Car Trouble 34

"Hello, are you still at work?" asked Neil quickly as Saoirse answered her mobile.

"Yeah. It's only 4:45pm" Saoirse said, looking at the clock. "I don't finish til 5pm. Is everything alright?" she asked

"Could you do me a massive favour?" he asked, out of breath and talking loudly.

"If I can, what is it?" she asked. "It's very noisy, where are you?"

"Come over to the industrial estate after work and give me a lift home?" Neil asked.

"Yeahhhhhh" Saoirse said, thinking. "I thought you and Jay were going kayaking?" she asked.

"Don't get me started!" he said, irritated. "I had to leave my car in with the mechanic in the industrial estate near the retail park but it won't be ready tonight." he explained.

"Ok...I'm just wondering which way to go cos of the traffic. There's a Starbucks in the retail park, walk to that and I'll get you there." she said.

"Come over the outer ring road and down through the estate, that'd be quickest. Thanks, Saoirse. I owe you." Neil said.

Saoirse left work at 5pm and drove across the city in heavy home time traffic as the rain began to pelt down on the dreary February Friday evening. After over an hour she finally arrived at the Starbucks and saw Neil through the window, sitting near the door looking at his phone.

"Alright handsome?" Saoirse asked as she walked in and approached his table. Neil looked up and the look of relief on his face when he saw her made Saoirse feel happy. She reached across to hug and kiss him.

"Is it still raining?" Neil asked, as he put his arm around her ass and hugged her. Saoirse nodded. "Thanks for this, I know it's totally out of your way." He said as Saoirse sat down. "Do you want a coffee or something?" He asked, pointing towards the counter. Saoirse shook her head. "I bought groceries on the way past the supermarket to cook you dinner." he said with a genuine smile.

"Really?" asked Saoirse, looking under the table to see the shopping bags.

"Yeah, as a thank you. Only if you haven't any other plans?" he asked. She shook her head and smiled. "Pizza and garlic bread?" he asked. She nodded once. "Good, cos that's what you're getting!" he chuckled.

Saoirse sighed a laugh and shook her head at him. "I just have to turn off my Crockpot." she said, taking her phone out of her coat pocket. Neil looked at her, bewildered. "I've got a smart plug..." she said with an embarrassed laugh. Neil pursed his lips and looked down, trying not to smirk. "Ok, done. Shall we make tracks?" she asked and stood up, gesturing towards the door.

"IS THIS YOUR CAR?" Neil laughed heartily as they left the store and Saoirse unlocked a mint green Fiat 500.

"YES!" she replied defensively. "What's so funny?!" she asked, smiling at him laughing.

"Nothing, it's... it's ehhh..." he chuckled.

"Would you rather walk?" Saoirse interrupted in a mocking tone. "Mr 'my Volvo's so reliable'!"

"Well...it's very you!" he smiled as he got in.

"It's not very you though. You look like a giant!" she giggled, looking at him squeezed into the passenger seat with his head nearly touching the roof. She pulled the lever under his seat, moving it back. "There's a bit more room for you." He glared at her. "How have you not seen my car before?" she asked.

"I don't know. Well, when we've been out together we've got public transport, a taxi or I drove. I thought you drove a white Citroën?" he asked.

"OH yeah, I did before. I've had this about a year." she said. "You'll have to give me directions cos I can't remember the way, Neil." Saoirse said as she started the engine.

Neil glanced at her and hesitated. "Have you been to my flat before?" he asked, nervously.

"I dropped you at the door one time after an away day thing with work." she said. "That's probably when you were in my Citroën."

"Right enough, forgot about that." He said, more to himself. "Go back on to the outer ring road, follow the traffic on to the roundabout and then go across the traffic lights. I'll direct you when we get there." Neil said.

"Ok, thanks. So what happened to your car?" Saoirse asked.

"Aww fuck, it's..." He sighed, irritated. "It's a fucking money pit!" He rubbed his beard roughly with his hands. "The exhaust was noisy, I looked at it this morning and it looked like there was a hole in it so phoned the fella and he said he could fix it today. Then on the way over, there's a big fucking pot hole as soon as you come round the corner, off the junction." He pointed in the general direction. Saoirse hummed in agreement. "BOOM! Right into the pot hole, exhaust fucking hanging off. I was only down the road from the garage but the fucking thing sounded like Crazy Frog. Bouncing off the road the whole way!" Neil said animatedly.

Saoirse laughed "Sorry, it's just the way you're telling it!" she said, putting her hand over her mouth. Neil tutted. "Can the guy not fix it?" Saoirse asked.

"Yeah but not tonight!" Neil said, annoyed, as if Saoirse should know better.

"I don't mean tonight, Neil." she replied dryly.

"He needs to order a new part, the pot hole wrecked something on the chassis, and now I do need a new exhaust!" Neil huffed. "Friday night is the ideal time for all that!" He said sarcastically. "I'm supposed to be 3 pints into a slap-up dinner by now. Me and Jay WERE going kayaking this weekend but..." he growled in frustration.

Saoirse nodded and hummed. "Could Jay not take you in his car?" she asked.

"When I phoned him about my car he told me his granny had a fall, she's been admitted to hospital. So I suppose it worked out that my car is fucked." he sulked.

"Oh dear. Sorry to hear that." Saoirse said sincerely.

"That's why I called you, you're my next port of call." he said, nonchalantly. "Down to these lights, go into the filter lane and turn right." Neil directed. Saoirse hummed in agreement.

"Your next port of call already? Not even 2 months in, we're not even Facebook official yet! Lucky me!" Saoirse teased, nudging his thigh as she changed gear.

"Well. My sister's on nights, my brother has the kids and if I called Matt in a non-life-threatening situation I'd never hear the end of it!" Neil said. "And the bus timetable in this neck of the woods did not meet my needs!" he growled.

"Taxi?" Saoirse teased as the obvious other choice, knowing she was pushing it. Neil sighed heavily. "I'm joking." she patted his thigh once.

"I'm glad you're so amused by my misfortune!" Neil said blankly.

"Dry your eyes!" she shook her head. "So I'm 5th on the list? That's better." Saoirse teased.

"I dunno, depends if I get home in one piece. You might be promoted or you might get relegated!" Neil joked. "Did you get your license through an intensive learn to drive course or what? Fucking hell!" he said.

Saoirse laughed. "My dad always says I should enter the Rally Championship."

"I think you'd come first!" Neil laughed nervously.

"I usually come first!" she teased, glancing at him and raising her eyebrows.

Neil was momentarily lost for words as he realised her innuendo, laughed and shook his head. "Where is the Jesus handle in this Noddy car?" he asked, searching above the passenger door with his left hand and subconsciously braking with his right foot.

"They don't come as standard on this model for some reason." Saoirse replied.

"It has Google Maps, answers the phone and plays music but no Jesus handles?!" he asked rhetorically. "Fuck safety, yeah?" he continued. Saoirse laughed. "Seriously Saoirse, hit the brakes a bit!" He gasped urgently as someone pulled out in front of them.

"Ok, Ok, calm your tits grandad!" Saoirse giggled, slowing down. "Your car will be fixed next week then?" Saoirse asked.

Neil hummed in agreement. "Hopefully but by then I might need a heart bypass on account of your joyriding so my car being fucked will be the least of my worries." he said sternly. "Next left just past the shops." he directed.

Saoirse ignored his first comment. "What about work?" she asked.

"I'll get Jay to swing by on his way to work, he can go the long way round for a change." He said. "Left here and then the second right." he directed.

They parked outside Neil's flat and Saoirse stood behind him on the doorstep while he held the shopping bags and fumbled with his keys, trying to open the front door. He stepped into the hall and switched on the light. "Can't remember what state I left it in this morning and wasn't expecting visitors, never mind you," he laughed nervously "so you'll just have to take it as you find it!" He shrugged.

"Knowing you, it'll be fine!" Saoirse smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, I won't judge you too harshly." she teased, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Thanks, you're so kind." Neil laughed, gazing at her. "Up the stairs, turn right then straight ahead." He instructed as he stood back to let her in the door then closed it behind her and followed her up the stairs.

It doesn't say much about Saoirse that she was pleasantly surprised. She knew Neil was particular and tidier than her and his flat was just the same. It smelled like a guy's place, only just kind of musty but mostly fresh with a hint of Neil's cologne. It was warm and it felt kind of comforting knowing she was seeing his home for the first time without it be a planned thing.

Saoirse walked along the hall, dodging 2 surf boards, a mountain bike and a clothes horse full of  washing in front of the radiator. The scent of freshly washed clothes filled the air as she passed it and went into the living room/ kitchen.

She searched for the light switch. "On the right." Neil said as he stepped behind her and switched the light on. She looked round the room to see a large, comfy grey L shaped sofa on the right with a cosy blue throw folded over the back, a grey rectangular ottoman to the left in front of the radiator, an electric fire with a large TV on the wall above the fireplace in front of the sofa and a white wooden table and chairs to the right of the sofa between the living room and kitchen, in front of the window. The kitchen fit neatly in the corner to the right behind her with cream-coloured cupboards and a wooden counter top. Small white tiles covered the back walls and a small window in front of the sink made the space feel more open.

Neil walked round her into the kitchen and set the shopping bags on the counter. "Hungry?" he asked, looking at her. Saoirse nodded as she took her coat off. "Coat hooks are in the hall." he gestured out to the hall and handed her his coat. Saoirse went out to hang up the coats and her bag and Neil unpacked the shopping. "Drink?" Neil called out to her.

"Yes, please. What've you got?" She asked, walking back in to the kitchen and leaning against the counter as he held up an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels. She frowned and nodded approvingly and he opened the top cupboard above him to get a glass, hiding the smirk that crept across his lips for a moment. "What are you having?" Saoirse asked. Neil closed the cupboard and nodded to a half empty bottle of red wine on the counter. "Don't open that just for me then, Neil!" Saoirse said, nodding to the Jack Daniels bottle. "I'll have wine if it's already open."

"That's what you drink though, isn't it? Jack?" He asked. She nodded. "Good. That's why I bought it." he said with a coy smile, looking in her eyes as he leaned over and kissed her quickly. She knew he didn't drink it and a little frisson ran up her spine realising he knew what she liked to drink and bought it especially. She smiled with her lips pursed, trying to contain the feelings of giddiness threatening to reveal themselves. "Argh! I don't think there's any Coke left..." Neil leaned over her and opened the fridge. Saoirse's breath caught in her chest as she tried to move out of the way but there was no where to go. She was caught between Neil and the fridge as he peeked inside it. It didn't seem to fuss him in the slightest. "Nah but there might be... watch your head." He said as he closed the fridge then reached up over her to open the cupboard above her. His t-shirt lifted up slightly as he reached up, revealing his snail trail and she ached to touch him. He was so close she felt his body heat and smelled his cologne. Saoirse's legs felt wobbly and she had butterflies in her stomach. He opened the cupboard but Saoirse didn't duck down, she had no need to because she was small enough that the cupboard didn't come close. Neil laughed his giddy cheeky chuckle as he looked down at her and lifted down a bottle. He stayed standing so close, maintaining eye contact and looking down at her. He wanted to touch her but he knew the anticipation was working on her and it gave him a thrill. "There's ginger ale from when my sister was here?" he offered. She nodded and he closed the cupboard and moved back to his own space. He poured their drinks. "Ice?" he asked. Saoirse shook her head. "I made it myself!" he chuckled in a sing-song with a head tilt. Saoirse giggled and shook her head again.

"Can I help with anything?" she asked as Neil turned the oven on.

"NO!" he said firmly, looking at her. Neil handed her drink to her and held his glass up to clink against hers. His face broke into a smile. "Cheers!" He clinked their glasses as he maintained eye contact with her. "Make yourself at home, gorgeous." he said in his low, soothing tone that made Saoirse weak, as he gestured towards the sofa. He leaned over and kissed her in 2 short, soft kisses, his right hand clasping her left hip and pulling her gently towards him.

Saoirse took a discrete deep breath and tried to steady herself with her palm gently pressed on his chest as they looked at each other. She looked at the ingredients Neil had set out on the counter top as she turned to sit down on the sofa. "Are you actually making pizza and garlic bread from scratch?" she asked.

"Well I'm not making the dough, it's a ready made pizza base that I'm putting the toppings on. For the garlic bread I'm buttering a baguette and then putting it all in the oven." He said matter-of-factly as he began making the pizza. "But thanks for tearing apart what I thought was a nice, albeit last- minute, gesture" He said sarcastically. "Kick a man when he's down!"

"NO! Oh no, I meant..." Saoirse tried to recover it as she shifted on the sofa.

"No use backpedaling now, the damage is done!" he continued in jest.

"I thought you meant heat up a frozen pizza!" Saoirse said apologetically.

"I'm only keeping you going, Saoirse!" He teased softly. "Do you like olives?" He asked. She agreed. "Good woman cos I've already put them on." He said. Saoirse giggled.

She got up from the sofa and walked slowly across the living room to look at the framed photographs on the wall behind the ottoman. "Are these your photos, Neil?" she asked, admiring the land and seascape photos. Neil looked towards the wall then hummed in agreement. "They're stunning." She said with a smile. Neil said nothing. She looked round to see him standing still, looking at her. "I followed you on Instagram." She smiled but his face didn't change. He maintained eye contact with her. "I love your photos. They're really beautiful." she said sincerely. "You could sell those as prints." Still Neil was silent, just looking at her. "Do you take them with a camera? There's no way your mobile did that." She asked, gesturing to one of the photos, trying to engage him further and hoping he was just embarrassed at the compliment.

"I've got a DSLR...and then I just upload them to the iPad." He said slowly. Saoirse nodded. "Do a bit of Photoshop to make them look fancy." he said with a quick smile. "Mushrooms and pesto?" he asked.

"Ahhh OK. So it's not 'hashtag no filter' then." she joked, gesturing a hash sign with her hands. Neil laughed. "I'm down with the kids!" She giggled. "Yes to mushrooms and pesto." she answered. "I wish my photos looked as good as these." she said.

Neil turned back to the pizza. "Nah you just need a lens, £500 would get you a decent lens." Neil said.

Saoirse wondered if he'd misunderstood her compliments. "Oh no, I wouldn't use it." Saoirse said. "I just take photos on my phone, I'm not that into it." she said.

"Well, if you're not gonna use it then your phone is best. What've you got?" he asked.

"It's an Android." Saoirse said.

"Yeah but what is it?" Neil asked, glancing round at her.

"Oh, it's a Samsung." Saoirse said, taking her phone out of her pocket to show him.

"Yeah the cameras on those are good." Neil said.

"They are, my friend has an all- singing, all- dancing iPhone and when we go anywhere and she wants to take photos, she borrows my phone!" She giggled. Neil nodded as he cut the baguette and started buttering it. "How long have you been here?" Saoirse asked.

"Ahhh a good few years now...8 maybe? I bought it when the market was high unfortunately so it's only worth a fraction of what I paid for it but..." he shrugged.

"It's home and that's what matters." Saoirse said.

"Yeah!" he said softly, happy at her sincerity as he looked at her and nodded. "What about you?" he asked.

"I've been in mine...actually 3 years next week. The lease is up for renewal on the 10th but the landlord is happy with me so he's not gonna increase the rent. Thank god!" She sighed a laugh as she leaned against the back of the sofa facing the kitchen and set her drink down on the edge of the counter.

"Oh you're renting?" Neil asked.

"Yeah. I had to move back in with my parents after my surgery. I wasn't able to work for a couple of years so it took me a while to try and get back out on my own again." Saoirse explained. "Not too much cheese, please." Saoirse said quickly as Neil sprinkled more grated cheese on the pizza.

"Too much cheese?" he chuckled. "Is there such a thing?" he asked.

"There is when you've got a bowel disorder!" Saoirse said bluntly with a smile.

"Noted!" Neil nodded as he stopped and put the pizza and garlic bread in the oven. He washed his hands and set a timer on his phone. "I couldn't move back in with my parents!" Neil said, shaking his head and exhaling loudly. "Hats off!" He nodded and simulated lifting a hat off his head.

Saoirse smiled and shrugged. "So now I'm working to pay off debt and try and build some savings. I'd like to finally buy a place before I'm 40." She said, timidly with an embarrassed look on her face. "My flat isn't ideal but for the price I can't complain."

"Good for you! You'll get there in no time." Neil said sincerely as he put the rest of the ingredients away in the fridge. Saoirse looked at him, comforted by his support. "My sister was living with me for a while, something similar," he said, gesturing with his hand. "She moved out into her own place a couple of weeks ago." Neil said. "That'll be you soon!" Saoirse smiled and nodded. "Left all sorts of shit here and I haven't seen her since!" He chuckled.

"Fingers crossed!" she smiled "Shall I set the table?" Saoirse asked.

"You want to sit at the table and use cutlery?! You're not on the North side now, Saoirse!" Neil exclaimed with a cheeky grin. "It's pizza! What's wrong with the sofa and using your hands!" He smirked.

"I'm kinda clumsy and messy..." she said with an embarrassed laugh as Neil approached her and snaked his arms round her neck.

"I think I've got one of my nephews' bibs about somewhere..." he started with a smirk on his face. Saoirse wrapped her arms around his waist, nipped him gently and he flinched and laughed. "Relax, I don't stand on ceremony!" he said as he gazed into her eyes. "We can sit at the table, whatever you want."

"No, no. The sofa is more relaxed. I'll be on my best behaviour." Saoirse giggled.

"I won't!" Neil teased, playfully sticking his tongue out at her.

Saoirse smiled with pursed lips. "I meant about not spilling my food!" She said.

"I didn't." Neil said. Saoirse looked at him longingly and he maintained her gaze. "Hmmm that look!" he groaned softly as he leaned down to kiss her.