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“Low, which says something about my bad luck.”
Those words are laden with pain from the depths of my soul, but Tuck just laughs them off again. He steps to my side, looking down at the engine along with me.
“Car troubles?” he asks.
I turn my head slowly to him, leveling him with a nonplussed glare. “No, I just decided that driving out to a shopping center on the outskirts of Cedar Shade and standing in front of my engine in the freezing cold would be a good way to pass time between classes.”
“Hm,” Tuck hums, taking my answer at face value. “In that case, I’ll join you.”
Seconds tick past. Tuck is just standing silently next to me, hands slung into his jean pockets, eyes glued to my engine.
My brain is discombobulated from the downright absurdity of it. Just how long will Tuck stand here in the freezing cold with me in front of my propped-open hood? Does he love tormenting me that much?
“You can go now, Tuck,” I finally say.
“No way. This is just starting to get good.”
I was putting off the pain of calling for a tow, but the pain of spending any more time here next to Tuck McCoy is even greater.
“I’m just going to call a tow truck,” I say, reaching into my pocket for my cell phone.
“Have you tried jumping it yet?” Tuck asks.
“Jumping?”
“Jump-starting it. You know, the battery?”
My lips are a flat line as I blink dumbly at Tuck.
He grins. “You don’t even know what I’m talking about, do you?”
I narrow my eyes on him, feeling my jaw tighten in annoyance. “Care to enlighten me?” It’s true, I officially know jack-shit about cars. Sue me.
“It’s not every day I know something you don’t, Lockley. Let me savor the moment.”
He dips his head back and closes his eyes, taking in a deep breath like he’s inhaling the freshest scent of flowers on a gorgeous spring day. Then he lets it out in a long, loud exhale that ends with a satisfied sigh.
I roll my eyes. “Has the moment been sufficiently savored yet?”
He holds up his index finger. After two more beats with his head flung back and his eyes closed, he finally opens them and nods. “Yeah. Sufficiently savored. Alright, let me get my cables.”
He brings out two cables from his truck, pops his own hood, and then connects the cables between his car and mine.
“This is supposed to … revive the battery?” I ask.
He chuckles again, earning him another glare. “Yeah, Lockely,” he says, a patronizing tone in his voice like he’s explaining something only an idiot wouldn’t already know.
He goes back to his car and starts it. He revs the engine a couple times and then rolls down his window to say to me, “In a minute or two, try to start your car.”
I sigh. “If you say so.” Normally, I wouldn’t trust Tuck about anything, but he actually seems to know what he’s doing here.
Kind of surprising. I would have thought his family would have a full staff of chauffeurs to make sure none of them ever had to sully their hands with tasks like this.
After a bit, Tuck gives me a thumbs up, signaling that I should try to start my engine.
I do … nothing happens.
“Try again,” Tuck shouts from his car.
