TWO

Amused at the ice in her tone instead of annoyed, he laughed. “No, I just have a lot of old cars that need TLC.”

She crouched down next to her Mustang. “Well, mine needs major surgery not just a little buff and polish.” She patted it, “Sorry, Janie.”

Jon’s smile widened. “Janie, huh?”

Bella sighed, “Janie.”

“Well I don’t think we need to give her last rights just yet.” He flipped open his phone and swallowed a smile when she gave a dramatic sigh. “Hi, there’s been an accident at the corner of,” he paused and rattled off the street they were on. “No one was hurt, but we’ll need a police officer for insurance purposes.”

“Sir, with the storm, all available officers are busy. We’ll get to it when we can, but you should seek an alternate means or call a tow truck and handle the report tomorrow.”

She listened as Jon spoke to the dispatch person and inwardly groaned. She could hear most of the conversation even with the wind howling. They were too busy. That was just great.

Jon clipped his phone shut and tucked it into his jeans. “I have my camera in the car, why don’t we take photos?”

Her eyebrow arched, “You just happen to have your camera?”

He smiled, “Actually I was off to see my kid’s recital and take video and pictures like a good dad.”

Bella winced this time. “I’m sorry. Are you terribly late?”

“No, I was early for once.” He went back to his car and grabbed the large Olympus with the telephoto lens. “I’ll call my ex-wife and let her know I’ll be a few minutes late.”

Bella folded her arms, tucking her fingers into the opposite sleeve to keep warm. She hadn’t been aware he’d been divorced. She didn’t know much about him, other than the fact that he still looked pretty amazing even well into his forties. She listened to their music a little, but wouldn’t call herself a rabid fan. But she did remember snippets of interviews here and there on network TV that mentioned the perfect marriage.

It was probably all image anyway. She watched as he took careful photos from all sorts of angles and felt marginally better when he gave a genuine groan at her crumpled front end and flat tire from impact.

He turned and took a few shots of his own vehicle but the muscle car barely showed damage except for some paint and a few dents. He looked at her ruefully. “Good thing about old cars is that they are rarely made of fiberglass.”

Bella buried her chin into the matching scarf to her hat. “Yeah well, as much as I enjoy a nice Chevy, that Mustang has been a goal for a good long time. Figures that my goal would end in disaster. Talk about story of my life.” She grinned, “Not as optimistic as your lyrics, huh?”

“We all have our good and bad days Miss Jordan.”

She untucked her hand and held it out. “And accident definitely allows for first names. Call me Isabella.”

Jon reached for her hand and enjoyed her cool, soft touch. And when the extra zing flared he smiled, letting his touch linger. “Well, Izzy, I’m Jon.” He enjoyed her flare of temper and lack of flitting fan stammering.

“Isabella or Bella,” she said with an almost pleasant smile.

“Sure, Izzy, whatever you say.”

She tugged her hand away. Contrary man. “Well, I guess it’s time to call Triple-A.”

He dug out his phone again. “Nah, I got a guy.”

“I don’t need your guy.” Exasperated she stalked to her car. She dug into her purse and found her palm pilot and her AAA card. She turned and he was there.

“Look, no offense. I’m not throwing my name around or anything, Izzy. It’s just that discretion is a lot easier than dealing with an overworked Triple A guy. Not to mention that with the storm it’s going to take forever to get a tow here.”

She peered into the quickly darkening sky. Snowflakes were being replaced with the biting ice that had been promised on the news that morning. “Alright, Rockstar, work a little magic.”

Jon felt that peculiar tightening in his belly again. Magic. Hell. He scanned through his numbers until he found the tow truck he’d used just the week before. He was beginning to think he had a spot of bad luck following behind his Chevelle. He’d replaced the head gasket last week and now he’d need a good chunk of body work.

He waited for Jeff to answer and gave her a half smile.

She gave him the same smile back, “Let’s just be clear, it was your fault.”