Here it is!

I'm hoping to make this post and the following posts into a 'mini-series' and I hope it doesn't turn out as expected.  But we shall see.  So here goes.

~~~

Lila drove her beat up Chevy pickup through the small town, faster than she knew she should have, considering she was trying to find a place she'd never been to.  Her eyes darted from one side of the road to the other as she passed more buildings than she knew she'd remember.  Since when did places barely on the map have so much?  Her hand flicked the sound on her crackling radio down and she leaned forward, just barely catching the sign to the automotive shop.

She hit the brake harder than she meant to, thrusting her forward and into her steering wheel.  Cringing, she turned into the parking lot, parked, and got out with the sound of a door needing to be oiled.  Her eyes scanned over the place, taking note of the law firm above the garage and the restaurant next door with no cars in front of it at the moment.  Across a minor street was a much nicer looking building, but it housed no signs to offer insight into what it was.

She headed toward the shop, slipping in with odd silence where she expected the jingle of a door chime.  Three men were there.  One sat at a computer with blonde hair pulled together by a small purple bow near the ends and thrown over his shoulder.  He wore thin glasses on the edge of his nose and didn't even pass a glance in her direction.  The other two stood behind the counter and looked toward her. "Can we help you?" one of them asked with a slightly arched brow.

"I'm Lila.  I'm the new hire," she answered.  The man's expression brightened with recognition and he moved around the counter.

"I just didn't expect... you," he stated with a small grin.  Her brows furrowed slightly and she scanned over him, instantly thinking of all the things she could pick apart that made him unusual for a receptionist at a mechanic shop, such as his two golden looped earrings. "I'm Armend, the supervisor."

"Oh! Well it's a pleasure to meet you," she responded, thankful now she didn't comment on his earrings.  She held out her hand.  He studied it a moment before turning toward the door to the back.

"Follow me and I'll show you around.  You can start tomorrow, nine to five." He lead her passed the other two men and pushed open the door before pausing and glancing over his shoulder. "You know we're only open at night, correct?" he asked.  She nodded and he gave a nod in return.  He held the door for her before motioning to the shop.  There were six bays; three equipped with drive on lifts.  Several other assorted machines littered the wall opposite as well as several rows of tires. "And this is it," he stated with a grin and a chuckle.  She stared at him a moment before glancing over the area. "I joke," he answered, still grinning some. "But really there is nothing to show.  And don't mind the looks they give you," he nodded toward the men working, "They look at everybody that way."

She stared at him again a moment, not entirely sure if that was somehow a joke or not. "Seems simple enough," she answered.  He gave another nod.

"Just like any other small shop." He shrugged, crossed his arms, and glanced out at the men. "Except not all of us are from here, if you can't tell already." She nodded slightly.  He had an accent.  She never was any good with accents or languages, but she knew he wasn't from Europe.  It seemed rude to her, however, to ask.

"And you're open at night.  Why only night?" He stood without a word, watching a man mount a tire to a rim and bouncing it to another guy.

"People's cars break down at all times, better business if you can be the one it gets towed to at night," he muttered with a roll of his left shoulder.  He looked back to her. "If that's all, come back tomorrow.  Nine."

"Uh..." She couldn't keep the noise from escaping her mouth before she shrugged. "Nine it is..." It all seemed rather informal, but she supposed that was how things worked at a small shop in a small town, or what she was told was a small town.  Maybe things would change once she adjusted...

(To be continued)