I was wondering if you could help me with my flat.”
“Your flat what?”
“Oh—flat tire.” She turned and pointed to the street where the yellow Bug sat, sagging on the front left side, courtesy of Carol's sabotage. “I wanted to drive out to see the Nitrovex plant.”
“Oh, I can take you.”
Her head cocked. What? “Take me? In your car?”
Peter ran a hand through his hair again, and her pulse fluttered. “Yeah, sure,”
he said. “It'll be dark pretty soon, and after that, you won't be able to see much of the plant. I'll fix the flat when we get back.”
“Really? You sure?” Because I'm not.
He shook his head. “No problem. I've got a work light and a compressor.
Probably just a slow leak.”
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?”
