“Why are you so cheerful in the morning? And why do you even wake up this early? If I wasn’t a farrier, I’d get a job that let me sleep until noon.”
“Like a musician?” I quip. “But honestly, it’s because the world is quieter in the morning. It’s the only time I got to be alone when I was living in Birmingham. Besides, I do need to get into town today to see the lawyer you recommended, and to the barn as well.”
“I’ll get you into town if you tell me—honestly this time—what your pageant talent is.”
Okay, so Jonah is grumpyandcombative in the morning.
“I think we both know what it is,” I say after a beat. I reach over and tap the cover of the book.
“But why lie? Your voice sounded good, at least what I could hear of it over the shower.”
I blush and wrap my arms around myself, pulling my robe in close. “I was just joking about the baton twirling. I thought it was funny and I wanted to cheer you up. You seemed a bit down after dinner at your parents.”
“I wasn’t,” Jonah says firmly. “And you don’t have to do that with me.”
“Do what?”
“Lie and pretend everything’s okay when it clearly isn’t. You sounded a bit sad in the shower.”
“I soundedfine. End of discussion.”
“You’re doing it again.” Jonah gives me a small grin over his coffee.
“Well then so are you! Because you were definitely in a bad mood the other night and my baton twirling pulled you out of it.”
“You mean your rolling pin flailing?”
I throw my hands up and turn to march out of the room, but Jonah says, “Catch.”
I turn around just in time to snatch a pair of keys out of the air. “What are these?”
“Keys to your ride.”
An hour later,dressed in suede leggings, my pink boots, and a matching pink coat, I clamber into the old jeep Jonah gave methe keys to. It was in the garage so I didn’t even know it was here until he showed me.
“I use this on days when I’m not working. Doesn’t make sense to drive the work truck around all the time,” he explains.
“Um, sure,” I respond without looking at him. I’m too busy studying the gear shift.
“You do know how to drive a stick, right?” His voice carries a distinct note of arrogance and I toss him a glare.
“Sort of,” I say honestly. “My dad taught me when I was in high school but it’s been a while.” It’s probably one of the only good memories I have with my father. Away from my mother, he was a bit softer on me.
Jonah comes around and hops into the passenger seat of the car. “Here, I’ll show you.”
“I can figure it out, I swear. I don’t want you to be late for work.”
“It’s fine,” he grumbles. He places his hand on top of mine on the stick shift. “Turn the engine on, engage the clutch, and I’ll show you how to get it into reverse, drive, and park.”
I do as he says, and Jonah guides me, helping me back the Jeep out of the garage and then park it in the driveway. The whole time, I feel his warmth as he leans into me, and his hand is calloused yet gentle atop mine.
“I think I have it now,” I breathe.
“Yeah?” he asks, looking right at me, our faces only a few inches apart. “Because I don’t want you to stall and get stuck somewhere.”
“Promise,” I say, even though I’m one hundred percent going to stall at some point today. But if I stay in this car another minute with Jonah, I’ll do something insane, like kiss him again.
“Great,” he says, moving away from me quickly and opening the car door. “I’ll see you later tonight then.”
