The car inched forward as Angela applied the slightest pressure to the accelerator. Her entire body was rigid with concentration, her eyes wide and fixed on the road ahead.
"You're doing great," Jude encouraged. "Give it a little more gas. Just keep it slow and steady."
As they continued along the winding estate road, Jude noticed Angela gradually relaxing, her death grip on the steering wheel easing slightly.
"How am I doing?" she asked after they'd completed half a circuit.
"Perfectly," Jude said, and he meant it. She was cautious but controlled. "You're a natural."
"I don't feel like a natural," Angela muttered, but he could see a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
That small smile made something warm unfurl in Jude’s chest. He'd missed seeing her smile over the past couple of days.
"Can I try going a little faster?" she asked.
"Of course. Just ease into it gradually."
Angela pressed the accelerator a bit more, and the car picked up speed.
As they neared the house a short time later, completing the first lap, Kiara spoke up from the back. “Can you please let me off? I need to use the bathroom.”
“Oh, we can be done for today,” Angela said, glancing into the rearview mirror.
“Nope. Just let me off. You keep going. You need to do at least as many laps as I did.”
Frowning, Angela slowed the car to a stop. Kiara reached forward and patted her on the shoulder. “See you in a few.”
Once Kiara had shut the door, she hurried toward the house. Jude’s gaze returned to Angela, who was still gripping the wheel as she stared straight ahead.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know she was going to do that.”
Jude knew that was the truth because it was clear she didn’t want to be left alone with him.
"We can end the lesson if you want," Jude offered, not wanting to make her more uncomfortable than she already was.
Thanks to Duncan’s directive that Jude guard Angela and help her as needed, there was no way for her to avoid him. So, the sooner they could get past this awkwardness, the better.
"No, I should practice," Angela said, her voice soft but determined. "I need to learn this."
She eased the car forward again, her movements more confident than before but still cautious. They drove in silence for several minutes, the only sound being the quiet hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of snow under the tires.
"You're doing really well," Jude said finally, breaking the silence. "Most people aren't this controlled their first time behind the wheel."
"Probably because most people are in their teens when they learn to drive," Angela muttered drily. “And teens aren’t known for their controlled behavior.”
Jude chuckled. “Well, there is that.”
“Although maybe you were,” she said. “You seem like someone who has been controlled since birth.”
“You’re not wrong,” Jude conceded. “How about you?”
“Oh, I was definitely an out-of-control teen.”
The sarcasm in her voice made Jude grin, if only on the inside. He liked to get these brief flashes of personality. Especially when she was in the middle of something that was stressful for her.
“Being out of control was never allowed,” Angela said, her tone more normal. “I think Jim figured that if we had energy to be out of control, we had the energy to be doing more chores.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about chores here,” Jude reminded her.
