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Reserved Parking Space

"No, no, no," Mary-Lynnette chanted under her breath as she glanced at her truck's clock. She was so late for her interview! Well, not really- but still. Oh no, oh no . . . but the problem wasn't traffic. It was trying to find a damned parking space.

It sounds like she's exaggerating when she says that she has been trying to find a parking space for nearly an hour now; but she's being completely honest. The city she's in is a few miles from Briar Creek. And because it was a city near Briar Creek and other small towns, it was packed when the season of spring and summer hits.

Anyway, her interview is at 11:30AM. And it was now . . . 11:26AM. She left Briar Creek an hour and a half earlier, hoping to have some extra time to get some food or coffee from a city restaurant. But Mary-Lynnette ended up using all her time driving from Briar Creek and trying to find a parking space.

"Why does it have to be crowded today?" Mary-Lynnette asked herself, annoyed. She hit the brakes just as she spotted a parking a few hundred feet from her. The car in front of her- which, by the way, was the source of her sudden stillness- pulled in the vacant parking space she saw.

"Damn you," she muttered and scouted around the parking lot for the umpteenth time.

That was the fifth time a car (or, rather, a person) stole her parking space! "God, God . . . please. I'll be good for the rest of the year. I'll work hard. Just give me a parking space and I'll be really good," Mary-Lynnette whispered desperately, looking around for a parking space.

And, as if God answered her pleas, she spied an empty parking space- not heeding the signs around it (in this case, on it).

Quickly, Mary-Lynnette pulled in the parking space and murmured a close-to-tearful thanks to the heavens. Just as she slipped out of her truck, a car honked behind her and she jumped; her nerves jittery.

Mary-Lynnette, thinking that the car was probably not honking at her, began to walk away when she heard a man exclaim, "Hey! Hey you! That's my parking spot!"

Immediately, she halted in her tracks and turned around, eyes narrowed at the ash-blonde haired man behind her truck. "Excuse me, but are you talking to me?"

The man nodded, his eyes focused intently on her. "Yes. Who else could I be talking to?"

"Well, I'm sorry. But I have an important interview-"

"And I have to interview someone!" the man interrupted, glaring at her. "And, if you haven't noticed, the parking spot you stole is reserved. Under my name."

Mary-Lynnette clenched her teeth together and walked back to her truck. When she read the sign she accidentally ignored, her jaw almost dropped. "Redfern?"

"Ash Redfern, actually," the man- Ash- said, observing her curiously. Her expression shifted from anger to astonishment. He wondered why. He was surprised to see the look of bashfulness on her face as well. Perfect with dark red cheeks and furrowed eyebrows. "Well?"

"S-sorry. I'm . . . Mary-Lynnette," she said (Ash hoped that she would move her truck, but she misunderstood his one-worded demand). Mary-Lynnette wished that Mr. Redfern (Ash) wouldn't know that she's the one he's interviewing.

"Carter? Mary-Lynnette Carter?" Ash asked, his eyes brighting up amusedly. So that would explain the change of attitude, he thought with a mental smirk.

Her blush darkened, if possible, and she nodded; bowing her head apologetically. "Yes, that would be me." Mary-Lynnette shuffled her feet. "Um. I'm sorry for taking your spot-"

He waved his large hand dismissively. "No worries. Oh, and you can cut the crap."

Her eyes widened, her whole face going red. "I'm really sorry."

A car honked behind Ash's car. The handsome Redfern scowled and turned around. "What? Can't you see I'm interviewing a lady?" he exclaimed loudly. The car simply honked. The color of his eyes appeared to change and blazed with his irritation. He turned back to Mary-Lynnette.

"Because we officially met a minute ago, how does coffee sound? I can interview there," he paused and winked, "but I'm liking you already."

Mary-Lynnette smiled shyly and nodded. "Of course. When and where should we meet?" she asked as politely as she could. The brunette couldn't seem to maintain a business-like air around him since she was just arguing with him a few minutes ago.

Maybe I should've rephrased my question more professionally, Mary-Lynnette thought when she saw Ash's smirking face.

When she asked that question, Ash thought amusedly, she sounded like she was asking me out. Pushing the thought to the back of his head, he replied with, "Starbuck's at the mall. Meet me there in ten."

Watching her nod, Ash climbed inside his car just as the car behind him honked once again. He was tempted to flip the driver off for his impatience but he decided against it. The beautiful Mary-Lynnette would probably disapprove of that action.

Before climbing in her truck, the brunette sent him a friendly smile- still with the blush on her cheeks. "See you there!"

A/N: Hey guys~ I know I have things to update and I know that I should be working on them . . . but. :I Well, you know me. Or kinda know me. This was supposed to be part of the NW Spring collection one-shots I was planning to make during my spring break (think of my other collection [?], "Dog Days of Summer" when I updated everyday for one week . . .). So yep. I'm sure I'll be able to update tons and tons in the break and, of course, in the summer so- happy smile! :)

Domo arigato mina-san~ I totally appreciate whatever you did for this story! Thank you, thank you! *bows gratefully*

Review? Thank you, thank you! :")