The Mechanic & The CEO

Chapter Twelve

Mason POV:

I wake up the next morning and rub my eyes to get the sleep out of them. I throw the blanket off my body and climb out of bed. I jump as my feet hit the freezing cold floor. Why is the house so cold this morning? I am slow on my feet as I walk across the hall to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and I am startled by my appearance. My eyes are bloodshot and swollen. My face is swollen and my cheeks are puffy.

I groan internally. I spent the night crying myself to sleep. I won't admit it to anyone but James' words had taken a bigger toll on me than I let show. It brought me back to one of the worst times in my life, a time when I was sure nobody cared about me. The hateful words. The disgust in his eyes when he looked at me. The way he acted like he wouldn't give a shit if I had dropped off the face of the earth. Just thinking about what happened sends a pain through my body.

I strip the clothes off of my body and get into the shower, turning the water as hot as it would go. The scalding water does nothing to soothe me and I finish my shower quickly. I hope that by the time I get out my face will have returned somewhat back to normal. When I get out and look in the mirror I find that I have had no such luck. At this point I don't really care anymore so I throw on a little concealer and head back to my room to get dressed. I grab a pair of athletic shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Who am I kidding? Most of my t-shirts are oversized because I am so small. I run a brush through my hair and put it into a messy bun on top of my head.

I head downstairs quickly and quietly and hope that I don't wake Kamryn. I love her but I don't want to have a conversation about what happened yesterday, a conversation that is sure to happen when she sees me. I skip breakfast and go straight out of the house. I get into my truck and head to the shop. I take the long way this time. I roll my windows down and breathe in the fresh air. I live just outside the city, so not too far into the countryside but far enough to escape the exhaust filled air and blaring car horns that are a common occurrence in the city.

I pass a couple of the smaller mom-and-pop shops and wave to the owners. I get to the shop about half an hour later than I normally would have, but taking the long way has given me a chance to calm my racing mind and get a little break from yesterday's mess. I felt my heart slowing as I drove and I felt as if I was driving away from my problems, until I get back to my shop and the memories of our argument came flooding back.

When I walk into the shop I see James' car sitting in the corner. I give myself a mental reminder to tell Kam to call James and tell him his car is ready. The thought of smashing his headlights crossed my mind but I don't have the energy to do even that. I start to work on another car in the shop to take my mind off of things and the time begins to fly by. Before I know it, I have finished fixing this car and am moving on to the next car.

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By the time Kam walks into work I have finished both of the cars I was supposed to work on today. "Hey girl..." She trails off when she sees that state I am in. "What happened? Its barely 11 and you have already finished working. The last time you went on a working spree like this was... Oh. Gah, I am so stupid. I should've been there for you more yesterday. I could see you were hurting but I thought I should give you space. Clearly that didn't work. I am such a bad friend. You don't deserve me as a friend. I should go, you probably-".

I cut her off. "Kamryn. Stop. Breathe. In and out. In and out." I see her take a few deep breaths and I wait a moment before I begin again. "Never doubt yourself or how amazing of a friend you are. I am so lucky to have you in my life. I can't even begin to explain how much you do for me. I had a rough night last night but knowing you are here for me helps." She smiles when I finish my speech.

"I am always and will always be here for you girl. Now let's stop talking about this sappy shit and tell me what you did today, because I have never seen you work so fast in my life," she laughs.