Overdrive Read Online Free Page B

brother was going to pop him or was surrendering before he had a chance to get hit.
    â€œAnd how did a pop spilling cause a dent in the hood?” my brother demanded.
    My mind scrambled, looking for an answer that wasn’t coming.
    â€œForget it!” he said. “I probably don’t even want to know.”
    â€œI’ll fix it,” I said. “I promise.”
    â€œThat’s right, you will fix it. First thing tomorrow morning. The car is scheduled at the paint shop on Monday. The filler has to have enough time to dry before then.”
    â€œI’ll even do it tonight if you want.”
    â€œTonight I need the car for my date with …oh, great,” he muttered.
    For an instant I wondered what was wrong. Then I saw the answer as Natalie’s car pulled into the driveway.
    â€œThis isn’t good,” he said. “I’m going to tell her the car wouldn’t start and that’s why I’m late. When I get back, that car better be washed down and the dent fixed or there’s going to be a few more dents. And I’m not talking about the car, if you get my drift.”
    I understood him perfectly.
    Natalie got out of the car and loudly slammed the door.
    â€œNatalie!” Andy said as he walked down the driveway. “You look beautiful tonight. I’m so sorry I’m late! I had a little bit of trouble with the car.”
    â€œI don’t want to hear about that car!” she shrieked.
    She had a high-pitched whiny voice that sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard.
    â€œSometimes I think you care more about that car than you do about me!” she continued.
    â€œOf course I don’t!” Andy protested. “Did I mention how fantastic you look tonight?”
    â€œAs opposed to how I usually look? Is that what you’re saying?” she demanded.
    â€œNo, of course not! You always look fantastic. Tonight you just look more fantastic than usual.”
    I was thinking that I didn’t know what my brother saw in her, and then I remembered. She stood there in her skintight pants, high heels and low-cut top. What I didn’t understand was how he could think anybody was good-looking enough to be worth all the grief he took from her.
    Andy continued to alternate between apologizing and flattering Natalie as they climbed into her car and drove away.

Chapter Seven
    As soon as I was sure that they’d driven out of view, I started up the car and pulled it into the garage. It felt good to get it into the garage and out of sight. I grabbed a bucket and squirted in some soap. Next I filled the bucket with water from the hose. I took a sponge, dipped it in the soapy water, wrung it out and then rubbed down the hood.
    â€œYou planning on washing the whole car, or what?” Mickey asked.
    â€œJust the whole hood.”
    â€œThis certainly isn’t how I figured on spending the rest of the night, washing a car and doing bodywork.”
    â€œIt won’t be the whole night. Actually I can’t even do the bodywork until this is completely dry.”
    â€œYou going to use a blow-dryer?” Mickey joked.
    â€œSort of.”
    I walked over to the workbench and grabbed a heat lamp. I set it up on the hood.
    â€œSo now we’re going to stand here and watch it dry?” Mickey asked.
    â€œNo. Now we’re going to get a couple of bikes and go for a ride,” I explained.
    â€œA ride? Where to?” Mickey asked.
    â€œBack to the strip,” I said.
    â€œWhat? I don’t think we should do that.”
    â€œWhy not?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t know why not, I just don’t think we should.”
    â€œI need to know what happened. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
    â€œI don’t want to,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not coming.”
    I grabbed my bike. “You can take my sister’s bike.”
    â€œI’m not going to ride your