“I have to go, dad.” I snap the top onto my travel mug and grab my backpack. “See you later.”
I slip outside and wave to West as I get into the passenger seat. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” He smiles as he puts the car in reverse. “Bodi’s waiting for us at this church we found that has a huge parking lot.”
“I have to admit I’m equal parts excited and terrified. I really don’t want to mess up a car this beautiful.”
He shrugs. “It’s just a car. As long as you’re okay, I don’t care that much.”
I look over at him. “You’re a nice guy.”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
“I don’t know. You have this larger-than-life persona around the team, and you’re a badass on the ice. Guys are legit scared of you.”
“I’m six-four, two twenty-five, and fast as fuck. Yeah, they’re scared. But that’s hockey. I don’t scare anyone off the ice.”
“I think you do. At least, a little. I bet my dad is scared of you to a degree.”
He snorts. “Because I’m one of the only guys on the team he can’t screw with. I could get traded to ten different teams today. Right this minute. Probably for even more money than I’m making here. He knows not to fuck with me beyond regular coaching stuff. The question is why he finds it necessary to fuck with almost everyone else.”
“Which seems to include me, though he’s more subtle about it when it comes to me.”
“You’re an adult, Jayne. It might be time to cut the apron strings and get out on your own.”
“That’s why I have to learn to drive. So, I can find a job and be prepared to pay the bills that come with cutting those apron strings.”
“Fair enough. So, the hardest thing about driving a stick is usually getting it into first gear. Now this model is a little older, so it still has the actual stick—” His hand is on it. “And this one is a five-speed. When we stop, I’ll show you where everything is, including reverse, but today we’ll focus on getting into first. To be fair, this is an incredibly expensive, high-end car, so you don’t usually have to fight with it to get it into position, though reverse sticks sometimes. The process is pretty smooth once you learn the feel of the car. With one foot on the clutch, and the other on the gas, you have to let up on the clutch while simultaneously easing onto the gas. You’ll feel it catch—that’s the only way to describe it. I’ll do it a few times and then you can try. Okay?”
I nod.
It sounds simple enough.
I read all about how to do it last night to make sure I understood the basics so I feel as ready as I can be.
“Thank you for this,” I tell him as we pull into the parking lot. “It means a lot to me.”
He winks. “Are you kidding? This is fun. Vik is with Bodi because he wants to learn to drive a stick too, but I told him you’re the priority. He can step in once Bodi takes you to work.”
I brought a change of clothes, so that’s the plan.
“Hey, baby.” Bodi comes over and kisses me as I get out of the car. “Your dad give you a hard time?”
“Oh, just the usual ‘you’d better not be fucking him’ conversation.” I roll my eyes. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Okay.” He puts a hand on the side of my face. “You ready for this?”
“Hell, yes. I’m excited. Who else can say their first driving lesson beyond high school driver’s ed was in a Ferrari?”
He grins. “Certainly not me. He won’t even letmedrive it and I know how!”
“I never said you couldn’t drive it,” West protests, folding his arms across his massive chest. “I said you couldn’t take it fordate night. If you want to drive it to practice, with me in the car with you or something, no problem.”
“Good to know.” Bodi grins. He presses his lips to mine before I move over to the driver’s seat and give myself an internal pep talk.
You can do this, Jayne.
For once in your life, don’t make a fool of yourself.
