Her brain was flip-flopping. Take a ride with him? Together?

“Okay, sure, thanks,” she found herself saying. “I just thought it would be good to look around before my meeting.” There. She'd let him know it was just

about business.

“Sounds practical. They've grown quite a bit the last ten years.”

He headed toward the passenger door, but before he could reach it, she settled down in the black bucket seat. The car smelled of polished leather mixed

with stale oily dust and a faint tinge of gas. She found herself oddly enamored.

Peter climbed into the driver's side and inserted the key, then turned it. The

V8 engine thrummed to life, then settled into a throaty idle.

Peter revved the engine a few times, smiling.

She hadn't pegged him for a gear head, but she had to admit. This car was

cool.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Sure.” The top was down, and the late afternoon sun was pushing through

the trees. She pulled her Armani sunglasses down from her head, smiling. This

might actually be fun.

The vintage car rolled to the end of the driveway until it reached the street.

After looking both ways, Peter gunned the engine. The car shot from the curb with a small squeal, the engine churning. In a few seconds, they were off Brick

Street and cruising down Main street towards the center of town.

Kate was watching the shops move by the car window, recognizing most of

them. “Hey, Bailey's Five and Ten is still there!”

“Yeah, it's Bailey's Variety now. They mostly sell cards and knick-knacks.”

It was the shop where she used to get toys, and where she got her first My

Little Pony that had started her collection.

It was as if Peter read her mind. “You still have your pony collection thing?”

She pursed her lips. “Maybe. You still have your comic book collection

thing?”

“Mmm. Maybe. You still…chew your fingernails when you're nervous?”

She slid her left hand under her leg. “Maybe. You still shoot Pepsi out of your nose when you laugh?”

He shot a look at her and then turned his head back toward the road. “I only

did that once, and that was, like, what? Third grade?”

She laughed at his embarrassment. “It was fifth grade, and you turned as red

as this car.”

Peter was silent, making a right turn onto Franklin Street, which led to the highway out of town. She wondered if she'd joked too much.

“So, everything look the same?” he said.

She surveyed the passing businesses. King Drugs, Copperfield's Books.

She'd spent a lot of Saturday afternoons there in the Young Adult Fantasy section, buried in the latest Harry Potter book. “Pretty much, surprisingly. A little more touristy.” Her eye caught what looked like an art gallery on the corner of

Franklin and Elm. That was new.

“I guess not much ever changes in a small town, huh?” Peter said, slowing

for a stop sign.

“Mmm. Some do, some don't, I suppose.”

The car was picking up speed as they headed out onto the main highway out

of town, the engine settling into a vibrating hum.

“Hey, Roger's Roost is closed? I almost forgot about that place.” She pointed

to a small stand by the side of the road with a large gold star encrusted with light bulbs on top of a white, rusting pole. “Remember when we rode our bikes out

here that one time just to get a chocolate cone, but we forgot we didn't have any money, and the lady gave it to us, anyway?”

She heard him chuckle as he shifted the car down a gear, slowing to make a

turn onto a side road. “Nothing like free ice cream.” The Mustang regained speed as it headed south down Eagle Bluff Road, which led towards the Nitrovex

plant.

At the faster speed, the wind was blowing Kate's hair in ruffled bursts. It felt

good. She could see Peter looking over at her, smiling. The rush of the cool air