money Eric’s way. “My treat. You were on your way to lunch anyway. Might as well take EmLynn along. I’m sure she’d love to go. Wouldn’t you EmLynn?”
I would but that was beside the point.
“I actually brought a sandwich…,” Eric feebly began.
I could see Phillip readying himself for an argument.
I decided to make this easier for everyone involved.
I plucked the money from Phillip’s hand.
“Thanks,” I told him. I kept my tone light and turned to Eric. “Sometimes it’s just easier not to argue.”
“Right.”
“So, you two,” Phillip pointed a finger at each of us in what he probably thought was a cool gesture, it just seemed awkward to me, “have a nice lunch.”
He left the garage. Eric and I watched him go in silence. As soon as Phillip had disappeared out into the sunlight Eric turned to me.
He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. His raised eyebrows and
“You got a new job already? That’s great,” I said.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s not bad. I like this a whole lot more than the country club gig. So, this is the family you work for?”
“Well…,” I faded off realizing I’d never bothered to clear up his assumption that I was the nanny.
“My boss, Tom, said these people are totally loaded. As if I couldn’t tell by the house. But you obviously know that. I figured the guy would be a real jackass but I walked by and spotted the car.” He motioned to Dad’s 1970 Chevelle SS, my Chevelle SS. The car I had inherited when he died. The car whose keys I currently held in my hand. “I came in to take a peek. He told me I had better stand back. That he’d have my ass if I put a scratch in it. He was joking. I think. But he said the car belonged to someone special and I could take a look, just couldn’t touch it. So, yeah. Back up and don’t touch the car.”
“He said that?” I asked. “That it belonged to someone special?”
Eric grabbed my elbow and gently pulled me away. He obviously took Phillip’s threat pretty seriously.
“About that…,” I started. I should’ve cleared up the nanny misconception right from the start. I just hadn’t wanted to be lumped together with the other spoiled rich kids. That and the fact that my time with him had been so limited.
“It’s an awesome car, though, isn’t he?” he asked.
“She ought to think so,” Phillip said as he strode into the garage. “It’s hers.”
Eric’s fingers slid from my arm and he took a step away from me. He turned to face Phillip and then he looked around, as if he expected there to be another ‘her’ with him. It was only after he realized I was the only female in the garage that his gaze swung back around to me.
“This is your car?” he asked slowly, skeptically.
I forced a guilt-ridden smile as I held up the keys.
Phillip clapped Eric on the back. “He’s already been in here once checking it out,” he told me. “I had the door open to air this place out a bit. I suppose it is a bit hard to resist taking a peek. Or two.”
Eric awkwardly shuffled his feet. “Sorry, Mr. Calhoun. I was just heading out on my lunch break this time. I walked by and saw EmLynn. I had to say hi,” he explained.
Phillip grinned at him. “You know EmLynn?” His gaze swung between Eric and me.
“Not well,” Eric said as his gaze bore into me.
“We met at the country club,” I explained.
Phillip nodded as though that were all the explanation he needed.
“You said you’re on your break right now, right? Why don’t you two go for a ride? Get a burger or something?” he suggested.
Eric did not look like he wanted to get a burger, or anything else for that matter, with me. Before I could come up with an excuse to get us both out of the uncomfortable situation, Phillip had plucked a fifty out of his wallet. He tried handing it to Eric. Eric glanced at the bill and then back to Phillip.
“Take it,” Phillip insisted as he wiggled the money Eric’s way. “My treat. You were on your way to lunch anyway. Might as well take EmLynn along. I’m sure she’d love to go. Wouldn’t you EmLynn?”
I would but that was beside the point.
“I actually brought a sandwich…,” Eric feebly began.
I could see Phillip readying himself for an argument.
I decided to make this easier for everyone involved.
I plucked the money from Phillip’s hand.
“Thanks,” I told him. I kept my tone light and turned to Eric. “Sometimes it’s just easier not to argue.”
“Right.”
“So, you two,” Phillip pointed a finger at each of us in what he probably thought was a cool gesture, it just seemed awkward to me, “have a nice lunch.”
He left the garage. Eric and I watched him go in silence. As soon as Phillip had disappeared out into the sunlight Eric turned to me.
He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. His raised eyebrows and
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