Priceless: Urban Fairytales, Book 3 Read online

  Why was everything always a test? Why couldn’t things just work the way they were supposed to for once?

  Frustrated, Eric glanced down at his watch and grimaced when he noticed the time. “Fuck.”

  “Everything okay?”

  Looking up, Eric spotted a very-bundled-up Nia holding a mug of something hot in her gloved hand. The steam rising from the drink seemed almost frozen in midair. “Hey.”

  Nia came closer, a warm smile on her pretty brown face. “I brought this for you. I heard you all the way upstairs.”

  Great. Just fucking great. “Sorry.” Eric took the cup and brought the drink to his chapped lips. He didn’t dare sip it right away. Instead, he used the rising heat to warm his lips. “Thanks,” he said, once he felt he could move them again without causing them to crumble into dust under the cold.

  “No problem.” Nia wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth. Even though she was dressed from head to toe in winter wear, it was still colder than a witch’s tit out here. Definitely no place for her. He was used to the shit weather. She was still at heart a California girl, even though they’d been out here for two years. If she came down with something, he didn’t know what he’d do, besides go out of his mind with worry for her. “Did you get it working?”

  “No.” He took a drink of the warm cocoa and sighed. He could feel his insides. He was still alive.

  “Aw.” Nia released her death grip on herself and came to where he stood. She smiled sadly at him and ran her hand over his arm in comfort. “You know what I say?”

  “No. What?”

  “I say we trade the car in for a dog, then shoot the dog. It might make you feel better.”

  Her teasing words did nothing to help with his already sour mood. He knew the automobile meant nothing to her, but it did to him. The car had belonged to his father. It was the only thing the bastard had given to Eric, and the idea of just getting rid of it like it was a piece of trash, like his father had done to him, made Eric’s skin crawl.

  But Nia wouldn’t understand that. To her this was a piece of metal that on a good day got him from point A to point B. To him it was a reminder of what he was and what he wasn’t.

  His silence must have gone on too long, because Nia moved up behind him and embraced him from the back. “Oh come on. That was funny.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” he snapped, pulling away from her. “And I’m not trading her. She’s a good car at heart. She just needs a few new parts to keep her going.”

  “Okay. At heart.” Nia walked around to his side and peered down at the same oily, rusty parts he’d been staring at moments earlier. “But, honey, there comes a time when you have to let go. I know you love this car, but it’ll cost more to keep her running than she’s worth.”

  Annoyed, Eric set the cup on the bumper. “Not everything is about money.”

  “I know, but this is a commonsense thing.” In a playful manner, Nia gently bumped him with her shoulder. “Why spend twenty dollars on a new pump, when you can put that twenty in an account to save for a new car?”

  “Because I don’t want a new car.”

  “Come on, babe, let’s go upstairs. Don’t forget you’re pulling a double tonight. Let’s spend the little time we have left before you have to take a nap making love in our chilly apartment instead of making war in the chilly covered garage.” She nodded in the direction of their apartment. “Come on. It will be fun.”

  “No,” he said stubbornly. It was an issue of pride. Foolish pride, but pride, nevertheless. “I’m not done here yet.”

  Shivering, Nia rubbed hands up and down her arms. “It’s too cold out here for this bullshit.”

  “Then go upstairs.”

  “Come up with me,” she pleaded with a chatter of her teeth. “Please. It’s Christmas Eve. I’ll rub your back. I’ll do things with the massage oil you’d never admit you like, but we both know you do.”

  “No.”

  “Eric.”

  He ran a weary hand through his hair. “I’ve got this.”

  Nia’s expression softened. “Babe, you don’t have this. No one could. This car is a piece of shit.”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  Nia looked down at the car and back at him. Her expression was one of utter disbelief. “You’re right, calling this car a piece of shit is insulting to shit. Why can’t you just let it go?”

  “Just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean you have to throw it away. There’s still worth. There’s still value.”

  “Something or someone?” she asked softly.

  “What?”

  “Did you mean something or someone?” This time she said it louder, with more weight behind her words. “Are we talking about this car, or are we talking about you and your mom?”

  Everything inside him went still. “Don’t go there.”

  “Keeping the car doesn’t prove a point.”

  “Neither does getting rid of it.”

  She eyed him levelly. “You’re not your dad, Eric. You don’t run when the going gets tough. You’re a stand-up man. A great man I am proud to call my husband, my lover and my friend. You don’t need to hold on to this car to prove that.”

  Arguing with the person who knew Eric best was as futile as arguing with himself in the mirror, and just as frustrating. “We are not talking about this.”

  “Eric…”

  “End of discussion, Nia.”

  “Wow.” Chill apparently forgotten, Nia crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. “Do you really expect that line to work?”

  The heat of anger flooded his cheeks. “Expect? No. But I did hope you could respect my wishes. Or was that too far-fetched as well?”

  “Fine.” Nia dropped her arms and took a step back. “Just fine.”

  Nia turned to walk away. She only made it a few steps before she spun back round to face him. “You know, since you’re so hell-bent on keeping this fine piece of machinery, maybe you should write a letter to Santa. I think that’s the only way we’re going to be able to afford to keep pouring money into her.”

  “Or maybe you can stop spending money on trivial things, and we could save up money to fix up the car.”

  “Trivial things? You mean like groceries, gas, student loans I’m helping you pay off, early at that?”

  Eric flinched. Right now he didn’t need another reminder of how he was failing her. “No, more like ugly trees and cheesy decorations.”

  “Ugly tree.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

  “Fuck.” Words were as much of a weapon as a sword when wielded properly, and Eric knew more than anyone how much damage a few letters could do to a single heart. “I didn’t mean it.”

  “Yeah, you did, and I heard you.” Nia began to walk backwards, nodding as she went. “Loud and clear.”

  The wounded look in her big brown eyes pierced his soul. “Nia…I didn’t mean…”

  “No, you did. You really, really did. But it’s fine.”

  From the tone of her voice, Eric could tell it was anything but, and shame filled him faster than the rage had. “Sunshine…”

  Nia reached her hand in her coat and pulled out her keys. She tossed them to him. “I don’t have to be at the diner until this evening, but I’m sure I can get Julia to pick me up. We’re both closing. She can bring me home as well.”

  He could tell in the mood she was in that any apology he could get out would only fall on deaf ears. This was obviously one of those times that less was definitely more. “Fine.”

  “Just for your information, Eric, I like our ugly tree, and my cheap decorations and my life. And right now I like them all a bit more than I do you.”

  Panic knotted his stomach, and it caused him to lash out. “So one fight and now you don’t love me?”

  Nia drew back as if she’d been struck, a move that let Eric know in no uncertain terms he couldn’t have been farther from the mark if he tried.

  “Eric.” She held up her hand
and took a deep breath in then let it out. The motion of someone who needed to calm themselves before they spoke. An action he should have considered ten minutes ago. “I love you. With all my heart. But sometimes, like now, you can be a bit of an asshat, and when you are, I don’t like it or you very much.”

  “I don’t see the difference.”

  Hurt briefly flashed across her face. “I know,” she said softly. “That’s the saddest part of it all.”

  Before he could utter a rebuttal or even a you’re right, I’m a colossal asshat, Nia was on her way back into the apartment.

  “Fuck,” he muttered as he turned back toward the car and slammed the hood, putting every ounce of anger into the action. The loud resounding clang of metal on metal did little to ease the pain inside.

  Pissing off his wife didn’t either. Oh yeah, it was official. His stocking was going to be filled with coal, and if he were really lucky, his wife wouldn’t be tempted to swing it at his head. “Christmas fucking sucks.”

  Chapter Six

  “Thanks for picking me up.”

  “No problem.” Julia waited until Nia slid in and closed the door before asking, “So what’s going on?”

  Nia hadn’t explained when she called Julia to pick her up, and she wasn’t much in the mood to do so now. But still, her friend had driven out of her way to do Nia a favor. The least she could do was CliffsNotes the reason for the favor. After buckling up, she turned and faced her friend and told Julia all she needed to know. “My husband is being a dick.”

  Julia nodded. “Okay.”

  And that was all Julia said for the entire ride from Nia’s apartment to the diner. Which was one of the reasons Nia loved her so. Julia didn’t pry. She didn’t automatically go on a tirade about how all men were dicks. She didn’t do what a few single friends would have done, which was immediately jump on the dump him bandwagon. Julia simply took it at face value. Eric was acting out of character and being a dick.

  With the heavy traffic, courtesy of the last-minute shoppers, and the never-ending downpour of snow, the normal twenty-minute drive from her apartment to the diner took about forty, which was okay with Nia. She needed the time to decide what to do.

  Option one was, of course, to wait until Eric came home to give him the silent treatment, which would show him nothing except he married a spoiled child. That option was her least favorite though, since it would make her, the one who was actually in the right, end up feeling like the one who was in the wrong.

  Which led to option two—avoid him until she was in a better mood and the need to shave his eyebrows off while he slept finally passed.

  Or option three, her favorite of the bunch. Stay mad at him until she got home, then get into a big row which would lead to dirty, naughty make-up sex.

  Oh yeah. Three was a winner. Make-up sex was always a blast, but it wouldn’t fix the problem at hand—the car, or rather the lack of funds they had to fix the car. Until that was figured out, all the make-up sex in the world wasn’t going to right things.

  By the time they made it to The Greasy Spoon, Nia had worked through the majority of her anger, leaving her with confusion and irritation. There was no way she was cool with the way Eric had spoken to her. Bad day or not. Still, the vows were for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Today she would chalk up as part of the for worse and just concentrate on the better, because it outweighed the latter tenfold.

  Julia pulled the car into her spot, put it into park, but didn’t turn off the engine. She kept it idling, heat blowing.

  Confused, Nia turned to look at her friend. “What’s up?”

  “I’m not one to pry, but I just wanted to let you know that if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you, but if you don’t, I will respect that and leave you be.”

  “No, I’m okay now. We can talk.”

  “Then let it rip. Why did I move Eric to the asshole column of my Christmas list?”

  “Because he was being a jerk.” Turning in her seat, Nia unloaded on Julia, telling her about how tight money had been lately, the shitty apartment they called home and the car breaking. “So after the fight, I caught a bus to the mall and hung out for awhile. I didn’t head home until I knew he’d be at work.”

  “That was smart.”

  “No, the smart thing would have been to keep my mouth shut from the get-go. That car is the only thing he’s ever had that belonged to his dad. I know it’s important to him, and I shouldn’t have suggested we get rid of it.”

  “Did his dad die or something?”

  “No, or I should say I don’t know. He did one of those cliché things, went to the store for cigarettes and never came home again.”

  “Wait a minute. Eric keeps the car in memory of that?”

  “No, I kind of think he keeps it as reminder of what he isn’t.”

  “That’s a heavy burden to bear.”

  “He doesn’t have to bear it alone. I just don’t think he realizes the truth of that yet. I recognized his soul right away, and I knew everything I needed to know about the man I married when I said I do. I think Eric has a bit of learning yet to do about me.”

  “He loves you.”

  “Without a doubt.” Nia smiled. “Even though he doesn’t completely trust that.”

  Julia shook her head. “Men.”

  “Amen, sister.”

  “A-women.”

  The two ladies laughed for a second, the tension that had been in the car earlier swept away by the jolly sound. “So. What are you going to do?”

  “What any Santa worth her salt would do.”

  “Fix the car?”

  “I’d love to, but I don’t see how I can. I was thinking Christmas blowjob.”

  “What about the money you have saved up for the TV, can’t you use that toward the car?”

  “I don’t think it would be enough.”

  “You’ll never know until you ask.”

  “So true,” Nia admitted ruefully. “He’s never going to get that TV, is he?”

  Julia smiled. “There’s always his birthday.”

  “Ugh. And here we go, loop-the-loop.”

  “Look at it this way, you can either get him a TV that he’ll like and enjoy. Or you can help him hold on to the one good thing he had from his un-Cosby-like childhood, all by fixing his car.” Julia held her hands out palms up and pretended to weigh Nia’s options. “A gift he’ll like and use. Or a gift he’ll love and use. It’s up to you, but it seems obvious to me.”

  “Me too, but I don’t know any mechanics, and I’m not sure I have enough money even if we do find a mechanic.”

  “Well, you know me.”

  “Okay, are you a mechanic?”

  “No, but I have the largest family in the universe. Each and every one of them has a trade, a skill, and some of it is on the up and up.”

  “Who’s a mechanic in your family?”

  “My brother.”

  Nia looked over at the diner. “Darnell?”

  “Girl, no. I wouldn’t let him put gas in my car. I’m talking about my other brother.” Julia frowned a bit. “Well one of them. Kevin. He owns a little shop down the way. He’s how I keep my hooptie going. His prices are reasonable and he’s honest. We can have him come out to your place and take a look at the car for you.”

  “You think he’ll do it?”

  “You act like I’m giving him a choice.” Julia picked up her cell and dangled it between them. “What’s it going to be?”

  “Call him.”

  “All right.” Julia flipped the phone open and dialed the number while Nia slowly did the math in her head. She prayed that if she didn’t have enough, Kevin would at least allow her to make payments, but she’d have to wait and find out first if the car was even worth the effort to anyone besides Eric.

  “Okay,” Julia said as she closed the phone. “He’s going to meet you there in an hour.”

  “An hour.” Nia gestured to the r
estaurant. “Hello, I have to work.”

  “I know you happen to think you’re the best waitress in the world and the diner would crumble without you, but I can manage to take on a few extra tables until you return.”

  “But Darnell.”

  “Please. Leave my brother to me. Go sign in, then take my car and go home and wait for him. You won’t be able to miss him. He looks just like Darnell, but dresses like it’s ninety degrees outside.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, he’s a big dope, but don’t let his wackiness fool you. He can make a car sing.”

  “I don’t need it to sing, just to drive.”

  “He can do that too, and then some.” Julia turned the car off and pulled the keys out of the ignition. “Come on, let’s go in.”

  Nia put her hand on her friend’s arm. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t make it a big thing. It’s what we do. Help each other out.”

  “I know but…”

  “Nah, nah, nah, nah. If you’re going to get all emotional and want to hug, I’m going to call him back and tell him never mind.”

  Nia laughed and held her hands up. “I forgot. I forgot. You’re not a hugger.”

  “That’s right, now come on.”

  “I’m coming, but I do have a question. How many brothers do you have?”

  “Seven.”

  “Shut. Up.”

  Julia laughed. “I kid you not. I have five older brothers and two younger ones.”

  “I can’t believe I didn’t know that. Did you all grow up together or…?”

  “No or. We all have the same parents and we were all raised in the same four-bedroom house.”

  “Four-bedroom house, for all of you?”

  “Yes.” Julia nodded with a faint smile on her face. “And we only had one bathroom.”

  “I…wow.” Nia, who was raised an only child, couldn’t wrap her mind around seven brothers, let alone one bathroom. “However did you survive?”

  “By learning how to kick ass. I might be the fairest of them all, but I will drop a sucker like it’s hot if they get in my way.”