“Yep, this is her,” he replied, slapping a hand on the hood. “Isn’t she pretty?”
Pursing my lips, I asked, “Do you have a crush on your truck?”
“Jealous?” He smiled swiftly, then wagged his eyebrows.
A funny feeling flipped around inside me. “Can I drive?”
He frowned. “Do you know how to drive?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Eddie sputtered. “I think we’ll save that little test for later. You’re just getting out of the hospital. It’s a little too soon to come back.”
“Fine.” I sighed.
Eddie opened the passenger door and beckoned for me to get in. Handing him my flowers and other gift bags loading down my arms, I jumped in and sat on the bench seat stretching across the interior. He put all the stuff on the floor near my feet.
Still holding the flowers, he glanced up. “Better scooch over. Make room for the flowers.” I held my hands out for them, but he shook his head. “Scooch.”
I slid over, and he dropped them beside me. Clearly, he was very concerned with their delicacy.
“Be right back,” he said before slamming the door and jogging around the front. Inside the cab, he started it up and smiled. “Hi.”
I was right beside him. You know, because the flowers took upso muchroom on the other side. “Hi,” I said back.
“Ready?”
I shrugged.
I’m pretty sure he drove like a maniac. Or maybe he was just a terrible driver. Either way, I was forced to cling to him in fear of my life.
After taking a wide turn onto a tree-lined street with beautiful houses set back on green lawns and fall leaves dotting the landscape, I sat up and gaped at him.
He laughed.
I smacked him in the ribs. “You are the worst driver ever!”
“How do you know?” he teased.
“I think I’m going to vomit.” I leaned forward.
He slammed on the brakes, his arm shooting out to block me from sliding forward. The second the truck bounced to a stop, he turned to me, immediately regretful. “Shit,” he muttered. “It’s okay. I’m sorry, I—”
My laughter bubbled up from my hunched over position.
He was silent for a heartbeat. “Are you laughing?”
Gleefully, I sat up and beamed at him. “Made you feel bad, didn’t I?”
His jaw dropped. “Are you playing me right now?”
My smile grew.
“Holy shit,” he swore. “You are totally playing me.”
“You asked for it!” I burst out. “You drove like a madman just because you wanted me to hold on to you for dear life.”
A sly smile broke over his features. “It worked.”