This should be around three chapters...if it goes on anymore than that it'll only be up to five. I'm shooting for three though.

The bottom fell out of the storm about the time she got to the parking lot. She felt terrible that he'd had to run out there just see what she needed. He was soaked to the bone now and still having to work. He didn't complain though but shed his shirt after directing her towards the office. She couldn't help that her eyes kept glancing towards him. Who wouldn't have actually? Who was he? She'd lived here her entire life and she knew damn well that if she'd ever seen him she would have remembered.

"Carol we close in twenty minutes." Taylor sighed at her. His white brows hanging heavy over his drowsy eyes that had a liquor glaze already. "I've already called Bertha to come pick me up." He chuckled sipping from a shot glass. "Had a long day. Full moon tonight."

Carol chewed her lip. "You're the only garage in town though."

"And we close in twenty minutes. I've got obligations outside of here. My wife will have a fit if I'm not in that car in twenty minutes."

Carol swiped at the rain clinging to her forehead. "Isn't there anything I can do? I need to be able to get to work tomorrow and a twenty mile hike isn't possible."

Taylor looked out into the shop and again Carol seen the man from earlier. He was still shirtless. She couldn't see his back but his chest since he was facing her and even from this distance he had her heart rate picking up. He pushed his soaked hair up from his forehead and went back to putting the tools away.

Taylor sighed dramatically and pushed himself standing. His large stomach looking more like it was ready throw him off balance. Carol wanted to snap at him that if he'd stop drinking then maybe he could have helped her. She wanted to tell him that she'd helped his wife when she'd been homebound with a broken leg. That'd she went over there and cleaned their house and helped her with everything she needed. She wanted to be snarky but that just wasn't her because her mom would roll in her grave to know that she'd spoken like that out loud. Karma like to bite people hard and she suspected that Taylor Rogers was getting his.

"DARYL!" Taylor coughed and half yelled into the shop.

Carol watched as the man she'd ever seen before in her home town look up. He walked over towards the office and Carol forced herself to breathe normal. What was wrong with her?

"Pull Carol's car into the shop. I need you to get started on it tonight."

Carol tensed knowing that since it was already so late she was likely ruining his plans. Likely making some woman that was waiting at home on him mad. That he was going to mad about being delayed going home. Instead he just nodded and spun on his heel. He walked away and Carol jumped when Taylor shut the door.

"Daryl will have you fixed right up."

Just then a horn blared outside and Taylor cursed under his breath. "Woman breathing down my neck."

Carol fought smiling and instead stood with him. "What about my bill?"

"Consider everything you've done for my wife payment enough." Taylor waved her away. "Daryl lock up when you're done."

He picked up his whiskey bottle and took a deep pull before sloshing it back down to the desk. Carol grimaced. He was going to have a black eye tomorrow for drinking at work. He had cirrhosis of the liver and wasn't supposed to be even looking at alcohol. He was hard headed and maybe that was a good thing with the beating his wife would dish out later. He marched out without a backwards glance though and Carol was left with unfamiliar mechanic.

He looked over at her suddenly and Carol walked over. The silence in the shop was deafening. "What was the problem when you pulled in here? What was it doing?"

His accent was thicker than anyone from town and it was the first thing she needed to tell her that he for sure wasn't from around here. Second was the fact that she knew without a doubt she'd remember those eyes. They were striking.

"There was a knocking like my wheel and tire was jerking."

"Which side?"

Carol motioned to the drivers and he dropped to his knees right there. His back came into view and she widened her eyes. There was scars there. Not a lot but the ones there were deep and meant to maim. Carol stared horrified because her time being a nurse told her exactly what would have had to cause that. She wanted to trace them but instead kept her place in check.

He dusted his hands off and looked up at her suddenly. "Your brake is gone."

"Gone…?"

"As in the brake pad is gone." He snorted. "You've needed a chance for a while. I'm guessing you've put it off and the pad just wore out. It was the pad slipping you were feeling jerking."

Carol grimaced. He stood and was already getting everything he needed. She watched the storm get stronger and felt anxious. She still had a drive ahead of her and wasn't ready to deal with this storm. So instead she focused on him.

"You aren't from around here."

He paused for a fraction of a second. "Nope."

"What would make you want to move to a place like this? Nothings here."

"Just something new." He shrugged while he tossed another set of worn brakes away.

Carol watched him work. He was quick and efficient. It was already getting to be around ten at night though and she really wished she'd just kept up with basic maintenance.

"I'm sorry he made you stay so late to help me."

He scoffed. "It's my job."

"You were getting ready to leave."

"Nothing better to do anyways." His words were muttered but Carol smiled.

When he stood up and tossed her the keys she grinned at him. He let the jack down and stepped away from the car. She heard his stomach growl and her eyes widened. In their sleepy little town by now all the diners would be closed and nothing else was around. If he didn't cook for himself he'd go hungry.

"How much do I owe you?"

"Take that up with Taylor later." Daryl waved her away.

She watched him grab a leather jacket and a helmet. He pushed the bay door open and rain blew in. He grimaced at it but slid the jacket it on. Carol's eyes shot over to the bike she'd seen and realized not only did she keep him after hours but now he had to drive in the storm while it was raging and he was going to wreck from being hungry.

"Let me cook for you then. The least I can do is feed you."

He shook his head but she seen his lips twitch. "There's no really no need ma'am."

He stepped out and she backed out like he told her too. He shut everything down and straddled his bike quickly. It roared to life and Carol grimaced watching him get soaked all over. Guilt ate at her but he pulled out seconds after waving at her. She followed him and smiled seeing that the storm was at least starting to let up the further they drove from town. She was surprised to see him still going the same way as her.

When she got to her street her eyes widened seeing him pull in right next to her house. The houses weren't right on top of each other since both had decent yards. It made sense now that she thought about it. She'd yet to see her new neighbor but seen a bike over there the other day. Carol smiled and got an idea as he jogged to his porch shaking rain from his hair.

Carol mirrored him and unlocked her door quickly. Carol ran over to her fridge after tossing down her purse and keys. She smiled triumphantly seeing the roast, potatoes, carrots and gravy. There were fresh made rolls she'd done just this morning before she'd had to go into work. Grabbing it all up she heated it and then looked over towards his house. At the least twenty minutes had passed. Surely he'd gotten something dry on now and would be looking for something to eat.

Carol put everything down into a tote and made her way over to his house quickly. Knocking loudly to be heard over the thunder. The door swung open and she was surprised to see him standing there in sweat pants and nothing more. The smell of body wash and leather hit her.

"Umm...hello."

Carol flushed, "WE're neighbors."

He arched a brow and pushed the screen door open seeing her arms full. "It would seem so."

"I brought you dinner as a thanks for helping me. The last mechanic Taylor had would have left me stranded."

He grimaced at her but stood to the side to let her by. She startled when a black cat trotted by her and stopped in her path. It stared up at her before slinking off around a corner. Carol fought smiling because she damn sure didn't take him for a cat person.

"What's his name?"

"Fleas Witherspoon." Carol stared at him for a minute before she laughed. He just sighed heavily. "My brother thinks he's hilarious and named her that."

Carol followed him as he lead her to the kitchen. She was surprised to see how clean the place was. Her experience with men was that they thought they were above cleaning. She was pleasantly surprised to see that his place was neat. No beer can littered the tables or pizza boxes.

Carol put everything on the table he'd lead her too. He looked at everything and raised a brow. "You planning on feeding an army while here?"

Carol flushed and met his eyes. "Just you and your Fleas."

He stared at her for a second before he cracked a slight smile. Carol felt her pulse jump. She really needed to get that under control. He asked her if she wanted something to drink before leaving the room. When he came back he had forks, knives, plates, and drinks. He slid hers to her and raised a brow when she made no move to eat.

"Surely you aren't just going to watch me eat."

Carol snorted but made a plate. He followed suit. They ate quietly for a few minutes before she started talking. He listened. Something else she'd never seen a man do. They never listened. Just cooed and nodded at the appropriate times to make you think they were. He was looking right at her and would interject throughout her talking. He was quiet though and didn't talk much about things outside of him in this town. She knew he had a brother but that's as far as it went.

They both startled when his answering machine went off. Neither had heard the phone ring. A loud gruff voice echoed through the house and Carol's eyebrows shot up. Daryl stood but the man started talking.

"Where the hell are you at? Not answering my calls you fidgety fuck. My ass will be on leave starting Friday at twelve. Need you to come and get me."

The message ended abruptly just as Daryl got to the phone. He scowled and Carol waited. He wrote down the date and time the man said. He looked back over and Carol smiled at him. She gathered the plates and walked in the direction he'd went earlier without really thinking about what she was doing. He was right behind her and huffed.

"You don't need to clean up after me."

"You didn't have to stay late."

They stared at each other and somehow ended up talking again. She was genuinely surprised she was able to get him talking. He seemed closed off. She found out that it was his brother calling. He was in the military and was going on leave for the first time in two years. He was finally back in the U.S after being overseas for so long. Daryl'd been anxious to see his brother. She knew they were close from how he talked and she was genuinely curious to see the man. Daryl said he was older than him by over a decade and that explained the way he talked about him. His brother seemed more like a father figure than a brother.

When she turned around he was looking out the window at the lightning crackling and exploding over the mountains. His arms were crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankles. His hair had dried sticking up at odd angles from his hastily washed attempt earlier. Still he looked like something she'd never knew she'd been craving. It was more than that. They clicked.

He looked over the same time a loud clap of thunder shook the house and the power went out. A loud yowl was all they heard as the house powered down. Carol looked outside and sure enough the entire neighborhood was dark. She grimaced feeling her heart race.

"I hate storms."

He laughed, "This one is supposed to only get worse. Forecast is bad until Thursday."

Carol looked over when a light blazed on. He'd struck a lighter and suddenly a little lamp was burning, then another and another. Carol stared at the coal oil lamps and smiled. It was a faint warm glow over the room and she felt stupid for never investing in something like them. Her house had one candle. She knew her flashlight was broke.

"Well shit." Carol muttered. "I should head home and let you rest."

Her voice gave her away and the anxiety she felt knowing she'd be up all night clutching her pillow. Thunder clapped again and he looked at her.

"Are you scared of storms?"

"Yes." Carol breathed.