“Fuck!” I shouted as I banged my fist against the hood of the Jeep. The acrid smell of burning rubber still hung in the air and stung my nostrils, the aftermath of me stomping on the accelerator in an attempt to free the Jeep from being imprisoned in mud. While the trip up 515 into the North Georgia mountains had been smooth sailing, I now found myself in a brand new hell: thoroughly and completely stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Just like in the movies, everything had been going great until I made one wrong turn. When the gravel road turned into a stream, I figured I could ford it. I was in a four-wheel drive Jeep for fuck’s sake. Yeah…it so hadn’t worked out like I’d planned. Not only were the back wheels encased in the sloshy Georgia clay, I was standing in water up to my knees.
With a growl, I dug my phone out of my pocket. Glancing at the screen, I thanked God that somehow I still had cell service. “Siri, what’s the nearest wrecker service near me?” I demanded.
“Hart and Daughter Wrecker Service is ten miles away.”
“Then Hart and Daughter it is.” After I dialed the number, it rang three times before a perky sounding woman answered it.
“Hello, Hart and Daughter. How may I help you?”
“Uh, yeah, my name’s Gabe, and I seem to have gotten my Jeep stuck while doing some off-roading. Can you guys come get me out?”
“Certainly, sir. I’ll just need your location.”
“Somewhere in backwoods bumblefuck,” I grumbled.
The woman had the audacity to laugh at me. “You must be from the city.”
“If I said I am, would that make a difference?”
“It’s just most people who are from around here know the road names, or at least they know points of interest close by.”
“Okay, fine. I turned off Briarwood Road then followed it until it turned into gravel and then dirt. A path to the right looked good so I took it. That’s when it all turned to shit.”
After hearing scribbling in the background, the woman said, “Got it. I think someone will be able to find you with those descriptions. Just let me get some information. What’s your name?”
“Gabe Renard.”
There was a pause on the line. “Did you say Renard?”
“I did.”
The woman giggled. “You wouldn’t happen to be the Gabe Renard of Jacob’s Ladder, would you?”
At that moment, I had two choices. I could tell her no and keep some semblance of anonymity, or I could say yes and hopefully parlay my celebrity status into getting faster service. I decided to go with option B. “Yes. As a matter of fact, I am.”
A high-pitched shriek pierced my eardrum, and the shock almost caused me to fumble my phone. When I brought it back to my ear, I heard, “OMG, OMG, OMG, OH MY GOD! I can’t believe it! We never have any celebrities around here. Then, the first time we have one, it’s one I absolutely love.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“It’s funny because I thought your voice sounded familiar.”
“I take it you’re a fan of my band.”
Her response came in the form of another high-pitched shriek. “Oh my God, YES, I’m a fan. I’ve been to each and every one of your concerts in Atlanta. I even went to one in Chattanooga.”
“That’s amazing. Thanks for the support. Maybe I can sign something for you when the technician gets out here.”
“You would really do that?”
“Hell yeah. Anything for a true fan.”
I heard some rustling of papers before the woman’s voice became slightly muffled. “Listen, there are actually two towing calls ahead of you, but I’m going to radio Ray to come to you first.”
Jackpot. “Thank you so much…I’m sorry, but I don’t think I got your name.”
“It’s Candice, but everyone calls me Candy.”
“Thank you, Candy.”
At the sound of her name coming from my lips, Candy dissolved into a fit of giggles. After a few deep breaths, she managed to compose herself. “Okay, now, you just sit tight, Gabe, and Ray should be there in about ten to twenty minutes.”
“I will. I can’t thank you enough for all your help,” I replied in my sincerest voice.
“Oh, trust me, it was my pleasure.”
“Bye, Candy,” I drawled.
After another fit of giggles, she replied, “Bye, Gabe.”
I shook my head as I hung up the phone. Even after years of being famous, it never ceased to amaze me the reactions fans had. When it came down to it, I was a person just like anyone else, but to them, the fact that I played in a successful band elevated my status slightly above them.
While I waited on Ray, I hopped back onto Jeep’s front seat, thanking God again, this time for the leather seats so my soaking jeans wouldn’t ruin the upholstery. After opening the dashboard, I took out my notebook. I figured I might as well try to make the most of the time I had. Sure, the Jeep might be stuck, but part of my plan was still intact. After all, I was in the middle of nowhere with no distractions. Nibbling on the pen cap, I closed my eyes and searched for the right words.
Seconds passed. Then minutes. Fuck. Nothing was coming. Not words, not images—absolutely nothing. With a frustrated grunt, I hurled my pen onto the dashboard. Once again, a sense of dread cloaked me. I swallowed hard before taking in a few deep breaths. The last thing I needed was to go into full-on panic attack mode in the middle of nowhere. Lifting my head, I gazed up at the sky. “I could really use some help right now.”
At the sound of a vehicle coming down the road, I tossed my notebook back into the glove compartment. I threw open the door and jumped back down into the muddy water then watched as the black and red wrecker moved closer to the stream. After the engine was cut, the driver’s side door opened.
When a chunky high-heeled boot slid out, I slowly trailed my hand down my face. Another boot dangled out the open door before the driver jumped down, and I muttered, “Holy shit.” The stereotype of a potbellied, trucker hat-wearing guy named Ray was not what I saw in front of me. The owner of the sexy boots wore skin-tight blue jeans, a white tank top, and an open flannel shirt. One would adequately describe her body as bangin’, and if I focused any longer on the way her perky tits strained against her tank top, I was going to get a boner right here in the boonies.
I forced my gaze back to her face. Her long dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her dark eyes locked on mine. I couldn’t help being further surprised by the somewhat amused glint burning in them.
“Looks like you got yourself into mess, city boy,” the woman said with a teasing lilt in her voice.